QuestionThe engine light does come on when you turn the key on but doesn't stay on to signify there could be a problem.
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Followup To
Question -
Hi, I have a 1996 Hyundai Accent with 205,000 miles on it. I have a problem with it starting when it gets hot, like if I run to the store and come back out it won't start. It is especially bad on hot days. I changed the plugs, wires and fuel filter. The starter works fine as it is turning over. Sometimes it takes anywhere from an 10 minutes to an hour for it to start back up. On a few occasions when it did finally start it backfired like it had too much fuel going to it or there was pressure built up somewhere. Thank you.
Answer -
Crankshaft sensors sometimes fail when hot and then behave normally when cold. I've also seen coolant temp sensors read too cold a temperature and cause a too rich condition that makes it difficult to start the engine. I suppose there's also a remote possibility that the purge valve is stuck open and fuel vapors permeate the intake as the car sits, effectively flooding the engine.
Is your check engine lamp on or has it been on recently? If so, you should have the codes checked. AutoZone and some other places advertise they'll do this for free. You're likely to get a large hint as to the nature of the problem.
If you've got no trouble codes, I'd suspect some sort of issue with the engine management system. Taking the car to a shop which is competent at driveability diagnosis and has the proper equipment to read the data from your ECM (Engine Control Module) is probably the way to go. There's a long list of thing's that could cause this problem, and a shop which can attack the situation systematically while the condition is occurring may be the way to go.
You should expect the problem not to be in the fuel delivery system (fuel pump, lines, filter) as you have no performance issues. You should also expect the issue to not be anything which affects only one or two cylinders, since when the problem occurs the car won't start at all.
Additional info:
Deb, I saw in your comments that the check engine lamp never illuminates. When you turn the key to the "on" position (but don't start the vehicle), the check engine lamp should illuminate. This is the bulb test. If the car is able to start and the lamp doesn't come on, then there's a problem with your lamp circuit (such as a burned out or missing bulb). On the other hand, if the bulb test operates normally except when the car won't start, then you've got a problem with your ECM (Engine Control Module) not turning on when you turn the key on.
AnswerIf the check engine lamp comes on during the bulb check, then your ECM is operating. So, it's either not seeing something it needs to run the engine, or something is so far out of whack that the air/fuel mixture is off too much for the engine to start.
