QuestionQUESTION: Hi Mark - About a month ago, my engine overheated due to some issue with the water pump. Thankfully, the engine was fine but they replaced the following:
Water Pump
Thermostat
Thermostat gasket
Timing belt
Coolant Temp Sensor
and I asked them to replace the Serpentine belt
The car ran fine for them. But the next few days, it began having difficulty cold starting.
I took it back - they replaced the following:
Fuel Pressure regulator
Fuel filter
I drove it for one day, the next morning, it simply would not start - for me. I live on a hill. I had it towed, they checked it later that day - it started right up for them. They checked the sensors - couldn't get an error code - everything checked out. I said tune it up, since that hadn't been done in 5 years.
I drove it for a few more days - it refused to cold start on the hill, in front of my house.
I had it towed again. They were befuddled. Kept it for a week. Tried to simulate my parking situation - it started for them. They were disturbed by an irregularity in pressure related to the Fuel Pump - which was original to the car. They re-checked for code errors - nothing. They said they believed it might be an aged fuel pump - I had them replace both the pump and filter.
I got the car back Friday. It drove fine. I didn't go anywhere today - but decided to go out and try to start it - it sputtered, it tried to stall - then it did start. I turned it off - started it again about 20 minutes later - it started.
The thing is - they didn't fix the problem. The car should have started right up, the first time. I have a toddler and I can't not attempting to get this resolved. I commute to school and transport him to a daycare...I can't risk it not starting some late night.
I have no choice but to take it to a different mechanic. In the meantime, do you have any idea as to why it won't start on a hill?? The mechanic I use have been working on the vehicle for the past two years and they are fair (they lent me a van for free to use to get to school, each time it wouldn't work)...they said if the problem persisted they didn't know what to do- except recommend a dealer.
Once it's started, it runs very, very well. No issues with idling, great gas mileage, stays cool. I've taken very good care of it - as stated prior to this - it had most of its original parts. <sigh>
I'm befuddled. I am nervous about taking it to someone else and having something else replaced that won't solve the problem.
Do you have any ideas of what the problem could be?
Thank you so much!!
Traci
ANSWER: Traci
sorry you are having trouble like this-intermittent problems can be very aggravating to find.
1. does your mechanic have a place where they can park it on a hill or are you close enough they could actually drive by and try to start it cold to verify the complaint-most of the time i don't go out to check vehicles but in a situation like this if you were close enough i would you probably already have but do you notice anything else that might help with the diagnosis like is it worse with less gas in tank, does it have to sit overnight to happen again, will it start better if you push accelerater about 1/4 way down when trying to start if anything rings a bell please follow up with me.
also if you have a good trusting relationship with your mechanic and feel he or she has treated you fair since this is not a normal problem please stick with them and give them every opportunity to find the problem sometimes its not easy and i know it's aggravating for you but you may be onto something about on a hill.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Mark -
They came out the day it wouldn't start. Ryan, the mechanic, tried everything...it just would not start for him. I had it towed - they let it sit for a couple of hours - Ryan started it. They ran every diagnostic on it they could think of.
Second - they mimicked the hill I'm parked on, one day by parking it on a steep hill next to their shop - it started for them.
Thursday night, they tilted it up on the jack, brought it down - it started for them.
I have NOT tried depressing the accelerator 1/4th the way. It's fuel injected, so I was under the impression I wasn't to do this?
Also, I just tried to start it about 20 minutes ago. It did start...but made loud gurgling sounds in the dash which persisted until the car settled into its normal idle. Then those sounds went away.
It feels like it's not getting gas at start-up. But only at the cold-start.
I'll keep taking the car to them for its regular work - but I think if they knew how to fix this - they would have. I was hoping you would know if some sensor or soemthing could be causing the problem that they might not know about? <sigh>
Thanks!
ANSWER: you are correct in that you shouldn't have to push the accelerater on fuel injected cars but sometimes the idle air control motor will stick in closed position and if it does the engine doesn't get any air so it can't start but if you push the accelerater slightly 1/4-1/2 throttle it will allow air to enter by opening throttle plate. if you push it all the way down though it will shut off fuel.
the day it would not start for ryan did he check for spark and or fuel that would help lead us in the right direction but we have to know what it is not getting spark or fuel or both.
follow up-i will recheck tomorrow after church.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Mark - First off, thanks for your time.
To answer your question - he checked both - it had spark and was getting fuel. It cranks - just budges at wanting to actually catch.
He checked it that same mornign it wouldn't start for either of us, I had it towed, they let it sit for a couple of hours - it started right up for them.
Over the course of the month, they attempted to resolve the problem by replacing the parts I told you about.
This morning - it took 5 tries - it finally caught. Once it settled, it ran fine. Perfect in fact. I took it on a long drive, stopped at the grocery store. It started without a problem. Drove to the drug store, parked on a slope, front-end facing uphill - it budged at starting. Caught at the third try.
SO, it seems to start fine on flat ground - but for some reason isn't getting enough fuel when its parked on a hill, front-end, facing uphill. It's not the fuel pump, because what's in their is brand spanking new. It shouldn't be the fuel pressure regulator because that's new as well and Ryan said he checked it regularily and it was working as it should. <sigh>
Like I said, I have a toddler and commute a 80 mile round-trip for my Master's program. The car has to start reliably.
It's just confusing for all involved! They swear they aren't getting any error codes. I asked if they checked the hoses, etc,. for leak - they said they had and couldn't find any. Maybe its the fuel injector system?? I'm not sure if they checked that or not - although they said they checked everything. They did tell me that the Contour doens't have a cold-start switch (Or something along those lines...)
Anyways, any ideas would be great! I'm pretty sure it either will give me difficulty or not start at all tomorrow AM and I have to take it to have it fixed.
Thanks Again for you time!! I do appreciate it!!
Traci
AnswerTraci
If it is getting the proper amount of fuel-and spark on time it should start-now it may not be the hill that is causing it not to start i have had two or three that wouldn't start sometimes and if they did would run rough for a short period of time and was caused by a crank sensor but really needs to be in a no start condition to check it and being it is intermittent may be hard-if it is the hill does it do it with a full tank of gas?
my net at home broke this morning so i am answering you from the shop so if you answer back it will be tomorrow before i get it.
Mark.
