Car will not start in cold weather!
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Car will not start in cold weather!
I'm in Atlanta and the last Sunday, Monday and Tuesday the outside temparature in the morning was between 38 and 45 degrees. My C5 turned over and turned over but did not start. I just left the car where it was and fast forward to the sunny afternoon. With the temps a little warmer the car starts like usual and runs perfectly.
I took it to a dealer today and asked them to render an opinion. All I got was the dreaded NPF...no problem found!
Has anyone had a similar experience? The car is 10+ years old with about 110K miles on it.
I'm stumped but think this is a fuel delivery problem as there is no evidence of even a single cylinder firing.
:-) Frank
I took it to a dealer today and asked them to render an opinion. All I got was the dreaded NPF...no problem found!
Has anyone had a similar experience? The car is 10+ years old with about 110K miles on it.
I'm stumped but think this is a fuel delivery problem as there is no evidence of even a single cylinder firing.
:-) Frank
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,459
Likes: 48
From: Schaumburg IL
CI 7-8-9-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
I would start simple with battery and check it or have it tested..then check plugs and wires.. then go on to fuel problems etc.BTW, did you hear the fuel pump when you turned the key? Normally you can hear it.
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Car will not start in cold weather
Interesting comments. Here's the layout...
The battery is brand new.
Both fuel pumps were replaced in the past 3 months.
Spark plugs and wires are less than one year old.
I'm wondering if there is a cold start transducer that is malfunctioning.
I'll pay better attention to the startup of the fuel pump when I turn the key.
Thanks for the help. If anyone has any other ideas I'm all ears. Told the dealer that I will pick up the car today but that I'll see him again as soon as the morning temps drop more consistently.
:-) Frank
The battery is brand new.
Both fuel pumps were replaced in the past 3 months.
Spark plugs and wires are less than one year old.
I'm wondering if there is a cold start transducer that is malfunctioning.
I'll pay better attention to the startup of the fuel pump when I turn the key.
Thanks for the help. If anyone has any other ideas I'm all ears. Told the dealer that I will pick up the car today but that I'll see him again as soon as the morning temps drop more consistently.
:-) Frank
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,449
Likes: 1,155
From: Dyer, IN
Interesting comments. Here's the layout...
The battery is brand new.
Both fuel pumps were replaced in the past 3 months.
Spark plugs and wires are less than one year old.
I'm wondering if there is a cold start transducer that is malfunctioning.
I'll pay better attention to the startup of the fuel pump when I turn the key.
Thanks for the help. If anyone has any other ideas I'm all ears. Told the dealer that I will pick up the car today but that I'll see him again as soon as the morning temps drop more consistently.
:-) Frank
The battery is brand new.
Both fuel pumps were replaced in the past 3 months.
Spark plugs and wires are less than one year old.
I'm wondering if there is a cold start transducer that is malfunctioning.
I'll pay better attention to the startup of the fuel pump when I turn the key.
Thanks for the help. If anyone has any other ideas I'm all ears. Told the dealer that I will pick up the car today but that I'll see him again as soon as the morning temps drop more consistently.
:-) Frank
I'm curious, what engine uses a cold start transducer?
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
As for the transducer, I'm just guessing that there is a cold start device somewhere that let's the computer know if the engine is warm or not (there has to be some functional equivalent to the old carburetted choke switch on an EFI engine).
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,449
Likes: 1,155
From: Dyer, IN
No codes are being thrown! Very strange.
As for the transducer, I'm just guessing that there is a cold start device somewhere that let's the computer know if the engine is warm or not (there has to be some functional equivalent to the old carburetted choke switch on an EFI engine).
As for the transducer, I'm just guessing that there is a cold start device somewhere that let's the computer know if the engine is warm or not (there has to be some functional equivalent to the old carburetted choke switch on an EFI engine).
The PCM looks at ECT and IAT.
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Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 0
since he was referencing a "Cold weather transducer" I think you might want to go a bit more in depth since it's not as he assumed...
The car looks at ECT and IAT which stand for Engine coolant Temp and Intake Air Temp to determine where in the startup airflow and fuel tables to read from. Has your car ever been tuned/modified? If not, I'd start where everyone else said: The battery and it's connections.
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Lived in Miami....wife won't go back!!!
I've also lived many years in Montreal...so I know cold too!
Everyone,
Thanks for all the advice! The battery works fine and the voltage is correct. I checked for any codes on the DIC and there were none. Plus as I mentioned both fuel pumps were replaced this summer.
Since the symptom is consistent when cold outside I'll eventually get to the bottom of the problem. I think I'll have to wait a few more weeks though.
:-) Frank
I've also lived many years in Montreal...so I know cold too!
Everyone,
Thanks for all the advice! The battery works fine and the voltage is correct. I checked for any codes on the DIC and there were none. Plus as I mentioned both fuel pumps were replaced this summer.
Since the symptom is consistent when cold outside I'll eventually get to the bottom of the problem. I think I'll have to wait a few more weeks though.
:-) Frank
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,517
Likes: 0
Have you checked your grounds? What volts and amps does the battery read? What's the resistance between the battery and starter solenoid? Almost guarantee it doesn't have anything to do with the 'cold start' portion of your tune if it's stock. Mine started below zero without issue. how long as it been since fuel filter change?? (Did you do it when you did your fuel pump?) [[there's only one, btw and a siphon pump to move gas from tank to tank]]
How much did you crank on the car when you tried to start it cold? Pump the gas at all?? It may have gone into flood clear if you pumped it much..
Anyway, check/clean your grounds as described in the sticky and then measure your voltage, amps and resistance, that'll give us a good clue. does it turn over slow or click or does it sound normal but not start?
Try this the next time it's colder out: turn the car to on, wait 15 seconds, turn it off, then turn it to on, wait 10 seconds and try to fire it.
we'll get you sorted one way or another.
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Has this been resolved
Lived in Miami....wife won't go back!!!
I've also lived many years in Montreal...so I know cold too!
Everyone,
Thanks for all the advice! The battery works fine and the voltage is correct. I checked for any codes on the DIC and there were none. Plus as I mentioned both fuel pumps were replaced this summer.
Since the symptom is consistent when cold outside I'll eventually get to the bottom of the problem. I think I'll have to wait a few more weeks though.
:-) Frank
I've also lived many years in Montreal...so I know cold too!
Everyone,
Thanks for all the advice! The battery works fine and the voltage is correct. I checked for any codes on the DIC and there were none. Plus as I mentioned both fuel pumps were replaced this summer.
Since the symptom is consistent when cold outside I'll eventually get to the bottom of the problem. I think I'll have to wait a few more weeks though.
:-) Frank
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
C5 tech
I'm in Atlanta and the last Sunday, Monday and Tuesday the outside temparature in the morning was between 38 and 45 degrees. My C5 turned over and turned over but did not start. I just left the car where it was and fast forward to the sunny afternoon. With the temps a little warmer the car starts like usual and runs perfectly.
I took it to a dealer today and asked them to render an opinion. All I got was the dreaded NPF...no problem found!
Has anyone had a similar experience? The car is 10+ years old with about 110K miles on it.
I'm stumped but think this is a fuel delivery problem as there is no evidence of even a single cylinder firing.
:-) Frank
I took it to a dealer today and asked them to render an opinion. All I got was the dreaded NPF...no problem found!
Has anyone had a similar experience? The car is 10+ years old with about 110K miles on it.
I'm stumped but think this is a fuel delivery problem as there is no evidence of even a single cylinder firing.
:-) Frank
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 831
Likes: 288
Don't you know that the car isn't meant to be driven in anything less then then 50 degrees? For that you need a special computer upgrade.
This is sarcasm
This is only sarcasm
Do not take seriously do not get panties in a bunch.
This is sarcasm
This is only sarcasm
Do not take seriously do not get panties in a bunch.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,012
Likes: 726
Cruising
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 11
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From: Oklahoma
