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Ok well its been getting colder here in pa and ever since the temp drop my car is starting very odd.....ill turn the key and it sounds like it wants to start then ill hear clicking for 2 secs then it will kick over........sometimes i have to turn the key 2-3 times it will sound like the battery is dead then BOOM turns over...if it gets warmer out it tends not to do it as much....but even if the engine is warm it still does it...any suggestions?

try a lighter oil.. say 5w 30 or 5w 20

almost all 5/20 is a semi-synthetic. use 5/30. that and pick up a nice interstate battery at the min. i'd pick up an Oddesy

Clean the battery terminals, check for tightness. Sounds like a poor connection.

have you been doing the cold start procedure? Its in the owners manual - something along the lines of turning the car to the ON position, pump the gas pedal and then start the car?

I'm not trying to be condescending at all. Just inquiring. If not this might help and if it doesn't, well - we've at least eliminated that from the equation.

Never knew about a cold start procedure. I've never used it and I've never had a problem starting my car.

I don't see what pumping the pedal has to do with starting an EFI car.

No need for 5w20 in your engine. 5w30 will be just fine. Their cold cranking viscositys are rated the same so theoretically there would be minimal at best difference between the two weights.

OK, I just looked it up.
For starting below 32*F...

Owners Manual wrote:Slightly depress and hold the accelerator before starting the engine. Turn the key to the START position. When the engine starts, release the key, then the accelerator pedal. If the engine fails to start within 15 seconds, turn the key OFF wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat the normal starting procedure.

This is to allow more air to enter the intake, since the computer will be dumping fuel in there because it is cold and it is starting. Warmer weather makes for easier starting.


However, in this case I would go after the battery first. Check the connections and all that. If that doesn't work, its time for a new battery.

hansken_yo wrote:have you been doing the cold start procedure? Its in the owners manual - something along the lines of turning the car to the ON position, pump the gas pedal and then start the car?

I never heard about this... maybe i should read up on this.

Check my post right about yours. That is exactly what the manual says. The only other thing is if trying to start below -20*F, then they say to use a block heater.

hey frank! 0w40!!!

always a jokester

You don't even need that cold start procedure. The car will start well below -30 deg C without a block heater and 5w30 oil by just getting in and turning the key.

You've either got a loose connection somewhere, or your battery is on its last legs.

I used the cold start procedure a coupla times so far this winter up here in the cold white north called Canada.

For mine, the procedure is to slightly depress the accelerator and hold and crank the engine over... release the accelerator when the engine starts.

So far with temperatures down to -15 celsius it starts and purrs away like a kitten. I noticed at -20 celsius it was a little noiser on startup for a few seconds but then it settled right down.

Block heater is your best choice when it gets really cold. No plug in where I live, so this winter when the temperature dips much below -20 I'll be on the bus to save the cold start wear 'n tear.

onewickedkid05 wrote:.....ill turn the key and it sounds like it wants to start then ill hear clicking for 2 secs then it will kick over........sometimes i have to turn the key 2-3 times it will sound like the battery is dead then BOOM turns over...

To me it sounds electrical, despite the temperature comments...Check the system, I guess some guy's town, the Autozone there don't have a tester, but most do. They can test both the battery and the alternator for free.

Also sometimes a faulty starter exhibits these symptoms and can be a draw on a battery.

At the very least get tested and make certain that is or is not the problem.

Paul56 wrote:Block heater is your best choice when it gets really cold. No plug in where I live, so this winter when the temperature dips much below -20 I'll be on the bus to save the cold start wear 'n tear.

You're joking right? That's why you buy a neon, so you don't have to take the bus, even when it's below -20

"Cold" or more appropriate DRY start wear and tear happens just as much at +20 as it does -20. It maybe takes a few seconds more at most to get the oil going in the colder temps, but additional wear really is negligible.

well the terminals are connected and cleaned still doing it....also when it does it my cluster (resets) every time all the needles go up and go back down over the course of 2-3 seconds......so dont know ill give it an oil change this weekend if that doesnt work then i guess ill try a new battery?

GET

IT

TESTED

(before you buy a new battery or anything else)

fixitmattman wrote:

Paul56 wrote:Block heater is your best choice when it gets really cold. No plug in where I live, so this winter when the temperature dips much below -20 I'll be on the bus to save the cold start wear 'n tear.

You're joking right? That's why you buy a neon, so you don't have to take the bus, even when it's below -20

"Cold" or more appropriate DRY start wear and tear happens just as much at +20 as it does -20. It maybe takes a few seconds more at most to get the oil going in the colder temps, but additional wear really is negligible.

No joke and not much different than what I do during the summer... leaving the car at home while taking the bike to work.

This past Sunday/Monday the car stayed at home while I got around on the bus... a huge snowstorm prompted that

Two benefits of this...

I get a little exercise and less wear 'n tear on the vehicle... every little extra bit of wear 'n tear counts.

w3rd, get the battery checke dlike stated earlier and in several posts... every winter this happens to 4 or 5 members cars on here, so this question will be asked a lot!

Beside the battery terminals look at the starter wires too.

But yeah get a battery check done immediately.

onewickedkid05 wrote:well the terminals are connected and cleaned still doing it....also when it does it my cluster (resets) every time all the needles go up and go back down over the course of 2-3 seconds......so dont know ill give it an oil change this weekend if that doesnt work then i guess ill try a new battery?

That's a great idea. Oil changes have been know to do an excellent job of fixing electrical problems.

Remember to top up the blinker fluid while you're in there too.

If you aren't due for an oil change, don't bother changing it. You could probably spin the engine with 15w40 in it.

well today it wouldnt start and made me 15 min late for work....so took it over to advanced auto had them check it. ended up being the battery being completely dead........so i got an optimum red top battery for 80 bucks cash money...my frend worked there gave me a discount sinmce it normally runs like 130 starts fine now.. gotta get a new tie down though cause the stock one wont fit....anyone know how to apply the top side one to go on

dude if its possible and you can spare 8 hrs take the bat to autozone and they will slow charge the bat for free for 8 hours. those optima batteries need to be slow charged to performe at its best. If not then your car is still going to start really slow and your bat migh tend up dieing on you.. plus your going to feel a performance drop while driveing, cars going to feel slugish.

to get the optima red to fit you need to remove the battery tray and bang the left side down flat, it will fit fin after that At least that is what I did.

My optima battery fit my car perfect......in the trunk

lol yeahhhhhh i noticed it doesnt fit its realli not a problem until 5/08 when i go to get inspected.....lol but ill probably bang it down flat with a sledge

If the battery was dying could it stall the enine??? Or no.. cuz im pretty sure the alternator powers everything after the car is on... im just getting really pissed with my car stalling!!!