cold start question

[gonzo]

whenever the weather here gets cold, (17F, -5C) it sounds like my runner is hardly going to start. the engine turns over really slow before firing to life. anyone else notice this? i would think that if it is having a hard time with 17 degrees, the people up in minnesota and northern canada must really feel it. or, perhaps, i just got a bum battery.

 

[kdx2000]

Do you park in a garage or outside? Parking outside when it is that cold does make it harder to start because the engine oil tends to thicken which makes it harder for the starter to turn the engine over. When I park mine outside, it starts a little slower than if it was warmer. Cold weather is hard on batteries too. If it is weak, the cold weather will surely let you know if it is strong enough to survive or even if you have to buy a new one.

 

[boston_kevin]

depends on the oil & gas

It was 2 below 0 (Farenheit) this morning when I cranked my engine over without any problem and I parked outside (damn houseguests). I run synthetic oil and run premium gas in the coldest winter months. The premium fires up quicker (especially when it is really cold) and the synthetic seems to maintain consistency at temps below what dino oil can.

I believe Toyota still runs a mechanical oil pump in the system, so just cranking the engine over will help distribute oil to the top of the engine.

If this is was a weak battery problem, you would see the problem where it will crank very slowly (to the point of turning over by hand would be faster) or possibly not crank at all and here the click of the solenoid on the starter. Still, you could have your dealer load test the battery under warranty. Also make sure you don't have other accessories on when you start (radio, headlights, defroster, heated seats, etc.) as these are additional loads the battery must manage until the car starts.

 

[psychoklr]

It was -36 here last week and my truck had no trouble at all starting so you might want to get yours checked out. Maybe at your last oil change they put heavier weight oil than factory and it's causing the problem. otherwise I'd guess the battery is low.

 

[MacVay]

Ditto on Mine.

I have a 2005 V8 Limited and it was -30C (-22F) this morning and it started no problem. A little slower than normal but not much.

I would have the battery looked at. I had the same problem with my last Pathfinder and it was new as well. It turned out the battery was a lemon.

Cheers and good luck.

 

[gonzo]

thanks, didn't seem normal, but if i could avoid going to get the battery checked . . .

 

[carina71]

whenever the weather here gets cold, (17F, -5C) it sounds like my runner is hardly going to start. the engine turns over really slow before firing to life. anyone else notice this? i would think that if it is having a hard time with 17 degrees, the people up in minnesota and northern canada must really feel it. or, perhaps, i just got a bum battery.

Don't know what your problem is, but checking the battery and battery connections is a good idea. Also, when was your last oil change? I recommend 5w30 synthetic, and I am able to start mine at -10F without any problems. If you have to leave it outside a lot in sub-zero F temps then I highly recommend you get a block heater, oil pan heater, and under-the-hood trickle battery charger--plug it in at night or just a couple hours before you have to start it up.

Good luck