By
cam, January 18, 2008
I have a 2005 Corolla. I live in North Dakota so I plug car in at night. In the morning it starts and I drive to fitness center. After, I start car and it fires then immediately cuts out then won't start. I walk home (only 4 blocks) eat breakfast, come back and it starts. The battery is not weak. THe dealership said they did something with the computer and if the problem continues they will have to put a new computer in. Can anyone make sense of this? Thanks.
Could be any number of things - need to get a bit more information:
- Automatic or standard transaxle?
- Does it always fail to run after the second time is was started, or does it do it randomly?
- When you said it won't start, do you mean the engine will crank fine but not run?
- Has dealership ruled out a transponder key issue (ie, a problem with the ignition switch reading the key itself) - assuming the dealership even brought this up, if the car is so equipped?
- Distance to you destination is only 4 city blocks? Does the car show this weird starting behavior on longer trips?
My take on this issue - sounds like, even with an engine heater, the car is not run enough to get into "closed loop" mode - still in "open loop". This means the car will use preset engine parameters that enable the car to start and run until it gets up to operating temperatures and then optimizes the engine parameters with various sensor inputs. Very possible that the car was flooded with gas on the second start attempt and will be very difficult to restart. Hence by the time you get back to the car - the excess gas has evaporated and the car will start and run.
A couple of things to look for / try next time. Do you notice a heavy gas smell when this happens, or at any other time, other than while filling up the tank (EVAP issue)? When it drops into this no running mode but is cranking well - try pushing the gas pedal to the floor as you are cranking the engine. This will open up the butterfly valve in the throttle body and allow the engine to get more air - helps to displace/offset the excessively rich mix. Could be a ECU issue - unlikely, but possible. I would save that for the end - as the dealership is likely to stick you with the bill if you are out of the powertrain warranty period (60 months / 60,000 miles). An xpensive part - looking at atleast $950 - $1500, depending on the dealership.
Good Luck.
Could be any number of things - need to get a bit more information:- Automatic or standard transaxle? standard transaxle
- Does it always fail to run after the second time is was started, or does it do it randomly? No. It only happens during these specific circumstance: plugged in overnight, drive with engine still quite cold to fitness center, 4 blks away, shut off, come back in about 30 minutes; starts; immediately cuts out; cranks fine but does not start.
- When you said it won't start, do you mean the engine will crank fine but not run? Cranks fine.
- Has dealership ruled out a transponder key issue (ie, a problem with the ignition switch reading the key itself) - assuming the dealership even brought this up, if the car is so equipped? Don't know.
- Distance to you destination is only 4 city blocks? Does the car show this weird starting behavior on longer trips? It hasn't. Only happens at fitness center.
My take on this issue - sounds like, even with an engine heater, the car is not run enough to get into "closed loop" mode - still in "open loop". This means the car will use preset engine parameters that enable the car to start and run until it gets up to operating temperatures and then optimizes the engine parameters with various sensor inputs. Very possible that the car was flooded with gas on the second start attempt and will be very difficult to restart. Hence by the time you get back to the car - the excess gas has evaporated and the car will start and run.
A couple of things to look for / try next time. Do you notice a heavy gas smell when this happens, or at any other time, other than while filling up the tank (EVAP issue)? When it drops into this no running mode but is cranking well - try pushing the gas pedal to the floor as you are cranking the engine. This will open up the butterfly valve in the throttle body and allow the engine to get more air - helps to displace/offset the excessively rich mix. Could be a ECU issue - unlikely, but possible. I would save that for the end - as the dealership is likely to stick you with the bill if you are out of the powertrain warranty period (60 months / 60,000 miles). An xpensive part - looking at atleast $950 - $1500, depending on the dealership.
Good Luck.
They're going to put in a new ECU -- still under warranty by 9 days. Whew! Thanks.
They're going to put in a new ECU -- still under warranty by 9 days. Whew! Thanks.
I think the ECU may have longer coverage under the emissions warranty.
Bikeman982
That's great that it is still covered under warranty.
An ECU is an expensive component to have to buy yourself.
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