Fuel and Emissions Systems Symptom Troubleshooting - Hard to start engine - Diagnostic interview
Hard to start engine?Diagnostic interview
Date
    
Place
  
How often does it occur?
( ) times/day
1. Weather when occurred
A: Warm (temp: )
B: Sunny
C: Cloudy
D: Rainy
  
 
2. Situation when occurred
A: After an overnight parking, ( ) nights
B: Tends to occur about 3 hours after stopping engine
C: Parking hours irrelevant
 
3. Weather when occurred
A: Cold (temp: )
Fuel when occurred
: Filled ( ) months before occurrence
 
4. Use of specified fuel
A: Used specified fuel only
 
B: Used ethanol-mixed fuel
 
C: Gasoline additive
 
5. How the starter motor turned when the problem occurred
 
A: Starter motor turned weaker than usual
 
B: Spinning of starter motor irrelevant
 
Cranking operation
A: Keep cranking until the engine starts
 
B: Stop cranking after several seconds: ( ) sec
 
Cranking
A: Turn on starter motor immediately after turning the ignition switch to ON(II)
 
B: Turn on starter motor several seconds after turning the ignition switch to ON (II) (after confirming that the check engine indicator goes off)
 
6. Ground where occurred
A: Level
B: Downhill
C: Uphill
  
Fuel level when occurred
A: Full
B: Half full
C: Only a little
 
7. Aftermarket accessory
A: Modified
B: No modification

Hard-to start condition?Possible cause pattern chart from diagnostic interview
 
Conditions when hard-to-start occurred
Possible causes
Pattern 1
When in warm climate
Tends to occur approx 3 hours after stopping engine
Check for the EVAP canister purge valve
Pattern 2
Weather when occurred: Windy
When wind is blowing into the exhaust system, the exhaust gas can blow back into the combustion chamber and/or intake manifold, causing long crank times.
Pattern 3
Weather when occurred: Cold
Fuel filled two months before occurrence
If summer fuel is used during cold weather, long crank times may occur.
When using fuel that is more than a couple months old (stale fuel), the symptom may disappear with fresh fuel.
Pattern 4
Use of non-specified fuel
Ethanol mixed, use of additive
When ethanol fuel or fuel other than specified is mixed, engine stalling may occur.
Poor fuel quality may cause a hard-to-start condition.
Pattern 5
Immediately crank after turning ignition switch to ON (II)
Starter motor spins weaker than usual
There may be a delay until the fuel pump can generate sufficient fuel pressure. Check fuel pressure when starting.
When the battery is weak, it takes a long time until the fuel pump boosts fuel pressure to the prescribed level, causing slow start in some cases.
Pattern 6
Vehicle parked on an uphill or downhill slope
When fuel level is low
When the vehicle is parked on an uphill or downhill slope, and the fuel level is low, the fuel pump cannot pickup and pressurize the fuel properly, causing a hard-to-start condition.
Pattern 7
Check for modification in ignition system, intake duct, intake manifold, exhaust system
Inspect amount of oil/fluid/gas (engine oil, ATF, A/C refrigerant)
Hard-to-start engine or engine stall may occur due to modified ignition system, intake duct, intake manifold, exhaust system, use of non-specified engine oil or ATF, or excessive amount of engine oil or ATF (temporary failure may occur due to modification)