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Delay in starting up...

13K views 30 replies 19 participants last post by  SXT=3.5L=250hp 
#1 · (Edited)
I've had my SXT for about 3 weeks now and I've noticed something odd.

about half a dozen times, When I've put the key and and thrned it, nothing happens.

Well, saying "nothing" may be incorrect, the dash lights up like it should but the car doesn't start.
After a short delay, 2 or 3 seconds, varooom, the engine lights off.
Durring the delay, it not even cranking.

Is this something others have seen?
 
#2 ·
juanvaldz said:
I've had my SXT for about 3 weeks now and I've noticed something odd.

about half a dozen times, When I've put the key and and thrned it, nothing happens.

Well, saying "nothing" may be incorrect, the dash lights up like it should but the car doesn't start.
After a short delay, 2 or 3 seconds, varooom, the engine lights off.
Durring the delat, it not even cranking.

Is this something others have seen?
Holy cr@p...I thought my SXT did that due to the engine kill the dealer put on interacting with the alarm I put on. It would come and go but when I traded it in, it had been doing it at every start up for a couple of weeks. Knowing this, take that sucker to the dealer ASAP!
 
#3 ·
juanvaldz said:
I've had my SXT for about 3 weeks now and I've noticed something odd.

about half a dozen times, When I've put the key and and thrned it, nothing happens.

Well, saying "nothing" may be incorrect, the dash lights up like it should but the car doesn't start.
After a short delay, 2 or 3 seconds, varooom, the engine lights off.
Durring the delay, it not even cranking.

Is this something others have seen?
Sounds like a sticky relay, or bad joint somewhere. Although the management system has to do many checks, if you turn the key to start, it should at least turn-over almost straight away. Although it won't fire straight away.
 
#7 ·
It's totally normal.
From fnkychkn on LXForums.com:

Normal condition due to the (ETC) Electronic Throttle Control. The engine controller will do a calibration of the throttle body at every start. If you turn the key slowly you may never experence this delay.

If you turn ignition switch very fast there could be a delay of up to 2 to 3 seconds before vehicle cranks.
This condition will occur on all vehicles that have ETC.
 
#8 ·
ZMagnum said:
It's totally normal.
From fnkychkn on LXForums.com:

Normal condition due to the (ETC) Electronic Throttle Control. The engine controller will do a calibration of the throttle body at every start. If you turn the key slowly you may never experence this delay.

If you turn ignition switch very fast there could be a delay of up to 2 to 3 seconds before vehicle cranks.
This condition will occur on all vehicles that have ETC.
So why does it come and go???
 
#10 ·
ZMagnum said:
You got me. It may be due to different amounts of time to do the calibration. I just turn my key more slowly. The delay stopped.

Don't hop into an LX if a zombie is chasing you.
I like the Zombie comment.... Note: That is only for New Age zombies... The fast ones like in the remake of "Dawn on the Dead" or "28 Days"

Old school zombies are a bit slower, even with the delay, I'm good to go with the SXT. But New age zombied will require a upgrade to an R/T
 
#12 ·
ZMagnum said:
You got me. It may be due to different amounts of time to do the calibration. I just turn my key more slowly. The delay stopped.
Mine does it every now and then. I wondered if the PCM is waiting for the fuel pressure to reach a certain PSI before allowing the car to start. I seem to notice the delay after the car has been sitting overnight. The fuel pump usually runs for about 3 seconds before cutting off after reaching the PSI setpoint. Just another perspective.
 
#13 ·
Thanks for all of the input guys, Luck would have it, that It hasn't happened once after I posted.

I guess I should ***** about not have extra cash for the cat-back or CAI and then I will have the cash....
 
#14 ·
juanvaldz said:
Thanks for all of the input guys, Luck would have it, that It hasn't happened once after I posted.

I guess I should ***** about not have extra cash for the cat-back or CAI and then I will have the cash....
LOL - if only it were that simple! :grin:
 
#15 ·
rodneyiii said:
Mine does it every now and then. I wondered if the PCM is waiting for the fuel pressure to reach a certain PSI before allowing the car to start. I seem to notice the delay after the car has been sitting overnight. The fuel pump usually runs for about 3 seconds before cutting off after reaching the PSI setpoint. Just another perspective.
I think this might be closer to the truth. I've noticed a lot of cars (slightly older, 2000s) that people turn the key and the engine cranks and cranks then fires. Our Neon will do that. If I jsut turn the key to the 'on' position, I can actually hear the fuel pump pressure up then I started, 1 or 2 cranks and it fires. 3-4 otherwise.
 
#16 ·
juanvaldz said:
I've had my SXT for about 3 weeks now and I've noticed something odd.

about half a dozen times, When I've put the key and and thrned it, nothing happens.

Well, saying "nothing" may be incorrect, the dash lights up like it should but the car doesn't start.
After a short delay, 2 or 3 seconds, varooom, the engine lights off.
Durring the delay, it not even cranking.

Is this something others have seen?
I was just telling ARFUR i had the same thing happen to me. I happened to be parked on a hill and had my door open and thought it may be a safety feature cause it started when i closed the door. But went back today and did same thing and car started right up. VERY WEIRD
 
#17 ·
arfur said:
Sounds like a sticky relay, or bad joint somewhere. Although the management system has to do many checks, if you turn the key to start, it should at least turn-over almost straight away. Although it won't fire straight away.
I had the same problem. But I couldnt believe it. I noticed it happened right after I bought a full tank of "cheap" gas from Hess. It happened a 2nd time after I bought some more gas of the same grade from that same gas station. I came on here and saw you mentioned relay. So I was driving I think last friday or something and pulled into walmart. And bam, the fuel pump relay wasnt completely plugged into the fuse box. So I pushed everything down in tightly and ever since that. No more delayed starting. I also stopped buying the bad gas from the gas station.
 
#19 ·
My wife's R/T does the same thing. It cranks for 2-3 seconds before starting. The dealership of course said they couldn't get it to do it when they had it. So when I took it in because of the tranny leak I mentioned it agian along with the long delay shifting from R to D. After they had it for 2 days they called back saying the the cranking thing happened 3 times for them and that it was linked to the problem with the tranny shifting.
Now just waiting for a call back for them to look at it again.
This car is turning into more trouble than it's worth.
Can't wait till the new Camaro comes out!!!
 
#21 ·
It has nothing to do with fuel pressure. The systems on this car cannot monitor fuel pressure. Its one of the things there is no sensor for or even a pressure switch. Also, the fuel pump will not start until the engine is actually cranking. The PCM must see the crank and cam sensors within 1 second of crank start before it energizes the fuel pump relay and starts the fuel pump.
 
#23 ·
The engine management system does this deliberately, as it takes in all the parameters from the engine sensors to see where it is at before it fires the plugs/injectors. It needs to check tempes, cam/crank positions and various other things before it is happy enoug to run the engine. It is totally normal. Mine can crank for 2+ seconds sometimes.

Older carb cars actually start much quicker because they are more basic and don't have all those parameters to have a peek at - the fuel flows straight into the inlet manifold when the engine starts cranking and the plugs fire.
 
#24 ·
The engine management system does this deliberately, as it takes in all the parameters from the engine sensors to see where it is at before it fires the plugs/injectors. It needs to check tempes, cam/crank positions and various other things before it is happy enoug to run the engine. It is totally normal. Mine can crank for 2+ seconds sometimes.

Older carb cars actually start much quicker because they are more basic and don't have all those parameters to have a peek at - the fuel flows straight into the inlet manifold when the engine starts cranking and the plugs fire.
Mine does it. thanks for the explanation Mark. Even if you made it up I feel better now.
I was wondering if you were about. Glad to see you.
 
#26 ·
ETC will do funny things causing this problem. It runs self-test before inital startup there are a few differnt self-test it will run some are longer than others and sometimes it wont run a selftest at all. Ive had some take as long as 8 seconds to start after a batt disconnect. Ive also noticed long crank times but its generally nothing to be alarmed about. Its usally just the etc doing it thing. I have had a few people with this complaint bring it in fuel pressure is always good cam/crank are there instantly there was a tsb along time ago for the DR truck with the hemi that explained this well but i think they eliminated it for the LX.
 
#28 ·
I just noticed it today on mine .. if I turn the key to on and let it sit for a second, then to start, it starts right up .. but if from off I go straight to start I have to hold it there for a second or two and then it fires. Odd.
 
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