This problem started like 3 weeks ago and is progressivly getting worse, no clue what it is. So..

After my cars been sitting like 8+ hours or so and I go to try to start it, it has a really hard time starting. I turn the key from off-start and it turns on like normal but once it starts up the idle drops down to like 200rpms and kinda "gargle" around in the rpms and then almost dies and shakes and then will jump up to normal. If I start it and hold the key in the start position even after its started it won't do it as bad but its still starts like this, just not as bad. Kind of hard to explain.. I'm gonna get a video of it tomorrow morning.

I know its not cold weather cause I live in San Antonio and its April, so its only 50 degrees. Its been alot colder here and the vehcile started fine, been freezing temps here and the car had no problem until just recently, the only change that I've added to my car since the problems is my s/c.

My car has the TRD s/c with no other engine mods, always used premium octane like recommended, will put fuel injector cleaner in, about every 5000mi, with a fillup and all matiance aside from what I do to take care of it is also taken care of by Toyota every 5000 since it got thrown in for free by the dealership...

Any ideas on whats wrong? ... Sorry for the rant, just kinda trying to be detailed so people can help me out.

 

Isn't there a little pump that comes on after the car sits awhile that vents away pressure that has built up in the fuel tank? If that pump failed, the excess pressure might force more fuel into the engine, flooding it a bit. That should make it hard to start and would make it run rough for awhile. The cold weather that you've had until now might have masked the problem since there would be less pressure.

Just a thought. Good luck with it.

 

Ya I kinda know what your talking about but.. once the vechile starts up it runs 100% fine, and if you turn it off and turn the car back on it won't do it again. It will only do it once after its been sitting for 8+ hours or so... no clue what it is, I'll have a video up tomorrow. Just kinda curious if anyone else had the problem or a fix for it cause i hate taking ____ to the dealer.

 

I know what you mean. My car has been doing the same exact thing all week. Only in the mornings, after that, it's fine the rest of the day. It sounds as if it's going to die out, shakes a bit, but stays on. I took it to the dealership but they say everything looks normal, even after leaving it with them overnight on Monday.

If you happen to find out what is causing it, please post or PM me. I'll do the same if I find out beforehand.

 

Ya I got the same BS from the dealership which is why I wanna try to find out myself whats wrong... Just out of curiosity is your tc s/c? Cause I had this car for over a year and never noticed it til a few months after my s/c went on.

 

No S/C.

I've had my car since Feb. '06, and this didn't start until last weekend. Even during the freezing winter months my car started just fine.

My thought was maybe the gas quality has dropped locally allowing more carbon build up. Sitting overnight might make it difficult to start, and as it burns off during a drive, maybe that's why it starts normally during the day? I don't know...

 

BTW, I also fill Chevron supreme gas since I bought the car. All service/maintenance has also been done by the same dealer, always on time.

 

Get some injector cleaner and add it to your gas tank - it could be the injectors and not shutting off completely when you stop or are sticking a little more than usual. Could also be the change from winter to summer gas or some water in the gas.

 

I really don't think its the gas, cause I've never had this problem with any car I've owned before and I used to use bottom of the line cheapest gas I could find and have no problems. Had 2 celicas (90 96) and a 85 accord, none EVER had these problems... and if your having it; that means it isn't anything to do with the s/c, so guess I can mark that one off...

 

I put injector cleaner in like every 5000miles or so, give or take... and I've already tried that and put one in anyways, thanks tho.

 

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...888&highlight=

topic has been discussed here, maybe a post can help you out! Good luck.

 

I think I have problems starting when the car was just shut off sometimes but I usually stop for more than an hour most of the times. Try turning the key on to the run position for a few seconds before going all the way to the start position. Check your battery connections too as I have seen some accessories act up when the engine starts.

 

All the accessories and what not are working fine. And also if i turn it on than wait a few to start it it does the same thing... it always does it when first started up in the morning or after its been sitting. I also have a capacitor for my subs so I don't think its the battery...

 

I mean when the accessories are running and then I start like the radio would act up jump a station and the GPS looses power when the starter is kicked in. Was going to say maybe it is the way you are shutting it off at night but you can't do too much because you have throttle by wire. With my xB I rev the engine and then shut it off sometimes in freezing weather and then give it throttle after the engine is turned off but still spinning down so that I vent the exhost of any moisture and unburnt fuel. It seems to start easier the next day. You don't have a moisture problem do you - wet wires can cause problems but we don't have wires to the plugs anymore. Maybe an air cleaner check is in order - is your engine really hot when you shut down the night before or do you let it idle a little - few minutes before shutting it off? I wonder if there is a oil pressure cutoff feature and it takes longer for the oil pressure to build up cranking it before the ignition and injectors start working after sitting for a while. Be funny if it was your oil filter missing a check valve that is supposed to keep the oil from draining out when the engine stops. Bought a filter for my Rambler like that one time and it make a lot of noise when it started because the filter was full of air had to pump a quart before the engine got any oil to the bearings. Only thing else would be low battery voltage especially if you are cranking some extra power to your sound system - if the voltage gets too low while cranking then the fuel injection computer has problems. Maybe a AC Battery charger on the battery before you start it up or at lease a voltage check to see if it is below 12.8 volts after sitting all night. Be good to check the voltage when you are cranking it also.

 

Thanks for the long reply. I really don't think its anything with the battery, cause all the extra power has a capicator on it so the battery isn't really being drained to badly. Now that you mention the oil filter the problem started around the last time the dealership did an oil change... so who knows it could be something simple like that, but with a toyota dealer doing the oil change i'd hope not. I never let my car idle before turning it off, never have... and the problem just now started. The reason I don't think its some of the other stuff you mentioned is because those it just now started doing it, and its getting worse so its not something the car is supposed to do with the injectors or any of that... Its hard to explain, and I can't even close to pinpoint where the problem is coming from. I'll have a video up tomorrow tho of whats going on so people can see exactly what the cars doing. Again thanks for all the advice, I'll mention some of it to the dealer when I take it in, but it just seems like something is goofy on something, cause its only when you first start it up after sitting never any other time, not even a little bit. So I have no idea whats going on.

 

Sounds like a minor fuel leak. Overnight the fuel pressure goes down because of a pinhole leak, and when you first start it up in the morning, the fuel pressure has to build up again. I would ask them to test the fuel pressure, preferably in an overnight test.

 

Mine does it when it wants, cold-hot-wet-dry-overnight-5 minute quick stop, just seems to be completely random, but not very often, only like once a month if that. No pattern, hard to say what it is.

 

Yeah I get the "cranks it" and "what ... it didn't start" then have to really crank it for a while - probably a ECU fart. every once in a while. Not like my old Geo where it turned over and ran on the third compression stroke every time cold and the second compression when warm - but that was a 3 cylinder 1 liter engine and a dead battery would start it.

 

sounds like a fuel problem.. i fyou know anything about cars.. i would take out a spark plug and check it.. that way you'll know, by the way it looks, if your car is running rich or doing something weird...

 

Mine was doing it bad awile ago so i did change the plugs, even though they looked FINE. But then the problem actually did go away. But now it just comes and goes whenever. Plugs look fine still but i'm not sure because of last time. And plus, plugs should last longer than that, epecially iridium plugs, they are rated at about 100K miles i think!