It’s cold outside car stopped starting up changed the spark plugs started up but now won’t start

ANSWER : Hi there:

Most of the time, when it’s extremely cold outside, the problem is with the battery and an inability to have enough cold cranking amps to activate the starter and other ancillary components that allow the vehicle’s ability to start. Although worn out spark plugs tend to impact the vehicle’s ability to start, they are usually not the source of cold starting problems. You might want to either replace your battery, or contact a professional mechanic to complete a car is hard to start inspection first; before you determine why your car is having difficulty starting.

ANSWER : Hey there:

Looks like you’re chasing an electrical gremlin here. First, the brand of spark plug may in some cases cause issues with starting. However, beyond brand is making sure it’s the right model and has the correct gap is more critical. The fact that you’re trying to start the car with throttle cleaner is a red flag. This method used to work really well with older, carburetor fueled systems, but with today’s fuel injected systems that are monitored by ECU’s, that typically causes a huge overload of energy, can fry the sensors and put you back to square one.

My advice here is to contact a certified mechanic and have them diagnose the starting problem you’re having, as by trying to fix it, the problems with the Grand Am may have gotten worse unfortunately.

ANSWER : Hi there. Try using a pair of small needle nose pliers to pull off the rubber boots from the spark plugs. As you pull, twist the rubber boots to break them free. If you cannot get the rubber boots off, then try using some mineral oil on the boots to aid them off, then clean off the oil with soap and water with degreaser. If you need further assistance with removing the boots from the spark plugs, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting Your Mechanic. If sometimes your vehicle will start with the new alternator and sometimes it won’t, then there is a loose connection in your charging system. Check all of the wires to the alternator and to the battery. Make sure that the battery cables are clean and tight. Make sure that the wires to the starter are clean and tight. A loose ground to the ignition system will cause the vehicle to not crank over. Check all of the ground wires from the battery to the starter. Make sure that they are clean and tight. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your no start situation, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you.

ANSWER : Your MAP sensor is an important input for your computer. It helps determine the load on the engine to calculate the correct amount of fuel to inject. It sometimes takes a few seconds for the vehicle to realize that the sensor is not producing a good signal.

At that point, it will use other methods to determine the fuel rate, such as pre-programmed fuel maps, throttle position, etc. I would suggest replacing the MAP sensor and retesting. If you would like to have it checked first, a certified technician from YourMechanic will be able to scan your vehicle and test components to determine the root cause of your starting issue before making a repair.

ANSWER : Hi there. The first thing I would recommend would be to have a professional mechanic complete a digital scan of your ECU to see if there are any stored error codes that might pinpoint the source of your problem. However, one thing you might want to check yourself is the electrical harness connected to the crankshaft position sensor. In most cases, if this is diagnosed a being damaged, it’s actually the harness that is bad and needs to be replaced.

ANSWER : Hi there. It depends on what is actually happening when you attempt to start your car that should lead you to the source of your problems. If the engine will not turn over or crank when you turn the key, the issue is likely a blown fuse to the ignition relay. This can occur when you complete mechanical repairs and remove parts without removing the battery terminals. If you are able to crank the engine over, but it will not ignite, the problem is most likely due to a loose spark plug wire or issue with an ignition system electrical harness: such as the crank or camshaft position sensor. What I would do is check all electrical connections, hoses or other items that may have been removed or even touched during your spark plug replacement first. If you’re not able to trace your issue, feel free to contact a professional mechanic from our team to come to your location and complete a car is hard to start inspection.

ANSWER : The issue you are having is probably due to an intermittent fault in the starter motor itself or a deficiency in the starter electrical circuit, for example a large voltage drop due to a poor ground or a high resistance connection. These issues can be readily diagnosed and resolved on a mobile basis if you request a hard starting diagnostic. If you request that diagnostic, the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you promptly. Based on Toyota’s Factory Service Manual, the battery should not be disconnected if the vehicle engine is running. The battery acts as a large resistive voltage sink and consequently taking the battery out of the circuit, while the alternator is still running, can create a voltage spike on the car’s electrical system which is not good for voltage sensitive components such as the engine computer. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.