Hard Starting Just Once.

[Brian Wolf]

About to turn 93K on an 02 4x4.



In the last 2 weeks, I've changed the plugs and wires, new brakes ( shoes and rotors ),

flushed the cooling system, replaced the tranny filter, did the EPC adjustment, replaced the fuel filter, cleaned the engine, and cleaned the K&N air filter, and an oil change ( mobil-1 w/ k&n oil filter, which is what I've used since it had 250 miles on it )



In the last year I've also replaced the IAC and DPFE.



She's been running better than when it was brand new for about a week ( Aprox 350 miles )



All of a sudden today, I drove it about 30 miles to work.

Came into work for about an hour, then had to go to another office, and it wouldn't start. Tried at least 6 times. Didn't even act like it wanted to.

Got a little angry, and just held the key to start for about 6 seconds, and it started! ran for about

5 seconds and quit.

Tried again, and it started right up, and got me where I wanted to go. Performed perfectly.

I've been going out there about every hour starting it, to make sure it's OK, and so far no further issues.



Anyone else have something like this? Some strange fluke? I'm supposed to go out of town this weekend, and all of a sudden worried.



I'll see if anything happens today or tomorrow. I just drove back to my office, and again, it was fine.

 

[Todd Z]

There is the ST gremlin that does pop out every now and then..... Mine did that at 1500 miles and never again...



Could clean the IAC , But I don't think it will come back....



IF it does happen again, Hold your foot about 1/4 on the throttle and crank, IF it fires then it was the IAC sticking...



Todd Z

 

[Greg Stuhlsatz]

Mine was similar around 15,000 miles. But mine started after 3 tries. I just popped the throttle a few times before each try.

 

[Gavin Allan]

Mine has done it twice. Both times it would still run and drive, but it had no power at all, and wouldn't go over 20 MPH. It scares the bejesus out of me because I figured something major had gone wrong.



Ford dealer twice said nothing is wrong with it (no codes, etc.) and that sometimes these things happen for no apparent reason.



The first time the damn thing leaves my wife stranded at work late at night it is going.

 

[FlipTrac_511]

I've been experiencing hard-starting too (on my 04, ~34K miles), where a quick crank to the 'start' position will not immediately turn the engine over. In which case I either try again a few seconds later, or keep cranking for about 3-4 seconds until the engine does start. On other occasions it'll fire right up but immediately idle below 500rpm. I can't isolate when these things choose to happen since they occur when the engine is both cold or at operating temps.



I've already changed the fuel filter, cleaned the MAF sensor and the IAC valve and the dealership just replaced the IAC valve because supposedly it was sticky (probably a solution to a known issue, although unrelated in my case because the problem persists). Waiting for the fuel pump to cycle before cranking doesn't seem to help.



I also tried the recommendation of turning the key to the 'on' position then back to 'off' then repeating up to five times, and the one time I decided to try this method the engine started but idled lower than normal. I was going to try this method over the next few days (to test fuel pump) but decided against it; my doors were going crazy locking and unlocking themselves with each turn of the key that I thought I might burn those out (due to aftermarket alarm?).



At first I accepted the fact that the rare hard start was a fluke, but it's slowly becoming more frequent. But instead of worrying about it any more I'm taking her in to the dealership again and take advantage of the warranty while I still have it. BTW, once the engine is running it runs like a champ.

 

[2]

Like the others I have had that randomly occur on both of my ST's. I think the 01 did it twice, and my 03 did it about 4 times.