Car Sometime's Won't Start First Time...any Ideas?

[sprinter2012]

It's something the car has always done, maybe once every couple of weeks if that, I'll go to start the car, the engine turns over a couple of times, then all of a sudden it speeds up as if all the resistance has been taken away and then won't start.

It always starts second time without fail, and I only remember it ever happening as I'm leaving work in the evening, never in the morning on the way to work, or any other time of day for that matter.

My commute to work is plenty long enough to let the engine warm up fully, the spark plugs were changed last month, air filter is clean, Battery is nearly new etc.

So what could it be? Imobiliser problem maybe?

I'm sure I read somewhere that another guy had this problem, and it was suggested that it may be the auto-choke sticking?

i.e. It was still set in the 'wam engine' position from when it was last turned off.

(I may just be remembering that completely wrong though)

It makes no difference how long I wait after turning the ignition on, however I have found blipping the throttle pedal before trying to start seems to help?

I'm just confused by it, as it happens so infrequently. Seems to only happen when leaving work, and then always starts second time?

:confused1:

[Parthiban]

If it is immobiliser related, do you ever see the red security light on while trying to start the car? It should go out when the key goes in the ignition.

[sprinter2012]

I can't say I've ever bothered to look actually, but I'll try to remember to keep an eye on it now...

[kenfoxy]

This problem rears its head with my IS200 sometimes. I believe it is sticking choke as a sharp tap on the accelerator before starting usually fixes it. I have also sprayed some WD40 around the throttle body when the engine is cold which helps. Seems to happen more when the engine still has some residual heat there when, I reckon, a half choke setting is required but the choke sticks at fully open. The way the engine turns over rapidly suggests the choke is fully open (less resistance).

[LexIS200Sport]

This has happened to me too. Just like Parthiban mentioned, I suspected the immobilizer too and observed the red security light the last time it occurred. But the security light was not lit, so I doubt it was the immobilizer in my case at least.

In all three occasions that it happened, the engine was cold. Twice in the morning while leaving to work, and once heading back home from work.

Weird.

[Yalnif]

the engine turns over a couple of times, then all of a sudden it speeds up as if all the resistance has been taken away and then won't start.

This would ring alarm bells to me. Either something is leaking into the bores (flooding with petrol) causing some restriction on compression stroke and when the petrol/ obstruction clears, reduces compression which makes it seems like compression has gone and it starts 2nd time as bores now clear.

If, at 1st attempt it sounds 'normal' the sounds unrestricted, this would say to me a loss of compression which could be piston rings, head gasket, crack in head etc but I'd expect other sypmtoms like not running 100%, over heating.

Keep an eye on it..

[denbailey101]

My mate has also had this problem with his IS200, for the last 8 years!

He's had lexus look at it and it only happens now and again, they told him it was the throttle body, the choke side of things, but wanted a small fortune to change it.

Always starts second time, just one of them things.

[sprinter2012]

the engine turns over a couple of times, then all of a sudden it speeds up as if all the resistance has been taken away and then won't start.

This would ring alarm bells to me. Either something is leaking into the bores (flooding with petrol) causing some restriction on compression stroke and when the petrol/ obstruction clears, reduces compression which makes it seems like compression has gone and it starts 2nd time as bores now clear.

If, at 1st attempt it sounds 'normal' the sounds unrestricted, this would say to me a loss of compression which could be piston rings, head gasket, crack in head etc but I'd expect other sypmtoms like not running 100%, over heating.

Keep an eye on it..

I'm not entirely sure it does speed up actually now I think about it more, I just think I'm not used to hearing the engine turning over for that long without starting.

[Doodlebug]

My IS200 does this now and again, it is now 9 years old. I just switch it off and turn the key on again, leave for a few seconds then start it. It has always started the second time.

Just thought it was a "feature". Always suspected the imobilisor and switching off and on clears it.

:D :D :D

[kenfoxy]

Thinking about it, yes sometimes turning the ignition off and then on and then wait for a few secs before starting does the trick. Interesting that during those ignition on secs I can here odd little noises from under the bonnet. Could be the immobiliser or the choke. My wife has NEVER had starting issues because she claims she doesn't try to start the car in a mad hurry.

[sprinter2012]

The clicking you hear under the bonnet when you turn the ignition on is just relays setting themselves.

Don't think the problem is immobiliser related as a no one has mentioned seeing the security light on that I've spoken to.

I now know of about 10 people with this same issue, so it's by no means a rare thing to have.

[Mizan84]

I used to have a problem like that. I have had my car for almost 3 years, and from the beginning about one in every three "cold" start the car would not start on first try. For the last one year I now leave the car on the "ON" position for at least 10 second befor trying to start it and I never had any more problem.

[wicked677]

Is it an automatic? - I have had this happen twice, when I turned key it would attempt and then go silent, I'd even get out to see if the car was on on one occasion. As you say it wasn't cold, this was on a warm summers day - Perhaps its a thing with the automatics?

[sprinter2012]

Not sure about the other guys with the same problem but mines a manual...

[Mizan84]

My car is a manual as well. Befor I used to put the key in and try to start the car straight away, when I tried to start to engine it used to turn but some time the engine didnt start fully as if the engine was flooded. As I said befor the 10 second wait helped alot, it was not the immobiliser as the engine turned and sounded like it tried to start (but it didnt sound "painful") and the immobiliser light was not flashing.

[wicked677]

that rules that one out then, touch wood not had problem since, happend to me twice since feb (when i got the car)