Engine stalls after start (when cold)

[Rikard]

Hi everyone,
I have a Seat Toledo V5 -01, and when it is cold outside it have troubles to start
The engine starts perfectly at once I turned the key, but then the rpm is really low, so it have serious problems to keep the engine running. It stalls if I don´t rev it up a bit

For every time I try to restart without giving the pedal a punch the engine gets worse... It doesn´t ignite so fast as the prevoius attempt!
It´s really easy though to start the engine by pressing the gas-pedal once after ignition.

I´m no mechanic so and I would like to have your opinions so I know what to change if that is necessary.
It feels like the engine doesn´t know its cold outside!
I even thought there should be an automatic shoke (don´t know if that is the right english word for it) that would be triggered if the engine is cold that, will hold the rpm above 1000 or something for a while. That doesn´t happend

Best Regards / Rikard

 

[m0rk]

I even thought there should be an automatic choke

Yup - I'd agree with that - there should be until it thinks it's warm enough.

So either the Auto Choke isn't working, or the temperature sensor is broken

Mark

 

[PhilNeo]

Rikard

My V5 is in the dealers at the moment for that exact same problem. I'll let you know what they did to fix it when I get it back, as it is also in for several other things too, including a service.

 

[Stubill]

Hi Rikard,

I too have the same problem, and have had for 20K miles on my 01 V5.
When the car is cold (left overnight or all day), unless you catch it on the throttle when it fires the car will just stall - or chugg for a while at 200rpm and then stall.

Dealer has had the car twice but can find nothing wrong, all sensors etc. working correctly. I have just got used to using the throttle on cold starts now. Sorry I can't offer a solution - but at least you know your not alone. Good luck.

Cheers,

 

[Stubill]

Yep, keep us posted Phil

Seems to be a theme forming here !

 

[Rikard]

Yes, please let us know what they said (or did do )
I´m glad to hear that I am not totally alone with this problem

I phoned my seat dealer today and they thought it could be something with the engine-temp sensor!?
But I want to have more flesh on my bones before I´ll let them take a look at my car... ( cause everything in this world costs money )

/Rikard

 

[staffuk]

My 01 V5 also does this and has been to the dealers twice but they say nothing is wrong with it. My warranty ends soon so I think I may ask them to have another look at it before then. If anyone has any ideas on what it could be then I would like to know aswell!

I find that even on a fairly gentle motorway run (80ish) I can't get much more than 32-33mpg out of it. I would have though I should be getting a little more. What do you guys get? Don't know if this is a sign of a fault?

 

[Stubill]

Seems this is turning into quite a common V5 trait !

My gut feeling is that it is fuel related or throttle alignment related as the slightest touch of the throttle when mine fires and all is OK - it then idles at around 1100rpm with secondary air pump running for a minute, then smoothly levels down to around 700rpm. If it was temp. sensor I would have thought the aux. air pump and idle would be out of kilt for cold starts. Just my thoughts however.

Re. fuel comsumption Staffuk - at a steady 80 on the mway mine turns in around the 36-38 mpg mark. That's at 44K miles currently (just run in )

 

[Rikard]

Stubill: Mine is behaving the exact way yours are!

One touch on the pedal, and then it keeps the rpm steady at about 1000... After a while it goes down to 700, same as yours... But, if I do not touch the pedal, it will stall eventually (does not take more than 4-5 seconds, perhaps less)

Have you tried this:
- Start without touching the pedal. (it will stall)
- Start it again! (it may stall)
- Start it once more (if it did stall previously)

After the first attempt my car gets tired somehow. It will have troubles to ignite as fast as before... Is yours the same?

/Rikard.

 

[Stubill]

Rikard,

Yep the same. If I don't touch the throttle :

1st time - will stall - either straight away or after a couple of seconds.
2nd time - will stall.
3rd time - hard to start - like it's over fueled (flooded) - will not start without using the throttle.

I wonder if this is common to the V5 Golf/Bora too ?

 

[Rikard]

Yes, I wonder the same
I hope we´ll get some answers soon... My car will be checked for errorcodes in about 2 weeks, but I doubt the computer will find anything. Meanwhile I just have to live with it

 

[GDC]

I've always had to catch mine with the throttle when starting - I do it automatically on any car anyway. I've tried starting it without using the throttle after reading this thread and got exactly the behaviour described. It chugs a bit at a few hundred rpm but won't pick up to a steady idle unless the engine is warm.

I have had it take a couple of turns to start and need a bit of throttle when the engines hot and it's also very hot weather but put this down to some form of vapour-locking (i.e. fuel evaporating in the carburettor owing to a very hot engine bay) but I'm not sure if you could get this in an injected engine.

It's always started with a bit of throttle though, regardless of weather, use, etc. so I haven't worried about it.

 

[jacknelle]

At the risk of sounding boring, mine has a similar behaviour. I'll start it from cold with no throttle and the engine will falter for a few seconds before settling at it's idle speed. It has stalled on only a couple of occasions though - maybe it'll get worse, I hope not!

 

[Stubill]

Well, there's a lot of it about as they say.

AS GDC said - it's no big hassle and I don't reckon it's anything to be too worried about.

However - would be good to find out why as it shouldn't happen.

After all the manual clearly states not to touch the throttle on cold starts.....

 

[PhilNeo]

Update,

Just spoke to the dealer, who said that they think they have fixed the problem, but won't know until tomorrow morning when they start it up from cold. I asked what they did, and they said that they have changed all the coils, and cleaned out the throttle body.

Finger's crossed that I get a positive phone call on Monday, and I'll let you know how it goes.

Have a good weekend!

 

[PhilNeo]

**Update**
Still not fixed. The dealer has tried changing the Crankshaft Position Sensor, which has vastly improved the running of the car, but unfortunately, this has still not cured the cold start problem.

They have gone back to Seat UK, and said they will also be approaching VW to see if their V5's have had similar problems! Funninly enough, Seat UK advised that they have had 3 other V5 cold start problems reported in the past few days, and have now got their techinical guys on it!

Fingers crossed!!

 

[Stubill]

Good work Phil...........let's hope they come up with the answer.

In what way has the changed crankshaft position sensor improved running ?

 

[PhilNeo]

Stu, as part of the cold start problem, it was popping and spluttering when cold if you didn't use any throttle as well. Then, when it died, it just wouldn't start at all - throttle or not!

This has now been remedied by this new sensor wotsit, thingamyjig!!

 

[Rikard]

Do you know the "serial"/manufacturer number on that part? (Crankshaft Position Sensor?)

/Rikard

 

[PhilNeo]

Rikard,

No idea on the part number, but apparently today they have changed the MAF today, and will try again tomorrow morning.

At this rate, there's not a lot left that's original!!

I'll keep you all updated!