Why is my car hesitating to start

We all assume that our cars will start first thing in the morning. When you go out to your car and find out that it struggles to start, you realize that something isn’t right. When the car hesitates to start, it indicates a problem, but what is the reason, and how can you fix it fastly?

A car that hesitates to start can have several causes. The common reasons are using a faulty starter, battery, and a defective alternator. Some are easy to deal with, while others are more complicated. Drivers sometimes have a problem with hesitation while starting the car. This situation appears in cold temperatures, specifically with diesel engines that are more sensitive to these conditions.

Top 7 Reasons: Why Your Car Hesitates To Start

Sometimes vehicle hesitation is a common problem in many ways. This issue will happen in many different parts of your car. So it is necessary to run by correctly searching for the problem.

Most modern vehicles use advanced technology computers that monitor every sensor in your SUVs. When the sensor fails, It accumulates an error code. Here I discuss some important reasons why your car hesitates when starting.

Fuel System Problems

Air and fuel are necessary for the car to run, and enough oil must also get to the engine to start it correctly. If there is an issue with the fuel system, it can prevent the right amount of oil from getting where it is supposed to.

The fuel system consists of many parts, but if your diagnosis has led to the fuel system, you will need to determine which element has failed and replace it. You could see issues with a clogged fuel filter, injectors, or a defective fuel pump leading to lower fuel pressure. So this is also a possible reason why your car is taking longer to start.

Defective Engine Sensor

A faulty engine sensor can cause the engine control unit to inject too much or too little fuel into the engine during the start-up moment, resulting in a rich or lean air/fuel mixture. There are many sensors in your car, So You first check the error codes mentioned above.

Bad Battery And Connection

The car battery supplies the necessary voltage to start the engine and make it run. If the battery fails to start, It can not provide enough voltage to start the engine immediately. Instead, it may take some time.

The older the battery becomes, it can deliver less starting current. This issue occurs more frequently as temperatures get colder. As a result, the car hesitates to start but runs fine.

Blocked/Clogged Air Filter

 The air filter is a crucial part of your SUV. So you need to check your SUV air filter when the car hesitates to start. The engine needs the right amount of air and fuel to start. When the air filter is clogged, part of the equation is missing in the combustion chamber, potentially raising some hesitation.

When Vehicles hesitate to start in the morning

In general, car hesitates to start in the morning due to the temperature. Cold temperatures thicken engine oil, making it harder to pump and trouble the engine to run correctly. Cold weather can also affect the power of your engine battery. It can also take longer for the fuel injectors to deliver enough fuel to the engine for combustion.

The defective mass airflow sensor is another reason vehicles hesitate to start. When outside air goes into the engine as part of the combustion process, the mass airflow (MAF) sensor estimates how much air goes into the motor.

It helps the engine control unit determine the right amount of fuel to inject into the chamber. But when the sensor is bad, as a result, the wrong amount of oil is injected and forces the car engine to hesitate.

Adding Low-Quality Gasoline

As you know, fuel is a power booster for any vehicle. Putting poor-quality gasoline in your tank can induce more issues than you think. Due to inferior quality gasoline, you can face many problems like spark plug loss, fuel injector clogging, and damage to the engine in case of faulty detonation. So this is also a reason cars hesitate to start after getting gas.

There are many causes of car hesitation. It only depends on what technology you use in the vehicle. If your SUV is slow to start or something is wrong with your car, it can be challenging to identify the cause. Because of this, you should get an estimate and diagnostic assessment from your local auto shop. Here below are some tips to fix the car hesitation issues.

1. Fix electrical system problems or weak batteries.
2. Diagnostics to make sure your car’s computer is working perfectly. 
3. Closely scrutinize your ignition coils and spark plugs.
4. Analyze the starter and charging issues regularly.
5. Check the fuel pressure in the engine.
6. Improve compression in the diesel engine.
7. Make sure that the electronic control unit(ECU) is working.
8. Replace Blocked/Clogged Air Filter.
9. Cleaning the crankshaft position sensor.
10. Constantly examine the battery’s charge and review the starter system’s terminals, cables, and electrical contacts. 

FAQ Regarding Car Hesitate To Start

Most cars are not able to start at high temperatures. Sometimes the car liquid or coolant has been exposed due to high temperature. On the other hand, car batteries deliver a slow electrical current when it is in cold condition. This situation occurs due to chemical reactions and is softer than on a warm day. Warm batteries produce more power than cold batteries, and this problem can lead to cars hesitating to start when cold.

Here are the top common issues of car engine hesitation while accelerating.

1. Inaccurate Throttle Position Sensor.
2. vacuum damaged or worn out.
3. The fuel system stopped working correctly.
4. Wrong or Dirty Fuel Injectors.
5. The oxygen sensor is not working appropriately.
6. Defective Mass Air Flow Sensor.
7. Inferior Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor.
8. Faulty Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve.

The car battery is also causing the car to hesitate after the oil change. It generally happens after a long, hot summer. The higher the temperature outer, the more strain put on a car battery. Using the wrong engine oil could result in the engine not starting correctly. Another reason is that the oil filler cap is damaged, leaking, or not refitted perfectly. The sensor wiring gets damaged during the oil change process.

Conclusion

The vehicle hesitation is not a big problem. You can resolve it quickly with proper inspection. There are a few reasons why the modern car can have a difficult start. As a preventive step, you can inspect and change your vehicle battery from time to time if you notice the SUV starting poorly in cold temperatures. When performing maintenance, check the situation of the electrical circuits, clean them promptly and use special protecting tools.

Check the position and state of the sensors, mainly the camshaft position sensor and the crankshaft position sensor. Its malfunction is usually a problem, so the engine does not start well when it is in hot condition. When replacing, contact a reputable auto repair shop.