Engine turning over for longer

TNGL

TNGL

TNGL

Soldato
Joined
2 Jul 2010
Posts
3,098
*Inserts obligatory 'I don't know anything about cars' disclaimer.*

I have noticed with my Audi A4 2010 (Diesel Automatic, if it makes any difference) takes a few seconds longer to start recently. It's only used on the weekends and so it usually goes 5 days without use and I've noticed on that initial startup, it (the engine) takes much longer than usual to turn on.

One potential correlation I have spotted is on the initial startup after those 5 days have passed, the fuel tank is almost empty (i.e. because my weekend driving resulted in me using most of the fuel). I have also noticed it has been a lot colder recently; I am wondering if this could be affecting it? Or even if these two things might be interacting with each other, resulting in the delay?

What's prompted this post is I went to move the car today which hasn't been driven since Saturday and it took particularly long for the engine to finish turning over (I'd say about 3 seconds, which is much longer than usual).

Could something be on the way out or is this normal given the weather and nearly empty fuel tank? A quick Google tells me to investigate fuel pumps, glow plugs and batteries but before I go wild I thought I would check with you knowledgeable people in case I am insane and this is normal.
 
Agreed, probably a quick swap out of the glow plugs will sort it. Get the battery checked while youre at it, halfrauds will run a free check usually.
 
Do you wait for the glow plug light to go out before starting it? If yes, then it could be battery. If no, then wait for the glowplug light to go out!
 
My 2010 Focus 2.l TDCi did the same - new battery breathed new life in it - Ours isn't used every day.
 
Could well be battery as batteries aren't at their best in cold weather. My car pops up a glow plug icon for a couple of seconds while they're being used and I've only ever seen it come on perhaps 4 or 5 times in the 3 and a half years I've had the car. Bizarrely this morning was one of those times it popped up when it was 5 degrees C outside, yet the last few days when it's been 1-2 degrees C the icon has never appeared.
 
Aging battery, coupled with current cold temps. The factory battery in my Skoda TDI started struggling after 6 years. You'll likely need to replace it next winter...
 
Thanks guys. I'm going to look out for the glow plug indicator because I didn't know such an indicator existed prior to this thread. I'll also get the battery checked and see if a new one is required.
 
Glow plug light only tends to show briefly in very cold weather, I get it for about a second. 90s diesels you'd have been waiting a good 5-10 seconds even in summer...
 
I looked out for it today whilst the engine was turning over and it was present throughout... Does this mean it is more likely than not the glow plugs? Or can the battery also cause the glow plug light to stay on for longer?
 
Phemo said:
Could well be battery as batteries aren't at their best in cold weather. My car pops up a glow plug icon for a couple of seconds while they're being used and I've only ever seen it come on perhaps 4 or 5 times in the 3 and a half years I've had the car. Bizarrely this morning was one of those times it popped up when it was 5 degrees C outside, yet the last few days when it's been 1-2 degrees C the icon has never appeared.
Click to expand...

It's not a BMW by any chance ? That's exactly how every diesel BMW I've owned behaved.
 
Tingle said:
I looked out for it today whilst the engine was turning over and it was present throughout... Does this mean it is more likely than not the glow plugs? Or can the battery also cause the glow plug light to stay on for longer?
Click to expand...

I'm used to waiting for it to go out before starting the engine. If it doesn't, then there's something amiss.
 
Tingle said:
I looked out for it today whilst the engine was turning over and it was present throughout... Does this mean it is more likely than not the glow plugs? Or can the battery also cause the glow plug light to stay on for longer?
Click to expand...

Ignition on, wait for it to go out then try starting.
 
The thing is, you hear this all the time in the morning as no one has told all these diesel converts about starting a diesel car the 'proper' way. I hear people in their Juke's and Qashqai's and everything else cranking the engine for 4-5 seconds before it catches because they've never been told about glow plugs and petrol engines just start, there's no need to wait. They're none the wiser but I'm sure it puts added strain on the battery.
 
Glow plug light?

The starting instructions for my now quite old MK4 diesel Mondeo are basically 'clutch down, crank until it starts'. If it has a glow plug light it has never come on.

It has always started almost as easily as every other (petrol) car I've owned over the last 20 years.
 
MissChief said:
The thing is, you hear this all the time in the morning as no one has told all these diesel converts about starting a diesel car the 'proper' way. I hear people in their Juke's and Qashqai's and everything else cranking the engine for 4-5 seconds before it catches because they've never been told about glow plugs and petrol engines just start, there's no need to wait. They're none the wiser but I'm sure it puts added strain on the battery.
Click to expand...


I used to have a 306 and when the girlfriend borrowed it she'd never wait for the glow plugs to heat up, obviously it never started and she'd moan about it.
She never did learn and still does it in the Vito. That starts though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom