Q: Car starts weak and rumbles

asked by on December 12, 2016

Hello everyone, I want to thank you in advance for reading over my car troubles. I drive a 2005 ford 500 with about 55,000 miles on it. So today when I cold started my car it started weak, rumbled, and was at low RPMs for about two seconds. After those two seconds, the car quickly went up to about 1,700 RPMs while in idle, and otherwise drove fine. Once I got to my destination I shut off the car and immediately restarted it, and this time the car started up fine. The issue seems to be after I let the car sit a few hours. The weather today was colder than normal and I do have an older battery. If anyone has any ideas or similar issues, I would like to hear from you. Thanks again.

My car has 55000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

As a general rule, car engines do not like cold weather and do not do operate as well in cold weather. When you start your car in the morning and turn the key to on, the coolant temperature sensor immediately reads the temperature of the coolant and relays this to the computer indicating that the coolant is cold. The computer then knows at this point that it needs to enrich (add more fuel) the air/fuel mixture at startup due to the change in air density. When you start the car, you will notice that it idles high for a period of time until the engine warms up. This is the enrichment cold start process. This is done with what is called a cold start injector which injects more fuel into the motor until the engine reaches a specific operating temperature. The computer simply feeds a little extra gas through the fuel injectors to start the engine and then maintains a certain amount of fuel supply to the motor until it is warm. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle and diagnose your cold start issue.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

How do I clean the infotainment system?
The infotainment display can be damaged with certain cleaning products, so you should always be very careful. You should never use an abrasive cleaner, or spray a cleaning product directly on the display. Instead, spray a mild cleaner onto a...
How do I tilt the sunroof?
The sunroof can be tilted to bring extra fresh air into the vehicle. To open the sunroof tilt, push the Sunroof button (located on the ceiling) upwards. To close the sunroof tilt, pull the button downwards.
Idling high
There are a couple of possible causes for a high idle (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/engine-idle-speed-is-high-inspection). The most common is a Vacuum leak, which allows excess air into the intake causing the computer to read information improperly. Other causes are exhaust leaks, or various...
Engine pouring oil into radiator
The only way this can logically happen is if an oil line from the engine is being connected to a failed "oil cooler" inside of the radiator. The engine oil is under far greater pressure than the coolant in the...
Truck won't shift out of first gear - 1979 Chevrolet C10
Hello. There are several possibilities here: the vacuum modulator valve, the governor in the transmission, or possibly incorrect fluid level (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/transmission-fluid-service) in the transmission. If you would like to have this checked, a qualified professional from YourMechanic can come to...
Check Engine Light and Thermo Light are on - 2009 Dodge Caliber
Hi there. From the description you have provided, your vehicle's losing speed and Thermo Light and Check Engine Light coming on are probably all related. It could be that the thermostat is stuck closed (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/thermostat-replacement), not allowing the coolant/antifreeze to...
Noise when slowly pulling out from a standstill.
Hello, thanks for writing in about your 2013 Volvo S60. This may be related potentially to a loose muffler hanger or many other things. Because this is something inconsistent, this may be tough to replicate, I would recommend having a...
Codes p1705 and p1768
Hi There, Code P1705 relates to the throttle position sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/throttle-position-sensor-replacement). Since the transmission control solenoid relies on inputs (in addition to hydraulic pressure created by transmission fluid), if the throttle position sensor is not relaying the correct information to...
Do you have Female mechanics?
Yes, of course, but mechanics are dispatched based on geography so whether a particular mechanic resides close enough to you would be the issue. I would suggest that you call the Service Line directly at 1-844-249-6752 and let them know...

Related articles

2005 Jeep Wrangler vs. 2005 Chevrolet Blazer: Which One Should I Buy?
Sport SUVs are a class all of their own; these vehicles are meant for a fun drive through the woods and across the trail – but not necessarily to Grandma’s house! Think instead about going through the creek and through...
The Best Used Cars to Buy If You're a Farmer
If If you're a farmer, you know that what you need isn’t a used car – it’s a used pickup truck. How else are you going to haul around hay, implements, garden produce, fertilizer, and all the other things you...
How to Remove Frost from Car Windows
Dealing with ice on your windshield can be hard to remove. Luckily there are multiple ways to defrost the ice on your windshield to make things easy.