Intermittent: 1.8I Petrol Engine Turns Normally But Wont Fire

February 10, 2012

Hi, I'm new to this forum, so apologies if this has been answered on here already (I haven't checked through the backlog).

I bought a Toyota Avensis 1.8 GS (with a catalytic converter) last weekend. It's got 167000 miles on the clock but appears to have been kept up together, service history etc. intact. It's run perfectly for most of the week, 30 to 50 mile round trip runs, but yesterday was being a real pig to start. It was 5am and -5c temp so I put it down to that at the time. After a while, it fired up but was missing a bit on the final turnover before it all kicked in. It stalled at the gate of my drive and spluttered a bit before it came back to life and drove normally for the 15 miles into work.

At lunchtime (12.45), I went out to try it again. The car started first time with me stood outside on the kerb, didn't even have to touch the accelerator. This seemed to confirm that it was the cold morning that was the problem. However, when I finished my shift at 3.45pm, the starting problem came back again. It took about 10 minutes before the car would fire up. Again, it drove normally on the way back, no stalling at junctions and ticked over properly when I reached home. I didn't risk taking it out last night in case it stranded me somewhere.

This morning, there was snow on the ground (and car). Again, starting problem. I'm not convinced the outside temperature is a factor here, as it was fine at lunchtime yesterday but three hours later was playing up despite no change in the weather. I was thinking it might be injectors or possibly a corroded cable somewhere, although, as I say it's been looked after. The car was stood for about a fortnight before I bought it, but the previous owner said he was starting it daily and letting it run to keep the Battery charged up.

I've booked it in for an investigation at a Toyota garage (if it will get there), but I just wondered if this is a known fault with the Avensis, a loose lead or sensor fault that keeps occurring on that model, that sort of thing. I don't want to fork out for an investigation and hear afterwards "Oh yeah, they all do that, it's your such and such". Any ideas?

February 15, 2012

Hi,I am not sure if this is a similiar problem to the one I had a while ago with my avensis.On turning my ignition key,the engine would turn and turn.Sometimes it would start,but ,often,it would not.The solution was to have a new ignition switch fitted.Approx £90.

February 18, 2012

Update: The Avensis has been into Toyota World (South) in Brislington, Bristol. They've replaced the crank sensor which looks like it was damaged at some point in the past. The car starts again now, but until I try it early morning during a really cold snap I won't know if it's been fixed for certain or if it just isn't cold enough to give it problems at the moment. Fingers crossed though, if it doesn't need anything else done it's cost a total of £229 all in to investigate and fix.