Engine cranks like normal but doesn't start. Try it again and it starts.

[mattkins99]

Sorry, tried to be very descriptive in my title. I've been doing some searching and it's really hard to filter through posts when the titles just say something like "Doesn't start" or "Spark plug"

Anyway, as the title states, for the last 2 days, my X5 starting having an issue starting. The battery is only about 2 weeks old, so plenty of juice. Also, just FYI, I've only had the car for a month so I don't know its service history.

Anyway when the car has been sitting, for say half an hour or more and I come to start it, the engine cranks like normal... the car just doesn't start. Or sometimes it does after 5 seconds or so and then it seems to stumble to life. If I let it crank or 5 seconds and get nothing, I turn the key back and then start it again. So far every time I've done this it starts up immediately like normal.

My first thought was the fuel filter. With 130k miles I have no idea if it's been changed so I'm assuming it hasn't and it's on my list of things to do. I'm also thinking fuel pump but I don't know how hard this is to do so I'll start with the filter first.... Anyway, reading posts, with similar but not the same problems (some cars don't start at all, some start up fine in the morning, but not later... etc.) it seems I need to consider spark plugs and the MAF too.

Also, in the interests of full disclosure, I'm getting sporadic 1158/1160 codes. The light goes on and off so my guess is I've got a small air leak somewhere, I just haven't had time to track it down.

As cheap as all these things are to do (with the exception of the fuel pump I'm sure...) I'd just do them all, but I moved earlier this year and no longer have a garage. My building doesn't allow us to work on our cars in the garage, so I have to be sneaky about whatever I do or find a friend with a garage to borrow to do the work.


Anyway, what does the wise forum think?