-2ºF this morning... no start!
 

This is really the first issue I've run into with this car. Car did not start this morning after sitting overnight in negative single digit weather. Battery is a new interstate battery only about 9 months old. Ended up having to use a 50 amp booster/charger to get it going. Battery had a full charge from the previous night since I had just driven back from a ski trip.

Has anyone had trouble getting these cars started in cold weather? Should I get the battery tested?

Yes, get the battery tested (best if tested in the same temperature). I have had a battery died on me suddenly (not on the X). On my previous daily driver, the car was running perfectly for several hours prior, but would not even crank after just about 30minutes of sitting in the garage (this was in 70*F SoCAL weather) - needed a jump to get it going - going straight to getting it replaced.

-2F is not usually cold enough to cause the engine to fail to start.

I would get the battery load tested. Most auto parts stores or where you purchased the battery will do so at no charge. You can also check how much the alternator is putting out from the OBC via the cluster.

Did the engine crank for a fairly long time? Did it crank slower than normal or not at all? Is the battery cold cranking amps the same or more than the old battery?

I'm in the same general area as you, but it's always warmer by the lake, not unless it's summer then it always cooler by the lake. X started fine this morning. But then I'm rocking a BMW battery.

What do you mean by no start? Engine doesn't turn over? Engine does turn over but doesn't start? Engine turns over slowly?

Hopefully the ski trip was a little further then the slopes at Four Lake Village.

Learn how to UNLOCK your cluster (if you don't already) so that you can immediately check the battery's voltage. If it is below 11.89 volts...then it is dropping below 0% state of charge...and depending on other factors may or may not start the car.

If the battery voltage is down as low as 10.8 volts...then you probably will need a jump or a charge...and having the cluster UNLOCKED and running TEST 9 helps here, too. You can watch the battery voltage climb as you are hooked up to a charger or jumper cables...thus you'll know when you've reached at least 12 volts before attempting to start the vehicle.

Also make sure that all your battery cables are tight against the terminals...and that your battery hold down clamp is correctly mounted over the foot of your battery to prevent it from sliding back and forth...or moving up/down as you drive over bumps. Not having the battery secured...can cause the cables to work loose as the battery moves around.

It cranked by did not spark. The cranking slowed down the longer it went. As soon as I hooked it up to the charger, it started right up on the 2nd revolution. I will check on the voltage... hopefully it fires up as I leave work in an hour!


I went up to Devil's Head on Saturday and then down to Alpine Valley on Sunday. I guess I'm spoiled by the mountains in California... the resorts and snow out here just isn't the same.

I was at Lake Tahoe a couple of years ago and last season we were at Aspen/Snowmass. I take the kids to Cascade only because Kids ski Free.

If the X started with a boost most likely the battery is weak. An engine needs to spin quickly in order to build up compression for it to start.

The car also developed a misfire while I was on the trip, so that might have something to do with the lack of spark. The engine was running pretty rough on the drive home from work... the CEL was flashing for a good bit. I'm going to change out the spark plugs and get the battery tested... we'll see how it goes.

Before you replace spark plugs, throw new parts at the problem, I suggest more troubleshooting. I suggest cleaning the MAF with MAF cleaner. The MAF function is to regulate air/fuel mixture which could cause hard starting, rough idle and even loss of power. Before replacing spark plugs I would remove one wire at a time and see if each one makes the idle worse. That will locate the cylinder that is not at 100% if that is the case. It still might not be a plug. It could be an injector, a coil or the wire itself. It could also be oil in the plug hole.

Crank with no spark may also be a fuel pump. Not the pump itself but likely the check valve that holds pressure on the line. That probably why it runs fine but won't start. My e36 had that problem.