So lately my truck, 2012 Honda Ridgeline (yeah, I know...not a real OB truck), has started taking longer than normal to start up on a cold start. It starts but takes a couple seconds turning the key before engine actually starts. Only does it on cold starts.

Obvious thought was battery issue. Current battery is about 2 years old, brought to Auto Zone so they could test the battery and test showed everything was normal. So i went home and use battery cleaner and wire brush to clean up corrosion on the battery terminals and connectors real good. But its still taking longer than it should to cold start.

Before I bring it to the shop to figure out the issue, am I missing any potential cheap and easy fixes that could probably be done myself with minimal mechanic skill?

3 ...

Report Post

Posted by lsewwww

Member since Feb 2009

376 posts

Posted on 2/14/17 at 7:20 pm to Tiger Prawn

First thing is a fuel pump stating to struggle or a fuel filter needing to be changed, if a '12 ridgeline even has a fuel filter that can be chnaged. Easy check- hook a fuel pump to the rail, turn on ignition but dont start and see what the pressure does. Should hold steady. If it drops like a rock you got your issue.

Start with the basics after that- what do the plugs look like and how old, what is the scan tool telling you for temps and parameters, etc.

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by Tiger Prawn

Member since Dec 2016

21855 posts

Posted on 2/14/17 at 7:41 pm to lsewwww

Fuel filter is inside the gas tank. Messing with the gas tank is probably beyond the scope of work I'd feel comfortable doing.

Will check the plugs when I'm home with daylight this weekend. Got 75k miles on it, so plugs could probably use changing anyway. Thanks for advice

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by Clames

Member since Oct 2010

16538 posts

Posted on 2/14/17 at 7:58 pm to Tiger Prawn

Probably nothing to do with the plugs either. Hard starting on EFI engines is usually a fueling issue which could be fuel pressure or fuel metering related. Most vehicles made in the last 10 years use dead-head fuel pressure regulators (returnless fuel system) so rely on managing fuel pump voltage to increase or decrease fuel pressure on demand. If the fuel pump is going bad then it may not be able to build up rail pressure as quickly as it used to, could also be the check valve in the fuel pump assembly too. Really would take some time with a fuel pressure gauge to narrow down the issues.

1 ...

Report Post