Cold weather no start

[SSavage]

So I have been dealing with an intermittent no start and wondering if anyone else has run into this? First time I was out of town for the weekend and it was about -15C car sat out for 2 days. Car would not start. It turned over but slow. Seemed normal given the cold. Hotel offered car to boost. Popped the hood and hooked up to boosting post. using the dash button the car would not even try to turn over but the dash would turn on a light up like it started. I have an Idata remote start. Tried the remote and hood open fault. Closed the hood and opened the trunk. Unpacked and pulled the spare tire. Hooked up to the battery and still not turning over with the dash button. Remote start would turn over the engine but no start. Left it to charge for a bit and tried again. 30 min. of boosting and it started.
Drove home and had battery tested. Battery tested good. Next time was a work, 8 hrs -20C, Tried remote and it didn't start just turned over. Tried dash button and it didn't turn over just the dash on like it started. Hooked up a battery charger and tried it. No start. Thought maybe the Battery maybe getting weak and when cold the draw was to much to turn the ecm on and crank. Went and bought a new battery and put it in. New warm battery and no start. Next day I plugged in the block heater and put a charger on the battery. That afternoon it warmed up to about -5C and it started.
Booked it in at the dealer and left it there overnight outside. Of course it wasn't a cold night and it started for them. Only code was low voltage code. They reset the remote start module and tested the battery again. Picked up the car and they said there is nothing wrong.
A week later we have a cold snap and -20C and colder all week. Car plugged in and it started on Monday, Didn't start Tuesday. Boosted with battery charger and after sometime it started. Unplugged the remote start module and on Wednesday it didn't start. Hooked charger up and after some time it started. Thursday Would not start. It was plugged in and charger on it. I work at a shop so I got help to push it inside. 2 Hrs later it started no problem in the shop.
I park in a heated garage at home and had no issues starting anytime it's warmer than -10C. It never shuts down after it runs for a few seconds. A Couple times when boosting in the cold it started and shut right off. I would let it charge for a bit then it would start and shut off. Then it would start and be fine until the next time left in the cold.
One other odd thing is if I use the remote starter and turn it over for the two attempts then try the start button it will crank for a split second the first time only. Like remote button crank, crank ,crank stop. Crank, crank, crank. Remote start shows failed start. Get in and hit the button and it will kick the starter for a split second and turn the dash on. After that it doesn't matter how many times I try the start button it won't kick the starter. Then try the remote and it kicks the starter on the first try only again. Weird!!
I didn't find much online for Stinger's not starting. Other than the normal starter or battery or connection issues. I did find some other kia models with starting problem but nothing like this.
I did try switching the start relay with another one. Also tried turning the car on with the start button and jumping the large pins on the start relay to crank it over and it will crank but not start. I even tried spraying some ether to see if it would run on it. Nothing. So it's spark not fuel. I don't think it would be wiring being temp. sensitive and not having issues driving. I tried unplugging the ecm and checking the pins which look good.
Any Ideas?

 

[JSolo]

Maybe your starter is going? Can't generate the torque needed in the cold?

What weight oil you running?

 

[SSavage]

Maybe your starter is going? Can't generate the torque needed in the cold?

What weight oil you running?

Whatever the dealer is putting in. I hope it's 5w30 like it says on the bill. Today it was only 20 min. in the shop with the hood a doors open and it started.

 

[D.J.]

Incredible that it will crank with remote start, but will not crank with dash start button. Weird.

Good luck, and keep us informed if you find a root cause.

 

[vipeboy2000]

that is strange... does seem like perhaps either bad starter or a battery that is defective that shows as fine... i've seen that before especially with agm batteries. We dont' generally get that cold, but during our cold snap over christmas here, we were at -2 f or around -18c and the car started up perfectly everytime even after overnight parking outside while visiting family.

 

[D.J.]

that is strange... does seem like perhaps either bad starter or a battery that is defective that shows as fine... i've seen that before especially with agm batteries. We dont' generally get that cold, but during our cold snap over christmas here, we were at -2 f or around -18c and the car started up perfectly everytime even after overnight parking outside while visiting family.

Bad starter and/or bad battery - typically result in a no crank situation. This situation cranks by remote start.

- weird

 

[vipeboy2000]

Bad starter and/or bad battery - typically result in a no crank situation. This situation cranks by remote start.

- weird

yea.... cold temp is causing a issue with the internal start button switch?? lol... yea... so strange.

 

[SSavage]

So after bringing it back to the dealership I dropped it the night before hopping it would have been cold enough to not start for them in the morning. Of course it started and they checked it over and found nothing wrong. They reported to Kia Canada and they told them a few other things to check. They went to bring the car back in and it wouldn't start. They called me and asked how I have been getting it to start so they can bring it in lol. Then they call back when it won't start and ask how I get it in neutral to push it lol. If anyone doesn't know there is a button under a small cover in front of the shifter. You pop the cover off and turn the car on with your foot on the brake, then turn it off and within 5 min. hold the button down and it will go in neutral. So the car does have to have power to shift. After they get it back in then go through it and they said they found a poor connection at the back of the start button where they tied in the remote start wiring. So after all that it was the dealers fault for not having a good enough connection and nothing wrong with the car. It's only been a few days with warm weather but it's starting. Fingers crossed that was it.

 

[D.J.]

So after bringing it back to the dealership I dropped it the night before hopping it would have been cold enough to not start for them in the morning. Of course it started and they checked it over and found nothing wrong. They reported to Kia Canada and they told them a few other things to check. They went to bring the car back in and it wouldn't start. They called me and asked how I have been getting it to start so they can bring it in lol. Then they call back when it won't start and ask how I get it in neutral to push it lol. If anyone doesn't know there is a button under a small cover in front of the shifter. You pop the cover off and turn the car on with your foot on the brake, then turn it off and within 5 min. hold the button down and it will go in neutral. So the car does have to have power to shift. After they get it back in then go through it and they said they found a poor connection at the back of the start button where they tied in the remote start wiring. So after all that it was the dealers fault for not having a good enough connection and nothing wrong with the car. It's only been a few days with warm weather but it's starting. Fingers crossed that was it.

Wow.

Glad they found the issue they caused. Lol


For that neutral button, I found it made sense to cut the legs like this -

https://imgur.com/a/kxGubSR