VZ Cold Starting Issue

[boofis]

Hi all,

In the last few days I've noticed an issue with my VZ. For the "first start" of the day, it has trouble getting going. It will turn over significantly longer than normal before firing up.

The "first start" today was different, however. It turned over, started, but was coughing and spluttering something shocking with the engine light still on so I turned it off, waited a minute, then started it and it was fine.

I've done some reading of other issues people have posted here in the past with the VZ and starting, and have read things ranging from cleaning key heads through to replacing the battery, but none of their symptoms were quite the same as mine.

Does any one have any ideas as to what could cause this?

On a side note, a couple of times when I have arrived at my destination, put my car into park, pulled on the handbrake, a two-tone beep happens and something appears on the dash display just as I turn the car off (which then clears the message). I've never caught it quick enough to read it and I can't reproduce the problem, as its only happened two or three times. I think it might have had the word power in it somewhere but I'm not sure.

My VZ is still under factory warranty until August next year, so perhaps I should just go straight to the holden dealer?

[Benboy]

Yep, don't mess with it - go back to the dealer.

[andyman]

the power thing would be powertrain fault with a picture of a engine and a lightning strike or something through it,


how old is the battery? is it like a slow to turn over or it excessively winds over,

id just take it to holden and get them to check it

[boofis]

the power thing would be powertrain fault with a picture of a engine and a lightning strike or something through it,

how old is the battery? is it like a slow to turn over or it excessively winds over,

Hmm, powertrain fault. What does that mean?

Not sure how old the battery is. I tried looking for a manufacture date (it was in it when I got it) but it wasn't on the top of the battery and I wasn't sure if I could rip it out without having to put the bloody pin number into the radio again, lol. I might rip it out anyway and have a look.

[andyman]

if its the factory battery it wont have a date on it, factory batteries are plain black with a sticker across the top and has danger or warning written in red.


it most likely is the factory battery.

anyway, powertrain fault means an emissions related fault, service vehicle soon mean a non urgent code has been logged and will only flash when turning the igntion on and off, throttle control fault is as it means, fuel guage error is as it means.

does the abs fault happen to flash up on the screen when you crank it of a morning?

[boofis]

if its the factory battery it wont have a date on it, factory batteries are plain black with a sticker across the top and has danger or warning written in red.


it most likely is the factory battery.

anyway, powertrain fault means an emissions related fault, service vehicle soon mean a non urgent code has been logged and will only flash when turning the igntion on and off, throttle control fault is as it means, fuel guage error is as it means.

does the abs fault happen to flash up on the screen when you crank it of a morning?

Hm, it's not a factory battery then. It's a Century battery IIRC (cbf walking out in the rain to check again). Definiately not black though. Yellow with a blue top.

Emissions fault eh. I went into diagnostics (mode+set on startup) and there was nothing in the last error code part (but that might not be relevant anyway?).

The ABS light has always illuminated whilst starting (which is normal?), but I've never got an ABS fault on the screen when cranking it either.

Going to put the battery tester on it tomorrow morning, to see if there's signicant power drain overnight happening (hence the difficulty in starting), but I'm thinking it's probably something other than the battery which probably requires special attention by Holden. Also will be picking up a couple of rellies so I'll see if it does it again tomorrow morning.

Also, would it be possible for a clogged fuel filter to cause this issue? Someone suggested to check that.

Thanks for the feedback though peoples, muchly appreciated If I could give rep I would.

[andyman]

Hm, it's not a factory battery then. It's a Century battery IIRC (cbf walking out in the rain to check again). Definiately not black though. Yellow with a blue top.

Emissions fault eh. I went into diagnostics (mode+set on startup) and there was nothing in the last error code part (but that might not be relevant anyway?).

The ABS light has always illuminated whilst starting (which is normal?), but I've never got an ABS fault on the screen when cranking it either.

Going to put the battery tester on it tomorrow morning, to see if there's signicant power drain overnight happening (hence the difficulty in starting), but I'm thinking it's probably something other than the battery which probably requires special attention by Holden. Also will be picking up a couple of rellies so I'll see if it does it again tomorrow morning.

Also, would it be possible for a clogged fuel filter to cause this issue? Someone suggested to check that.

Thanks for the feedback though peoples, muchly appreciated If I could give rep I would.

hmm ok, fuel filter is a possibility, but it should also decrease performance once its running to, just let holden check it out,

the abs fault which i was referring to, usually happens when there is a low voltage during cranking, sets a low voltage code but resets itself when running

[dans_vz]

sometimes when I put my car in park and put the handbrake on the beeps come up like yours does and on the screen it flashes brake on the screen very quickly, all it is the car thinking your still moving and you have put the handbrake up, no big issue.

[boofis]

the abs fault which i was referring to, usually happens when there is a low voltage during cranking, sets a low voltage code but resets itself when running

Ahhh ok

sometimes when I put my car in park and put the handbrake on the beeps come up like yours does and on the screen it flashes brake on the screen very quickly, all it is the car thinking your still moving and you have put the handbrake up, no big issue.

Hm. Maybe that's what it is. That thought did cross my mind, but I wasn't sure if it was meant to beep at you "driving" with the handbrake on.

On a side note, the bloody thing started perfectly fine this morning - it didn't do anything silly.

Damn gremlins in my car!!!

Again, thanks for the info guys.

[VZMAX]

sometimes when I put my car in park and put the handbrake on the beeps come up like yours does and on the screen it flashes brake on the screen very quickly, all it is the car thinking your still moving and you have put the handbrake up, no big issue.

yeah i agree....my svz does that as well....and i have noticed the same thing "the car is thinking you r still movin and you've put the handbrake"....