Hi Everyone, I'm going to try the suggestion in this post because it seems like that is the issue I'm having. I'm wondering if there are any other suggestions and I'll update this post if my car still won't start.

I'm in new england in the US and it's currently -9F outside. When I try to start the car, the starter seems to work fine and the engine starts, but no gas seems to be flowing to it after the starter, so it briefly starts, but I can't seem to give it any gas and it immediately stalls. If it starts I'm going to drive it directly to a local garage. Also the car was covered in snow, and I dug it out so that the front grill and windshield are cleared in case it's some sort of air intake problem.

Any thoughts?

thanks!

 

Try two things: add gas line anti-freeze and place a trouble light with a 100 watt bulb under the hood for a few hours.

 

the aforementioned post did the trick temporarily. I started it with the throttle fully pushed down, and that seemed to do the trick, however, when the car was left to rest for another 30 minutes, then tried to start again I had the same problem. I tried to start it for about 10 minutes, then gave up for about 20 minutes, went back and tried to start it again, and it worked. When it worked I drove it straight to the mechanic since I am away for the weekend and will hear what he has to say in a bit hopefully.

It seems to be caused by the cold weather, so I might need the gas line antifreeze and the light as was mentioned, so thanks for the tips!

 

I belierve you have water i your gas. its cold enough that the ice which is likely collecting in your gas filter is freezing and thusd no gas. you can test by disconnecting the filter and briefly seeing if the pump is working. replaced the filter with a new one or after warming and draining the original. if you have more than 25k miles a new one is preferred. the water could be collected in injectors or other places. I have dealt with the problem when I was a missionary to the damn yankees (was 18 before I knew that was 2 words) and put a heating blanket over the engine manifolds and lines and gave it an hour to thaw the compartment. seemed easier in the cold weather than working. it worked - twice.
then you can try the gas line antifreeze. the antifreeze is difficult to do much if the gas won't recirculate.
ps yeah,m the heating blanket won't be much good for your bed afterward. and having found the situation where you have a place tat collects water so it freezes you may need to use the gas antifreeze regularly in real cold weather.
good luck.

 

I brought the car to a mechanic, who replaced the battery for $180. The car was bought in 2010, and I thought batteries are supposed to last longer? Not to my surprise replacing the battery didn't work, and the car still won't start sometimes. My wife is about to kill me on this and I don't have time with job/kids to experiment, so my next query is into the dealer.

 

OK, lets think cold is not the problem; have you checked valve clearances?
how about the electrial connections from the battery to the starter? loose there will certainly do what you are experiencing.
is the starter relay working?

ps $180 for a battery exchange without abattery test especially is a bit high. but yes, Fit batterees have been kmown to be shorter lived than others.
good luck, but be sure to check those connections to be tight. and you might check your alternato output while at the problem.

 

The dealer sells a block heater for about $80 and 1 hour labour to install it is difficult to get to - it would in my opinion essential in your climate and save you money as well. The block heater combined with gasoline additives should solve the problem. At -9 I would also use a battery warmer which is a little mini electric blanket. Don't listent to all of these misinformed people on line who say you don't need a block heater. They are very beneficial and if you want to extend your engine life and improve fuel economy they can be used year round if you use a timer and vary the amount of time it is active, from a high of 3-4 hours in the dead of winter to 30 minutes in warm months.

Is you enigne oil the correct weight? Use Mobil 1 0-20 synthetic and it will start easier and wear much less.

 

I'll be a misinformed person telling you that a block heater isn't essential in New England. While sometimes it would be nice, it definitely isn't necessary. The Fit has sat out with no issues (other than a stiff clutch) in -20 degree weather here in VT. This winter has seen a number of nights (in Feb.) in the negatives with highs in the single digits. I'm heading into my 6th year with the FIT and have not had any issues with it starting in the cold (nor have I had this issue with any of my other 4 Hondas that have lived here in VT.)

OP, my first guess would be a tank of Bad Gas, especially if there were no other issues prior to this. Get a bottle of Octane Booster (or just get a fill-up of premium from Shell or Sunoco if the tank is low and let the vehicle run for 20 minutes.)

Good Luck and let us know what's going on when you find out.

~SB

 

Yes avoid the cheap gas and try to keep the fuel level above 1/2 tank, I think that helps guard against freeze up. Can't really understand why they sold you a battery if the car was turning over, but at any rate you were probably on borrowed time with the old one anyways. Now that the weather is warming up is the car running any better?

 

A block heater will do the following
1. Reduce the engine wear that occurs at the intial start up by having the oil warmer and thus able to flow easier. Less wear at start up means longer engine life
2. Reduce fuel consumtion as your computer will sense the higher temperature and more rapid warm-up and move to a leaner mixture faster
3.Reduce emissions to the environment on short trips by as much as 20 % (based on results from a study in Sweden)
4. Increase the lifespan of your battery because a warmer engine turns over.

These are mechanical facts but if you like burning gas, rebuilding engines and replacing batteries just ignore the benefits of the above.

 

While an engine block heater heater will help at times and is a good idea, it is not really needed unless you are going below 0 F (-18C) frequently. At least one manufacturer (GM) has a thermostat in line that prevents the heater from turning on at outside air temperatures above 0 F. I seriously doubt that a block heater will solve your problems.

I have one on my 2005 Colorado but not on the Fit. I have never used it in the lower 48. I did use it in AK. It just does not get cold enough here to justify it's use. Our Fit started OK at -19F last year and around -10F a couple of times this year.

Water in the gas usually occurs when a tank is low on fuel and it is full of warm humid air. When the outside temperature drops, the tank cools and the moisture forms on the inside sides of the tank. This is why people suggest keeping the tank full in colder weather.

I do not know what your problem is but I doubt that it is the engine being too cold at the temperature you reported.

 

I agree with n9cv that if the FIT sees super cold temperatures regularly (like in Alaska or further north in Canada), a Block heater would be beneficial, but here in New England it really isn't necessary. It will use more electricity than it is worth if used regularly. Honda Engines typically use extremely lightweight oil which do not get "heavy" in cold weather. (Honda has been using full or semi-synthetic in many of it's cars - including the fit - for some time now.)

If "classics..." notes concern you a little bit:

You can consider switching to Mobil1 or some other full synthetic which will allow for better/the best lubrication in any temperature conditions.

To help with start-up when the battery is cold, a simple .5Farad capacitor like the ones attached to many car stereos will do wonders in cold weather. It allows for an inrush of current that a cold battery has a harder time mustering. Another benefit of it is that it eliminates the dimming of headlights when the A/C Compressor Kicks in (or if you have an after market stereo, when you hit a hard bass note). It will also stretch out the life of your existing battery. (I ran 8 years on my Integra GS-R OE honda battery with a "lightning Cap") Probably this summer I'll add it to the FIT as it's sitting in my basement.

Like I stated before, a Block Heater is never a bad thing, but realistically, it isn't necessary here in New England.

~SB

 

I just figured out the issue, and it turns out it's my wife's key. She lost it so we had another key made, and then found it again, so either the key has a dead battery or has been "disabled" for the car. Is there a way to re-enable the key for the car? Could the key have a dead battery? (I didn't realize this because we often just grab keys randomly and I didn't make the connection until now, apologies for the thread!)

thanks,
dan