Sienna doesn't like the cold! (cold start)

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So, after our first cold night of the year, I went out and started the van (2010 Sienna with 150k). It wasn't too cold, 0 degrees, (low of -8). (We usually see temps of -15 at least a few times a winter, and often -20.)
It is pretty hard starting in the cold-once, at -15 or so, it took five attempts of cranking and following the procedures in the manual.
She is rather cold-blooded, the radio does this when it's below 20 or so, and the engine doesn't sound great when cold (on any oil, this is M1 5w30).
For various reasons, we are on our third radio in the van. They've all been cold-blooded. Sometimes it freezes completely!
The odometer is kinda funny too!

Not asking for help, just thought it was kinda funny!
 
How old are the spark plugs??? Another thing: Toyota's IAC valves are notorious for deposit issues as they gain mileage; this occurs because one of the crankcase breather hoses connects right to the IAC valve and the valve gets gummed up with oily carboned varnish stuff - hence it sticks a little when cold until the cylinder gets moving freely. My Corolla was having rough cold starts a year ago and I resorted to taking the valve off and cleaning it; made a world of difference. An easier way is like this: (video is a Camry but the Valves are identical)



Just some food for thought.
cool.gif
 
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It started right up. LCD displays are slow to respond at zero degrees. Put a Casio wristwatch in the freezer and see what happens!
 
How do you get rid of the chime? My car (2006 Torrent) chimes all the time now when door is open, even with the key out of the ignition.
 
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Sounds pretty normal to me. What you describe, I have experienced with every vehicle I owned. Brand new vehicles are a little less noisy when started cold at these types of temperatures, but they all get noisy eventually. Pretty much every aspect of the car will work and feel different when it's this cold out. Suspension will be stiffer and may creek a little, tires go out of round, tranny will shift differently, and in manual cars, the clutch will be very heavy and sometimes slow to return. All normal stuff.
 
Unfortunately, the battery is getting weaker when the temp is colder.

Have you load test the battery at that cold temp to see where they are in terms of amperage?

What oil viscosity did you put in there?
 
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Originally Posted By: JMJNet
Unfortunately, the battery is getting weaker when the temp is colder.

Have you load test the battery at that cold temp to see where they are in terms of amperage?

What oil viscosity did you put in there?


OP stated he has M1 5W-30 in there.
 
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
How old are the spark plugs??? Another thing: Toyota's IAC valves are notorious for deposit issues as they gain mileage; this occurs because one of the crankcase breather hoses connects right to the IAC valve and the valve gets gummed up with oily carboned varnish stuff - hence it sticks a little when cold until the cylinder gets moving freely. My Corolla was having rough cold starts a year ago and I resorted to taking the valve off and cleaning it; made a world of difference. An easier way is like this: (video is a Camry but the Valves are identical)



Just some food for thought.
cool.gif



I have a 2009 sienna.
Don't believe there is an iac valve on these.
 
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