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Tundra cold start issues

Discussion in '2nd Gen Tundras (2007-2013)' started by Johnny Dangerfield, Feb 23, 2020.

  1. Feb 23, 2020 at 7:52 AM
    #1
    Johnny Dangerfield

    Johnny Dangerfield [OP] New Member

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    Hi out there. I have a 2012 Toyota Tundra crew max flex fuel that is having cold start issues. When I start it in the morning it barley turns over. I have to floor the gas pedal and white smoke bellows from the exhaust. It started a couple of years ago. It only happens once in the morning and not for the rest of the day. I do not use the flex fuel. It only happens in winter months. It’s not the battery, it’s not the spark plugs. The Toyota dealership tells me they have no idea what it is and are trying to charge 2k just to look at it.
    Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you.
     
  2. Feb 23, 2020 at 11:17 AM
    #2
    rebmo

    rebmo 2020 Crewmax Limited 4wd Silver/Black

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    How old is the battery? Clean tight terminals?
     
  3. Feb 23, 2020 at 11:29 AM
    #3
    Johnny Dangerfield

    Johnny Dangerfield [OP] New Member

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    1.5 years old. Clean tight terminals. That was one of the first things I tried as well. (New battery)
     
  4. Feb 23, 2020 at 11:43 AM
    #4
    bleach

    bleach MEME Fiend

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    Why would the dealer want to charge $2000 to just look at it? There could be some warranty coverage.
     
  5. Feb 23, 2020 at 11:54 AM
    #5
    Johnny Dangerfield

    Johnny Dangerfield [OP] New Member

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    It’s just a quote the Mgr gave me. It’s a 2012. No more warranty.
     
  6. Feb 23, 2020 at 12:03 PM
    #6
    bleach

    bleach MEME Fiend

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    Is it throwing any codes? You should start there. Maybe someone can help you with that.
     
  7. Feb 23, 2020 at 12:45 PM
    #7
    Johnny Dangerfield

    Johnny Dangerfield [OP] New Member

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    I’m not sure. Good idea. I’ll have to find a mechanic to see if it is. Ive heard of this happening before with other tundras. I just wanted to see if anyone else has experienced this and what their fix was.....
     
  8. Feb 23, 2020 at 12:51 PM
    #8
    JohnLakeman

    JohnLakeman Burning Internet Daylight

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    I'm guessing you park it outside overnight. The "white smoke" is likely caused by water vapor made in the combustion process. It's normal for cold starts in the winter, and usually persists in cold climates, not just on start up.

    Flooring the gas pedal likely does nothing but open the throttle valve completely imo; starting fuel is controlled by the ECM. Opening the throttle valve would help if it was flooding, but an over-rich condition would yield black exhaust smoke. I'm thinking you're on the lean end of the fuel-air ratio.

    With the flex fuel, you're going to need expert help. Find another dealer, diagnosis should be maybe one tenth of what he quoted you. Ask them if there is any record of corrective ECM reflashes for your VIN.
     
    Failure2comply and Black Wolf like this.
  9. Feb 23, 2020 at 12:56 PM
    #9
    Johnny Dangerfield

    Johnny Dangerfield [OP] New Member

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    All good advice. Thank you.
    The reason I throttle it is because it won’t start if I don’t. I’ve tried just starting it and nothing else & it just spits, sputters and spazzes out. If I throttle it, it’s starts every time.
     
  10. Feb 23, 2020 at 12:59 PM
    #10
    bleach

    bleach MEME Fiend

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    Sign up here: https://www.toyota.com/owners/register.
    You can find out what kind of work has been done by the previous owners at any dealership.
    I'm wondering if that's a symptom of the AIP system malfunctioning. It sounds like it hasn't failed yet. You'd get a check engine light and the truck would run badly. Toyota extended the warranty for this to 10 years/150K miles.
     
    Failure2comply likes this.
  11. Feb 23, 2020 at 1:06 PM
    #11
    Johnny Dangerfield

    Johnny Dangerfield [OP] New Member

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    Copy that. Thank you. I am the OG owner. Bought the truck with 90 miles on it in 2012. This just started happening a couple of years ago and only in the winter. Has never happened for the first 6/7 years.
     
    bleach likes this.
  12. Feb 23, 2020 at 1:22 PM
    #12
    BTBAKER

    BTBAKER DIFFERENT NAME. SAME JUNK.

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    You need them to flash the fuel mixture. It’s pretty common. Mine did it. The computer was telling the truck it was running E85 even though I never have. Once they flashed the ECU it has started perfectly. Surprised your dealer doesn’t even know that...
     
  13. Feb 23, 2020 at 1:27 PM
    #13
    bleach

    bleach MEME Fiend

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    Don't go back to that one then.
     
  14. Feb 23, 2020 at 1:42 PM
    #14
    Johnny Dangerfield

    Johnny Dangerfield [OP] New Member

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    -BT BAKER thanks man that’s exactly what I was looking for and now that you mention it, I remember hearing a couple of others say that was the fix.


    -bleach, duh dude.
     
    BTBAKER likes this.
  15. Feb 23, 2020 at 3:46 PM
    #15
    BTBAKER

    BTBAKER DIFFERENT NAME. SAME JUNK.

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    Sure thing. Let me know what they try to charge you for the flash. Mine was under warranty.
     

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