XC90 D5 Starting Problem

[rodbint]

Have recently bought a MY2010 XC90 D5 Active with FSH and recent receipt for new glow plugs. Only problem seems to be on cold start the engine won't start on first attempt but does start immediately on second try. Any ideas what I should be looking into please?

[cheshired5]

New fuel filter.

[Ducklakeview]

Originally Posted by cheshired5

New fuel filter.

+1 - Can solve a multitude of problems.

Mike

[rodbint]

Hi, it's me again. I took the XC90 to my local independent Volvo garage to have the DRL's switched off and whilst there I asked them to fit a new fuel filter, as per advice above. Sorry to say that it's made no difference at all, so any other ideas why this D5 won't start on the first turn of the key, but fires instantly on the second? Thanks in advance for any more ideas.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by rodbint

Hi, it's me again. I took the XC90 to my local independent Volvo garage to have the DRL's switched off and whilst there I asked them to fit a new fuel filter, as per advice above. Sorry to say that it's made no difference at all, so any other ideas why this D5 won't start on the first turn of the key, but fires instantly on the second? Thanks in advance for any more ideas.

Does it not start the first time - even if you let the engine crank for say 10 seconds?

[60041]

It could slow cranking caused by a partially discharged battery; my car does it if I have had a week or two of short journeys meaning that the battery has not been getting fully charged.
A top up with a battery charger or a decent run of 30 miles or so always sorts it out.

[rodbint]

Hi. Thanks for the question (and apologies for being off line during Xmas and New Year).
It makes no difference how long I crank the engine for, it won't start first time, but does start almost immediate on second crank.
Also, following on from 60041's post (thank you for that) the battery is in excellent order and turnover of the engine is normal speed. Recently I have made many runs from Leicestershire to Cheshire and a couple to Southampton too, so I can be confident that the fault isn't battery related.
If it makes any difference, the car did always start on first crank when warm during the summer months, but is doing so less often now and more and more often requires a second crank to start, regardless of how warm the engine is. It isn't a real problem, but obviously there is an issue with it and I'd sooner sort it before it becomes serious (and expensive).
Thanks again to everyone who has contributed. I had thought that it may be a 'common theme', but seems it may be less so. Happy New Year all.

[tonygreen1966]

I had a similar problem with a diesel Mondeo(with the old Endura engine) some time back. I would try and start it in the morning with 10 seconds cranking but to no avail. Then it would start almost immediately on the second go. I eventually figured out what was happening. There was an air leak in the fuel circuit going to the pump so during the night the air would leak into the pipe and the fuel would drain back to the tank. When I tried to start the car in the morning I'd switch the ignition on till the glow plug light went out(the endura engine really needed the glow plugs) and then I'd start cranking. But all I was doing was priming the pump - and at the same time I was pumping loads of cold air(and no fuel) past the glow plugs and cooling them down so the car was never going to start. So when I went for the second go at starting, after allowing the glow plugs to heat up, the pump was then fully primed with fuel and the glow plugs were hot, and it started first time.
So possibly you have an air leak in your circuit. I proved me theory by putting some clear tube in the circuit. In the morning I could see there was no fuel in the tube. In my case the leak was actually in the pump and I wasn't going to change the pump. Car lasted me another 3 years and 75,000 miles though.
With the new high pressure type pumps you risk serious damage if your operating them every morning when they are not primed with fuel to lubricate them.
Hope this helps.

[Moonhammer]

Just checking if there a solution was ever found for this problem ? I am experiencing the exact same problem with my 2011 xc90 D5....

[Bashy]

Starter motor, what you may think is a quick enough crank, might not be that quick, so undo cables and clean them or it may just need replacing (just replaced mine).

Poor glow plug connections/wiring can also lead to misfire for a very short period when cold.

Fuel pump or injector(s) if it doesn't start the 1st time around, it could be due to a lack of fuel in the system, i.e. it's draining back to the tank thus needing many cranks to fill up the system again