2014 Kia Rio does not like to start properly in the extreme cold.

Joined
May 27, 2023
Messages
18
My 2014 Kia Rio does not like to start easily in the cold, and the behaviour is really wierd. There is a problem that is not obvious.

In temps colder that -22C the car will not start. There is just a click with no cranking. The odd thing is, that as soon as the car warms up past -20C, the car starts like its summer.

Obvious first step was the battery. I charged and problem persisted. I then replaced the battery with a new one.

I then replaced the starter with a used one from a wrecker that I bench tested, and the problem persisted.

I have found a trick to get it to start. When -22C or colder, I have to continually turn the key from full off to cranked many times in a row quickly. For the first handful it just clicks, but then it starts to very quickly crank for a split second, and then more, and then after many turns of the key it starts perfectly fine. This reliably works everytime.

I thought for sure this is a starter problem, because it just seems like in extreme cold, the material shrinks such that the starter components are not close enough to engage, and as I crank more and more it starts to very slightly engage....maybe like a starter flat spot. But after replacing the starter, and the problem persisted, it seems very unlikely that the same problem would occur with the exact same starter (maybe I should just go get a third brand new one to be sure).

I am really perplexed what else this could be? Could it be the anti-theft protection acting up in the cold? Or some sort of other circuitry acting up in the extreme cold?
 
to test a relay you take the cover off and see if the contacts inside move. you can also put power to the signal pins and test continuity across the switched pins. if my explanation doesn't make sense there's better instructions on the rest of the internet.
does the car have a block heater? if it does, does the problem go away when you use the block heater?
 
My 2014 Kia Rio does not like to start easily in the cold, and the behaviour is really wierd. There is a problem that is not obvious.

In temps colder that -22C the car will not start. There is just a click with no cranking. The odd thing is, that as soon as the car warms up past -20C, the car starts like its summer.

Obvious first step was the battery. I charged and problem persisted. I then replaced the battery with a new one.

I then replaced the starter with a used one from a wrecker that I bench tested, and the problem persisted.

I have found a trick to get it to start. When -22C or colder, I have to continually turn the key from full off to cranked many times in a row quickly. For the first handful it just clicks, but then it starts to very quickly crank for a split second, and then more, and then after many turns of the key it starts perfectly fine. This reliably works everytime.

I thought for sure this is a starter problem, because it just seems like in extreme cold, the material shrinks such that the starter components are not close enough to engage, and as I crank more and more it starts to very slightly engage....maybe like a starter flat spot. But after replacing the starter, and the problem persisted, it seems very unlikely that the same problem would occur with the exact same starter (maybe I should just go get a third brand new one to be sure).

I am really perplexed what else this could be? Could it be the anti-theft protection acting up in the cold? Or some sort of other circuitry acting up in the extreme cold?
Follow the negative battery cable to where it is bolted to the chassis. Get some 220 grit sand paper and sand an area where the lug gets more contact to bare metal then just the bolt head to the painted threads of the bolt. Add some Anti-Ox electrical grease to the connection so it won't corrode. See if there is another relay in your fuse box that is the same as the starter relay and swap them. I would also pull the steering wheel shaft plastic and where the electrical harness plugs into the key switch, push the connector on and off to get a clean seating. Also if there is "contactor switch" in the key switch I would Hail Mary replace that switch IF it has contactors in it.



.
 
I'd suspect the starter relay. It could also be the clutch switch (manual trans), brake switch, or the inhibitor switch in the automatic trans (i.e. the parking status switch), or the wiring associated with any of these. To troubleshoot, you could try using a hair dryer to heat up these components individually when the weather is cold, and see if the car will start. However, if the clicking sound is made by the starter relay, those switches should be working fine since they are allowing the starter relay to engage. Does the relay chatter or is it a single click?

Another possibility is that you replaced a weak battery with another weak battery. Seems unlikely, but to rule it out, connect a battery booster or another car battery and see if this helps, or just remove your battery, warm it up and re-install. Even if this works, the problem could still be that the starter relay is just sensitive to voltage dips and needs to be replaced.
 
I'd suspect the starter relay. It could also be the clutch switch (manual trans), brake switch, or the inhibitor switch in the automatic trans (i.e. the parking status switch), or the wiring associated with any of these. To troubleshoot, you could try using a hair dryer to heat up these components individually when the weather is cold, and see if the car will start. However, if the clicking sound is made by the starter relay, those switches should be working fine since they are allowing the starter relay to engage. Does the relay chatter or is it a single click?

Another possibility is that you replaced a weak battery with another weak battery. Seems unlikely, but to rule it out, connect a battery booster or another car battery and see if this helps, or just remove your battery, warm it up and re-install. Even if this works, the problem could still be that the starter relay is just sensitive to voltage dips and needs to be replaced.
Would the brake switch have any effect? Auto trans cars start without the brake depressed....
 
Throw your original starter in the freezer for a few hours or overnight depending on how cold the freezer is, then retest it.
 
Back
Top