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5.7L V8 Tundra - Hard Starting in Really Cold Weather

Joel Dixon

New Member
Hey everyone. I just did a google search on 2013 Tundras having issues started and this forum came up. My truck's starting issue doesn't have to be in the negative temps but also happens when it sits for a day or two. I have to hold on the starter for about 15-20 seconds then turn the key back. The starter keeps trying to turn over even after I turn the ignition of(lasts a few seconds) but when I try it again it does turn over and it seems like there is excess exhaust. Sadly the truck only has 33K. The dealership hasn't been able to recreate the problem. When I deployed to Afghanistan I had family take my truck in again and they said their was a recall on the starter. I'm still having the issue. I'm going to try taking the truck in again. Has anyone had any other issues besides the alcohol sensor that I could recommend to them?
 

Joel Dixon

New Member
I'm guessing so. I was already lucky enough to experience the oil leaking from the cam cradle, tower, assembly, however you would like to word it.
 

tessy21

New Member
ok everybody. We had alittle bit of cold weather down here and my truck was having trouble again. I am going to report it to the service department and let them look at it, so they have a record of what's going on so maybe they will have a recall on it. But I am going to try the lucas oil treatment tomorrow.
 

jazz

Mechanic
100 Posts
Sunday night it was -38C with a 40km breeze,,,my 22RE engine had to spin over a few times before firing up....if it don't start its out of gas.
 

G Nance

New Member
Okay, I'm in Houston and I had the "dieseling" effect starting problem this morning in my 2013 Tundra. I had this problem a couple years back w/my 08 Tundra. Same thing. I may try the Lucas gas treatment as well.
 

toyotafan

Toyota Truck Club Founder
Staff member
1000 Posts
Okay, I'm in Houston and I had the "dieseling" effect starting problem this morning in my 2013 Tundra. I had this problem a couple years back w/my 08 Tundra. Same thing. I may try the Lucas gas treatment as well.
give it a try and respond back with the results if you would please. Has it been pretty cold in Houston?
 

tessy21

New Member
yes I just bought the Lucas fuel treatment and put it in the tank. I am at 1/4 of a tank now and it is working fine. it hunk we are also on a winter blend fuel. I will let yall know the results after a few tanks. Thank for the help
 

toyotafan

Toyota Truck Club Founder
Staff member
1000 Posts
yes I just bought the Lucas fuel treatment and put it in the tank. I am at 1/4 of a tank now and it is working fine. it hunk we are also on a winter blend fuel. I will let yall know the results after a few tanks. Thank for the help
Yeah, they really do try to get the blends right, but it's so hard in Texas to get it right. I mean just a few days ago it was near 80 and last night was in the upper 20's I think in North Texas. However, that being said you get carbon buildup inside the engine and the treatments will break that up so you get complete combustion and that can be all the difference in the world.
 

MuddyTacoma

Mechanic
1000 Posts
yes I just bought the Lucas fuel treatment and put it in the tank. I am at 1/4 of a tank now and it is working fine. it hunk we are also on a winter blend fuel. I will let yall know the results after a few tanks. Thank for the help
Just so I understand, you put in the fuel treatment on a full tank and so far you've burned 3/4 of a tank? That's pretty quick if it burned up the gunk inside the engine that quickly.
 

tessy21

New Member
I put it in Sunday and I am going to fuel up today. I don't know how long it will take for it to clean it out but, it was 23 this morning and it started up fine. but the thing is my truck has almost 30000 miles on it and it's a 2012. That is why I am worried about this issue due to low miles .
 

toyotafan

Toyota Truck Club Founder
Staff member
1000 Posts
I put it in Sunday and I am going to fuel up today. I don't know how long it will take for it to clean it out but, it was 23 this morning and it started up fine. but the thing is my truck has almost 30000 miles on it and it's a 2012. That is why I am worried about this issue due to low miles .
I don't blame you at all on this either, especially as it's clearly an issue that a lot of people are seeing on a regular basis.

In fact, this is one of the most viewed threads on this website over the last few weeks. That shows me that people are searching Google for terms like "hard starting toyota tundra" and "tundra won't start when cold outsite" ...

I still would like someone to get a video of their Tunra struggling to start when it's cold outside and the engine is cold, then post it up on YouTube or Vimeo and we can see what it's doing firsthand. There are enough people out there with this issue that someone may have already done it.
 

TDave

Active Member
100 Posts
Upper peninsula of michigan (people are called yoopers)
Below the mackinaw bridge, lower michigan (people are called trolls)
Learned something new today!
The issue had to do with the sensors that detect the alcohol level in the fuel.
I was going to suggest maybe the fuel pump, but that's a pretty old school answer to the real problem obviously. Good you got it fixed.
 

tessy21

New Member
Ok I'm at the dealership right now. Toyota sent me a soft ware update is due and I told them my issue about hard to start in cold weather. They said it will take care of the issue with it. We will see...
 

toyotafan

Toyota Truck Club Founder
Staff member
1000 Posts
Ok I'm at the dealership right now. Toyota sent me a soft ware update is due and I told them my issue about hard to start in cold weather. They said it will take care of the issue with it. We will see...
What did they do to remedy the situation?
 

bmrtoyo

New Member
Hi, I'm a new member n just signed up since a saw above thread about cold start problems with 2012 Tundra. My 2012 tundra likes to not crank when weather is like below 35.
I touch the key n it just spins the starter n nothing, just a starter goin like crazy. I live in NE Texas so not to many cold mornings but its ridicilous . Then when this happens I turn the key off n try it again, usually one or two more tries for it to fire up. It never makes the engine light come on and the dealership tells me they can't do nothing about it. They say I need buy better fuel. I just drove 900 miles to Colorado and only put Shell V-power and it still cranks like sj..
I'm frustrated since it seems I'm not the only Tundra owner with this problem.
Hope any owners have a 'recipe' to cure this mess!?

Thanks Dutchie
i was told shell is the worst gas you can run ,was having all kinds of driveability problems ,tailpipe sooting up badly ,rough idle ,hard starting ,low mpg ,was told their fuel soots up bad ,leaves lots of ash deposits ,,changed fuel ,, ran seafoam through ,, no problems goodbye shell ,noticed there are no more shell stations here ,word must have gottten out
 

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