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Vchat20
Landing is the REAL challenge
Premium Member
join:2003-09-16
Columbus, OH

Vchat20

Premium Member

Extended cold start high idle time/slow engine warmup

Just a mild curiosity here even though I know of the ultimate fix (which will happen here within the next week), just baffled under these circumstances. Anyways, this pertains to my mother's '07 Kia Sportage 4cyl. Notably during this real cold section of winter we have noticed it tends to take much longer to warm up than should be normal even while moving. We have 2 other Kia's in the house, one a 2006 Optima and the other an '09 6cyl Sportage. Both, under the same circumstances, will warm up to normal operating temp in under half the time as the '07. With that said, I know it needs a coolant flush at this point as it hasn't been done yet since she bought it.

Second part of the issue. After getting brakes done a little over a month ago the high idle process it goes through on a cold start has been significantly longer than what should be normal. Normal being that in the other 2 cars and even other makes it is usually under 10 seconds. I have always heard this is just enough to get the cat converter up to temp quicker. Seems though these days it will last many minutes sitting around 2k-2.5k rpm. Occasionally my mom will leave it running a good 30 minutes before leaving for work (occasionally at best, rarely I would say) with no change. Once put into gear and moving it calms down with no adverse running, idling back to ~700 when put into park/neutral.

LAst night I happened to drive it to work. Come out this morning ready to go home and start it up while I chitchat with a coworker for a bit. Maybe 10-15 minutes tops. Hop in the car and the temp gauge is up to ~190 and idle speed is normal. Unusually fast compared to normal.

So as I said already, I was always under the impression from various sources that the high idle was simply to benefit the cat converter. Unless I am mistaken, the outgoing exhaust temperature should not be, or at least minimally so, affected by the coolant temp? Is there any correlation to these two symptoms?

Jtmo
Premium Member
join:2001-05-20
Novato, CA

Jtmo

Premium Member

Assuming you have fluids, then the most likely cause is the thermostat is bad or the wrong temperature one for the ultra cold you have had for the last week.

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru to Vchat20

MVM

to Vchat20
A thermostat could be stuck open. When you first start the vehicle, feel the upper radiator hose. Can you feel coolant flowing through it? Does it get warmer faster than the engine reaches operating temperature?