No Pressure, No Start: SureTrack Community Fix

by Nick Taylor

Real Fixes from Mitchell 1’s SureTrack® expert information resource are documented issues from actual shop repair orders and community discussions. Read on to see how SureTrack can help you correct issues that are not easily diagnosed using OEM information alone. SureTrack is available at no additional cost in our ProDemand product.

Intermittent no-start issues will have a technician focusing on fuel and ignition systems, but it could be many other things. SureTrack community member CRC251 had a Dodge Nitro in their shop that had the wouldn’t always restart after driving. They posed the question to the community, and with the help of fellow community member southauto and others, they were able to resolve the issue quickly.

The following Community Fix summarizes the interaction between members of the community that led to the solution.

Vehicle
2008 Dodge Nitro SLT 3.7L

Title
No restart when warm, replaced oil pressure sensor.

Complaint
Customer complains that vehicle won’t restart after driving and getting warmed up.

Diagnostic Steps Performed/Parts Replaced
If you run the car and get it warm then shut it off and let it sit 5 min, it will crank but not start the first try. You might have to try it up to three times to get it to start. It has good spark and the fuel PSI with the engine off is 50 PSI and holding. Now if you let the car sit about 15 min it will fire right up the first try and if you shut it back off and try to start it right away it will fire right up. Cleaned the throttle body and we did replace the fuel pump because it wasn’t holding fuel psi with the engine off. No start problem persists.

Best Answer from Community Member southauto
Does is seem like it’s flooded or “gassy”? Could be a fuel injector leaking down which would have also caused your loss in psi when shut off. Any codes? If you get it to act up try and watch misfires or cylinder contribution when you first start it to see if it shows to a certain cylinder.

Cause
Checked for gassy smell and found none. Fuel injectors aren’t leaking. After checking, and rechecking, every fuel related system we found that the oil pressure sensor was sticking at times and not reading pressure. Didn’t set any codes or cause any other issues.

Correction
Replaced oil pressure sensor and starting issue has not returned.

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Slow Down Light: SureTrack Community Fix

About the Author Nick Taylor  

Nick Taylor is the SureTrack Community Administrator and a Senior Applications Specialist at Mitchell 1 with over 25 years of experience with electronic repair data systems. Nick previously worked in the automotive dismantling and engine rebuilding industries.