# Difficulty Starting

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/difficulty-starting/49607>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** pontiac\
**Created:** [May 30, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/difficulty-starting/49607 "2010-05-30T17:49:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![clunker2001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@clunker2001](https://community.cartalk.com/u/clunker2001)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/difficulty-starting/49607/1 "2010-05-30T17:49:21Z")

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My 2001 Pontiac Grand Am has difficulty starting after short trips. If I drive to work (23 miles) it starts up fine after work, if I pull it out of the driveway and try to start it later it has difficulty starting. Any ideas on what might be causing this?

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/difficulty-starting/49607/2 "2010-05-30T19:28:20Z")

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It sounds like something is getting heat soaked.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/difficulty-starting/49607/3 "2010-05-30T22:10:02Z")

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It might be a weak fuel pump, letting pressure drop in the fuel system and thereby letting the gas vapor lock. Used to be common before fuel injection.