# Idle

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/idle/67969>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** prizm, chevrolet\
**Created:** [September 16, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/idle/67969 "2011-09-16T17:06:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/idle/67969/1 "2011-09-16T17:06:51Z")

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I have a 1998 Chevrolet Prizm that will not fast idle when it is started in cold weather the first thing in morning. what could be the problem?

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**Author:** ![StrongDreamsWaitHere](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/strongdreamswaithere/32/2014_2.png) [@StrongDreamsWaitHere](https://community.cartalk.com/u/StrongDreamsWaitHere)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/idle/67969/2 "2011-09-16T17:09:39Z")

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Mileage? Is the check engine light on?

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**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/idle/67969/3 "2011-09-16T17:11:37Z")

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It could have a dirty throttle plate, but since the advent of electronic fuel injection, I didn’t think cars were supposed to do that anymore.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/idle/67969/4 "2011-09-16T18:06:26Z")

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I’d suspect the temp sensor. I’d suspect that the ECU doesn’t know the engine is cold.

You may not even get a fault code with this, because the ECU may not know the engine is actually cold.

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/idle/67969/5 "2011-09-16T21:13:29Z")

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Can you be specific about exactly what the car does when you start it cold? Include the actual RPMs.