# Mitsubishi Lancer 2008 doesn't start good when it's cold **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** mitsubishi\ **Created:** [January 21, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379 "2021-01-21T18:56:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aiden167](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@aiden167](https://community.cartalk.com/u/aiden167)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/1 "2021-01-21T18:56:02Z")
Hello everyone, first of all I wanna say that my english is not perfect so it will be hard for me to explain the situation correctly. I have a mitsubishi lancer 2008 (last gen) with about 110k miles on it, I have noticed that the car does not start good when it’s cold, even tho my country is not that cold the car kind of struggles to start. when its not cold outside like 15c (celsius) the car will start fine, but anything below 10c, the car will strugle a bit. don’t get me wrong, the car starts okish but doesn’t sound good, like the rpm even is not on 1.5 like it suppose to do, it’s starting to move around 1 to 1.3 rpm, and if I will not push the gas pedal a little bit for the start, it will just stall. for example, yestrday in the morning it was 5c outside, and when I started the car it almost stalled (I pressed the gas pedal a bit so it did not). can anyone tell me whats wrong? it’s been like that for a while now… thanks ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/2 "2021-01-21T19:12:13Z")
Have someone try cleaning the electronic throttle body. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/b/1/b1ddac0f38d771c51e8e43a33fde7f2c52ea55ff.jpeg) Tester ---
**Author:** ![aiden167](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@aiden167](https://community.cartalk.com/u/aiden167)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 7:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/3 "2021-01-21T19:16:33Z")
Yeah I did, I cleaned the throttle body about 6 months ago. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/4 "2021-01-21T19:46:53Z")
There might be a coolant temperature sensor that is malfunctioning - or the coolant level may be too low for it to work. Either could prevent the engine computer from enriching the fuel/air mixture during a cold startup. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/5 "2021-01-21T19:55:06Z")
If you have an electronic throttle body, have it cleaned, if you have an idle air control, have it replaced. ---
**Author:** ![aiden167](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@aiden167](https://community.cartalk.com/u/aiden167)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 8:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/6 "2021-01-21T20:01:28Z")
how can I find that coolant temperature sensor? I dont get any warning lights as well. and what do you mean by coolant level too low? sorry for not understanding and how can I know what kind of throttle body I have? I mean i cleaned it but I dont know what kind it is ---
**Author:** ![aiden167](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@aiden167](https://community.cartalk.com/u/aiden167)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/7 "2021-01-21T20:05:21Z")
oh, and my spark plugs arn’t the original ones, I thought it could be the problem so I bought original ngk spark plugs, they didnt arrive yet. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 10:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/8 "2021-01-21T22:19:10Z")
> [@aiden167](#): > > what do you mean by coolant level too low? sorry for not understanding When the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap, and see whether the coolant is up to the bottom of the radiator filler. If not, then you need to add some of the **correct** coolant. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 10:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/9 "2021-01-21T22:34:33Z")
> [@aiden167](#): > > I cleaned the throttle body about 6 months ago. By what manner did you open the throttle plate to clean the throttle body? Tester ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 11:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/10 "2021-01-21T23:07:35Z")
You could (and should) consult the factory service manual (FSM). ---
**Author:** ![oldnotdeadyet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a6a055/32.png) [@oldnotdeadyet](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldnotdeadyet)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 12:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/11 "2021-01-22T00:44:37Z")
Your English is just fine! ---
**Author:** ![aiden167](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@aiden167](https://community.cartalk.com/u/aiden167)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 12:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/12 "2021-01-22T12:55:34Z")
I will check the coolant level once it will be cold enough and will update you on that. about the throttle body, I plugged off the battery and got the throttle body out and cleaned it with carburetor spray and a toothbrush. about the service manual, there is not really much in there… maybe I don’t have the correct manual that you are talking about, but for what I got there is nothing in there that could help with anything… and thanks @oldnotdeadyet 🙂 appriciate that. ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 7:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/13 "2021-01-22T19:17:27Z")
For future reference, never use carburetor cleaner on a throttle body. Some have coatings that can be dissolved by carb cleaner. Use throttle body cleaner only. ---
**Author:** ![aiden167](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@aiden167](https://community.cartalk.com/u/aiden167)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 10:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/14 "2021-01-22T22:28:52Z")
oh ok, good to know. ---
**Author:** ![aiden167](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@aiden167](https://community.cartalk.com/u/aiden167)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 8:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/mitsubishi-lancer-2008-doesnt-start-good-when-its-cold/174379/15 "2021-01-23T20:34:30Z")
I checked the coolant level and everything is just fine. any more thoughts on what the problem could be?