I have a 2010 1.6 CRDi, which has gone about 25000 km.
Enginewise, it has run well, until this winter came. When the temp dropped below freezing it got more and more difficult to cold start. The start engine is turning, but it seems that there is no spark. It has helped when I pressed the gas a little bit though. But when the temp is below -10C, the car is more or less impossible to start.
I always, even in the summer, wait until the glow plug lamp turns off before I start the car. Now, when it doesn't want to start I tried to turn the key, let the lamp turn off, turn the key back, turn it on until the lamp turns off, etc for a couple of times before starting, but it doesn't seem to make any difference.

The car is in the workshop now and they say that the glow plugs are finished.
Is it really normal that the glow plugs need to be changed on a 2 years old car, with such a low mileage? Could there be something that makes the plugs deteriorate this fast?

[Keith]

Hi there... and Welcome to The i30 Owners Club!

In my opinion no... the pre-heater plugs should last way past that time.

Even my last car, a Fiat, was 4 years old with 76,000 miles on the clock was still on the original pre-heater plugs & never ever refused to start.

I'm sure you know there is no "spark" on a diesel, but I'd suspect a problem with maybe the pre-heater relay or the power supply to them rather than the glow-plugs themselves at their age, assuming of course the car has been properly serviced.

[Shambles]

We've had dodgy glow plugs reported (and replaced under warranty) recently

[Dazzler]

Hi Rerun and welcome .. Sorry to hear of your trouble it is not normal at this mileage or age (think you have just been unlucky)

[Shambles]

I wonder if the extremely code Swedish/European winter is having some bearing on the diesel flow through the system. I know over here we seem to get "winter diesel" which doesn't wax up so easily during harsh weather

Thanks for the welcome, all!
And for your input!

-> Ffoxy
I know there is no spark, and I appologize for being cryptic. Just didn't know how to describe it better.

-> Shambles
Actually, it's not so extremely cold in most of Sweden. Where I am it hasn't been colder than about -15C (5F) this season. Last year it was colder and it started just fine. We do have a "winter diesel" which gives better cold start properties and I am positive that that is what I have.


I'll talk some more with the boys at the workshop tomorrow...

[Shambles]

Yeah welcome buddy 

I'll talk some more with the boys at the workshop tomorrow...

Nah, talk with us - it's cheaper and more fun 

[ElleB]

     welcome   

[Phil №❶]

Welcome to the club, as there is a glow plug for each cylinder, it would be very unlikely that ALL the glow plugs are faulty. It is either a fuel issue, or an electrical component that supplies
ALL the glow plugs. 

[AlanHo]

Welcome to the club, as there is a glow plug for each cylinder, it would be very unlikely that ALL the glow plugs are faulty. It is either a fuel issue, or an electrical component that supplies ALL the glow plugs. 

I suppose there is a possibility that the glow plugs have failed over a period - one at a time - allowing the healthy cylinder(s) to get the car started. Once the healthy cylinder(s) get the engine turning at speed, the high compression ratio will fire the remainder.

After the last remaining glow plug gave up the ghost - then none of the cylinders want to fire.


Just a random thought - I had a think and having thunk thought it thoroughly theraputic to pass on my theoretical thinking. Thanks are not necessary..........

[Keith]

It would be seriously disappointing if all the glow plugs had failed in such a short time over such a low mileage (kilometerage) I vote a fault in the Glowplug system somewhere, I'd start with the relay...

[eye30]

Mine are 4.5 years old and still going strong.

Last few days I've let the glow plug light go out and starts first turn.

Minimum temp was -6C as shown on dash.

[Lorian]

Mine are still fine.

I am sure the timer for the dashboard glow-plug light doesn't work as it was intended though.  If it's below zero you'd expect the light (and the plugs) to be hot for several seconds, maybe as many as 15 in extreme cold. If the light goes out in a second or two in these conditions, U'd refrain from starting for 10 seconds.

Also make sure the heatsink is not fowling the top of one of the plugs, to short the fuse.

They used at least two makes of glow plugs, and it seemed one was better than the other, but I forget which was which and who the manufacurers were (one was bosch I think, presumably the good ones). You'd expect a 2010 to have the right ones though.

[Dazzler]

Cheers Lorian 

Thanks all!

Nah, talk with us - it's cheaper and more fun 

 

I am sure the timer for the dashboard glow-plug light doesn't work as it was intended though.  If it's below zero you'd expect the light (and the plugs) to be hot for several seconds, maybe as many as 15 in extreme cold. If the light goes out in a second or two in these conditions, U'd refrain from starting for 10 seconds.

Interesting! My lamp stays on a little longer when it's cold than in the summer, but it still goes out in... perhaps 5 second. I don't think it took as long as 10 seconds even when it was -15C.

Anyway, the workshop boys don't want to say much. Only that the glow plugs are the cause and they have ordered 4 new ones. Apparently, they have been in touch with Hyundai Sweden and they thought it was the most plausible explanation, too.
Hmmmm...

[eye30]

This morning I was told off by the wife for taking longer than usual to back out of the drive so she could get in the car.

I seemed to be waiting ages for the glow light to go out before I started.

Temp showing -5C

This morning, my rental Citroen C3 Diesel took perhaps 2 seconds to switch the glow light off... And it started like a charm... Temp showing -12C.

[alc2]

 Mine  glow indicator  takes about 4-5 seconds when when it was -10C , never  had  problems  with  first  start  in  the  winter. As comparison , i drive  also  a  Fabia 1.6 CRDI ,  and  At  -16C ,  takes no  more  than  4 seconds ,  strange  short time...I  don't know' why so  short  time .

BTW , if  you  wanna to  check the  plugs,   i  will  advise  to apply  "classic"  method  of  power of  each  one  with  a  wire    from  +12V battery  after  removal the  spark  from  the  engine ,  as .

Since  we  are  on  this  topic ,  who  know  if i30 crdi's glow  plugs have  also  2-ND  stage ? ( after  the  incandescent 1-st stage ,    they  keep  warm  the  combustion  chamber  first  minutes after  engine  starting, until  engine  reach  higher  temperature. This  help  to  a better  combustion and  probably  a  quicker   engine heating .

Latest news...

They still claim that all 4 glow plugs are bad and nothing else is wrong with my car. They won't let me see the plugs, but when I asked for them they quickly offered to replace them under warranty.
I can't complain since I get the plugs changed for free, but I kinda do wonder....

[Argus]

In my car glow plugs were replaced after one year. Two were burned. Were reportedly of poor quality. Now I have NGK (described on the box as the original Hyundai / Kia Mobis) and I have no problems and this morning was about
-22C.

[eye30]

alc2

Link not working for me

[Keith]

alc2

Link not working for me

  Same here.

[Shambles]

alc2

Link not working for me

Should be ok now (it was an invalid youtube target)

[Tullybanana1]

I live in Australia and my partner's 2008 1.6 crdi is also hard to start when it's anything less than 20 degrees! When it finally starts (if you don't "Glow" the plugs a few times) it lets out a cloud of black diesel smoke, annoying! I also have an i30 diesel and have never had a problem starting it, i don't even have to wait for the glow light to go out most times so there's definitely a problem with my partner's car.

[Phil №❶]

There most certainly is 

[pjerra79]

Having the same problem. 46 000 km on the ODU. Had the car for less than a month.

[AlanHo]

That can't be right - has it been taken to a Hyundai dealership for a warranty repair? 

I am of course, assuming that the car is still under warranty. In the UK we get 5 years full cover.

[Tullybanana1]

My partner's car is no where near as bad as "pjerra79" although I've never tried to start it at -14degrees!
I'd be definitely getting your car looked at by a dealer (did i just say that, i hate dealers) because cranking it over for that long will cook the starter motor and destroy it, not to mention give the battery a real hard time, it might just be the cold weather but my car cranks over a fair bit faster than yours in the video.

[pjerra79]

It's at the workshop today. They will check the glow plugs, and fuel cap cover, that doesn't pop open

Edit:

Back from workshop, three out of four glow plugs were broken. They put in four new on the 3 year used car warranty.

[Tullybanana1]

How is it, or haven't you had a chance to try it out yet (when the car is cold), i wish you good luck.
I can't believe my car's fuel cap lid also does not open, it seems your car and mine are having similar issues