Cranking Long

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TRMacchi
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2019 7:13 pm

I have a 2012 Suzuki Kizashi with a manual transmission, 70,000 miles. Sometimes when I go to start it, the engine cranks for a longer period than normal. It never fails to start, but it has me concerned. I would say that it does this 20% of startups and usually during a cold start. I had the battery replaced and the problem still existed. A few times it has even taken a good 7 seconds to start up.

Any ideas?
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Interesting. The battery would have been my first suggestion. I had a lot of weird things happening at one point many years ago, long cranking being one of them. A new battery cured them all. Wondering if there are any minor, or other, codes set.
I want to say there was a reflash available to cure this back when, but I may be mistaking the Kizashi with the SX4 on this. Something to do w/ where/when the ignition was cut off to bring the engine's rotation to a stop in a certain position which allowed for quicker starting. Certain cylinders in certain positions, valves open and/or closed type of thing. That would lead me to think the crank sensor is involved with that. Have you searched on here for the term 'extended cranking' or similar? It's been a while since anyone has complained about this on here or the SX4 forum I frequented.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
Sasha-CR
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2019 12:17 am

I had a gts sport cvt which that happened two times, one of which it almost went the full 15 seconds without starting. Found out it was the fob acting up. The battery was failing on the fob, so I believe it cut off the immobilizer signal while cranking. Had to slap the fob around a few times and place it on the button to prevent this issue while the battery was low.

Replaced battery and never happened again. My pops told me it happened to him on the S 6MT I have now. Changed fob battery and never happened again.
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Ok, that makes some sense I suppose. Question then for the automotive automation engineering team: why enough FOB battery to allow cranking to initiate, but then not allow it to fire? Great logic.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
TRMacchi
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2019 7:13 pm

I checked the past threads. There had been reports of long cranking, but each time the problem was solved with a new battery. I brought it to the dealer and they mentioned nothing about a flash. I also thought about the key FOB and had the batteries replaced. The problem still persists and I feel may be getting worse.

Also interesting note about the key FOBS. The dealer said that Suzuki demanded that they drill a hole into their key programmer and send it back to Japan. The lead mechanic said he was furious about it. He told me that if I was to lose the keys (I have two) that the car would essentially be dead.
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

TRMacchi wrote: Also interesting note about the key FOBS. The dealer said that Suzuki demanded that they drill a hole into their key programmer and send it back to Japan. The lead mechanic said he was furious about it. He told me that if I was to lose the keys (I have two) that the car would essentially be dead.

:facepalm:
Wow..Seriously!?! WTF is that saying? Suzuki is that pissed off at the U.S. market that they want their vehicles completely wiped away from the face of the continent likely by the time their mandatory 10 years of required support expires?
Well, not surprising and this is how all this nifty techno-chit can easily control the consumer and bite one in the financial ass. Can't say I haven't been preaching the fact on here. Very sad, and wasteful in this day-n-age of 'save the planet', when a perfectly good (over-tech'd) 2010-213 car is junked before a no-tech 1987 Samurai that's still passing state inspections and rolling effortlessly down the road. What's that telling ya about "progress"?

Old_Tech has the right idea, buy up as many Kizashis as you can get your hands on, in any condition, for complete systems parts swaps.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
Sasha-CR
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2019 12:17 am

I believe NA market is too broad of a term. Here in Costa Rica (part of the North American continent), Suzuki provides support. From personal experience Panama does too and that means likely most of central America and Mexico have support.

Also, my friend and former Suzuki Mechanic, certified master, bought a scanner (not Suzuki specific) that can program the keys, among many other things.

So, maybe Suzuki is just taking back their property (from US dealers and Canadian I'm guessing). It does suck though.. I only have one key, I've been wanting to buy another one because being in that situation without a spare would really be bad.
TRMacchi
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2019 7:13 pm

The key FOB situation was defiantly discouraging. To be honest, this car isn't worth much at all. The second anything really goes I'm going to get rid of it. No mechanics will touch the things, there aren't many dealers where I live now (Florida) and where I will be moving to (Atlanta), and parts are scarce.


Regardless, my cranking long problem still persists. I feel it now happens 50% of the time during a cold start. I had the starter tested and it came back fine.
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Sasha-CR wrote:I believe NA market is too broad of a term. Here in Costa Rica (part of the North American continent), Suzuki provides support. From personal experience Panama does too and that means likely most of central America and Mexico have support.
Corrected my post ;)
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

TRMacchi wrote: Regardless, my cranking long problem still persists. I feel it now happens 50% of the time during a cold start. I had the starter tested and it came back fine.
Are you certain the "new" battery is the correct CCA and tests good? I attempted to purchase a battery for the SX4 a couple years ago at the local NAPA and the guy puts one on the counter covered in dust that appeared to have been sitting around since the last ice age. Asked if he had a tester and to then test it before I bought it. It failed, I left. He was going to take my money w/o even a worry.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
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