I have a 2003 Sable, 3.0L Flex Fuel OHV 6cyl. It has been trouble starting when the car has sat idle, like overnight or when I leave work to go to lunch or home for the day. I just started driving the car regularly in February. My wife said it would do this but mostly in colder weather, but it's warm weather now.

In the past year I have had the starter replaced, the ignition coil and just had new spark plug and wires put in last week. The battery is fine.

When trying to start, it is cranking, but does not turn over. It usually takes three or four times to start and it will go.

When I'm driving I can't tell if the ride seems a little rough. When I had the ignition coil replaced it was because of a misfiring on #3. The car is NOT riding like that with the hesitation or jerky feeling. It just seems like it is not smoothly driving down the road.

I've taken it back to the same mechanic who replaced the coil pack, wires and plugs. His thinking is the fuel pressure may not be enough or bleeding, possibly the injector(s) have a problem or at worst a fuel pump.

If anyone has some advice and what kind of costs I could be looking at based on the options for repair I would appreciate it.

If you need more information to help troubleshoot, please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

 

Idle Air Control Valve replaced, but car still struggles to start occassionally. Mechanics don't think it's the fuel pump, others I've talked to think it is. A little rough idling, but nothing major, but I could be over-sensitive since I think about what could be the problem.

Any suggestions?