i have a 2005 hyundai santa fe. intermittent start issue - sometimes she starts normal, but sometimes she stutters - she will start but rpms run very low and she sounds like she is trying to die if i rev her a little and get her in drive and push gas she is good to go. every now and then she wont start it just cranks like she will start but doesnt. i can try 4 or 5 times adding a little gas to the equation and she will start but i have to keep giving gas while putting it in drive. then she is good. i have noticed if the air conditioner is on when i try to start her the problem can be worse/more frequent.

any suggestions? and am i causing harm by driving her while this is happening.


thanks

 

Maybe a crank position sensor, they don't always show codes when bad , check for codes if you can.

 

What is the mileage on the vehicle?
When was the spark plugs last changed?
When was the last time you put in fuel injector cleaner in the gas tank?

Crank sensor would be good if the start did not start.
But, for low rpm, would suspect low fuel pressure or bad spark, even faulty EGR system.

 

If you have done the checks and ruled out the earlier suggestions, something to consider, If there is insufficient power (voltage) available to the system, it can interfere with starting. Make sure all the power and ground connections are in good shape. Cranking can take a lot of power and can cause a drop in available voltage to the rest of the system. Not a common problem , but worth checking if all else fails.