# Starting problems when cold: X Trail 2,2 dci (2005)



## Eirik Berger (Oct 14, 2014)

Hello forum, this is my first post here.

I just bought a 2005 X Trail 2,2 dci (T30) and my first impression is that it is a great car. I live on Spitsbergen - an island in the high Arctic and temperatures can get really low in winter. 

And there lies my problem...

The last days temperatures has been around -10C (14F) and when the engine is cold in the morning, I have problems starting the car. I am worried about draining the battery... The previous owner told me about this problem and said she always used the "engine heater" (is that correct english?) when it was cold. 

This is no deal-breaker for me, but I wonder why it is so hard to start when cold?
Could a change of glow plugs help? 

The glow plug lamp in the dashboard lights up when I turn the key, and I always wait for the glowing to finish before I try to start.

There is only one garage on the Island, but they are not very helpful...

Best regards,

Eirik Berger


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi
You are probably right about it being a glow plug related problem. If one of them is not working properly anymore it will affect cold starts. I do not have a diesel but it seems fairly simple to change them, and it would not be that expensive. Given that the originals are nine or 10 years old, I would think its worth doing.
The term you are looking for is engine block heater. I use ours whenever it goes below minus 15 celcius. Makes for easier starts and less taxing on the battery. I changed the battery in our 2006 last February when we had a week of below minus 30 at night. First time ever it wouldn't start despite being plugged in for a few hours, but the temp did hit minus 36. I recharged it and it had good voltage but as it was 7 plus years old, I decided to replace it with a slightly bigger more powerful battery with better cold cranking amps.
And, seeing this winter is supposed to be even colder, I just changed my coolant to a 60% solution instead of the 50-50 I have always used which can freeze around -38.
Anyway, it is a brilliant car in the winter with good winter tires. One thing to remember is that whenever the temperature is set to take a big drop at night, leave your windows open a crack so that excess humidity inside the cabin doesn't congeal on your door trims and freeze one or more of your doors shut. Also helps minimize frost build up on inside of windows. Last little thing, when you turn on the rear window defrost it also activates the heated side mirrors. At least it does for the one's in Canada. Enjoy your winter!!!


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## trifon (Jan 12, 2008)

Hello;

Minus 10°C is not very cold for the X-Trail DCI 

In France, winter diesel is supplied including an additve so that it is guarantee to work down to roughly -15°C.

If not the case in Island, it is compulsory to put winter additve in diesel oil.

Alternatively, you can blend 5 liter gas with 45 liter diesel(10%) when very cold below -18°C
It's an old fashion recipe that works as well.

Don't forget too the engine oïl must be 5W30 or 5W40 instead of 15W40


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