05TouringRX8

Went on vacation and left the 8 in the garage. It has run great with no issues since we bought it in May of last year with 43k miles on it. It now has 49k miles on it and everything was up to date when we bought it.

Anyway, my parents needed something out of my garage while we were gone so they moved the car out, moved some things around, got what they needed, and put the car back in the garage while we were gone. My mother noticed the car was somewhat low on gas so she went back a couple of days later to take it and gas it up as a surprise/gift for our daughter. But it wouldn't start. I figured, well she must have flooded it when she moved it out and back in the garage the other day without warming it up or driving it and doesn't know how to restart it and probably let the battery get too weak trying.

Well about a week later we arrive home (today) and try to start the car. When I put the key in the ignition and turn it to ON, everything appears normal, bells, whistles, lights, etc. I turn the key and the starter turns but it doesn't have that redundant turning over sound, it just sounds like it is turning at one speed and a little slower than usual. Tried starting it while jumped to another vehicle and get the same thing. It's difficult to describe how it sounds. I'd describe the normal sound as the motor sort of winding up before starting but now it is just a steady turning sound.

Any thoughts or ideas or advice? I hope this is not BAD bad.

VOODOO8

Your first guess about it being flooded is probably the right guess based on what you have explained in your post. Various ways to try and deflood are posted all over this web site (search) as well as the standard one in your manual.

Give this a try and post back if at least a couple of methods fail to get it started. If you do get it started, pay attention to your catalytic converter for a while and see if it starts to overheat (reddish glow after running hard for a while is one way to visually check without taking anything apart - not scientific but a good idea). Dumping a bunch of uncombusted fuel into a cat after a flood can cause a problem here on occasion.

Mazurfer

Better pull the plugs and see how they look. Probably flooded as you said and now the plugs might be fouled. Need to get them really, really dry.

And.....listen to what VooDoo8 wrote. Good advice.


Then......when you go away, leave either one of these on the dash!

I like the one with graphics for those that need some visual reference to grasp the concept!