I have a 2022 Kia Sportage. Fall came around, temps dropped to minus five, and the car stopped starting on the first try. I replaced the battery half a year ago, so it's definitely not old. The starter's turning over, but the engine won't catch. What could it be - spark plugs, fuel pump, or something else?
If the starter is turning over normally, then the battery isn't the culprit here. At minus five, the problem is usually in the fuel system or spark plugs. The first thing to check is the condition of your spark plugs. They often misfire in the cold, especially if they haven't been changed in a while. Try unscrewing them and looking at the gap and carbon buildup, or just replace them with new ones - it's cheap and often does the trick.
Second - fuel filter and pump. If the filter is clogged, fuel might not be getting through in the right amount, and you'll notice that right away in the cold. The pump can also act up on frost, though a new battery rules out a complete electrical failure. Also keep in mind that fuel thickens in cold, and if yours is low quality, it might not flow properly through the system.
One more thing - check if there's an ignition issue. Try turning the key and sitting for about 10-15 seconds to give the pump time to prime the fuel, then start it. If that helps, the problem's definitely in the fuel system. If nothing changes, get it to a diagnostics shop - they'll read the error codes from your car's computer, and it'll become clear pretty quick what's wrong.
The problem could be with oil viscosity - in cold weather it thickens, making it harder for the starter to turn the crankshaft. Even if the starter seems to be working normally, the oil resists, and fuel simply doesn't flow in the right amount, or the fuel pump works weaker on thickened oil. Plus, spark plugs need a stronger spark in cold - if they've already used up part of their life, they might not provide the ignition you need.
I ran into something similar with my car - switched to winter oil and everything fell into place. Check what oil you've got: if it's summer oil with high viscosity, at minus five it'll slow down the whole startup process. Winter oil flows much better in cold. It also makes sense to replace the spark plugs - especially if they're older than two or three years. On modern cars like your Kia, spark plugs last longer, but in cold conditions they start acting up sooner.
One more thing - the fuel filter. If it's clogged or water's frozen in the fuel, the pump won't push through. Try warming up the car with a hair dryer or throw a blanket over the fuel tank overnight, then in the morning see if it starts. If it works with the heat - then it's definitely the viscosity or the fuel system freezing up.
Spark plugs and oil - yeah, but I had this exact issue with the fuel pump: when it's cold, it starts working slower, the pressure drops, and the fuel just doesn't reach the injectors properly. Try starting the car a few times in a row - the pump should prime the system, and it'll catch at some point. If that doesn't work, then check the spark plugs or call a mechanic.
Try starting the car with the gas pedal slightly pressed - sometimes in cold weather you need a richer fuel mixture for the initial start. If that doesn't help, the guys are right about checking the fuel system and spark plugs, but I'd also add: check the quality of the fuel you're using - it's especially critical in cold weather, low-quality gasoline can wax up and clog the filter.
At minus five for a 2022 car, that's genuinely the threshold where everything gets finicky. Your colleagues already pointed you toward spark plugs, oil, and the fuel system - those are the main suspects, and they're right. But there's one thing people often overlook: the condition of the diesel filter (if you've got a diesel) or fuel filter in general. In cold weather, paraffin in diesel crystallizes, and in gasoline, condensation can clog the filter if it hasn't been changed in a while. With a 2022 Sportage, usually that's exactly where the problem is if everything else checks out.
Start with the simple stuff: try starting with your foot on the gas (like others already suggested) and hold the starter longer - literally 10-15 seconds. If that doesn't help, next step is to check your spark plugs; they're the cheapest and easiest thing. After that, look into the fuel filter and fuel system pressure - that already needs diagnostics from a mechanic or a service station with a pressure gauge.
One more tip: before cold weather hits, fill up at reliable gas stations with good fuel. Bad gas in the cold is half the battle with starting problems.
At that temperature, pre-warming the car before starting used to help me - you turn on the ignition for 10-15 seconds, the fuel pump builds up pressure, and then it starts on the first try. If that doesn't work, most likely the pump itself isn't functioning properly in the cold or the spark plugs are worn out - check their electrodes, they can get fouled. On a 2022 Sportage the spark plugs usually hold up fine, but you don't always get lucky with the batch, so it's easier to start by checking those first.
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