It seemed like the engine wasn't getting gas.
The temperature had been between the upper 20s and low 30s. In case the fuel I had filled in the car's tank the previous time I drove the car was bad with water and it froze I poured a bottle of Heet in the gas tank one night. The next morning I tried and the car still wouldn't start.
When I turned the ignition switch to start I could hear the fuel pump run for a few seconds. So that appeared to be working. I didn't know when the fuel filter was last changed. So I went down to Auto Zone and bought a new filter.
My car is a fuel injection so it doesn't have a carburetor in the air filter unit where I could pour a little gas to kick start/test it. The salesman told me about a spray carburetor cleaner. I removed a hose near the throttle in the engine and sprayed the cleaner in the opening. The car still would not start. Even though this meant the problem was more likely an ignition problem and not a fuel problem, I still replaced the fuel filter. It made no difference.
So on Friday I called my mechanic and made an appointment for Monday.
I had tow my car to the repair shop. I planned to tow the car on Sunday as Tammy works on Mondays. I got a chain and before attaching it to my car on Sunday I tried starting the car again. The car started right up. What?! I had done nothing to the car since I last tried starting it.
Monday morning I tried again, and again the car started right up. I have no idea why the engine started working again. I canceled my car appointment.
Cross my fingers the problem has gone away for good.
A diagram of the engine from the car's manual. Notice the fuel filter was not shown. Once I found the filter I marked it on the diagram.
This shows the (old) fuel filter.
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