Car will not start in cold weather, Why?

I have a Ford Explorer and it will not start when it dips into the 20s.
It has about 50,000 miles and is a 1999. The battery is fine and the
engine cranks. When the weather warms back up it starts fine. I used to
drive an old car and I had to set the choke in cold weather, but I
thought it was automatic in the newer cars. Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks

 

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Doesn't your F.O.R.D. owner's manuals say it's OK to hold the pedal
part-way to the floor in very cold weather? It does in the Honda manuals
, for that vintage. Have you read your manual?

The engine needs AIR to start, and when it's spinning slow, it needs a
little help from the owner.

'Curly'

 

No, I have not read the manual. Good idea! Wish I would have thought
about that. I guess holding the pedal half way down sets the choke?

 

You haven't got a choke because you don't have a carburetor.

Stepping on the gas allows more air in than the engine controls can allow
by themselves.

 

I know what's wrong. It's a Ford! Found On the Road Dead! ;-)

Seriously, I know quite a few people with newer Fords, GMs and especially
Chryslers who have had problems starting in cold weather. On the other
hand, my '93 Honda Accord has 219,000 km (136,000 miles) on it, and it has
never, EVER failed to start in cold weather, even in the serious deep
freezes we have had here over the last few winters.

 

You realize this is a Honda group, right? We don't discriminate, though


On my father in law's F250 not starting in cold weather was related to
the viscosity of the oil used. In other words, he'd use a thinner oil
in winter months so it could crank easier. With thicker oil, it had to
work too hard where the battery just could not supply reasonable
current to the other parts.
Or you could just trade that ford in for a Honda
Remco

 

does the starter moves,
if yes-try using engine oil 5w-40, and install the block heater

 

Have it looked at with an OBD2 scanner. You probably have a bad sensor
causing the mixture to be wrong when cold. Guessing at these problems could
cost you a fortune and never fix it.

 

It's not a Honda.