Very cold weather = warning lights

[steve c]

When our LR3 had about 700 miles on it this time last year we were passing through KC during a cold snap of sub zero weather. On startup one morning it threw all manner of warning lights -- icons that I have never seen nor do I know what all of them meant.

A restart fixed the issue.

Fast forward a year. Last night it got down to around 11 below with the LR3 parked outside. Upon start up -- same deal. A restart fixed the issue.

Has anyone else noticed this? We have had zero issues between these super cold episodes.

 

[UnbrknCh8n]

I've just noticed the same problem over the past few nights (with lows 0-10 degrees). Quickly starting the car in the mornings, I've had all sorts of lights flash (DSC, parking brake, etc), as well as warning messages on the message board. Upon turning the car off and restarting it, no problems.

At first, I attributed these problems to the fact that I've been reading this board and feeling pretty smug about the fact that I've had no problems with my '05 SE after 23K miles (life sure has a way of punishing smugness, no?)

But then, I figured out that if, instead of sticking the key in and quickly starting the car, I put the key in, turn the ignition on and wait a few seconds (letting the car go through its startup and system check routine), then start the car, I don't have this problem. My uneducated guess is that the cold weather "slows down" the system check procedures, such that starting the car quickly starts it before its self-diagnostics, causing all sorts of apparent systems failures.

It's supposed to be 16 below here tonight, so I guess I'll find out in the morning whether this really is the case, or is just wishful thinking.