Car chugs a lot before starting first time of the day

Good evening

It could be battery cables being dirty or corroded at the battery or starter. Performing a voltage drop test will confirm if you have a bad connection somewhere.

Roy

Do you have a volt meter to do some checks??

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-voltmeter

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-re-program-a-key-remote-fob

Thanks a lot Roy. No, I do not have a voltmeter, but I am a member at Advance Auto parts, and I think they do free battery testing for members, so I think I will go there and ask them to do the volt test that you described.

After I made my post last night, I thought of something else that I probably should have included in the details: before I started driving this car five months ago, it was inactive for three years. The very first time I started it up after it was not turned on for three years, it chugged a ton (seven to eight seconds) before turning on. But then I immediately took it for a brand new battery and an oil change, and the chugging decreased to the point where it still is today (two to three seconds). I have also put in Lucas Oil fuel system cleaner both immediately upon inheriting it, as well as at every gas fill up for the past five months, and I have also had them put in Lucas oil stabilizer along with my oil changes. Is there anything else I should have done after inheriting this car that could be contributing to the chugging today? I asked my mother, who became disabled three years ago, if there was any chugging before starting the last time she drove it three years ago, and she replied there was not. So the chugging issue may have something to do with the fact that the car sat idle for three years. Does this give you any other ideas about what could be causing or contributing to this?

Thanks again!

You are welcome.

I would have the injectors cleaned professionally. There may be carbon deposits on the pindles from the long sit and the fuel separating.

Additives have no effect on cleaning.

Roy

Thanks again Roy. I will do that. If there are carbon deposits on the fuel injectors, could that account for the chugging before the first, and sometimes the second start up of the day (depending upon how long I drove in between the first two start ups), but not subsequent start ups later in the day after the car has been driven more? Or is the fuel injector cleaning just a good idea anyway because the car was idle for a few years?

Thanks again!

Yes, it can be the reason for the chugging.

Get them cleaned and see if the issue is still present.

Roy