Have to use starter fluid to start my car

If the starter is dragging from abusive hard starts, starter damage is possible.....If cranking speed is below 9 RPMs a Diesel will not start.....Also there must be a pre-heat or Glo-Plug function for cold starts....Check Glo-Plug Relay and Glo-Plug connections....Theses connections are hi-amp and must be tight......A last resort for cold starting is the use of Starting Fluid or Either.....Locate the Air Intake Box (Where the Air Filter is Housed).....Lightly Fog the Intake housing with the Starting Fluid and try cranking the engine.....Do this quickly or the Starting Fluid will evaporate before entering the Engine......Be careful not to over spray due to a hydro-lock and explosion hazard.....Do not over heat the starter, let it rest a minute then repeat spraying the air box procedure.......Be careful not to over work the starter...........

fix/adjust the automatic choke setting

1. Do not use starter fluid on a glow plug diesel engine. (explosive)
2. Most likely 1 or more of your glow plugs is out. They are not too expensive and are fairly easy to change. Facing the engine, look on the right side. There is a set of "plugs" with hoses, and a set of "plugs" with wires. You want to change the set of plugs with wires.

I would check the compression. As air compresses it heats up. A trick I've used on cold diesels is to bump the starter trying not to let the motor actually turn over, so you keep compressing the same air. Do that a few times then try starting.

The automatic choke heater is no longer functioning.Replace it.

starting fluid is a thing of the past. dont use it. this car doesnt have a carb, its a throttle body/ electronic fuel injection system. you most likely have a fuel pump or fuel pressure regulator issue. test the fuel pressure, should be anywheres from 35-50 psi

Hi,
Starter fluid? if u kept using that starter fluid cleaner, it might damage the rotor winding! Better go to ur garage and have them check it! It might only needs cleaning and lubricating!
Hope that helps u out!

check the solenoid (spelling) on starter.. mine did this and had to replace the whole starter assembly. The studs where the power wires connect will probably be loose and burned up from use....

without acually seeing the car its hard to say but it sounds like the fuel pump is weak gm cars and trucks are touchy about fuel pressure if your off from the spec by as little as 1 or 2 pounds it wont start. it may start off the starting fluid and run but not start on its own. also try taking off the fuel filter and blowing through it and see if its plugged up this is a common cause of fuel pump failure.

I had this same problem back in November during a very cold spell.I had an appointment to have some "recall" work done on my 03 passat and told them about the STOP brake light. When I picked up my car, the dealer told me that it just needed some brake fluid??, so they filled it ! Well, I don't know about that, but I haven't seen that pesky STOP warning light since.