A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Physiological - Other
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Returned To Gate; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Aircraft
We started up engine 1 during push-back and could smell a hint of an exhaust like smell. The smell is usually normal but the smell never went away. We then started engine number 2. We received an ECAM regarding Auto-Thrust. We began dealing with the ECAM and contacted maintenance via cell phone. As the captain was speaking with maintenance over the phone we began noticing symptoms of headache and started to feel dizzy. Maintenance control advised us to shut down the engines and re-start both engines for the ECAM action we were accomplishing. As we complied I found it hard to concentrate and read the checklist. Focusing was tough. We shutdown both engines and restarted them. The smell; as before; was evident and present. We could not fix our ECAM; and maintenance instructed us to return to gate so they could look at the ECAM issue.The captain then called back to the cabin to advise the Flight Attendants (FA) that we would be returning to the gate. All FAs immediately said they smell a very strong odor in the entire cabin. As we began to return to the gate; and waiting on Ramp personnel to move into position to marshal us back in to gate. The symptoms of Headache; dizziness; lack of concentration were evident. The captain had closed the APU bleed valve and shut-off both aircraft packs to hopefully stop the smell from continuing in cabin. After we parked we opened all doors and windows to 'air out' the aircraft. All flight attendants had identical symptoms to both the captain and I.
A320 First Officer reported fumes in the cockpit and cabin with headache and dizziness after starting engine 1.