Mazda - Mazda3 :: 2003 - Won't Start / Crank After Driven In Rain
May 14, 2015
This has happened 3 times now in the last couple of months. After driving on wet roads, our 2003 Mazda3 won't start. It won't even crank or turnover (primary vs. secondary ignition). All of the other electronics come on when you turn the key, but nothing from under the hood. After a while of presumably drying out... anywhere from 15 minutes to hours, it starts again. I'm thinking something is shorting, but what.
Mechanic can't figure it out... but he's only had it for a day, and it's been dry, and starting fine.
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I have a 2005 Mazda3 with a 2.0 engine & a five speed transmission and 94,000 miles. Since June the car has twice not started, and so far three trips to two different Mazda dealers have not resolved the problem. The car had sat overnight, when I tried to start it the engine it turned over normally, and sounded normal, for just a second. Then it sounded like it started turning over much much faster than normal and the turning over sound changed to the sound of a high speed "whirl" (I don't know any other way to describe it).
In both cases the car just turned over and over and never sounded like it was going to start, resulting in a tow being needed. I've now found out that the dealer started the car by pushing the gas pedal to the floor, then cranking over the engine and then very slowly releasing the gas pedal until the engine started to fire. In the three months in between the non start days the car has started fine and it drives fine, lots of power, constant power with no surges or bogging down. The dealers have checked the compression, fuel PSI, and run computer diagnostics and everything appears to be normal. They also removed the value cover and say that as far as they can tell the fuel injectors seem to be functioning normally.
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I have a 2008 Mazda 3, and I have been bringing it to the same car wash for about a year now. It's the kind where the guys take it, while I sit in the lil' cafe and read. Eventually they drive it around front, wipe it down, clean the inside and hand it over. The last two times, the car needed to be jump started, because the battery would not start after the wash. The manager assured me this was normal, but the other guys at the car wash always seem surprised. Should I be thinking about getting a new battery? Is this really normal?
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My Mazda has 50k miles on it. I have recently gotten a new job where I park my car in a covered parking garage.When the car is parked in this parking garage It cranks fine but it is slow to start. The car does this odd behavior only inside the parking garage when I am coming home from work. It starts fine in the morning. Recently I did not start it for 2 days, and it cranked up and started just fine. I am not sure what exactly is wrong with it. My other question is how long is too long, is a 4 second start time too long or am I just over thinking this one.
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I have a very reliable Mazda 3 2006. For the last month I have had a problem with it refusing to start. I put the key in the ignition, turn it on and nothing. No start, no grinding, no clicking, no sound at all. Got a new battery and it happened again. The second AAA tow guy taught me to start the car by putting it in neutral ( with foot brake and hand brake on) and then start it, which does the trick when it won't start otherwise.
After the new battery and continued problems I asked my mechanic to check the electrical system. He did and said everything was fine.
I don't know whether this is a generator, alternator, computer or battery problem. And I don't know what I am doing to my car when I do the neutral set start. I don't know if I am hurting my car when I do that.
The problem is intermittent. There is no pattern: length of trip before I stop, length of time the car is not used, etc. What is causing this and what needs to be looked at/ fixed.
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I have a Mazda 3 5-door and I believe it is a 2010 model year, with between 50k-70k miles. I've been, I believe, consistent with regular maintenance schedules, and this is the first issue I've had, and I've been having it for a bit of time now (a few weeks). I've tried various things to try and understand the issues that bring it up.
First, I don't remember if this started before or after, but my "Check Engine" light popped on. I brought it in to have the code read and it was the one for the gas cap not being on properly. The person reset the diagnostic code, tightened the cap, and I went on my way.
A few hours later it came back. Okay, but that's not the issue, and I mention it only because of the other things I've observed.
The real problem is, after I've been driving for "awhile" at highway speeds, and I add fuel, the car has a very difficult time starting. I have to really press the accelerator down to get it to start, and even then it can take a good 5 seconds of holding the key to "start".
Things I've noticed:- If I fill up at the start of a trip, so that the car hasn't been running long, I can fill up and the car starts immediately.- I thought it might be a problem with fuel spilling over into the overflow, so I've added less fuel (so I ended with the needle pointing between 3/4 and full) but it still had trouble starting- After I start it, it runs rough for a bit and I feel like I have to rev it to keep it from stalling, though I haven't left it to idle to see if it actually will stall.- After the difficult start, if I drive as little as down a city block, turn the car off, and back on, it has no trouble starting, nor does it stutter like it does when I fill it up.- If I take a long drive but don't add any fuel, it starts up right away.
I've always used 87 octane fuel, which seems to work fine, and I feel as though that's the recommended grade, isn't it? I also try to fill it up when the needle reads 1/4 of a tank or a bit more, but I do notice that, if I allow the pump to auto-shutoff the car will accept 9-10 gallons (and I thought it was a 10.5 gallon tank, which is less than 1/4 left... I'm not sure how bad that is...)
What it could possibly be? Or even additional tests I could try to narrow it down?
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Car does not have to get wet, just be in humid air. Problem going on 2 years now, mechanics tried disconnecting a (?) ground/sensor from computer, major tune up, new fuel pump. Until recently, it just took keeping it in crank position for a long time for it to finally start. Recently, in crank position for 30 seconds does nothing and has me worried I'm doing damage. In dry weather, it starts first time every time.
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My Mazda MPV (2000) won't start. The dashboard lights work and the headlights work so the battery is okay, but when I try and start the engine it won't even crank.
The problem might be that last night I pulled the key out while it was on 'drive' but i was able to start it after and put it back into park. This morning though it won't even start.
Some things i noticed that may or may not be related are that the brakes pedal is very stiff, also when i press on the brakes it makes a clicking noise in the ignition, and the steering wheel is very stiff even when the key is turned to ACC. Is it permanently stuck in anti-theft or something?
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I have a 2006 Mazda3 with about 112K miles on it and what I have noticed recently is that the steering shakes a lot. I looked up online for a possible cause and have found that wheel balancing could be a reason. I got wheels balanced and aligned but still there is still some vibration in the steering, so what do you think could be the reason? I have got rotors machined once before, like a year ago.
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I have a 2004 Mazda 3. I just had it inspected and cabin air filter replaced. Now, my car makes a loud noise when the a/c is on and I'm accelerating. The noise sounds like a fan is vibrating /something is blocking it or like a motor is rev-ing that shouldn't be. There definitely is something wrong that wasn't there before the filter/s replaced. I watched a Youtube video on it... a real pain to replace them, but it looked like the fithad to be pretty tight... Could the filters have been installed incorrectly or some part not put back together correctly?
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I hear a noise- what I can best describe as a metallic plucking sound - like a low metallic chord being plucked- when my automatic transmission 2008 Mazda3 shifts from first to second gear. It only happens the first time. I don't hear it after the car ihas been driving and is warmed up. Any thoughts on what could be happening?
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My mazda 3i is cutting out while driving. I added fuel injector additive to gas and it still cuts out. Battery check is fine. What the issue can be. RPM loss
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I've noticed this winter that my Mazda 3's heater is barely working using fresh air. It definitely gives out warmer air than the outside temperature, but not by a whole lot. If I turn on air recirculation, then the air becomes appropriately warm. What would cause the heater to work one way and not the other?
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I own a mazda 3 6 speed and im curious as how to test my clutch for slippage. I read on a old forum that to put the e brake up and put the car in 1st gear and release the clutch. When i did that my car tried to move but after a couple seconds i put it back in neutral. Another forum said to do the same but put it in 3rd as i released the clutch it stalled right away.
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My mechanic told me today that one of my struts on my 2006 Mazda3 (with 110k miles) is leaking and that the strut needs to be replaced. Is this something that has an impact on safety, or is it something I can stretch for a while longer? Is the strut going to break if it is leaking? Also, wouldn't I have to replace both of them?
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Is it ok/better/worse to skip gears while accelerating in a manual car? Example would be starting from a stop in 1st and going strait from 1st to 3rd gear. , I have a mazda 3 and i usually run 1st up to 3500 rpm or so and when i hit 3rd its around 1400 when I let the clutch out.
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Problem: car cranks but doesn't start then randomly it will start. 2 different shops...first thought maybe battery (no it cranks) but said these cars are notorious for cam sensor problems they didn't have software to diagnose. Brought to dealership again battery (we were finally beat down and replaced battery) ...then brought home if car sat for a few days totally dead needed jumpstart....brought back to dealer they replaced cam sensor and timing belt...went to pick it up and you guessed it....cranked but didn't start....mechanic came out and it started....so after replacing several parts we are back to the same problem intermittent crank without start...
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Mazda CX-7 sport that has rough idling when it is started and goes away when warmed up or driven. Is giving OBDII error code P0300 - multiple misfires. Where should I start looking?
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My 2007 Mazda3 2.0 engine had the CEL on. took to autozone... gas cap code cleared. After the code was cleared next times I filled up, whether empty or 1/4 tank, car wouldn't start unless gas pedal is pushed to floor. Took to dealer. Dealer said code was for gas cap and maybe a vacuum hose. Did something to gas cap and cleared code. Light back on 2 days later with hard start still there. Replaced vacuum hose... CEL off, now 2 days later CEL off but still has the startup after fill up problem. At $90/hr I'm hesitant to return to dealer.
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Last weekend we noticed that the engine temp was spiking. I still does. Sometimes it's a matter of just 8 blocks of driving before it's up, during which the heater doesn't want to blow hot air. Or, it will have a normal operating temp around town, and then start to spike when we hit the highway, and the heater works fine then (it even seems to take some of the temp off of the engine, like it should.) I took it to Autozone to have them run codes and it came back with a faulty coolant temperature sensor (I don't remember the CEL code.)
I have the replacement sensor and can replace it, but I'm not convinced that this is the problem anymore. Yesterday I had the coolant flushed, but I still have overheating issues. In fact, it seemed to be worse on the ride home from the coolant flush. Anyway, I noticed riding back from Autozone today that it felt like the engine was braking, as if my car were a manual. Now, I've ridden a few manuals before, and the braking I felt wasn't as heavy as the braking you feel when you release the accelerator and the clutch is still engaged, but it's similar. I think I'm a little overdue for a transmission fluid change. Could that be it?
My Mazda3 is a 2008 automatic with the smaller engine. It's stock.
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I have a 2005 Mazda 3, with ABS. Recently, the brakes on this car began to fade about halfway through the pedal travel, then firm up. This is while driving, (ie, with the engine running). When the engine is off, the pedal pumps up high and firm. I bled the brakes, eliminated the possibility of any hydraulic problem such as a leak, no change. I then reasoned that since the problem only appeared when vacuum was applied to the power assist, that must be the culprit. Replaced the power assist, problem remains. Next suspect is the master cylinder, but, as I said, with the engine off, the pedal is fine. Usually cars make sense to me, but this has me questioning my instincts.
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