Mazda - Mazda3 :: 2005 - Sometimes Will Not Start
Sep 13, 2012
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 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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I have a mazda 3 and i just tried to start it but its just making a clicking noise. The radio works so does that rule battery out....
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The gear selector on my 2005 Mazda 3 with automatic transmission is difficult to move between P, R, N, and D positions. It does not "click" or fall into position like it used to. It has gradually gotten worse. When the car is in Park, it seems to not want to go all the way up into the Park slot. Even though the car actually parked, the P will not light up on the dashboard, which sometimes causes the car not to start when the key is turned. So sometimes I have to put it in Neutral to start.
Now the problem is that when it is in Drive, it will "fall out of gear". I put that in quotes because it is still in drive, but it was shift up to a higher gear if i don't physically pull the gear selector knob back. For example, if i'm driving and the car is in 4th gear going 60mph, and the shifter know slides up an eight of an inch, the D light will go off and the car will move into a higher gear (not sure which one, feels like 2nd or 3rd) and the engine will rev up. It doesn't feel like neutral.
Is there anything I can do myself? I plan on trading in the car in the next couple months, but I'd prefer to not have to get it worked on until then.
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This past weekend, however, I took it out on the highway and found it has a pretty bad vibration. The vibration is coming from the body, not the steering wheel, so i initially suspected the real wheel balance. Next I varied my speed betwn 50-75 mph expecting to feel the vibration intensity vary, but it did not. While doing that however I realized that when I let off the throttle, the vibration stops. Given it some gas and it comes right back.
I got off the highway and pulled in to a parking lot. Driving at parking lot speeds, accelerating or not, there is no vibration. Come to a stop either in gear or neutral, and the engine is rock solid steady. Then got back on the local streets and the vibration returned but only while accelerating, even gently.
At this point I should mention that we replace a bad motor mount a yr and a half ago when we bought the car, the upper passenger side. The mount damage was easily so it was an easy diagnose. Replacing it eliminated the vibration the car had at the time. We had also planned to replace the lower rear mount at the same time but the one we bought was defective, and the one we removed from the car looked fine, so we put it back in.
So now I am wondering if the rear mount has failed, but it is not possible to see the rubber unless you removed it. Could it be an issue with the engine itself, or do all these symptoms point to the mount?
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For the last few weeks my car has been making a winding sound at highway speeds. It sounds as if it is winding out at high rpms but it isn't. When I let off the gas, the sound doesn't decrease until the car begins to slow significantly. It also seems not to make the sound if I am going around a right hand curve. The car is a 2005 5-speed mazda 3.
What the problem might be? And is it safe to drive 600 miles back home before having it checked out. With the holiday, I don't have many options.
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Our 2005 Mazda 3 appears to have a problem with the thermostat. My mechanic read a check engine light code connected with a thermostat problem. My wife has noticed that the car seems to take longer to reach normal operating temperature than it used to (close to 15 minutes of driving). Other than probably diminishing the gas mileage and having to wait longer for nice heat is there any down-side to this problem? Is it likely to get worse and fail altogether? The shop guesstimates it will cost around $150.00 to replace.
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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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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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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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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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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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