Car won't start

[KPao]

Long story short.

Engine won't start after being turned off. It randomly will start and won't start (i.e. there's no specific occasion for it not starting). When I try to turn the car there is no noise. Got the starter replaced under warrantee and nothing has happened since then. But it happened again the other day. I turned the car on and it took it a while to start up (a few seconds) and I had a hunch it wouldn't start up again once I turned the car off so I got home and attempted to start the car again and it wouldn't start. Tried a few times and nothing. Turned the car off and waited a few seconds and tried to start the car and it started.

Yes, my foot was fully on the clutch.

Worst part is they can't tell if anythings wrong with the car unless the catch it in the 'act'. Had it happen a few times when I got it towed to the dealership and it started up once we got there after having it not work for 30 min. waiting for the tow truck.

My friend was telling me the exact same situation with her 98 civic and they found out that it was the ignition switch. Could that be it?

Any ideas would be helpful thanks.

P.S. I have an 06 Mazda 3 sedan.

Cheers,

Kevin

[Mike]

I had something similar happened to me before (different car). If you want to confirm it's your ignition switch that's faulty, figure out how to hot wire your car (bypassing the ignition switch). It's actually pretty easy.
When the car decides not to start, open your hood, get a piece of wire and connect the starter directly to the battery. Make sure you know which terminal to connect.
I crimped an alligator clip at one end of the wire that clips/connects to the starter and the other bare end of the wire you hold it on the positive battery terminal for a few seconds (until the car starts).

Just an idea that worked for me in the past.

[sas]

There could be many trivial cases, mechanics should to have found.
Check ground wire from engine to body (somewhere mount N3 by manual).

[Alan]

Your symptoms sound like what my car did a year ago. Mine was the result of my MAF Sensor getting pulled apart due to the Fujita Intake

[KPao]

I had something similar happened to me before (different car). If you want to confirm it's your ignition switch that's faulty, figure out how to hot wire your car (bypassing the ignition switch). It's actually pretty easy.
When the car decides not to start, open your hood, get a piece of wire and connect the starter directly to the battery. Make sure you know which terminal to connect.
I crimped an alligator clip at one end of the wire that clips/connects to the starter and the other bare end of the wire you hold it on the positive battery terminal for a few seconds (until the car starts).

Just an idea that worked for me in the past.

Did your problem end up being the ignition switch?


Your symptoms sound like what my car did a year ago. Mine was the result of my MAF Sensor getting pulled apart due to the Fujita Intake

This happened before I had my CAI in I believe. And what do you mean pulled apart?

[3GFX]

You need a scan, it could possibly be your alternator or battery.

[Flagrum_3]

The problem can be a number of things! ...no use speculating unless you plan on checking things out yourself.I suggest you bring it to another dealer if the dealer your dealing with will not put any effort into finding the problem or to a another mechanic, if you know one.


_3

[KPao]

You need a scan, it could possibly be your alternator or battery.

Battery seems to be ok, radio works and all the lights come on.


The problem can be a number of things! ...no use speculating unless you plan on checking things out yourself.I suggest you bring it to another dealer if the dealer your dealing with will not put any effort into finding the problem or to a another mechanic, if you know one.


_3

It's not that they're not trying but they said there's nothing they can really do unless they catch the problem when there is a problem. Otherwise a scan won't tell them anything if the cars running.


I'm gonna get the ignition switc replaced today, its fairly cheap so I'm willing to take the chance

[Mike]

[QUOTE=KPao;344414]Did your problem end up being the ignition switch?

Yes it did in my case. But like everyone else is saying, it could be lots of different things.

For intermittent problems, the best way is to come up with a few troubleshooting ideas that you can perform yourself and be ready to do when it happens.
First thing that happens when you start a car, is sending electricity to the starter by completing a simple circuit with your key/ignition switch.
So check to make sure you get juice at the starter. If the starter makes no noise at all (like you are mentioning) then the problem is between the starter and the battery. So basically you narrowed it down to the ignition switch, the battery terminals, the ground circuit.

Anyway, let us now what happen once you replace your ignition switch.

[Nova 3 GT]

I knew I saw this somewhere....Here's the link to the problem (I know it's from the US :))

http://www.finishlineperformance.com/pdf/mazda3/bulletin/01-037-08-1960a.pdf

[KPao]

wow thanks. I'll try it out.

[Flagrum_3]

wow thanks. I'll try it out.

That's what I meant by 'Not trying' ....a good mechanic would have taken the time to check the 'Most probable causes!; Battery, connections etc; ...Basically following a Problem logic tree, which every mechanic learns early in his apprentiship and then also checking for such mentioned tsb's etc;...By them just saying they can't scan it is a cop out!....I wouldn't return to that dealer again!


_3

[dashepard1]

I have somewhat the same issue I have a 2004 2.3s ATX that has an intermittent starting problem. I have taken it to the dealer and they ran diagnostics on it and I replaced the short cord relay cable and the fuel pump relay per the TSB and thier diagnostics report www.finishlineperformance.com/pdf/mazda3/bulletin/01-037-08-1960a.pdf. The fix worked for a few days without problem but today the issue raised it's ugly head again. I have replaced the battery, now the short cord cable and the fuel pump relay so I am starting to pull at straws here. The dealer states that 9 out of ten times the car started so they can not replicate the issue so they do not know what to do? I thought that it could be the netural safety interlock preventing the car from starting but I can't start it in neutral so I ruled that out, then I thought that maybe it could be the TR switch on the ATX but the dealer said that if it was faulty it would have given them an error code. My next step is to replace the starter but the dealer said that I would possibly have to remove the front axle to do this, is this a true statement or I can I replace this myself? Any help would be greatly appreciated in this matter!