so this is the 2nd time this has happened. the first time, i didn't drive my car for like 3 days (its pretty cold outside, about 30 deg. average) and i go to press the unlock on my keypad and nothing happens. suspicions arise....so i go to try to start it up, nothing...aboslutely nothing. no power inside the car except i get two lights on the gauges. the security key light and the door is ajar light. nothing else. i get it towed to dealership and they said "it fired right up when it got here." i was like wtf...how is that possible? anyway i didn't care they got it working so whatever. its already been in once for flooding the engine so im kinda pissed off but whatever.

so i go outside right now, not having driven my car again for 3 days a little colder outside as well. same exact crap...no power options and two lights. no way the car is gonna get started...so i have no idea wth the problem is. the techs at mazda said it could have been something with the alarm? but they were throwing crap outta their ***. anyway...any ideas? im frustrated as hell, itll be getting towed tomorrow along with a nice bitchy statement. thanks in advance

Dan

 

There's been a couple threads about sub par batteries that needed replacing. Go check that out, make sure yours has the proper voltage (power)..

 

my first wild-*** guess would be there is a loose connection somewhere that got jiggled enough during the first tow to make contact; which is why it started fine at the shop.

 

thats a good idea...hmm i dunno

 

Loose connections and intermittent electrical faults in general can be an absolute bitch to troubleshoot. If it's jiggled back, or whatever, then everything can test perfectly at the workshop, no matter how thorough the testing. Relays seem particularly good at intermittently sticking and causing this kind of crap, and then deciding to work again.

My last car had several relays in the system that could cause this kind of problem. It started cutting out and then cutting back in, sometimes almost immediately, sometimes not.

It died on me one evening and wouldn't restart, but by the time the guy I called out arrived it started immediately for him!

I sold the car to a guy who was a very experienced mechanic on that type of car and he told me that he would simply start by replacing 2 relays that were responsible for over 70% of that kind of fault and then work his way up through several other possibilities if that didn't work.

It does sound like it could be a relay in your system that is not operating correctly under all conditions (often just tapping the right relay can restore things, which would account for the towing sorting it out).

Unfortunately, I have no idea how the RX8 system works or where the glitch might be occurring. Hope they track it down soon.

 

Incidentally, there's a whole bank of fuses and what look like relays underneath a rectangular plastic cover at the front of the car under the bonnet/hood. Easy to open - just press the clips at each end. The key to what's what is printed under the lid.

If it happens again it might be worth gently jiggling, or reseating, any that look likely candidates. Or maybe even just warming them with the flat of your hand if it's a cold related thing.

The call out guy who attended my previous car gave the centre console in the cabin a brisk thump with his hand from each side (the place where a similar bank of fuses and relays sat) but I'd limit my attempts to a gentle finger tap on the relay itself. Take care

Just guessing here, (and beware of advice from amateurs on forums!) but you never know your luck, and it might give you something to do while you wait.....

 

tryed pushing the fuses...nothing...i recommended the idea to the tech and they said its most likely not...but oh well. there gonna take a look at it...argh!!!! no rx8 again for a couple days thanks for the info BVD

Dan

 

I had my 8 for about week and I barely got it cranked...brought the kids to school and could not restart...fortunatel the school is only about a mile and a half away...walked back home grabbed the cables....after abour 45 minutes of sitting there it just barely cranked over...brought it to the dealer...was a bad cell in the battery...no problems after 30 days or so

 

Bummer.... ah well, worth a try.

I expect you know this, but it's unlikely to be a fuse (the thin ones with 2 pins) as they are usually either working or blown. The older round type fuses were occasionally prone to poor contacts, but the new type seem pretty reliable, as far as I know.

The relays are more complex - being sort of small electrical switches (which can temporarily stick or malfunction without actually breaking). They are the ones that look like little boxes and which have several pins instead of just two.

Please let us know what they found if and when they do sort it out.

 

do you have the high power or the low power? and are you in the states?

low power stateside auto- are you sure the gear selector was all the way in park? sometimes people dont make sure it is and then the start circuit is locked out.

did you get the alarm shock sensor upgrade- there was/is some problem with that option which i am not up on but they did stop selling it for some reason.

does it make any noise when you turn the key. clicking or starter noises? if not it is something in the lockout cicuit for the auto or the neutral safety /clutch in switch on the manual.

 

Someone posted a similar problem.

The problem was diagnosed as a bad clutch-switch (disables ignition if the clutch is not fully depressed).

Of course this only applies if you have the 6-spd.

Good Luck!

 

i live in the states, its manual and there are no sounds when i try to crank it. none...sigh...

 

hmm ill run it by the tech maybe he can take a look..i dunno though, but if it was a bad clutch-switch he wouldn't have been able to fire it last time would he? i dunno....thanks for the info

Dan

 

it's the clutch switch then. take it back and make them check it. it could be intermittent so a loose wire or bad connection in the circuit. push start it so you don't have to pay for a tow. or actually that's covered by the roadside assisstance isn't it?

 

its already sitting in the shop right now, roadside picked it up yesterday morning...and yeah its DEFINENTLY covered by roadside otherwise i'd have to kill someone...haha thanks for the info im trying to reach my tech as we speak but hes busy so ill try in an hour or so...

 

hey i am the guy with the bad clutch switch, when i had the problem in oct the part was on back order, see if you can get them to get the switch off another rx8, and replace that one when the new one gets in. But your problem sounds exactly like mine. you should stillb e able to have the radio working and other stuff, just cant crank it

 

nope...it turns out that the switch seems to be good but my battery keeps dying on me. so its like both problem, they can't test the swtich until they fix my battery. it's already been looked at twice. so i mean this is the 3rd time in the shop, one more and i get a new car... hehe

Dan

 

well for all of you that care...i got my car back, from what they said it was that my navigation system was slightly using more amps and slowly draining my battery much quicker so it kept dying all the time. anyway thats all

Dan

 

chinqlinq,

I'd love to know how the heck they would adjust that! I assume a new Nav unit? Have you gotton a electic battery charger/starter yet?

Glad you got your ride back!

 

I think I have the same problem. After about 2 days of sitting in the garage my car wouldn't start. I charged the battery and jumpstarted the car and it turned on but on the next morning the car wouldn't start again. So I called the 1800 number for mazda and got it towed. Waiting for the info on the car, the car went in today 1/20/04. I'll keep you guys updated because I am starting to get annoyed with these little problems on a new car, it can be frustrating.

JOE