Help troubleshooting no-start condition.

[Dave88LX]

2008 Mazda5, 93K miles.

My wife's car, it's been driving fine all winter. She drove it to/from school yesterday fine. Went to go drive it back to school last night and it wouldn't start. It wouldn't attempt to turn over, almost as if the trigger voltage wasn't reaching the starter/solenoid. It didn't sound like a dead battery but more something electrical. I hear a faint relay click near the battery when I turn it to run or try to start it in park. I Hear that plus a slightly louder click somewhere near the firewall (heck if I can tell exactly, it was 13* out and the blowing 20 MPH), but that's where it sounds like. It didn't sound familiar like the loud click-but-no-turn of a low battery or bad starter.

I did try jumping it just for the hell of it to eliminate battery and I'm fairly confident the battery is fine, although I wish it was a battery. I'll still pull it and have it load tested.

I pulled codes, no codes.

Are there any common problems with these cars that would cause this that I can at least narrow my troubleshooting down to?

 

[Silentnoise713]

I'm using a 11 months old group 34 battery that is spec'd for 1000 CA and 800 CCA, I had a slight hick-up starting up this morning. There is a deep cold in the area so your battery is worth checking, esp if it is original.

 

[Vasy]

Check the battery, make sure it is ok, if original, probably good idea to replace.
Check the ground wire from the negative to the engine. Make sure it is not corroded.
And if you are getting power to the starter, could be the starter itself.

 

[loosenut]

As others have stated, battery is most obvious, especially in cold weather, but it could be corrosion build up on the solenoid wire at the starter (smaller wire). When this happens try wiggling on the wiring harness that wraps down the front of the intake manifold as someone holds the key in the start position. Be very careful while doing this and get as close to the starter as you can reach. If yours is an auto, you can also try starting it in neutral. There is a different fix if it starts in neutral but not park.

 

[Dave88LX]

Battery is a Diehard Platinum dated 10/13, put it in less than 2 years ago. Disconnected it to see if anything clears.

I'll try those things though.

 

[Dave88LX]

Won't start in neutral but I hear a different click when I try.

 

[Davicho]

Won't start in neutral but I hear a different click when I try.

Hey Dave, I'm not saying that it is but I guess it doesn't hurt to try and check. Do you have a spare key? If so, try starting it with the spare key. My brother's Mazda2 was working fine and one day about a month ago he got out of work to go home and his car wouldn't start. He got my Dad to bring him the spare key and it worked. Somehow the original key which he had been using since new got erased or unprogrammed.

 

[loosenut]

If Davicho's scenario were correct the theft light should be blinking fast with the ignition on, is it? If not it is likely the solenoid wire. If that isn't it then a possible frozen starter relay.

 

[Dave88LX]

I pulled the battery "just in case" to have it load tested, battery is fine as I suspected.
I tried the spare key, that one didn't work either. (I was hoping it was this simple)
The theft light blinks every ~2 seconds with the key out, with the key on run that light goes out.

For some reason, I have no interest in crawling under there right now either...LOL...can't imagine why.

Timing figures.

 

[loosenut]

You could try wiggling the harness from the top. Trace the harness from under the throttle body down under the intake to the starter. It's a tight squeeze between the engine and intake but just get as close to the starter as you can and move the harness as someone holds the key in the start position.

 

[Dave88LX]

Put the battery back in today. Cleaned up the wire terminals too. Started up. Stupid cars. I don't know. Glad it didn't cost me anything but aggravation.

Thanks for the assistance though!