Might just be a faulty battery. Have it tested or ask the dealership for a trial batt swap. Don't just rely on voltage reading. If symptoms persist, have em look into resetting your immobilizer.

 

I had an issue exactly like this a while back, but it only happens once every now and then. The first time I was completely stumped why the car wasn't registering the key.

So I figured the car must not have detected the key within its proximity (I had no idea how I came to that conclusion at the time) and I just exit the car and walk a sure distance away from it to where I know it wouldn't registrar the key and simply walk back into it.

Sure enough the key light on the dash lit up and everything seemed to work fine.

 

I too have had this happen a few times. Seems that after a few times the car will start but it is certainly alarming.

 

I don't think it is the car battery. The starter is strong when the green key light does come on, whereas a bad battery would usually cause the characteristic click-click solenoid sound and/or cause the sound of a struggling starter if/when the engine does turn over.

I've tried walking away with the key in an effort to get "out of range" to try to get the car to say to itself, "Hey, look here, the key is coming, let's get ready to start this baby up." After several tries of doing the same things, eventually I get the car to start, but it doesn't seem to have a direct relationship to the "walk away and come back" technique.

Thanks for the responses. If there are any other victims out there, let us know. I'll try to get a response from the dealership Monday and mention resetting the "immobilizer." I just hate to leave the car there for a few days to get them to "replicate" the problem, which my luck says won't happen there, but will in the parking lot of a hotel somewhere out there when I'll have to call a wrecker to come haul in the evidence.

 

I don't think it is the car battery. The starter is strong when the green key light does come on, whereas a bad battery would usually cause the characteristic click-click solenoid sound and/or cause the sound of a struggling starter if/when the engine does turn over.

I've tried walking away with the key in an effort to get "out of range" to try to get the car to say to itself, "Hey, look here, the key is coming, let's get ready to start this baby up." After several tries of doing the same things, eventually I get the car to start, but it doesn't seem to have a direct relationship to the "walk away and come back" technique.

Thanks for the responses. If there are any other victims out there, let us know. I'll try to get a response from the dealership Monday and mention resetting the "immobilizer." I just hate to leave the car there for a few days to get them to "replicate" the problem, which my luck says won't happen there, but will in the parking lot of a hotel somewhere out there when I'll have to call a wrecker to come haul in the evidence.

I am currently experiencing this exact issue with my 2016 CX5. Did you happen to have this issue resolved?

 

Just for grins, have you tried the procedure for starting when the fob battery goes bad?

Push the brake pedal, or the clutch pedal if you have a manual transmission. This will cause the indicator light in the Start / Stop button to flash green. While it flashes, touch the back side of the key fob to the Start / Stop button, which will cause the green indicator light to stop flashing and remain lit. Push the Start / Stop button to start the engine as normal

Although you said it happens with both keys... I'd be very surprised if both of their batteries are bad. Can't hurt to try anyway.

 

Yep, I tried the "dead battery key" technique, without good results.

I wonder how it's supposed to work. Is their a second "reserve" battery hidden inside the keyhead that somehow triggers something when the key is put in physical contact with the start button?

Ah, the mysteries of wireless technology.

 

Well, it was worth a shot ...

I have no idea how that works. One would think if the battery is dead, then it's dead. Just add it to the ever-growing list of stuff that doesn't make sense to me ...

 

I would imagine it would work in a similar way to proximity cards

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proximity_card

 

Some of the Mazda3's and 6's at work do this. Usually on warmer days for some reason. Also, the Mazda3's with a 3 instead of a J in the VIN have a hard time holding a charge and will sometimes not start whether or not the battery is flat. The dead-remote-battery method usually remedies this, though.

 

Pretty unusual that even the proximity failsafe doesn't do the trick. Not sure what to make of that...

I haven't ever experienced this in either of my Mazdas. Very unusual.

 

Well, I'm the Original Poster and am happy to report my Mazda3 is no longer exhibiting what I described in Post #1 .

I'm now wondering if my problem was that I wasn't depressing the brake pedal hard enough. I originally thought the key system was looking at the brake light switch to verify it's OK to start, so I may have been just lightly pressing the pedal. Now I'm wondering if it is looking for a certain hydraulic pressure from the brake fluid to click the switch.

In any case, my car is operating as advertised and I'm besting the MPGs predicted by the EPA. Goody.

 

I am having a similar problem to those listed above. I was having what seems like intermittent problems with my 2014 Mazda 3 - lock/unlock button sometimes worked, push button sometimes worked etc. Now it appears that things have gotten worse. Neither one of my fobs can be used to unlock/lock doors or open the trunk. I had my battery checked by a AAA person and the reading was "good". He showed me the trick of toughing the fab to the start button. That is now the only way that I can start my car - works every time. Just using my finger on the start button no longer works. Any suggestions?

 

Did you ever figure out what this was? I have the same car and it’s doing the same thing. It starts sometimes and others it needs a jump. We just bought a new battery so we don’t believe this is it. Thanks for any help

 

Regardless of the fob battery tests, I would replace the fob battery. It's easy to do and only costs a few pennies. The batteries are reputed to not last long, which has been my experience. If yours is a 2014 model I would expect it to be on its second, if not third battery by now.

 

Starting issue

I have à similar problem with My Mazda 3 2006.

Starter works usually fine. In some warm days usually when the motor is warm (after 1h or 2h driving) when I park the car and try to start after 10-15 min the car wont start. All of the lamps and indicators are fine but when I try to start nothing happens. In some cases when I tried to start the car after 30 minutes it worked without problem. I have replaced the battery but it did not helped.

 

Starting issue

I have à similar problem with My Mazda 3 2006.

Starter works usually fine. In some warm days usually when the motor is warm (after 1h or 2h driving) when I park the car and try to start after 10-15 min the car wont start. All of the lamps and indicators are fine but when I try to start nothing happens. In some cases when I tried to start the car after 30 minutes it worked without problem. I have replaced the battery but it did not helped.

Ive seen this happen with a bad alternator on an older rodeo. J didnt think that was it but i replaced alternator as a mechanic friend suggested and problem solved. I was stoked.

 

I have à similar problem with My Mazda 3 2006.

Starter works usually fine. In some warm days usually when the motor is warm (after 1h or 2h driving) when I park the car and try to start after 10-15 min the car wont start. All of the lamps and indicators are fine but when I try to start nothing happens. In some cases when I tried to start the car after 30 minutes it worked without problem. I have replaced the battery but it did not helped.

 

I have à similar problem with My Mazda 3 2006.

Starter works usually fine. In some warm days usually when the motor is warm (after 1h or 2h driving) when I park the car and try to start after 10-15 min the car wont start. All of the lamps and indicators are fine but when I try to start nothing happens. In some cases when I tried to start the car after 30 minutes it worked without problem. I have replaced the battery but it did not helped.

Check the connections of the power cable to the starter and the engine and battery earths- I've had that happen in a GM vehicle after a hard run on a hot day. If the car's an automatic and you can get it to start hot after slamming it into park it's the auto lock out switch.

 

did anyone find a solution to this problem? I had the same symptoms but thought it was the battery so i got it replaced after 3.5 years of use (2014 mazda 3). After a new battery, it happened the 2 days later but only once. Was there a tsb on this? engine starter problem? with a new battery I expect it to turn on the engine 100% of the time but that ONE time it blinked amber light on the push to start button worries me.

 

Do your start problems occur in the same location? If so, it's possible there may be a source of RF interference which is affecting the car's sensors.

 

In the old days when this sort of thing happened, we'd hit the starter motor with a hammer, heavy screwdriver or something solid....not to heard but just hard enough to dislodge the starter solenoid that supplies power to the starter motor. This solenoid I mention sits on top of the starter and meshes the starter pinion with the ring gear on the flywheel to rotate the engine and start.
What happens is the solenoid basically freezes solid and cannot move - hitting the starter motor with a hammer/whatever jars the solenoid and then it can work. You turn the key to start and....nothing..no click..no dimming of lights.
Modern starters work exactly the same, so (if you are game) locate the starter and next time the car refuses to turn over try jarring the starter and see what happens.
Just a thought.

Good Luck.

 

I agree with some of the others here: REPLACE YOUR FOB BATTERY. Don't go looking for other problems until you have fixed the simplest thing first! Yes, banging on the starter can help if it is indeed a starter problem, but let's just replace a battery before swinging a hammer.

The battery is a CR2025. You can get a 2 pack for $1 at any local dollar store. There are instructions for replacement in your owners manual, plus YouTube videos.

From reading here, it's apparent that Mazda fob batteries last about 2 years with regular use, which is probably why this issue is happening to 2014-2015 models. Next year it will be 2016, and so on. My 2015 fob battery started giving me problems almost EXACTLY 2 years from the day I bought it. I replaced the fob battery and it's totally fine now.

 

I've been reading through a few of these and they have some similarities to the issue I'm having with my 2011 Mazda3 S GT. I have 2 fobs each with their own emergency key. Fob #1 works fine in every regard. The issue w/Fob 2 is : I am able to unlock/lock doors and operate trunk from a distance, but when I get in the car and depress the brake I get the message that no key is recognized. However, if I then remove the emergency key from the fob and insert it in the "ignition", it is recognized and I can start the car w/pushbutton. Everything I've read points to the fob being in a "suspend" mode, but the instructions of pressing the unlock button have no effect. Is this indeed in suspend mode, or something else ?

 

I'm experiencing the same problem but mine has a solid green key light indicator. However my button flashes amber. Here's the clip...

 

How did you get it to start boss

 

I experienced this same problem on my Mazda 3 2015 today. Went to work and tried starting the vehicle with no luck. The green indicator light would not come on, nor would it blink amber. Holding the key fob near the start/stop button didn't work either. Oddly, I was able to get it working by pushing down harder on the brake pedal and firmer. Seems to be an issue with the brake not being detected. Anyone else experience this?

 

See post 14 above. I suspected then, and still do now, that I wasn't pressing hard enough on the brake pedal. I've had no further problems by pushing down a little more firmly on the pedal.

 

Is The Car In Gear? Must be in Park!

I know this sounds stupid but I admit it, I am stupid! Or at least overloaded.

I had this issue. I turned my car off to dump some trash for a minute. Turned the car off. Left the key in the car. When I got back, the Start/Stop light was red. I had the key in the car. Couldn't get it to start. Tried everything. Wouldn't start. Had someone drive me home to get my spare key thinking it was the key. Spare key didn't start it. I called the dealership. They suggested I tow the car to them. I looked online, found this and tried everything. Nada. I called another dealership in another state that I had dealt with before. They said, is the car in Park? I looked and no, it wasn't. I put the car in Park and voila!

The first dealer did not think of this. They were already on to bigger issues. Sometimes, the simplest thing really is the right thing.

 

Did you get this resolved?
What was the solution to the problem?
My Vehicle details:

Mazda 6 SE-L NAV D (Wagon / Estate)
Reg: 2013
Cylinder capacity: 2191
Fuel: Diesel
Transmission: Manual
Vehicle Type: GJ
Engine No: SH
Manufactured: Japan

I became the proud owner of the above vehicle in January 2018
After a few months of trouble free driving, I'm now having starting problems using the "STOP / START Engine button"

Having Googled the problem most comments pointed it to be a car battery / key fob battery issue
I called Yuasa (original battery manufacturer) and from the imprint on the casing they were able to identify it to be just over 4 years old

I'd already purchased a 7 stage battery charger (includes de-sulfation) designed for stop/start batteries in readiness for this
The battery would not charge above 80%

I decided to purchase a brand new start/stop Yuasa (YBX7335 [T110] EFB) battery and at the same time replaced the key fob battery (CR2025)

At the same time I tested the voltage using a multimeter and got 12.58V (no load) / 13.83V (2000rpm + full load)
This suggested the alternator is fine and charging the battery normally

All good so far - you'd think

The car has a mind of its own still and starts when it wants to or rebells by displaying a flashing amber LED on the start/stop engine button and not turn over

This has become very frustrating for me as it's left me stranded a number of times

I double lock the car with the remote key fob, walk away and after 5-10 minutes I'd unlock the car and try my luck to start it
Sometimes it will oblige and at other times will turn its nose up at me !

Not sure if the present hot weather has a connection with this?
Seems to generally start better when cold?

I took it to a garage (non-Mazda) that had 'Snap-On' diagnostic equipment - no fault codes detected

2010 + Mazdas use HS2, HS3 through MS-CAN protocol, so I've ordered a 'ELM327 Bluetooth V1.5 modified OBD2 unit' in the hope I can find the underlying fault
and get a chance to fix the problem without going to the main dealer and paying exorbitant prices

Seb78 - mentioned replacing the 'immobilisation module' in this thread
Could this be the underlying cause of the problem?

Would really like to hear if anyone else has had these problems and what the solution to it was....

 

This is common....your remote's batt terminals need cleaning. Do that every batt swap.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

Another thing you should do is remove the battery from the remote and press and hold for several seconds the buttons on the remote. This serves the same purpose as removing a battery from a laptop computer e.g. to remove any charge which could cause erratic behavior. People forget this simple solution which can fix a lot of electronic equipment.

Probably not an issue here, but I was also going to suggest you consider where you store your remote when at home...or the majority of the time in relation to the car. The closer the remote is to the car when not in use, the quicker the battery will die...as the remote is always communicating with the car when it is within a certain range....and not just a couple of feet regardless of pushing any buttons on the remote...it's what happens with new keyless entry remote technology, vs. an old school key fob that only communicated with the car when you pushed the button to unlock/lock.