Had belt, alternator, and battery checked. Car not starting.
Car does not start. I had AAA check it and it is not the battery, alternator, or serpentine belt, though it could be the starter.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
The Mazda RX-8 is a particular favorite of mine, which may be due to the fact that I did own it at one point, making me very familiar with the function of this vehicle. If indeed the starter is the culprit, you will notice that the engine will not crank, or turn over, when attempting to start the vehicle. However, if the engine is cranking, than the problem may be more involved than the starter. A few examples of reasons your Mazda may not be starting could include; a starter motor not engaging, lack of spark at the spark plugs, lack of fuel at the fuel injectors or lack of compression inside the engine. Getting in touch with a certified mechanic will allow him or her to identify the starting problem using the proper knowledge and tools
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
The most common reasons a Mazda RX-8 won`t start are a dead battery, an alternator problem, or failed starter.
Why won`t my car start but the battery is good? If your car won`t start but the battery is good, the most common cause is a faulty starter – though it could also be to do with your fuel. You may have insufficient fuel to get the car going.
Broken or Damaged Ignition
If your headlights can turn on, but your car won`t crank, that means that your battery is charged, but either the starter or ignition is the problem. If the starter or ignition is the problem, a starter engine can be jumped by using a charged battery.
Engine Problems
One of the most reported RX8 problems revolves around its engine. Its unique high-performance rotary-style engine has proven to be more unreliable than expected, particularly after 60,000 miles.
If your vehicle won`t start, it`s usually caused by a dying or dead battery, loose or corroded connection cables, a bad alternator or an issue with the starter. It can be hard to determine if you`re dealing with a battery or an alternator problem.
Bad Sensors
One common culprit for this problem is the crankshaft position sensor, which measures the position and speed of the crankshaft. The computer uses the information from this sensor to know when to fire the spark plugs. If the sensor isn`t working, the spark plugs won`t fire, keeping the engine from starting.
A dead battery is often the most common reason your car won`t start. Batteries age out, so if it`s been some time since it was replaced, you should visit us.
While the Mazda RX-8 certainly looks cool—it`s not a good first car for novice drivers. Firstly, the RX-8 is a sports car, so we`re guessing your parents wouldn`t want their teen driver zipping in and out of traffic, as the temptation to see how fast it can actually go would be great if you`ve got the need for speed.
As the RX-8 didn`t change much over its seven year run, we`d recommend going with a 2010 or newer model due to the improvements in the engine that greatly reduce roughness, flooding and most importantly, oil consumption. If you`re on a budget and looking at an older model, try to find a low-mileage one-owner car.
A true sports car for under 10,000
The Mazda RX8 is an amazing car it sounds great and looks good too. It`s comfortable for a sports car and it is so much fun to drive. The reliability is below average but not terrible. It isn`t very expensive to fix the car either.
The first thing to inspect is your plug wires. Any signs of damage or decay are clear indicators that they`re your issue. To verify, you`ll want to check the resistance of the wires.
Most alternators will last between 80,000 and 150,000 miles — or about seven years. However, your driving habits and the area where you live could wear it out prematurely.
Can you jumpstart a car with a bad alternator? It is possible in some cases to jumpstart a vehicle that has a faulty alternator, as long as the battery has enough of a charge to keep running. However, the alternator should be replaced as soon as possible.
An effective method to determine whether it`s your battery or alternator that`s gone bad is to connect jumper cables from a running vehicle`s battery to yours. After a few moments, try starting your vehicle. Once it`s started, remove the jumper cables — if your engine stalls, your alternator has probably gone bad.
A Bad Crankshaft Position Sensor
The crankshaft position sensor monitors the position and rotational speeds of the crankshaft. Without the crank sensor, the engine control module (ECM) wouldn`t know when to fire the fuel injectors and ignite the spark plugs.
Battery Current Sensor Problems
Dirt and Debris: Dirt, debris, or corrosion on car batteries can penetrate into the sensor causing malfunctioning. This failure can lead to a number of electrical problems including no-start.
The ignition relay is one of the most important electronic relays found on modern vehicles. It is usually located in the fuse and relay panel beneath the hood, and is responsible for providing power to the vehicle`s ignition system, and some of the fuel system`s components.
A blown fuse in the starter circuit could be the cause of a no-start problem. Broken or corroded wiring – Damaged or dirty wires to the battery or to the starter solenoid (or wires that are loose) can prevent sufficient power from reaching the starter.
Faulty Ignition Coil, Spark Plug, or Spark Plug Wires
An ignition issue can be caused by a faulty or failing ignition coil, spark plug, or spark plug wire set. These critical components of your ignition system keep your engine running smoothly.
To check the voltage reaching the starter, connect the voltmeter to the starter feed terminal and earth it on the starter casing. Test the voltage reaching the starter. For a negative-earth system on a car with a pre-engaged starter, connect the positive lead of the voltmeter to the feed terminal on the solenoid.
A dead battery is the most common reason why engines fail to start up. A common reason for batteries to fail is drain. Your car`s battery typically expends a small portion of its storage to start your car up, and then recharges from your alternator as you move.
One common culprit for this problem is the crankshaft position sensor, which measures the position and speed of the crankshaft. The computer uses the information from this sensor to know when to fire the spark plugs. If the sensor isn`t working, the spark plugs won`t fire, keeping the engine from starting.
The most common reasons a Mazda 6 won`t start are a dead battery, an alternator problem, or failed starter.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
My car will not start Intermittently. I purchased a new battery 2 weeks ago and yesterday the car wouldn’t start. Got a jump and
ANSWER : The issue you are having is probably due to an intermittent fault in the starter motor itself or a deficiency in the starter electrical circuit, for example a large voltage drop due to a poor ground or a high resistance connection. These issues can be readily diagnosed and resolved on a mobile basis if you request a hard starting diagnostic. If you request that diagnostic, the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you promptly. Based on Toyota’s Factory Service Manual, the battery should not be disconnected if the vehicle engine is running. The battery acts as a large resistive voltage sink and consequently taking the battery out of the circuit, while the alternator is still running, can create a voltage spike on the car’s electrical system which is not good for voltage sensitive components such as the engine computer. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Read Full Q/A … : Had belt, alternator, and battery checked. Car not starting.
2005 Chrysler 300C changed battery and alternator. Car started, ran, and then battery light came on. Shut car off and wouldn’t start.
ANSWER : Hi. There is a couple of things that could be wrong here. The battery or alternator that was just installed could be defective. Theses parts need to be tested for proper operation. There also could be a fuse, fusible link, or wiring for the battery or charging system that is blown or broken causing the battery light to come on.
The codes that you have will cause the car to shut down, run rough, or not start at all. The crankshaft sensor and camshaft sensor should be replaced. I suggest having a certified technician from YourMechanic come diagnose the charging system and check engine codes to help you proceed with correct repairs.
Read Full Q/A … : Had belt, alternator, and battery checked. Car not starting.
Fuel pump engages. Batery good, alternator good volts, jump start helps when wont start. Temp does not matter. Intermittent?
ANSWER : Hello. Thank you for writing in. There are several reasons your vehicle may only start when jump starting. The first and most common is a build up of resistance that is causing you to need a boost of voltage to get the engine started. This may be due to poor battery cables, a bad ground connection, a poor starter solenoid, and a couple of other issues. The first thing you want to do is perform a visual inspection of the starting system. Make sure there is no corrosion build up in the battery cables. You can also check the resistance across these wires and make sure you have a solid connection between components. You then want to make sure the starter solenoid is doing its job. It is responsible for taking the small amount of electricity sent by the ignition and turning it into a huge electrical charge that is strong enough to push over the engine with the help of some gear ratios in its favor. Do some more testing, and stick to the basics before assuming its something seriously complicated.
Read Full Q/A … : Had belt, alternator, and battery checked. Car not starting.
Car won’t start. The check engine light, battery light, and oil change light are coming on. I tried jumping the car and nothing happened. Why won’t my car start?
ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting Your Mechanic. If sometimes your vehicle will start with the new alternator and sometimes it won’t, then there is a loose connection in your charging system. Check all of the wires to the alternator and to the battery. Make sure that the battery cables are clean and tight. Make sure that the wires to the starter are clean and tight. A loose ground to the ignition system will cause the vehicle to not crank over. Check all of the ground wires from the battery to the starter. Make sure that they are clean and tight. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your no start situation, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you.
Read Full Q/A … : Had belt, alternator, and battery checked. Car not starting.
Water was spilled in the trunk which soaked the car battery. Car won’t start now. Does water destroy a car battery?
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in about the concern with the BMW 320i. If the battery was submerged in water then it’s completely possible for the battery to short out and die. Your friend will need to have the battery replaced. Also be sure to get all of the water out of the trunk. Have a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, help you guys out if you need assistance with replacing the battery. Good luck.
Read Full Q/A … : Had belt, alternator, and battery checked. Car not starting.
New battery & fuel pump. Hours later car starts and shuts down 3X in a row. Finally it starts, 48 hours later, won’t start at all
ANSWER : Checking all the fuses was a good move. I would also want to put a scan tool on it and check for diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) as well as seeing the data that the computer is seeing.
A fuel pressure test would be a good idea to verify correct pressure and so that you’d be able to eliminate that possibility. It should be 58psi on your Magnum.
I also recommend getting your battery tested (I know, it’s new, have it tested anyway) and be sure it’s charged to at least 75%. And yes, loose battery cable connections can result in electrical problems.
If you need some assistance with this, consider enlisting a certified mechanic who can perform the checks I’ve mentioned and diagnose your starting issue firsthand. The mechanic can then perform the necessary repairs once the problem has been isolated. Good luck.
Read Full Q/A … : Had belt, alternator, and battery checked. Car not starting.
Serpentine belt snapped, replaced it and jumped the car it semi worked but then didnt. I changed my alternator but wont start
ANSWER : If you have what seems like a dead battery and when you try and jump start the vehicle and it still will not crank good enough to start the motor then you will need to have a voltage drop test done to the battery starter cables to see if they are losing contact. You may have a bad cable and need to have them replaced. If the cables are good then the starter will need to be replaced. The most common cause is oil leaking onto the starter down the back of the motor or the rear main seal of the engine.
Read Full Q/A … : Had belt, alternator, and battery checked. Car not starting.
My car is behaving strangely after replacing the battery
ANSWER : Taking off the battery cable while the car is running is not a good test of the charging system. In fact, if you do that to a modern car it’s possible to do some serious damage to your alternator and the control modules in your car.. Taking off the battery cable to test the charging system is an old carryover method that dates back to the 1960’s when cars were equipped with DC generators and had no computer systems. That being said, you may never know if you have done any damage until later on down the road when some of the car’s modules start behaving strangely. I would normally expect to see a check engine light after that has been done. Since you didn’t report one, I wonder if the check engine light is working.
If you replaced the battery without having anything on the system to maintain power, there are a number of settings on the car that will have to be re-learned. Many of them will take care of themselves after a period of driving. But if you have persistent problems, you may have to use a few re-learn procedures: procedures that are a little too involved to talk about here. A code read should reveal if any of these settings are a problem.
The noise you have in your engine is a little worrying. Even though you used low-octane gasoline, your car should still run OK except for some spark knock under load. Most of the time you should notice no difference at all. There is a knock control system on your car that should be able to manage the spark knock and I think there might be a problem there. That and the difficulty starting are going to take some diagnostic work.
I expect there are a handful of trouble codes stacked up in the car’s memories. Some will be from the battery change, some will be from the cable being removed, and there may be some there from a previous fault. If you contact Your Mechanic, They can send a technician to your home or office to read the codes on your car and tell you what needs to be done to sort things out.
If you replaced the battery without having anything on the system to maintain power, there are a number of settings on the car that will have to be re-learned. Many of them will take care of themselves after a period of driving. But if you have persistent problems, you may have to use a few re-learn procedures: procedures that are a little too involved to talk about here. A code read should reveal if any of these settings are a problem.
The noise you have in your engine is a little worrying. Even though you used low-octane gasoline, your car should still run OK except for some spark knock under load. Most of the time you should notice no difference at all. There is a knock control system on your car that should be able to manage the spark knock and I think there might be a problem there. That and the difficulty starting are going to take some diagnostic work.
I expect there are a handful of trouble codes stacked up in the car’s memories. Some will be from the battery change, some will be from the cable being removed, and there may be some there from a previous fault. If you contact Your Mechanic, They can send a technician to your home or office to read the codes on your car and tell you what needs to be done to sort things out.
Read Full Q/A … : Had belt, alternator, and battery checked. Car not starting.
