Starting Issues

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02 White MP5
Hey Everyone...

Everyonce in a while my P5 just doesn't want to start. I jump in the car push the clutch in and turn the key, but nothing happens. There's no solenoid click, and there's no spinning from the starter. I have checked around here and have seen some similar problems from others, but they all had the factory alarm system, which I don't.

If I bump start the car it runs great, and sometimes I can drive all over town doing all kinds of running around, and the last store I go to, it won't start. Then i bump start it, drive it home, park it, and try to start it again just to see, and get nothing. But if I leave the car there over night, when I come out in the morning it'll start again.

Any help would be wonderful, cuz I don't feel like just going and replacing parts...That can get pricey
 
Stupid question: have you made sure that your battery terminals are on fully and correctly tightened?
 
i recently had issues like that, but it took repeated attempts to start to get it to work. Turned out to be a defective 2 month old battery.

How old is your battery, and of course, are your connections tight as well as corrosion free?
 
RaiderMP5 said:
i recently had issues like that, but it took repeated attempts to start to get it to work. Turned out to be a defective 2 month old battery.

How old is your battery, and of course, are your connections tight as well as corrosion free?
The stock battery for the p5 would work better as a boat anchor.
 
Sounds like a bad clutch switch, bad starter switch or starter relay. If it will start in the AM after sitting overnight, it's doubtful it's the battery or connections.
 
Pretzellogic said:
Stupid question: have you made sure that your battery terminals are on fully and correctly tightened?

but not too tightened, the stock terminal connectors just... flex and stuff. You'll know it happened when the 10mm nut is fully tightened but you can just pull the connector right off the stud thing.
 
Pretzellogic said:
The stock battery for the p5 would work better as a boat anchor.

Mine managed to last 62kish miles without issue until I left the key on ACC all night after I was working on my car during the day. I never even did the maintenance on the battery (I think putting distilled water on it or something).
 
yeah. I got 3 years of sero maintanence on my battery. Of course, no stereo system, or leaving things on all night helped that. Of course, my Optima lastd 56 days until it was replaced last week because it was defective, so I dunno. Prolly a battetry, the weakest link.
 
KanseiZM said:
but not too tightened, the stock terminal connectors just... flex and stuff. You'll know it happened when the 10mm nut is fully tightened but you can just pull the connector right off the stud thing.
Never had that problem. Perhaps you have super-strength, Chris.
 
Thanks all for ur input, my friend and I were both thinking clutch switch or ignition. I've got the mazda manual for the car, but can't find anything about starter relay, or starter switch. The only thing i can find is the ignition or clutch switch.

The next time it doesn't start I'll check the battery connections, never thought of that. I've got the Optima Yellow top and it's been great, still haven't managed to kill it no matter what I do. Had it for 3 years now.
 
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