red light shaped like a car with a key in it

okAy so my car has been in the shop for a week now getting a clutch in it and second gear fixxed. anyway today was D-day. so they start the car and test drive it and runs fine and everything then all of the sudden dies and wont restart and all lights are on on the dash and this light shaped like a car with a key in it is flashing rappppppedly and nothing happens. so i reset the ecu nothing. i take the cpe pnp harness off and put it to stock ecu and nothing. so i run home and get my spare key nothing. so now im taking the car to mazda to get it looked at cause im out of ideas. everyone seems to think that my keys have come unprogrammed or the car thinks its stolen.. i have no idea..

oh and another thing is my mazda dealership blows when it comes to modded cars

everyone else's perception seems to be the most common fix for your issue. that's what it sounds like to me as well

The dealer should be able to indentify the problem with their IDS (Ford OBD diagnostic system). Every Mazda dealer has one.

they said theirs a major wire grounding out but they dont know where

Here's your answer

The rapid red blinking indicator light (key inside of a car) is the immobilizer.

Your immobilizer system got activated. Sorry to say, but you will have to take it to the dealer. There's some tricks that the RX8 guys did with their keys to de-activate it but it didn't work on my speed3 when my immobilizer was set off.

What the dealer does is input new "as is" data to the ecu along with a re-flash of the ecu. In IL it costs 135 (might vary per state) but they gave it to me for 110- good dealer.

Before you take it to the dealer I would recommend the following as it might or might not work. If the following doesn't work your only resort is a dealer trip.


Try this:

Okay -here are the instructions..

(The timing is critical to this procedure, please read through the entire procedure before attempting )

1. Insert one of the pre-programmed transponder keys and turn the ignition to "on", leave on for at least one second ( wait until the red key symbol in the instrument cluster extinguishes), remove the key from the ignition.


2. Within 5 seconds insert the second pre-programmed key and turn the ignition to "on" for at least one second but no more than 5 seconds (use the key symbol for this as well) then remove the second key.


3. Within 10 seconds insert the new key in the ignition and turn the ignition to "on", if you are successful the red key symbol will illuminate then extinguish after about a second.

If you are not successful the red key symbol will flash repeatedly to indicate that you have inserted an invalid key. Remove the key, wait a minute and try it again, it took me a few times to get it perfect and I had done it before.



When I accidentally tripped the immobilizer system in my car here is what happened with me when trying the above method:


Step 1: Insert one of the pre-programmed transponder keys and turn the ignition to "on", leave on for at least one second ( wait until the red key symbol in the instrument cluster extinguishes), remove the key from the ignition

Problem: when I insert one of the pre-programmed keys (whether it's the first key or the second) the red key symbol in the instrument cluster does not extinguish completely.... it does not flash "repeatedly fast" like it does when I turn the key to "acc" but it keeps flashing normally like when you take the key out and activate the alarm.

So, during step one when the key is in the "on" position it flashes every second or so....(flash..................flash................flash............)

When the key is in the "acc" position it flashes very fast: (flash.flash.flash.flash.flash)

I did the whole step several times and nothing but I have a few questions which I am hoping you guys will be able to answer.

In step three it states that if you're unsuccessful the red light will flash repeatably when the key is in the "on" position- my key, however, keeps flashing normally- it flashes the same throughout all the steps when the key isn't in the ingnition or when you activate the alarm.

Hope that helps. If it doesn't you will have to tow it to the dealer.