automatic transmission starting question - won't start when hot in park

[mudgts]

so I searched.. and searched ... but it seems that P5's not starting is pretty common.

But you all have manual tranny's. My wife insisted upon an automatic.

We bought this '03 P5 used after our Civic was stolen.

It starts fine in the morning or after it's been sitting for a few hours. But if it's warm, you have to shift it into neutral to get it to start.

I did try the checking to see if it was the park lock sensor / solenoid but that didn't change things.

Any input would be appreciated it. It's not a show-stopper but it's making my wife miss her Honda that much more.

 

[mudgts]

any ideas? It seems to be intermittent.

 

[Donas64]

I've never had any trouble with my auto P5 in almost 6 years of ownership. Sorry I've got no answers.

 

[Red Demon]

Does it not even fire at all? Or does it turn over and over and not start?

 

[mudgts]

I just hear a click when I turn the key. I have the foot on brake, and it lights up but no turnover. it's 60/40, 60% of the time it does start, 40% of the time it doesn't. I've only had the P54 days though... loving it so far. Much more fun then my Civic was.

 

[misbehave]

When was the last time you take it to have a transmission flush?

 

[mudgts]

I guess that's next.. though.. my ABS and brake light are coming on now and I wonder if it's a brake switch that's causing it.?? I'm taking it to a different garage for their opinion next week.. no more Mazda Stealerships for me.

 

[misbehave]

I guess that's next.. though.. my ABS and brake light are coming on now and I wonder if it's a brake switch that's causing it.?? I'm taking it to a different garage for their opinion next week.. no more Mazda Stealerships for me.

You are right about not going to the Stealership.
The one closest to my home do nothing but want to suck more money from you.
When I took my P5 there for my AT manual mode malfunction problem, they charged me a little more than a hundred bucks then left my car there without taking apart any parts of it to check them out (I found this out later when I took it apart myself), then when I went to take my car back, they went on and told me which part was failing and require $600 dollars to fix it, which turned out wasn't true. I ended up coming here and got the solution which wasn't what the same part the stealership said was failing, and only cost me a little over hundred dollars and 30 mins to fix it.

 

[pasadena_commut]

I guess that's next.. though.. my ABS and brake light are coming on now and I wonder if it's a brake switch that's causing it.?? I'm taking it to a different garage for their opinion next week.. no more Mazda Stealerships for me.

If the brake switch is the problem then at the same time the car won't start the taillights also won't light up when you step on the brake. Easy to check if you have another person handy, or even by yourself if you park the car backed in next to a light colored wall.

 

[MP5 Kyle]

yo, if its an 03 autotronic then i know exactly what you problem is aha. i have the same one but i figured out whats up! When you start the car and its warm watch when you go to put it in park, on the cluster, make sure the little box around the "P" lights up! if not it will do what you said.. when i first got my p5 i had the problem but i didnt know so i ended buying a new battery and then putting it in neutral lol.

Good luck, hope that helps!

 

[mudgts]

Thanks. Another thing I noticed is that without the key in, sometimes I can move the shifter into any gear without touching the brake or anything.

 

[Pauljp]

automatic transmission starting question - won't start when hot in park

Yes, this happens to my wife's 03MP5 automatic all the time.
The problem is the Transaxle Range Switch.
You can see it in the engine compartment on the drivers side where the shift rod connects.
Have someone cycle the shifter while you look and you will see exactly where it is.
It needs to be cleaned or replaced.
Warning: There is a whole procedure on how to do this without damaging anything, and it must be aligned to operate properly.
As mentioned above, when you get in and turn the key (before actually starting) if you don't see a box around the "P" on the dash, then your car thinks it is not in park and will not start.
It took me a while to find this as by the time I got home and tried my wife's car, it had cooled and started every time.
I thought she was just going nuts.
Since she eventually proved that she wasn't, I owed her a dinner and a precious stone.

 

[mudgts]

Thanks Pauljp. I'm going to get it on the ramp and look closely at it.