My RX8 had a completely flat battery a week ago so I bought a brand new one (old one only less than a year old) and now it still wont start.

I have had it flood before but this seems very different, for instance when I got the new battery it wouldnt try to wind over but the wipers came on and wouldnt turn off??? what the??? lights came on and wont turn off....so had to take new battery back out again for fear of it running flat too.

Does the computer need resetting or something when you get a flat battery?
Is there some kind of sequence to do or trick when you replace a battery?
it is really odd some one out there surely has had this happen too???



Its a 2004 model.... please any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

No, shouldn't be any trick to it. Just pop the connectors off the terminals, lift out the old one, put the new one in, reconnect terminals (of course removing and replacing the battery brace as needed).

So if I understand correctly, with the new battery, turning the key to On, gets lights and electrical power, turning the key to start (which should make the dash lights disappear) doesn't even attempt to turn over the engine? Is it simply silent? Does it seem like it's really weak or struggling?

If it seems like the electronics are freaking out, then there may be an ECU issue, though resetting it usually means disconnecting the battery for a bit and reconnecting...which obviously occurred during the battery change.

 

Yes thats it, there is no attempt to start no weak or strugglilng attempts .. nothing and with new battery, but, the wipers come on (without being turned on) and wont turn off and the lights... the electricals seem to gave gone nuts.

 

Did you check the ignition fuse in the fuse box? It's a 15amp, and maybe it blew when you changed the battery.

 

Not trying to be a smart ***...but you didn't put the battery in backwards by any chance???

 

That sounds more plausible - I missed the thing about the wipers working on their own. I know when I f'd up the wiring for the fog light DIY, the high beams kept turning on without command.

 

Thank you all for your advice.

The battery was definitely in right and the fuse was already checked.

Rang Mazda today and they were no help only to say take it to an auto electrician.

Tomorrow it will be towed to our regular mechanic (who has auto electrician next door if needed).. of course the bumper will need to be removed *argh*

I will let you know how I get on as I am sure you are all curious.

thanks again

 

Good luck with that....let us know how it turns out.

 

Car still with mechanic and auto electrician no update as yet.

 

I'll bet that at some point, the new battery was in backwards or was hooked up backwards....even for an instant. Now the 120A main fuse is gone. There are certain things that will still work once that main is gone and I think the wipers might be one of them. I need to go look and report back. Let me see if I can find the post where I detailed what would still work if that 120A was gone.


Here I found it! This is not your exact situation, nor does it match what you have described, but it still might apply????


If nothing at all inside the cabin, then it's most likely the actual cables. But........If the wipers work, that eliminates the Ignition 30A fuse and the ignition relay, but doesn't check the 120A fuse. If the cig lighter works, then this verifies the 120A, the ACC relay, and the ACC 30A fuse, but doesn't verify the first two I mentioned.
It's just a real easy check to do. Sometimes people say nothing in the cabin, but don't check the two things I mentioned which will narrow it down real fast!
I'll make it even easier, if your horn works but you cig lighter doesn't, then it's most likely the 120A fuse!

 

Thanks Mazurfer

I will make a call tomorrow to ensure the auto electrician checks this. I think it has been checked but will double check.

Also I keep getting told from dealers and mechanics that the car will only do 80000 KLMs and need a engine rebuild or replacement do you agree with this?
Dealer said he has never seen one do more than 120000 klms.

When RACQ (24hour auto break down service) came other day they said straight away "these things only do 80000 so probably motor due for rebuild". When it flooded "oh this car has done 70000 due for engine rebuild probably your problem."... *argh* I found out from forum most likely only flooded and got it towed and clutch start and it fixed it... dealer wanted to charge $6000 for new engine!! As if they would have told me opps engine was fine just flooded.

Dealers will only replace with a new crate engine from Japan.

I am just so frustrated that no one seems to know much about them even the dealers!!

 

Maybe the car "lost" your electronic key code.

 

Remove terminals. Clean terminals and connectors. Re-attach cables. Disconnect neg off pos off. Connect pos on neg on (in that order).