I did try push starting one time in a parking lot with no success. However, the problem is that the car is usually dead in my home garage which is at the bottom of an extremely steep hill so there is no way to push it up the hill.

 

thats illegal. thats absolutely against the magnusson moss act- he cant tell you you have to use a Mazda brand battery.

 

no it doesnt vary - what state are you in. there is a specific law with atime limit.every state i have seen is 12 -18months.

 

it wouldnt jump start?

 

It would not jump using the battery buddy or another car. I have had multiple people try it including the Tow Truck Drivers because they are instructed to try that first in order save Mazda $$$.

 

While the law may seem specific, attorneys see everything in shades of gray. However, I am just going off what the attorney told me. He also stated that even if everything conformed, it is very difficult in the state because of the way Service Centers diagnosis problems.

For example the last time I took in for a dead battery, they told me it was the trunk light switch was causing a drain. I didnt look at the paperwork until the next problem. This time they didnt tell me there was a problem with the trunk light but put in on the paperwork. It is just a game to them or at least the service center I deal with.

 

Ya know, after what that other guy said..

The fact that it wouldn't push start, and it couldn't be jump started..

It seems very logical that it is the EMS that is to blame. That is the only thing that could be altered by simply replacing the battery.

Do me a favor. Go buy a multimeter, and the next time this happens (your car won't start) check to see if the battery is drained. It should read between 12.3-12.6v at fully charged. I'll bet you the battery is just fine, and that the EMS is causing all sorts of starting trouble..


Or, if you don't want to buy a multimeter..

Take off the negative battery cable for 2-5mins, put it back on, wait a minute or two, and then try and start the car.

Either of these 2 tests can be used as SOLID proof that the battery is not to blame, and the latter proving that the EMS is indeed the thing that needs to be changed.

I'm 100% positive both of those will hold up in court.

 

Yeah, I was going to suggest computer problem too, but I don't see how that could cause a slow-crank problem. Its got to be ground or something like that. But, who knows what the computer is doing.

Of course replacing the computer might perturb the problem out of existence since so much stuff needs to be disconnected and reconnected...

 

dean pm me your vin please

 

dean2900 ;
I just got on your thread. Funny thing you should mention Bob King Mazda.
My wifes 04 Rx8 has been back to the dealer in High Point 12 times in 3 years. Twice on the roll back, plus every thing /problem that is mentioned on this board. It cut off after she started it yesterday. I told her to give Bob King a try, but after the rudness of the service dept. rep at Bob King, she had it towed back to High Point, where once again they say it is fixed. That is until today, when the check engine light came on again
High Point dealer is very nice , and they have tried everything to get this thing fixed.
I have had it with Mazda . I sent them and email explaining the problems we have had with this car (Rx8)I even include the VIN# in my email.
Their response was that they were sorry to hear that I was having problems with my mazda "Protege" And that I would have to take up my issues with the dealer.
Pretty much sums up mazda's concern when you are stuck with one of their lemons!
No Mazda will ever be purchased by myself again.

 

Sucks to have such a nice car ruined by these issues. Two days after I drove mine off the lot it stalled, then a few days later I started getting the misfire CEL's. I could have taken it back no questions asked but I didn't. I love the car for what it is but after the numerous weeks my car has spent at the dealer I constantly ask myself why I didn't get the G35.

 

If you can't jump start it - perhaps it's not the battery. Maybe it is flooding the engine all the time?