Hi All,
Been having issues with my used 2008 Mazda 3 hatchback starting for the past 3 weeks. The car cranks but it won’t start unless I press the gas pedal. In fact, if I don’t press the gas pedal than the dashboard will light, it sounds like it’s about to start but then everything shuts down again. Any ideas on what it might be? And was it an expensive fix? The CEL is not on, nor do I have the error codes yet.
Perhaps starving for fuel. Try this first, it’s free…
Turn the key to the on position but not to the “start”. Hopefully you hear the fuel pump while in the “on” position. Wait about 3-5 seconds. Turn back to “off” and then try to start the car. If this works there is a problem with the fuel pump. Keep your foot off the gas pedal while you do this.
Usually, when an engine doesn’t start unless the gas pedal is pressed means no air is getting into the engine.
Stepping on the gas pedal opens the throttle plate and allows air into the engine and the engine starts.
Your engine doesn’t have an Idle Air Control valve, which would normally allow air into the engine.
Instead your engine has an electronic throttle body which allows air into the engine when starting the engine.
One thing that can cause this problem with an electronic throttle body is carbon build-up in the throttle body.
Have a throttle body cleaning service performed to see if that fixes the starting problem.
Tester