# Problem with 05 Mazda3 5door 2.3 liter

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/problem-with-05-mazda3-5door-2-3-liter/39135>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** cylinder, mazda3, mazda, brakes\
**Created:** [November 7, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problem-with-05-mazda3-5door-2-3-liter/39135 "2009-11-07T15:38:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![debby55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@debby55](https://community.cartalk.com/u/debby55)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problem-with-05-mazda3-5door-2-3-liter/39135/1 "2009-11-07T15:38:45Z")

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I have had the car for a year and have been doing the regular maintence, it is high milage at 87,000. It came with no papers, but I can assume it was driven hard. I do mostly city driving which is hard also. The problem is when the engine is cold it won’t go out of park unless I pump the brakes a few times. I can tell it is ready to go into gear because the brake pedal will go to the floor.  
  
 Does anyone have any ideas?

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problem-with-05-mazda3-5door-2-3-liter/39135/2 "2009-11-07T16:17:22Z")

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It sounds like the shift interlock–which is supposed to prevent you from shifting out of Park unless the brake pedal is depressed–is malfunctioning. This is a fairly cheap repair.

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problem-with-05-mazda3-5door-2-3-liter/39135/3 "2009-11-07T18:50:37Z")

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Ummmm…VDC is almost certainly right about the shift interlock switch.

But please do clarify about the brake pedal going to the floor - that is not supposed to happen at all, and if it does go to the floor then you shouldn’t drive until your brake system is inspected and repaired.