Starting issues with car

I have a 2006 mazda 3. Recently I went out to run errands and my car did not start. Their was no sound no dash lights just turning and nothing. Tried again same thing. On the third try the dash lights came on the seatbelt warning went dinged but still no start. On the 4th try the car started.

Since then it has started and will go for days then suddenly do the same thing again. This time it started for 2 weeks with no problem I replaced the battery and changed battery terminals as they were loose. I had the new battery checked and had the alternator checked both showed good. Any thoughts on what things it might could be?

A couple of possibilities come to mind. First, the park/neutral safety switch could be bad or out of adjustment. Next time, try jiggling the gear selector and see if the car starts. Second, you might have too many keys on the ring and the excess weight has caused the switch to fail.

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If there a problem with the park/neutral safety switch, the dash lights would still turn on.

So that’s not it.

One thing that can cause this problem is a bad BCM.

Tester

Problem with the ignition switch, or a worn key.

Had codes ran came back showing no codes. No check engine light. No dashboard lights flashing. No shutting down of the engine. Key was just replaced. I get nothing on the dash, no start then after several attempts i get power to dashboard but no start then usually next try it will start. I’m not mechanically inclined but my thought was starter or starter relay.

If there’s no power to anything when the ignition switch is turned to on, it’s not the starter or it’s relay.

Tester

No power to dashboard in the beginning dashboard only lights after several attempts at starting once the dashboard lights up the car generally will start on the next try.

Right!

That’s what you typed in your original post.

Tester

do you have a alarm system? i have seen them cause havoc especially as a vehicle gets older. just a thought

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Check the other ends of the battery cables.

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No just the general anti-theft system that’s installed in all the newer cars.

maybe this will help.

Mazda 3: Bad Ignition Switch Symptoms | Drivetrain Resource (700r4transmissionhq.com)

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Checked into everyone’s suggestions. I took it to a shop this morning they said they found one of my 02 sensors was bad but as far as the random no start I was getting every now and then they had tried stsrting it off and on all day and had no problem with it starting. She said their were no codes and they didn’t find anything on general inspection. That the only way they were going to be able to determine anything on that was to have it not start.

15 years old car… mid-2000 Mazda in particular…

my first bet would be corroded grounding wires

a good visual inspection and preventative “unbolt / cleanup / bolt back / apply protection” might be all what is needed

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