Hey guys and gals. thanks for the add to the group.

So this problem is regarding my wife's 2008 Mazda 6 2.3L Automatic, car is a first generation.

A couple months ago we had an issue where i went to start the car and it wouldn't turn over or do anything but all the lights in the car worked. After fiddling around for a few minutes i ended up putting the car into drive and then back into park and it started. Didn't have any more issues for a month or so until her mother went to use the car. Same problem, wouldn't start, moved the shifter around and it started. But later that day the same issue kept occurring and move the shifter did not always solve the problem. so i did a little googling and found the problem might be the neutral safety switch. So i did a test and the car started fine in neutral, but looking at the dash, while the car was in park the P symbol was not always illuminated on the dash. Since the switch only cost like $30 i bought one and installed it about 2 weeks or so ago. That seemed to solve the problem, until yesterday. My wife went to leave for work and same issue, car would start in neutral but not in park and this time the P park symbol was illuminated on the dash.

Any insight into what the issue might be would be helpful as replacing the neutral safety switch did not seem to fix the problem.

Thanks in advance.

 

Neutral Safety Switch, just to make sure were on the same page, mounted to the front of the transmission, (radiator side). The switch has a hole in it and it slides over the shift lever on the trans. Just want to make sure, Mazda calls it the Trans Range Switch.

If the P is not illuminating when your in Park, chances are high that is where your problem lies. Most commonly, the ball joint that connects the cable to the shift lever corrodes. You may notice you have to use a little extra effort to move between gears. If that's the case, the shift lever is just not able to get all the way into Park. The shift cable will pop off the lever on the trans and some steel wool will sufficiently clean the ball on the shift lever. Put some non water soluble grease on the cable socket before snapping it back together. Should take care of your concern.

 

Yes, i am referring to the trans range switch. In my searching online about the issue i saw it called that and a neutral safety switch. I already replaced that so i will try your suggestion about cleaning the cable ball end that connects to the shift lever and hopefully that will solve my issue. Thanks for the quick reply.

 

Duplicate the no start concern, reach down and move the shift lever by hand that extra 1/16th inch and see if that cures it. Then you'll know 100% your going after the right area. Your more than welcome.

 

The car has been showing it is in park pretty much all the time and sometimes still won't start, seems like if you giggle the handle like you said it will start.

Now the last few days i have had no issues with the car starting. I did take the console apart, are you talking about cleaning the area i have circled in red?

Also i noticed when the shift lever is in park and you move it directly to the right, the piece i have circled ink moves, would that have any impact on the starting?

 

I have the same problem with my 6 sport but my car is a manual and not an automatic so anyone got answers for me because the dealership does not know how to
fix it.

 

Alan, been so busy lately I have not had the time to even look at my computer. The ball socket to clean is on the other end of the cable, transmission side. The two cables in your picture, one is the shift interlock. When you step on the brake, that cable activates and allows the shifter to move. It only moves a little bit where as the one for the transmission moves constantly with the shifter. Recheck the cable end on the trans side to make sure it moves freely and is not binding up when you try to put it in park all the way.

 

John, if the no start is intermittent, it may be difficult for the dealer to duplicate. A good repair tech will always make sure they duplicate the problem instead of loading up the parts cannon and firing away. Two things I would look at closely are the clutch switch and the starter itself.