Hi people!
I have a question on behalf of my brother, he has a Mazda B-3000, Troy Lee Edition, manual tranny, I think it is 2000 or 2001, not sure. I ask here because underneath the truck the only brand you can see written all over is Motorcraft.

Recently the truck won't start, and after checking all systems that we could, we think it's the key switch; it won't let the current/voltage flow to the ignition. We have tried everything from fuel filter to starter, going thru plugs, cables, etc...
My F-150 has never had any problem like this.
What procedures can we follow to determine if the key switch is damaged?

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Is it turning over?

 

Hi!
No, it does not turn over. It's as if it doesn't have a battery, but lights, radio and everything electrical seems to be OK. I tried with a new battery, no change.

 

I am assuming it has a starter selinoid seprate from the starter ( like the ford) Try jumping it to see if the starter is ok. Check for a signal to the selinoid from the ign.

 

Hi guys...
Here's what we got, after working on it a few hours this morning:
- It is NOT a battery problem.
- I jumped the starter from underneath the truck, the starter turns and so does the engine, but it will not start.
- It has manual transmission, but the truck will not start by means of pushing.
- Horn, radio, CD, power windows, power locks, lights, fog lights, signal lights, brake lights, emergency lights, even the A/C... all in perfect working order.
- All fuses are OK, relays appear to be OK also.

This is curious: the anti-theft light on the right side of the panel is supposed to be steady lit when the key is to the ON position and is supposed to blink when the doors are locked. Today it was blinking when the key was on the ON position but was not even lit when the doors were locked, it was completely off.

I am guessing somehow power is not getting to the engine. I have three possible choices:
- Somehow the anti-theft device got screwed and is not letting power to go to the engine.
- The key switch is not working(which I doubt because of all the panel lights)
- The microchip on the key may be faulty. It is a new key, one week old, but I figured something went wrong at the dealer when programming this chip, unless there is no programming to do, which I don't know.

I am going through all this because we already had a local electrical guy do an estimate of the repair charges. He said a possible $550.00!?#@!, for a problem that we do not know what it is. COME ON!!!

I will appreciate any help you guys can give me. I'm blind when it comes to electrical problems.

Thanks

 

Fuel System button need reset? I know it would act mostly like what you are describing, not sure if it would turn over or not though when you try to crank it.
Might be something to check.

It could be something with the key also (assuming it is a PATS one). You wouldnt think since it worked before, but you never know. Assuming you still have an old key try it. I know trying to start the truck with a misprogrammed key will make the theft light act funny too.

But, if the truck wont turnover when using a key, but cranks when you just the starter, Id say your idea of the anti theft deal gettin messed up is a good bet.

 

I will check the Fuel System button and try to reset it because now that I think about it, there was NO GASOLINE SMELL whatsoever. One question...Where is it???

Also, when we requested the new key, we just made an order and paid for it, it was delivered in 4 days. We received an original, blank key, and all the guy had to do was cut the metal to match the old one. There was no programming involved that I could see, the truck was at home, more than 10 miles away from the parts store.
I saw the new key go directly from the box it came in, to the cutter, back to us, and we went home. I think something is fishy here, but then I'm no expert.

Thank you for your help. Man, if we can get this ghost, I hope you like some Caribbean Rum...

Thanks again!

 

I have no idea where the fuel system reset switch would be, it probably says in the owners manual. I know on our F150's ins behind the passengers side kick panel, but its different with most vehicles. Might want to check around there though, since its basically a Ranger and you'd think Ford would kinda keep stuff in the same general area from truck to truck.

Does the key have what seems like an overly large key head? I know 99 was the first year for PATS in F150's but Im not sure about the little Mazda's, or if they even have it?? If its a PATS key there in no possible way to have it programmed with out having the truck, unless you got it directley from a dealer and gave him the VIN and stuff, and I guess Im still not sure if thats even possible..
Does the key look like this...? ( I stole this pic of ebay, oops )


What happened to the old key?? Did you try the old one yet?
Did the truck ever run with the new key, or did the truck just not start ever since you got the new key.

 

Hi!

I found the reset switch, a few inches from the location on the Rangers. No change after ressetting.

The key pictured is the about the same as the one we got.

We have the old key, it doesn't work, we THINK it is broken. As a matter of fact, we got a new key now because two years ago we broke one, and the truck did exactly the same as now, but then the key was officialy broken. In HALF. The dealer requested at that time the vehicle registration papers, and I thought it was because of security reasons so we could buy a new key. I don't know if programming was involved.

The truck has not been able to start even with the new key.

I'll look up if this key really needs programming.

Thanks again,

Robert

 

Hi!

IT WAS THE KEY!!!

Thanks to you I didn't have to go through any mech-teks that want to rip me off.
You know, everybody with a vehicle that uses a PATS key should be advised that this situation may happen, and they should have at least (3) programmed keys to avoid anything like this.
Why doesn't dealers tell you this?
Thank GOD that my brother loves his truck as much as I love my F-150, and we try to avoid taking our trucks to "foreign" people, unless completely necessary. otherwise who knows how much $$$ it would have cost.

Thank you for all your advise.

Robert

 

Good to hear you got it goin

 

The key goees into the ignition, then when you turn it to the "on" position, it moves without resistance, then it had a small amount of resistance when you turn past "start" position, but you have to really twist as hard as you can past where it should stop to start it. Once it starts the key will move clear back to the accessory position with the truck running, without any resustance. Already replaced the device the key goes into, and still will not work. To turn truck off, I have to pull fuses, please help!

 

It's good to see a new guy do a search, thank you.

Chase, what it sounds like to me is someone has been driving the truck with a huge wad of keys and stuff on the key ring. The lock it self sounds like it is shot. If you take the lock out of the steering colum on the end there is a very small "check" ball and notches on the part that turns, detents to hold the key into position. I don't think there is a repair for this, it's just worn out.

If you get a new lock cylinder I think you can take it to a locksmith and have them "key" the new one to your existing key, that way it will still only use one key for the truck.

Good luck

 

I bought a new lock cylinder and put it in and its doing the same thing, when you turn the key its just doesnt act like it has any notches to stop in for the "on" and accesory position, but when you get to start position it will atop and become harder to turn, like it should, then once u turn it, the springs work still because it pushes it back to regular when u let go, also the way the truck is now, witjout touching the key I can move the shifter to what ever gear, in my experince the key has to be on to do that, so basically the truck is locked in the on position, because I have the battery diaconnected because I cant turn it off, I need to get this back on the road for work, any help with this will be greatly appreciated.

 

Just a thought, if you have a tilt wheel, have you tried it with the wheel in different positions?