2016 Mazda 3 2.5 Touring immobilizer light has come on. Googled & Mazda forum for different steps to override it but none successful - new battery in key fob, charged car battery, held door lock in open position 30 seconds, etc etc. Able to drive it by pressing key fob against starter button. Scheduled to drop off to dealer on Monday, but still hoping to get the solutions. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.
Mazda immobilizer light
- Thread starter jon81SC
- Start date
When I worked for Mazda, this was a common problem for me. Most likely you had the key fob in your pocket and something kept pushing the button while you were out of range of the car. This puts the fob in "battery conservation" mode. The owner's manual has the procedure to get out of that mode so the fob will work normally, but IIRC, the procedure was like this:
With the ignition off but you near or in the car, push the lock switch on the side of the fob several times quickly in 5 seconds or so. The doors will lock each time and the horn will beep after the first time. The little red light by the button will come on and stay on. Now push and hold the button. The doors will lock and the horn will beep again after a couple of seconds, and then you are out of battery conservation mode. The fob should then work normally without having to hold it near the start button.
If the red light doesn't come on and stay on, the battery is probably low. Change the battery (number 2025 for yours), then repeat the procedure. Newer Mazdas take the 2032 battery.
With the ignition off but you near or in the car, push the lock switch on the side of the fob several times quickly in 5 seconds or so. The doors will lock each time and the horn will beep after the first time. The little red light by the button will come on and stay on. Now push and hold the button. The doors will lock and the horn will beep again after a couple of seconds, and then you are out of battery conservation mode. The fob should then work normally without having to hold it near the start button.
If the red light doesn't come on and stay on, the battery is probably low. Change the battery (number 2025 for yours), then repeat the procedure. Newer Mazdas take the 2032 battery.
e, thank you for your interest & prompt response. The first thing I did was replace the keyfob battery. I still had to open the door with the key and the immobilizer light on the dash continued flashing. Also tried the spare keyfob with new battery - immobilizer light still flashing. Also charged the car battery & tested under load - no go. As stated above, can start the car but only by pressing the keyfob against the starter button. Holding it close to the starter button doesn't work.
Follow the exact reset procedure he gave you.
The pushing the start button with the fob thing is the way to get a couple more starts out of it with a dead battery. I tell customers about that all the time when changing their battery and they get mad that no-one told them, we have had people tow their cars in for a fob battery or take Ubers to us. At least we stopped charging for fob batteries last year.
e, Astro, bd - thank you all for your interest. I think I discovered the problem - the battery in the keyfob. Used the other keyfob, first with the existing battery. None of the above worked. Put in a new (2025) battery - everything works as it's supposed to. Always look for the simplest solution first! Also, apparently the "new" battery I put in the original keyfob was not new.
As this is my wife's car which I never driver - when it is locked, does the immobizer icon on the dash flash? If so, I was incorrectly thinking it was an immobilizer problem.
As this is my wife's car which I never driver - when it is locked, does the immobizer icon on the dash flash? If so, I was incorrectly thinking it was an immobilizer problem.
Keep the procedure I described in mind. You might yet need to use it.
Often batteries sold in the cheap multi-pack you find at discounters don't last long.
If you lock the car with the key fob and you notice the tiny little red light by the lock button doesn't seem to come on, that's a sign the fob battery is about due for replacement.
Often batteries sold in the cheap multi-pack you find at discounters don't last long.
If you lock the car with the key fob and you notice the tiny little red light by the lock button doesn't seem to come on, that's a sign the fob battery is about due for replacement.
