A cool feature on the Mazda5 that I accidentally discovered

"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury) 10/14/2017 at 21:49 • Filed to: None

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One thing I loved about all of the German cars I’ve had over the decades was the fact that, if the engine didn’t start, you had to turn the key back to try it again (except the W210 because that had that cool system where you just begin the start process and the car cranks as long as necessary by itself until it starts). This saves damage to the starter by not engaging it with an engine running. On many other cars, none I’ve owned, you could crank the starter on a running engine and hear that godawful grinding sound of starter trying to engage on a running engine - ouch.

Last night, whilst feeling sick and just wanting to get home, I thought the Mazda didn’t start so I cranked the key again, and at the same time noticed that the engine did actually start. I didn’t turn the key back like I usually do, and what surprised me was that there was no grinding noise. I guess the car is smart enough not to engage the starter with a running! I tried it a few times, and sure enough, it didn’t let me do anything stupid. Maybe other cars have this feature, and have had it for some time, but this is the first time I’ve ever encountered it. Thanks Mazda!

TheHondaBro > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/14/2017 at 21:56

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That always confused and irritated me. I accidentally engaged the starter while the engine was running once for a split second. I thought to myself “Geez, it’s that easy to fuck your car up?”

Danger > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/14/2017 at 21:57

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4Runners have the auto start once you begin the start process. Very handy in my opinion.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/14/2017 at 21:58

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My Taco has an odd feature: if you do mistakenly try to engage the starter while the engine is running, it just shuts off the engine immediately.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/14/2017 at 22:00

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Ugh, I accidentally did that at AutoX a while back.. I had left the car running to keep it cool and was running after a Stalker (Caterham clone) with near open headers, so I couldn’t hear my car running when I jumped in. I felt like such an idiot.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/14/2017 at 22:07

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My Neon had that override, as does my 528i.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/14/2017 at 22:11

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After 30+ years of German cars, I instinctively turn the key back to off. Last night was the first time I didn’t.

Come to think of it, I’ve never tried the starter on a running engine before, so I really don’t know if they had any safety systems like that. It never occurred to me to check...

wkiernan > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 10/14/2017 at 22:23

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Wow, that sounds fun in traffic.

for Michigan > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/14/2017 at 22:25

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What year 5? My 06 3 (same platform/drivetrain) doesn’t have this feature.

bhtooefr > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/14/2017 at 22:29

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One thing with a lot of modern cars is that the start position is no longer directly connected to the starter, because of models with pushbutton start.

The giveaway is that turning it to Start momentarily causes the start sequence to run to completion.

Steve in Manhattan > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/14/2017 at 22:48

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Think Lexus was the first to come up with that feature - LS400 ran so quietly that multiple attempts to start it were common.

C62030 > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/14/2017 at 22:51

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I spaced out once when turning off my car and accidentally turned the key forward. It was probably the most awful sound I’ve ever heard.

arl > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/14/2017 at 22:53

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I thought from the lead picture that you were going to talk about the innovative new interior feature callled the “ignition switch”. Apparently there is a slot behind the steering wheel (very small,) that you can use to insert a thing called a “key”. Most fobs have this hidden, thin metal extension in them called a “key”. You can insert this key into the ignition and start the car! It’s so wonderful because you now have a place to store your bulky fob! No more giant bulge of fob in your slacks, no more cup holder unusable due to the fob rolling around. It’s an ingenious and modern synergistic design that melds the fob with the car itself. Truly useful and very creative!

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > bhtooefr 10/14/2017 at 23:04

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I wish the Mazda had that system, like my old W210, but it doesn’t. Hell, even the new tugs on the ramp, the ones with the V6 instead of the old 300 ci I6, have it.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > wkiernan 10/14/2017 at 23:05

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Well if I’m sitting in traffic, I’m pretty certain I won’t think my car isn’t already running, else how did I get there.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > for Michigan 10/14/2017 at 23:05

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2012. First year of the last bodystyle.

404 - User No Longer Available > bhtooefr 10/14/2017 at 23:09

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My G6 also did the “momentarily then start on its own” thing, but none of the models have push button ignition.

Solstice doesn’t but it also doesn’t engage the starter if it’s already started.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/15/2017 at 00:01

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That is a smart feature, I’ve never seen it.

speaking My of m odd ignition switch features, my car had a little button you have to press with your finger to get the key tot he full offf position and remove it. I suppose this is to prevent a GM like accidental ignition off situation. Anyway when I went to pick up my car after having the clutch install, the key was in the ignition. In the accessory position. I guess the tech who parked it couldn’t figure it out so he just said screw t and left it in.

Amoore100 > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/15/2017 at 01:51

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Hmm, meanwhile in the Zipcar 5 I had I accidentally didn’t crank it long enough (I’m used to the pushbutton in my XC now) and when I tried to refire the engine it took about two or three seconds of cranking—way longer than it should have; perhaps I flooded the cylinders by undercranking? It seemed odd as I’ve undercranked our other Volvos before and they just fire up as normal, maybe a little grouchy and rough but without taking any longer...

His Stigness > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/15/2017 at 02:23

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I’m a fan of the “push it once and it tries to start until it dies. No damn it, I’m going to keep cranking until the battery dies or a wheeze to life!” because it’s an easy way to completely drain the battery if it’s hard to start. It’s also a pain in the ass for repair purposes. There are many instances where you need to just bump the starter but don’t feel like getting to the crank bolt. With the momentary switch type thingy starter, it’s not possible.

This only bugs me when it’s an actual key you need to turn. Push to start not so much, mainly because it’s ubiquitous.

Volkswagen is the only one that I know of that you have to hold the starter button until it starts. I always seem to forget when I get into one. I’m sure once I buy one with a keyless start (my MKVI has a key) I’ll remember.

Echo51 > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 10/15/2017 at 03:36

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Oh the joys of gridding between 2 cars with zero exhaust and a big-ish engine.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Amoore100 10/15/2017 at 07:32

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I have noticed that same thing on mine, but I’ve heard that it’s actually intentional and designed to purge any unburnt fuel and to prevent flooding (although I’m not sure how that is actually an improvement over trying to burn it)...

for Michigan > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/15/2017 at 07:53

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Okay. Must be a second gen thing.

Amoore100 > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 10/15/2017 at 09:11

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Huh, interesting! Yeah, the Vo’s always run quite rich when that happens and you can smell it in the air so I can see why they went for that—an interesting solution to be sure!

BahamaTodd > bhtooefr 10/15/2017 at 14:34

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My first gen Colorado has this. It has a keyed ignition, but the start position is essentially a push button start. You do not have to hold the key in the start position until the engine starts - just turn the key to activate the start.