The starter is not getting power, Radio won't turn on, windows won't roll up or down.

I'm thinking it has something to do with the key/ignition? any ideas of what to check would be appreciated.

All fuses are good

 

On the firewall side (not battery side) of the engine fuse box lies a Black wire. The wire drops downward about a foot below the fuse box to a Black connector which mates the Black wire to another Black wire. There should be constant voltage on either side of the connector. Check for voltage on these two wires and no key necessary. If both these wires have voltage then look at the Black wire as it connects to the ignition switch. The Black wire is in a two wire plug alongside a Black/White wire. Either disconnect this plug and check for voltage on this Black wire or use a pin to ***** the wire to read voltage from. Again, this wire should have constant voltage on it so no key necessary. Main fuse in engine fuse box needs to be good for the Black wire to have voltage on it.

 

Thanks for the reply, i'll go check that out now.

Also, is there a way to check / repair the key ignition cylinder? i have a feeling the contacts might be worn out.

 

I'm not famiiar with that. Maybe someone else has done this in the past that could help you out.

 

The "key/ignition cylinder" is actually two discrete parts.
One is the key/tumbler assembly and bolted on the back is the ignition switch (which contains the contacts you're worried about).

The switch is replaceable.
I'd recommend you NOT try and disassemble it once removed...it is a very clever but insanely complex little device (don't even ask how I know).
I'd be surprised if the switch contacts had "burned out" unless there is evidence of severe electrical overheating in the associated wiring- it's a pretty stout unit.

 

Actually, my airbag light, windshield wipers and logicon will not come on sometimes and I have to wiggle the key a bit and they'll come on.

So it can happen. Probably rare, like you said.

 

That's probably not the switch but rather the ignition cylinder.

The ignition cylinder/lock assembly simply turns a tab that slots into the switch assembly. As the lock assembly wears (a problem exacerbated by a heavy key ring) the key doesn't fully turn the tab and the switch doesn't move far enough to make the appropriate contact(s).

You can access the parts without too much disassembly.
Unscrew the switch from the back of the ignition lock and you can use a flat blade screwdriver to crank the switch around and check for continuity.

Dollars to doughnuts the switch is fine, the lock assembly is your problem.

 

Yeah, I definately have a lot of keys.

I guess I should remove some of them.

 

Too late now.

 

Yes, but I figure lightening them up would allow it to spring back further after startup, and at least mitigate the issue for the time being.

 

I doubt it but it sure won't hurt, so why not.

If you examine a disassembled lock cylinder, it's easy to see what happens with a heavy keyring.
The cylinder if filled with a stack of discs basically, discs made of zinc or pot metal or something not terribly hard.
The weight of the keyring wears out the disc's center hole (that the key passes through) and ultimately the key can be inserted and turned without making the discs move.

You can have the cylinder rebuilt.
At the same time, have a new "master key" made.
A master key is actually cut to a formula instead of traced from an existing key...chances are good that your current key is a 2nd, 3rd, maybe 4th generation copy...a bad copy but good enough to work in your worn out cylinder.

Save the master key to make copies from, don't use it daily and it'll be good forever.

 

I am the third owner, and the first owner lost the master key. Don't know how that happened since the first owner was a retired army colonel who drove it on sundays and let it just sit in the garage.

I may give mazda my VIN and see if I can get a master key from them.