neutral safety switch DIY?

[rajin929]

My fiance's 07 Mazda 3 has been having trouble starting recently. (sedan, auto, 2.0L)

When the car is in Park, it will not start - but will start when the car is in Neutral. The problem is intermittent. My guess is a faulty neutral safety switch.

Has anyone here replaced thiers and have a DIY on it? Is it simple to do?

Her warranty ran out a while back, and I'm hoping I can fix this myself. I'm a honda guy and work on my own car but not too familiar with Mazda's. Beyond normal and routine maintenance this is the only major problem we've encountered since she bought the car new.

I tried searching the forums, but didn't find much.

A google search provided this TSB that mentions checking the switch first, if that is not the issue to replace the connecter to the starter:

http://www.finishlineperformance.com/pdf/mazda3/bulletin/01-037-08-1960a.pdf

any help regarding the switch replacement would be appreciated!

thanks!
Rajin

[Noisy Crow]

It's not the neutal safety switch. It's the parking interlock switch.

http://www.torontomazda3.com/forum/showthread.php?27384-Selector-Switch-Problem-Removing-Center-Console

[rajin929]

thanks!

I did come across that thread - maybe I'm confusing myself with the terminology? There's reference to selector switch / inhibitor switch / neutral safety switch / parking interlock switch. Are all 4 terms synonymous?

The OP in that thread mentions bending the metal actuator in the "selector switch", but then later adds that it did not fix the issue and asked if there were other switches...

Another user replied saying that the dealership changed the "inhibitor switch/neutral safety switch"

lol

[rajin929]

so after a month of driving, we have not encountered this issue - so weird!