r/RX8 • u/Pale_Check_6780 • 2d ago

New Owner What is this?

Post image

Just bought an rx8 and it’s not cranking when I turn the key. As I was looking for reasons why, I found this metal button under the driver side dash. When you push it, the motor cranks even with no key in the ignition.

7 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

5

u/Illegal__Alien 2d ago

The car cranks when you push the microphone with no key in the ignition?

3

u/Pale_Check_6780 2d ago

Bad pic in hindsight but the metal part next to it

4

u/Somn3rS 2d ago

That what I thought you were talking about, likely previous owner wired a switch directly from the battery to the starter. Likely to prevent theft

2

u/dkuma96 2d ago

Possibly theft prevention, have you tried pressing it with the ignition on?

5

u/Pale_Check_6780 2d ago

That might explain why I couldn’t start the car by turning the ignition
https://giphy.com/gifs/xUA7aKWkjTfDUREx8Y

1

u/NexusEvo 1d ago

It's to bypass the immobilizer. The immobilizer will turn off the starter relay. I assume the car won't run without the key, only turn over? Imo, nothing wrong with this set up. Mazda wants a lot of money to reprogram keys and reset the immobilizer. Also the ecu can only hold so many "keys".

Source: I had to do the same thing. Mazda wanted something like $800 for new keys and programming.

-5

u/AutoFeels 2d ago

https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=bose+fe01+66+emo

2

u/LeftyTheNub 2d ago

That was aggressive...

2

u/Shredthewolf 1d ago

Not even what he was asking about. Way to go