05 Mazda 3 AT Light and Check Engine Light
 

Hey guys,

I'm new to the forum and have been reading other posts about people that have had issues with their Mazda 3's AT light and Check Engine light coming on. My 05 Mazda 3 has 96k miles on it and my wife and I have been driving it since it was new. The AT light and check engine light have been coming on- a lot more recently. They came on the other day while I was driving- I stopped, shut the car off and restarted. The AT light was off but the check engine light was still on. I unscrewed the gas gap and put it back on, started the car, but the check engine light was still on. I did this 3 times- the third time- no check engine light. I have gone through this a few times- every time it is the same thing- turn the car off and restart to get the AT light to go off but left with the check engine light on. Screw and unscrew the gas cap 3 times and check engine light goes off. I'm not sure if the gas cap has anything to do with this, but it's what I've been doing.

I left from work today and about 15 seconds into driving both lights came on. I tried the same drill over- the AT light went off but could not get the check engine light off. Went home and then went to AutoZone with the light still to have them read the code. The device the guy had wouldn't show anything (it wasn't broken- he used it on another car while there and it worked fine). So I go to leave and start my car- no AT light, no check engine light. I am also having the issue others have had with the AT light- when it is on, I can't shift into 4th.

Has anyone figured out what causes this? I don't know much about cars and I know you guys are going to scream- but I just had the transmission and radiator fluid exchanged for the first time about 2 or 3 weeks ago at 96k- I was hoping that would take care of the AT light but it hasn't. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Mark

I also wanted to mention that this all started when it was extremely cold. I live in Northeast Ohio and usually it doesn't fall below 10 degrees. The first time my AT light came on was one of the days of the Polar Vortex and it was negative 10, I think- definitely below zero. I drove my car with the AT light on in 3rd gear (wouldn't shift to 4th) and after the car warmed up a bit, the light went off and the car shifted into 4th. I was hoping it was just from the extreme cold (it hasn't been that cold here in 20 years) and that a transmission fluid exchange would fix my problems, but it hasn't.

Started car this morning- started out with no lights and about 30 seconds into driving both came on. Pulled over, shut off and turned back on- just the Check Engine light. Drove to work with the check engine light on. When I came home from work, no lights. It was about 30 this morning and about 45 when I drove home- really wondering if the temperature has something to do with this and whatever is causing the lights