Mazda 3: Faulty Key Replaced With Two New Keys
A Mazda 3 owner could only start their car by placing a faulty key next to the start button. Autobahn cut and programmed two brand-new keys on the spot while they were at work, near Manchester Airport.
What the job record confirms
- Vehicle
- Mazda 3 (identified by Autobahn; year not stated)
- Problem
- Car would only start with the faulty key placed near the start button
- Work carried out
- Two brand-new keys cut and programmed on the spot
- Where
- At the customer’s workplace
- Location
- Manchester Airport area, Wythenshawe
- Equipment used
- Xhorse Key Tool Plus
- Service
- Car key replacement
Source: this record is taken from Autobahn’s own Instagram post of 28 August 2025.
What the record shows
A key that only works when held against the start button is a key on its way out. Replacing it before it failed completely avoided a breakdown, and the owner came away with two keys.
Background: keys that only work near the start button
The points below are general information about this kind of job. They explain the work; they are not additional details about this particular vehicle.
Holding a smart key near the start button is often a backup way to start the car when the key’s battery or signal is weak. If a fresh battery does not fix it, the key usually needs replacing.
Not recorded
To keep this record accurate, the following are not published because neither the original post nor Autobahn’s job notes state them: the model year.
Key getting unreliable?
Send the registration before it fails completely.