Mazda Forum - Mazda Enthusiast Forums

Hello everyone. Thank you in advance for your help! I am trying to troubleshoot my daughter's ignition problem and I need a little help.

First of all, it is a 2002 Mazda Protege5, 2.0, 180K miles.

Here is the problem. In order to start the car, we have to turn the key from the off position to the start position very fast without a pause. We cannot start it like our other cars where we turn the key to get all the lights on, and radio, and so on, then turn further to start. It has to be a fast, uninterrupted motion from off to start. I have never replaced an ignition switch or assembly. Is the odd starting process a sign of the ignition switch going bad? Is it the ignition lock cylinder? Do I need to replace both?

I am worried that it is going to fail completely and leave my daughter stranded. I can do the work, so I don't want to just take it to a shop or dealership. I just need a better idea of what is going wrong so I don't waste time and money on the wrong parts.

Thank you all so much for any help you can provide!