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My Mazda 3 ran out of diesel and now it won't start

Asked by Gurcharan

My 2008 Mazda 3 ran out of diesel and now the car won't start. I need help

Answered by CarsGuide

18 Jan 2024 David Morley

Many diesel engines don't appreciate being run out of fuel and will exhibit this behaviour if you allow them to run dry. That's because a lot of diesels have a fuel system that doesn't automatically prime itself and start pumping fuel once it's run dry.

As a result, some diesel cars have a hand primer under the bonnet that allows you to prime the diesel fuel pump and get going again. But modern ones like your Mazda often don't, and priming them involves a specific procedure to get the fresh fuel from the tank to the engine. Most workshops will be able to carry out this job for you, but simply continuing to crank the engine with your fingers crossed will do nothing more than flatten the battery.

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