Hello everyone -

I did a little looking around and didn't see any posts related this...

I took my RX-8 ('04 MT) in for a CEL about two weeks ago - DTC P0420 "inversion fault" - they reprogrammed the ECM w/ new calibration data. No problems for about a week, then, I got another CEL. Same DTC. This time they replaced the catalytic converter and both O2 sensors. W/o my car for 3 days :-(
(the Kia Rio loaner really sucked!....)

Interesting thing is that the Mazda tech. center requested that all the replaced parts be returned for analysis...

Have driven the car for about three days since then - no problem so far. About 5k miles on the odometer. It'd be a real bummer to have to replace the cat that often!!

I know about the issues w/ the rich a/f map on the early versions of flash - was wondering if maybe the car got driven with the grossly rich mixture and maybe that ruined the cat... I asked the service tech. what flash I had and he said that it should have the "latest and greatest" since that's the first thing that the tech. center asks about when they call...

Anyone else had the same problem? Comments?

Sorry to be so long winded... I'm just worried about my baby... <g>

 

failed cats are generally a result of a flood at some point in the car's past.

 

^what he said...

all the failed cats i know of have been flooded at one tiem or anouther.

 

Mazda is really stepping up the the plate in support of our beloved RX8. I'm glad to hear that the engineers want to see the parts. (When parts fail on our product at my manufacturing facility, we always wish to see them.) Did you feel a lose of power during your CEL?

 

Keith L: Had you ever flooded your '8'? What kind/brand oil and Fuel do you use?

 

Thanks for the quick replies, guys...

I've never flooded the car, but, when I bought it, it had 1400 miles on it (probably driven by a salesman or three)... I shudder to think what it might've been subjected to before I got it.

I didn't notice any change in performance when the CEL came on each time, and no noticable change in performance since I've had the car back... I've put nothing but 91 or 93 octane premium in it (almost always "major" brands) and I'm using Castrol GTX.

Anyone have an explanation of what an "inversion fault" is? The service tech told me it means the cat is bad... (duh)

 

That's actually not unusual. My service manager told me every part that gets replaced gets sent back for analysis (with the general exception of fluids).

 

k1ng why would you need to pass emissions ?
either way you deserve to get your car fixed but inspection on a 04 rx8 doesnt sound right.

 

Here in NC you need to get your car inspected every year. I'm not sure what the rules are in NY.

Although, I just learned that if you drive a hybrid electric car, you don't need emissions inspections- just a safety inspection. Hard to talk them into that with the '8.

 

Got my cat replaced yesterday. Same deal - no floods or anything. Just threw a cel. Good news is, they had one in stock at the dealer (this tells me something.) It took overnight to get it fixed, but it's back now and everything seems fine.

It had 100+ miles when I bought it, so it was possibly flooded during that time, but who knows?

 

I had the same problem...they replaced it, Didn't fix anything...dealer said it was clogged and overheating.

Yet they didnt offer me a rental and I am pretty sure driving it like that is not in anyway good for the car. I drove it as less as possible during those 9 days.