ChristInBen

Hi guys,

I need some advice on a really bad issue that I'm going through with Mazda right now.

Early this year, Mazda replaced my third brake light for me and approx. June of this year, I started seeing a ring of rust develop around it. I went to the dealer and told them that perhaps they didn't tighten the seals or something because the ring of rust was only forming around the brake light. They looked at it, and said that it would be covered under warranty and that I would need to wait about six weeks or so until it went through Mazda Canada. So I waited, called around the end of August but still no progress on the warranty claim. By the end of September I started getting really annoyed as I was going to store it for the winter, so I called them and guess what.....still nothing. This time I called Mazda Canada, filed a ticket with customer relations and told them the whole story. They got in touch with the dealership and somehow or another after sitting on it for another week or two more, I was asked to bring in my car for inspection again. Remember that all this time, I'm paying insurance for my 8 and my beater cuz I can't store my 8 yet. I took my car in, they took pics of it and I waited again....another week went by and I called and they finally asked me to bring my car in.....it is now November after all this nonsense finally went through.

So I take my car into the Mazda dealership last Monday and they tell me that they would need to take it to a Honda bodyshop (as it is affiliated with the Mazda dealership or something like that) and they would have a senior tech drive it to the Honda dealership. I was very wary of this as I didn't want someone else driving my car alone to another dealership, but the service guy assured me it will be okay as the Mazda tech was an experienced tech. They also told me that I would get it back Tuesday, maximum Wednesday....Thursday rolls around and no call, so I call Mazda and they transfer me to the bodyshop manager at Honda who says they are still working on it and to pick it up the next day. Finally after four days, which is on the Friday, I go to the Honda bodyshop to pick up my car and here is what happened:
1) The car is not finished as the rear Mazda logo has not come in yet.
2) No warranty documents are ready for me because they are apparently waiting on Mazda Canada to send it.

Here is the kicker:
So they roll the car around for me and after explaining what was done to fix the rust on the car, they ask me to come on Monday (this week) to fix the Mazda logo and pick up the warranty documents. Since the car was running while they were talking to me, I was going to go and shut it off, but the bodyshop manager asked me not to and he stuttered for a while but he told me that what he was about to tell me, he wanted to tell me in person and not over the phone because he didn't want me to freak out. He goes on to say that my engine was flooded as one of the tech's tried to move it into a different department and accidentally shut it off. They said they had a top Mazda technician on staff and "de-flooded" the engine and put new spark plugs in it. I was furious! Thank God that I went to turn off the car, cuz I was thinking to myself, had I not gone to turn off the car, would they have told me right away or waited till the warranty documents came and by that time, try to blame it on me cuz I would have driven the car for a while! Anyway, I asked them how could they be so irresponsible to not know that. In any case, I took my car back and called the service manager at Mazda who wasn't around at the time but was given the message. She had the fixed operations manager (who oversaw service and bodyshop I assume at Honda) call me and he tried to re-assure me that the car was in better condition now. I honestly was very upset....I told him that for over two years since I've owned the car, I've been careful enough not to flood it and they (being mechanically sound people knowing about the RX8 flooding issue) flooded my engine? I found that hard to believe! He started to blame my battery....I told him that if the car was started and flooded, the battery would have been fine and it was fine to me....I hate it when people pass the buck instead of owning up! So I asked him to put it in writing that they messed up and to give me that letter along with my warranty documents. He said that he would do that.

So, over the weekend I drove my car on the highway and guess what....while I was driving on the highway, my handbrake light, ABS light, and traction control light all came on!! I took a picture for proof after I had stopped as it didn't go away till I started my car next time. I called Mazda Canada and told them everything at customer relations and told them I'd e-mail all the documents and proof to them, however they told me that they couldn't do anything as the flooding and lights turning on issue are not warranty related and referred me to the general manager at the Mazda dealership. In the meantime, I went to the Honda bodyshop today to pick up my documents and have the Mazda logo stuck and of course they had sent the wrong Mazda logo so I need to come tomorrow again!! On top of that, the letter given to me by the fixed operations manager state that the car came to Honda already flooded, which means that Mazda had flooded it and instead of it being driven there, they apparently flat-bedded it there.

I was really really upset by this time, so I finally got hold of the general manager for an appointment tomorrow and even though he didn't sound too friendly to begin with, he granted me the appointment tomorrow with himself and the service manager to discuss this. I'm going to tell him that I've babied the car all these years and done all my services at Mazda and never flooded it....i trusted them with my car for the warrantied repair and now I can't trust that it's in the same good condition as it was when I dropped it off at Mazda. Plus, the three warning lights start coming on for the first time ever after this whole mishap which leads me to think that they could have accidentally damaged something else! I am definitely going to ask him for compensation on this.

What are your thoughts? What should I ask as compensation? What should be checked out....especially with this warning light issue? What should I do if they deny any means of compensation? I would appreciate any help you could give.

Thanks and God bless you guys.

Ben.

Thumper3322

Wow dude long BS story. Only good thing in all that is by the sounds of it you got new spark plugs If they didn't do that, then I would be even more pist! Do your dash lights go off after you turn off and restart your car? If so, do they come on again later? If the battery was reset, then those lights will come on until you correct them (wheel left than right) and after a bit of driving the other ones should turn off.

As for compensation...what are you looking for? In short if they did screw something up, it should be fixed. Drive the car, brake hard, red-line etc and see if you notice anything different. The flooding is never good of course, but only happening the once isn't so bad. The problem is gas gets pushed into the cat which is not good for the cat. U could say you want a new cat Then you would be better off than before. That would be my biggest pisser!

Depending on their attitude when you meet with them, u can always hint this has already been posted on here and EVERYONE is awaiting the outcome. AS NO 8's will be going to that dealership anymore if they *** u over. Least for me I wouldn't be going to this dealership after this kinda BS. They wouldn't like dealing with me lol.
Also u can contact mazda canada, better business bureau etc...if it came to that.
GL!

REV-illusions

iTrader: (3)

ummm... the light thing.. I highly doubt it would be related to a flooding... infact... I really can't see how the two could be tied at all... Only time I've ever seen all that **** light up was when I'd dug into the ABS on the car and came to a complete stop. After that I just turned the car off and on and everything was good.

so... the break light thing.... very shitty... but very odd... the 8 is known to rust (actually.. all RX series are)... but not in that spot... but.. at least they've attempted to fix it... as for warrantee claims... I wouldn't blame the dealership for the delay... all those things go through Mazda Canada.. so.. you can wag your finger at them.

as for the flooding. Relax. People flood their car's all the time...doesn't really mess anything up.. 'cept the plugs.. and you mentioned that they put in new sparks for you... if they did that for free I woulda said that was great service. You shoulda been happy.. most places would have charged you for deflooding it. Heh.. read the lil' form you sign out when you drop the car off... anything that happens while the car is in their care is still your responsibility.. least these guys owned up to it.

ChristInBen

Yeah, the lights only appeared once and stayed on completely till I turned off the car and then I never saw it again. I understand that the lights are not related to the flooding issue, but I was thinking that they accidentally did something for it, or even worse, took my car out for a joy ride.

I'm gonna ask for a cat replacement.

Are you serious!? That would mean that everytime we trust the dealership to service our cars, we are taking a risk and they can do what they like with our cars!? I am definitely gonna check out the form when ever I drop my car off for service at any dealership again....thanks for mentioning that.

Anyway, I will let you guys know after I meet with the general manager and the service manager of the dealership. Depending on their outcome of how they treat me, I will release the dealership name to all of you so that you can avoid it in that case.

Thanks again guys for your help!

Thumper3322

Lights - They replaced your plugs, so they disconnected your battery which when starting the car the lights will come on, you drive for a bit, turn the car off and on and the lights should be gone. No biggy! If they come on again...problem but doubt they will.

Cat - you can ask but doubt it Cat is $2,500+

Rev - I can't believe that man, they take your car, they are responsible for it while it's in their care. If they weren't why would they give a crap. It's the same thing as any trade you are responsible when working on a job, if you *** up, you fix it!

SaugaBoy

Seeing as how you are from Mississauga, I would guess it was either of 3, Erin Mills Mazda, Ontario Mazda, or Mississauga Mazda I believe its called on Erin Mills PKWY north of Britannia.

I had my cat replaced twice, once with about 3000 something kms on it. Took to the dealership, Erin Mills Mazda, hooked it up to the comp, and said that the engine was flooded 3000+ kms ago, which left it with 8 kms. I recieved the car new with 9 kms. So it was flooded on delivery, and only got worse as I put more kms on the car until I finally got the engine light. They replaced it, no questions asked. The second time was at 60,000 kms when my engine went dead. Mississauga Mazda was the dealership that time, and replaced the cat too. Both times I believe the price of the cat was only $1300. Atleast I remember that was the price that Erin Mills Mazda told me when they replaced it the first time.

REV-illusions

iTrader: (3)

Believe it dude. They aren't responsible for anything. Too which I'll state again. For the dealership to give you new sparkplugs for free is pretty damn amazing. While flooding will normally add to the build up of crude on them.. they can still do a quick scrape and slap em back in their without you ever knowing.

Anyways... do whatever you wanna do... but if it was me.. I'd cut them some slack.. they messed up.. they owned up to it... they fixed it.. and then they went above and beyond and actually gave you sparks plugs for free (which aren't cheap at a dealership if you haven't looked into it yet).. even though they didn't have to.

Just remember. No one is perfect.

ChristInBen

It's new plugs because the old ones are in a box in my car....unless they did scrape them and put them back in my car and put another set of old plugs in a box. I would highly doubt that so I think that they put new plugs in my car so thank God for that.

I just met with the general manager and the service advisor who did my car there. The service advisor is a great guy, however the system in which the dealership operates really sucks and the general manager wasn't very nice anyway. However after much pestering for some compensation, I managed to get a good rebate off some labour I wanted done for an install. The service manager was also nice enough to do a computer test for error codes and there was none so you guys are probably right in the battery being reset cuz thanks to God I haven't seen those lights again.

The dealership with the issue is Ontario Mazda and the bodyshop is at Oakville Honda.

Anyway, in the future, I plan to go to Oakville Mazda because they are such a lovely bunch who care about RX-8's. Plus it's a lot closer to my house and workplace.

Thanks for your help guys.

Footman

iTrader: (2)

God bless you.

nate340

skimmed thru all this in short id make sure your batt terminals are on nice and tight. that could be causing the lights on the dash issue.

Footman

iTrader: (2)

Put white lithium grease on the terminals after you've connected the battery wire. It will seal it in and prevent corrosion.

ChristInBen

Thanks again for all your help guys. I'm actually planning on garaging it this weekend, so pumping up the tires to about 40-50psi and gonna disconnect the battery terminals.

01Racing

I love my new Toyota home lol

Okay, i can almost guarantee what happened. When your car was in for service, someone left the door open overnight or even for a couple of days. That caused the battery to weaken and when someone went to start it, the car flooded. Every night before locking up i would walk through the shop and turn off ignition keys of close doors on cars in the shop. The problem was resolved when I would take the keys out of any car with a door/trunk light left on or keys in the ignition in the "on" position. That is probably what caused the battery to be low enough to flood the car. I am glad its resolved though.

nate340

its funny you mention that al my dad's a master mechanic at ford and always leaves my keys in the ignition in the on position. annoys the hell out of me.

01Racing

Used to be a common issue nate, id see it all the time

volcomx31

iTrader: (4)

mazda has the worst service..sorry man

01Racing

May its not the service maybe its the customers lol. Maybe Mazda has the worst service customers........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahaha

ChristInBen

Lol....thanks so much Al!