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'04 VR Rx8 with ENGINE/Tranny Problems(sueing Mazda)...help please?

Old 02-21-2009, 05:28 PM
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CA '04 VR Rx8 with ENGINE/Tranny Problems(sueing Mazda)...help please?

ok so i have that problem with the shttered syncros in my 2004 red rx8(MT) with 65K miles. We are sueing Mazda because they refused to replace the transmission even though Galpin Mazda dealer mechanic said that it needs to be replaced. The Problem is the when going to 4th, 5th, and now 6th the gears grind for a second or more when at high rpms. We are covered under the warranty because we stated this problem at 25K miles. Mazda's reasons for not replacing the transmission was mainly on how we did not have dealer loyalty(meaning we didnt get ALL oil changes done at a Mazda Dealer). HOW RIDICULOUS?
We know its the syncros for sure in the tranny

NOW the engine problem.
This engine problem started happening after the transmission syncros started messing up. when we start the car(when warmed up and cold start) it idles roughly. If you look at the rpm gauge the rpms are constanly moving between 750-1100RPM. If you stand behind the car, you can hear the car misfiring too. We have had the spark plugs replaced by Mazda with their High-Performance plugs because we have had this problem. However this time, the whole car shakes when the engine is idling rough. Also when we turn the A/C on you can feel the engine shudder a little and the whole car just shakes and what not. We do drive this car to redline occasionally but not ALL the time so the car has been treated well. Also the CEL recently came on but i have checked the oil and it is perfectly fine. I forgot to mention that you can smell the unburnt hydrocarbons coming from the exhaust and the whining from the engine differentiates tduring the idle. Sometimes when it gets bad it sounds as if the engine is about to stall.
Unfortunately, it cant be the spark plug issue because there hasnt been a severe power loss as the last time when my spark plugs went out.

PLEASE HELP(i am sueing mazda for the trannya s thats a known problem. But if any of you know anything about the engine, i am looking for help on that). If you need any more information i will gladly give it to you!
Old 02-21-2009, 06:44 PM
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ill wish you good luck!
Old 02-22-2009, 12:03 AM
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thanks...i hope someone out there knows what to do with my engine. I hope its part of the recall =D
Old 02-22-2009, 01:09 AM
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2004 red rx8(MT) with 65K miles. = out of warranty.

Dealer and Mazda is under no obligation to replace the tranny under warranty even if you brought it in 50 times complaining of the issue. It needed to be fixed before 20K miles ago, not 20K miles out of warranty.

If the tranny is really the problem, it will be cheaper for you to just replace the tranny with either a used one or an ebay one, than it will cost you for court costs on some court case that you won't win. I'd be checking the clutch pedal and bracket and looking at driver skills as several of the first things to check.

And the CEL light means something (like a coil or sensor or actuator) is not working or failed. Not that the car needs oil. Needing oil has nothing to do with a Check Engine Light. You need to see what the CEL is by using a CAN bus OBD II reader. That will probably indicate the driveability problem.
Old 02-28-2009, 05:39 PM
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ok number one, when sueing Mazda it is free buddy. The lawyers have MAzda pay them



This is from my other thread about this on another forum:
-your pulsating idle, does it go away as soon as you push in on the clutch?

-i will have to check on the idle. I will do that in a few minutes. What is the recall code?

On my receipt they said they did MSP16


-ok so im looking at my invoice for theemission recall....the reflashed PCM and checked the cat,.....thats it.


Isnt there more to this like the road test(correct me if im wrong).

they also stapled a Vehicle Emission Recall-Proof of Correction to my receipt saying that the vehicle has been "repaired,modified,and/or equipped with new emission control devices to meet applicable California Emission Control Laws." BUT in the receipt, nothing was ever modified or repaired!

please let me know if i am misunderstanding anything.

as for the engine pulsating....when i push the clutch in it still pulsates. Also i accelerated(with clutchboth in and out) and when the RPMs lower to the 2000-800 range, the engine/car shakes. This is occuring in neutral, parked.
Old 02-28-2009, 09:23 PM
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MSP16 is just a service that flashes the latest PCM program into the stock Mazda PCM. It adds revised MOP and idle settings.

It is not a emissions recall, but rather a suggest service procedure. MSP16 can be considered a emissions modification if you have a pre-07 car that never got the first emissions update (mid 06). Regardless, MSP16 does not require a road test and is something done by most dealers if the car comes in for service regardless of it there is a complaint. Replacement of the cat also would get you a repaired emissions tag. Did they replace it or did they inspect it?

Again, if you have a CEL, there is a problem with the car unrelated to anything but something wrong with how the car is running. It sounds like you have a bad cat converter if I am reading between the lines on your post. That would set a CEL, but again if you had read the code you would know for sure.


and as far as the legal things you have mentioned, unless you have a signed contract with a lawyer that says he (or she) will work for free if you loose the case (and you will loose that case) you will have to pay. It is doubtful that you would have 0 court costs regardless.

So have you contacted a Lawyer and he said he (or she) will file a suit and there will be no court costs or fees from him regardless of if you win or loose? Pro bono cases are seldom done for simple contract disputes.
Old 02-28-2009, 10:47 PM
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we are sueing under Lemon Law. and you dont know for sure if we are going to lose. According to our attorney we have a very good chance due to how our complaints were recorded before 65K miles and that is what, according to MAZDA, said they need.

so do i request a road test be done with the vacuum test?
they never replaced the cat, they neever replaced anything. I thougt the road tesat is part of the recall so they can check if i need a new engine. I have an 04 model.
Old 03-01-2009, 12:07 AM
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My dad had a piece of crap "lemon" Isuzu Axiom that Norman Taylor & Asso took on I got my Dad $18,000 back form Isuzu as the car was unsafe to drive and had stalling problems from month three of ownership. Norm Taylor & Asso of Glendale, CA do nothing but California lemon law cases. All cases they take are no charge to the consumer - they get paid by the manufacturer per Calif law if they win.

If they can't get the manufacturer to fix, replace, or refund, then the consumer pays nothing. Norm Taylor & Asso aren't angels and don't do pro bono - they make money doing this. They have accepted my dad's case again, which means they think that they are going to win and make a nickel.
Old 03-01-2009, 12:42 AM
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Originally Posted by jdmtunerguy
My dad had a piece of crap "lemon" Isuzu Axiom that Norman Taylor & Asso took on I got my Dad $18,000 back form Isuzu as the car was unsafe to drive and had stalling problems from month three of ownership. Norm Taylor & Asso of Glendale, CA do nothing but California lemon law cases. All cases they take are no charge to the consumer - they get paid by the manufacturer per Calif law if they win.

If they can't get the manufacturer to fix, replace, or refund, then the consumer pays nothing. Norm Taylor & Asso aren't angels and don't do pro bono - they make money doing this. They have accepted my dad's case again, which means they think that they are going to win and make a nickel.
It's awfully interesting that your family seems to be stricken with so many lemon cars.
Old 03-01-2009, 01:58 AM
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Originally Posted by jdmtunerguy
NOW the engine problem.
This engine problem started happening after the transmission syncros started messing up. when we start the car(when warmed up and cold start) it idles roughly. Not normal, but pretty common. Could also be air conditioner, bad coils/plugs/wires/maf, etc.

If you look at the rpm gauge the rpms are constanly moving between 750-1100RPM When starting from a cold, hunting is pretty normal. .

If you stand behind the car, you can hear the car misfiring too.normal, car runs rich

We have had the spark plugs replaced by Mazda with their High-Performance plugs because we have had this problem. Mazda doesn't have a seperate high performance plug.. I'm pretty sure they're all the same

However this time, the whole car shakes when the engine is idling rough.engine mounts

Also when we turn the A/C on you can feel the engine shudder a little and the whole car just shakes and what not. that would be the AC cycling, could be normal, you might need new mounts

We do drive this car to redline occasionally but not ALL the time so the car has been treated well. General concensus is beating on the car IS treating it well

Also the CEL recently came on but i have checked the oil and it is perfectly fine. Why would you check oil for a CEL? get the code pulled to see what its telling you

I forgot to mention that you can smell the unburnt hydrocarbons coming from the exhaust and the whining from the engine differentiates tduring the idle. Normal, the car runs rich from factory

sometimes when it gets bad it sounds as if the engine is about to stall. see before


Unfortunately, it cant be the spark plug issue because there hasnt been a severe power loss as the last time when my spark plugs went out.huh? fouled plugs doesn't always lead to sever power loss

PLEASE HELP(i am sueing mazda for the trannya s thats a known problem. But if any of you know anything about the engine, i am looking for help on that). If you need any more information i will gladly give it to you!
in bold/underlined

Last edited by cjkim; 03-01-2009 at 02:04 AM.
Old 03-01-2009, 06:28 AM
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engine problem likely the neutral position switch.. it will cause a cel after while.

beers
Old 03-01-2009, 11:04 AM
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Originally Posted by swoope
engine problem likely the neutral position switch.. it will cause a cel after while.

beers
Or bad coils. In fact, that would be the first thing I'd try replacing.

Last edited by Rotary Rasp; 03-01-2009 at 11:06 AM.
Old 03-01-2009, 11:05 AM
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Galpin Mazda sucks, they are responsible for my car catching fire. The car was a total loss and they didn't give a ****. So sad.
Old 03-01-2009, 10:02 PM
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Originally Posted by jdmtunerguy
we are sueing under Lemon Law. and you dont know for sure if we are going to lose. According to our attorney we have a very good chance due to how our complaints were recorded before 65K miles and that is what, according to MAZDA, said they need.
Did you request replacement of the transmission??

Because CA lemon law reads as this:
The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (beginning with Civil Code section 1790) provides protection for consumers who lease or buy new motor vehicles. The law requires that if the manufacturer or its representative in this state, such as an authorized dealer, is unable to service or repair a new motor vehicle to meet the terms of an express written warranty after a reasonable number of repair attempts, the manufacturer is required promptly to replace the vehicle or return the purchase price to the lessee or buyer.
So, the warranty expired at 50K miles... and you are just suing now at 65K miles? Like any judge is going to accept that...LOL

Your lawyer must be an idiot to take a case like that, or you are not telling us the truth on something.

so do i request a road test be done with the vacuum test?
they never replaced the cat, they neever replaced anything. I thougt the road tesat is part of the recall so they can check if i need a new engine. I have an 04 model.
MSP-16 clearly does not have anything to do with a road test... here it is for you and your lawyer:
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...13-08-1925.pdf

Originally Posted by mac11
It's awfully interesting that your family seems to be stricken with so many lemon cars.
LOL I thought the same thing when I read that.

jdmtunerguy When did your dad sue on his Axium??? 65K miles after owning it? That must be pretty cool.

Face it, you don't know how to drive, have a busted engine mount and probably have a weak or failing clutch pedal support. You don't have a court case, but might had scam going

Last edited by Icemark; 03-02-2009 at 01:13 PM.
Old 03-01-2009, 10:57 PM
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Technically the power train is covered for 10 years 100k miles.

But you know.. I see your name is "jdmtunerguy" did you happen to "tune" your car at all?? Maybe your car is actually a JDM and not covered under US warranty?
Old 03-01-2009, 11:14 PM
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Originally Posted by rollerbldes
Technically the power train is covered for 10 years 100k miles.

But you know.. I see your name is "jdmtunerguy" did you happen to "tune" your car at all?? Maybe your car is actually a JDM and not covered under US warranty?
no,

the engine core is covered for 8 years 100k miles..

beers
Old 03-02-2009, 02:24 AM
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Originally Posted by swoope
no,

the engine core is covered for 8 years 100k miles..

beers
Ah yes you are right.

8 years 100k miles for:
Rotary Engine Core

Rotary Housing and Internal Parts

Internal Seals and Gaskets

So nope tranny is only 4 years 50k miles.
Old 03-10-2009, 12:58 AM
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Clean your maf, change your coils, check the cat or replace it, change your intake or clean it, change your spark plug wires, and might as well change your spark plugs again too they don't last long with bad coils, then report back to us your car will run better.
Old 03-10-2009, 04:30 PM
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I hope u win ur case.

Im pretty sure that dealership screwed up another car which got completely totaled and roasted.
Old 03-11-2009, 11:54 AM
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*shakes head*
As said, you waited toooo long.
Who did you **** off? Manufactures replace stuff instantly when under warranty. They don't say, just wait it out till 65k miles?
(granted italian) My Ducati had issues and lots of them. Ducati was ALL over it. They replaced anything and everything that was even slightly off. They don't just shrug stuff off.
They may take your case for free, but you will not win. Billion dollar company versus your $25k car. You already lost. Just pay up, fix it and stop trying to destroy the economy even more. You clearly don't know anything about cars and you are going to go into a court of law versus a manufacture? Really? "Yeah my car has some shaking problems, smells kinda funny out the exhaust, and when I forget to push the clutch in the gears grind. Whats up with that?" lol
Old 03-12-2009, 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by jdmtunerguy
Mazda's reasons for not replacing the transmission was mainly on how we did not have dealer loyalty(meaning we didnt get ALL oil changes done at a Mazda Dealer)
Two guys local to me have had issues regarding their service work history as well...and the symptoms you are describing sound identical to what one of the local guys experienced prior to his engine blowing.

Good luck on this. I was a proud owner of a 2004, prior to having a transmission fail. Was unhappy to see it go, but was pleased to avoid some of the problems you 04 owners are now confronting with the rotary.

As a side, I've kept my broken clutch bracket, because I really do feel that it was the cause of my transmission failure, and that it was a faulty design.
Old 03-13-2009, 03:41 PM
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I was originally going to write up this long drawn out hate mail to you.. However after reading your posts I see that you have no clue as to what you are doing, and are lost in the void of rotary land..

Please replace the trans fluid with mt-90, change your coils and plugs, get a new cat, Get some Mazda zoom engine cleaner and get all that nasty carbon buildup out... then come back crying to us.. Once all of that is fixed.

I can 100% assure you that if you have owned the car from 25k to 65k lemon law will not apply and Mazda will make you eat their legal fees..

However Option B if you want to be smart is to POLIETLY talk to Mazda customer service at their corporate HQ out here. Don't think you are entitled to anything.. Then after you get and OK to get the trans replaced go visit another dealer. Just because galpin is close that doesn't mean you need to go there.
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