Clavius

Ahhh so as you know I'm having a love hate relationship with my car. I love her to death she's my baby, sadly I hate how the previous owner seemed to have not taken care of her all that well considering it was a "Coporate Lease Vehicle" meaning (as I was told) that all maitence is taken care of by the dealers free of charge.

Ealier this week I ran into a HR woman that works for Mazda Gallery of Norwood. She was very nice woman and very pleasant, I found out she worked for them after commenting on the keyless starter thing she had on her "What Mazda car does that belong to I've never seen it before." and it went on from there. Anyways I talked somewhat freely to her about the service dept but stayed my tongue slightly, I gave a few people good comments and some so-so, and one I didnt comment on at all since I've never dealt with him though someone here has commented on the fact he's a racist ***. Anyways I should of known something bad was going to happen, yanno like her showing up was a Omen of Bad Tidings.

Today Friday Night @ 9pm est I turned my car on to get ready to go out. I usualy let my car warm up for about 5min's since the cold starting to kick in. The 5min's went up and I walked out to the car. I sit down turn the radio on, then turn down the heat, and buckle my seatbelt. As I put my foot on the brake and release the E-Brake I see it. THE SOLID CEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My eyes went wide and my jaw dropped. I had a blinking cel before but never a solid one EVER. I remember some members stating that if you turn it off wait a few then turn it back on it might clear itself out. Well this one didnt, I was furious especialy since no more than a month ago my car was brought in for the recall AND 30k service. I drove to a friends house down the street to calm down and spent the last 40 or so minutes over there. I came back to my car and prayed it was gone. Turned the key.... nope still there solid as anything.

Last few days if not since monday I've noticed my baby doesnt have much well "Pep" anymore. She seems doggish, sluggish, lazy even. I chaulked it up to the Butt Dyno being miscalibrated by my ill health (thank you work for that btw). I did a mental count of a standard launch from a green light and it took about 6 seconds to get to 30mph and that was me gunning the gas pedal. So unless our car can hit another 30mph in 1-2 seconds my 0-60 time is definatly off.

So now I'm waking up early and I'm left with the thoughts of "Do I take her to Gallery or Wellsely" to find out what this CEL is for. Gallery is closer and opened longer 8am-1pm, Wellsely is 9am-12pm.

(side thought, for those whom have definatly been following my sorrid story. Would a failed cat throw a solid cel? As you know my small theory of my bad mileage has been a bad cat yet when the recall was done it tested fine. Sadly it wasnt a physical inspection just a monitoring one. hmmm theories theories...)

toxin440

from my unerstanding blinking CEL i worse then solid CEL.

the fact that it was a corporate lease vehicle seems to be the problem...

hope it's only something like a clogged cat thatsa an easy and presumeably free fix

Red_X8

Blinking CEL usually means random misfire, I bet your solid CEL is for your catalytic converter. All the signs are there, power loss, light on, etc. When my cat was bad they wouldn't replace it because it was still within "spec". So I replaced it with the supercat from RP and everything was fine after that. Another possible thing it could be is your ignition coils/ spark plugs. Look under your hood and locate your spark plug wires and follow them to your coil and then look down to the sparkplug, it sounds stupid but make sure they are connected tightly, sometimes the dealer doesn't put them back on as tight as they should be and they can actually come off, (the wire of course, not the plug). And that could be another reason for your powerloss.

Clavius

possibly Toxin. Way I understood it is that a blinking (as in the cel light flickers then goes away) is a minor issue and that the ECU just thought you should know. Were as a Soid CEL (not going away) is a major issue and requires attention right away.

I'm hoping its my CAT and when its replaced my mileage will go up hardcore that would make it worth it (and be saving me tons on gas money!)

ucleadguitar

iTrader: (1)

Take it to a local AutoZone...they do free Scanning and will tell you the codes. My cel was on and it was because the Gas station guy left the gas cap opened a little...cleared the code and closed the cap...gone! it might be something silly so get it scanned and see what needs to be done.

IZoomZoomI

check your gas cap.

swoope

iTrader: (5)

no,

blinking cel is a random misfire... could be bad plug, or plug wire, clogged injector, bad coil. solid cel could be just a loose gas cap.. all the way to stuck ssv valves.

you will not know till someone reads the codes...

beers

Landon

Dont forget to have someone RUN THE TEST associated with the code. All a code tells you is whats being effected not whats wrong. Alot of people (including some mechanics) make that mistake.

Clavius

Well I went to a Advanced Auto Parts store to get the code read and to my misfortune the guy couldnt get it to work for my car. He said I might have a bent pin or a loose wire because the machine worked fine earlier on today.

All I can say is my power is way down Around 4-5k the engine sounds like its about to have a stroke and the power just feels shakey. First time ever while highway driving I was manually shifting at the recommended shift points, just felt so wrong doing 50mph in 4th gear .

Monday I'm taking the car into my local dealer to find out whats going on, I called up another dealer but they can't take me till Tuesday. Oh and my gas cap is on tight and I filled it up last Saturday so if it took this long for the ECU to figure out "hey his cap is loose" then my ECU is retarded lol.


Btw thanks Landon for the info with what I'm feeling I'm gonna be **** with details and request copies of any test's done for my records.

my10ae

Kev:

Sorry for your issues. Hopefully it will be good as new for next Sat's event.

Astral

Clavius, hope things get fixed alright. Try Ira Mazda in Danvers, I had good luck w/ their service dept.

formatsee

if you're in warranty, just drop it off and get a loaner car. its a new car, don't worry about this stuff. if my car break down or get a cel, i could care less because i haven't done anything that would void the warranty.

and i agree with Astral, Ira has good service, as long as you're not waiting for it.

Landon

I dont think its retarded...the computer is pretty smart. I think the reason the guy at autozone could not read your ecu is because he might not have been using the correct scanner. He needed to use one that can read the CANBUS which is a little different than standard ODBII. Your dealer will be able to do it for sure and if they cant they will fix it LOL. I do wish you the best of luck with all this. For future reference you should look into buying a canbus scanner from someone here in the group. They usually go pretty cheap on here that way you can read your computer and even track everything going on with it.

Clavius

Ahh dropped it off this morning at Gallery Mazda. I think they love giving me partial info. Just enough so I know what's going on but not everything so I can completly look into it (on here hehe!). My Service Rep (Drew) told me my CEL was for a bad airpump (yanno we have one in our engine hot shyt! lol). They cleared the CEL but have to let it cool down to normal operation room temp, then run more tests oh and they had to order a part (the part specificly wasnt mentioned to me) and I should have my baby back by tomorrow.

Guess its time to see how good or bad I am at using our Search for Bad Air Pumps lol.

(This is for me incase I forget
Miles left at the dealer 77.3 with just under half a tank{yes folks I did fill my tank up and that is my mileage so far})

formatsee

if you didn't do your recall yet, maybe u can get them to put in new starter, plugs and battery. complain that it's hard to start.

Clavius

Ahh I am back from searching and found a interesting thread by Dmp about power loss at/around 5k. Seems after a dealers b.s. about working on it he took it to another dealer and they figured out it was a bad CAT. The symptoms he listed are exactly like mine save my CEL is for this um "Air Pump". They claimed mine was working fine but again needed to run some test's tomorrow after letting it sit inside the shop (I'm assuming since he said the engine needed to be dead cold its going to be stored inside).

My car has already been taken in for the recall and I had the 30k maintence done while I was there. If I get the car back and I'm still having the same problem I'm gonna ask for a tech or the service manager to take a drive with me to show him the problem. I highly doubt a bad air pump will cause me to have such sluggish power and have my car feel like it wants to die around the 5k mark. Then again I could be wrong.

Edit: Forgot to mention I got a Mazda6 V6. Its kinda nice but after so long living without huge torque it feels strange being able to gun it and hear the tires squeel lol. That and feeling the torque steer is not a good thing. That and I kept on looking for the digital mph readout then realized half way home it doesnt have one just a normal needle.

my10ae

Kev:

Hope your 8 is all set by this Sat's gathering. If you want to "compare" AT's, you can take mine out for a spin and see if they "feel" the same

Good luck!

Clavius

I should hopefully have it by tomorrow afternoon. When I do I'm gonna take her up Rt1 for a quick run down to see if the powerloss if you will is still there. From what I read through some seaches this airpump is more for the torque converter?? Which I would understand if my powerloss issue was in the low Rpm range but I'm really feeling it at the High Rmp range. Once again if its bad I'm just gonna either
A) Go back to them and ask for a drive along,
or B) Go to Wellsely Mazda.
Still wish your friend Apryl was at Werner 'cause I'd haul it up there 'cause I'm sick of it . Still havent got any responce of my question (in another thread) about taking my side door sill work to another dealer. The rust is back and paint is being stripped again I wanna find this previous owner and take him into a dark alley for a once over with my feet!

my10ae

Your HAPPY FEET? Sorry I had too

secret8gent

I really like Sentry West if you're that desperate for a decent dealer. (And willing to drive out to Westboro for more serious issues) One of the check-in guys can be curt, but the service manager is top-notch.

As for the air pump, I'm not all that familiar with the anatomy of the AT, but isn't there an air pump to help kick off proper catalysis? It sounds like a bad cat to me.

Just my 2 cents.

Clavius

I am home.. I had a message from Gallery to call them up. I did. I was told they are still having misfire issues with my car. They told me they are having two tech's look at the car trying to figure it out and will involve calling up the tech line which will take awhile. I asked them "Have they looked at my CAT yet?" responce "Oh its not to do with your CAT its fine." ................................ So from at first a "Failed Airpump CEL" to now a Misfire issue which two techs can't seem to figure out why. By the end of this if its a failed CAT I'm just gonna have it out with 'em and tell them "Never ******* doubt me!". Oh and I asked so I could look it up here .."Oh by the way what was the CEL code." I got told "Oh man I have no way to know that buddy...." my service rep likes to act chummy with me at times, its endearing but annoying to.

So lets recap shall we.
Friday night I get the Solid CEL

Saturday morning (early like 8am) I get told they can't take me today but monday they can.

Monday they take the car and most likley put off looking at it till after 12 when I dropped it off at 8am!

Monday after 3 I get a call saying "The CEL was for a bad airpump but its actually working fine, we cleared it but we have to hold it over night while we order some parts, that and we have to run more test's before we release it to you."

Today, I call them up and get told "We are still having misfire issue's and two techs are looking at it and calling up the Tech line. We are gonna have to keep your car another night."

Symptoms where very slow acceleration, lack of power, felt like it was gonna die if I brought her past 5k rpm's. Overall felt like my car had the flu.

UGH I just wanna buy RG, Zoom, Swoop, and Otherside tickets to MA and drive them to my dealer and have them look at my car. Sad thing is within 20mins I know the problem will be diagnosed and fixed. Grrr

formatsee

sorry to hear you're having problems with the 8. hope u'll get it back soon and FIXED!

aznboyga

My CEL light was on solid right before I had the recall done. I brought it into Danvers and they said it was due to "Leakage of fumes" possibly from the gas cap or something. Total BS but I've been driving it for about a month now and it hasn't come back on.

aznboyga

Forecast for Saturdays meet, Party cloudy. Hopefully it doesn't rain.

Clavius

Today in Clavius's marvelous journey of pure Dealship Service Dept Hell.......

I ended up sleeping in a bit today woke up at 6:55am and work is at 7:00am. I was up for most the night and couldnt get any sound sleep since whats going on with my car was really pissing me off, especially how I was blown off by the service rep with my suggestion of the CAT. So I finally get to work 20 minutes late thankfully no one cares since most know I've been feeling under the weather (thank you stress and allergies.). I'm still down and out about my car and starting to really hate driving the 6, its a alright car but its just not my baby.

I'm there walking around work mopping and draggin my feet 'cause my engery level is just about at empty. I get fed up and decide to grab a Pepsi since its now just before 10am. I'm at the front registers and buy my Pepsi then stroll around to the back of the registers to pick up a call for my Dept (audible announcement via the phone "Phone call for the Photo Department..."). I sigh knowing its most likely going to be a stupidass question like "Do you guys have 1 hour photo?" or "Is this the Pharmacy?", but its not! No its my Service Rep, he's called to tell me my car is ready. Before I can ask he says the problem was a clogged CAT and it will be ready for me by the time I get out of work. I hang up the phone and just stand there for a moment. Its one of those moments where you just feel everything moving around you ultra fast yet your not moving at all. Slowly my eyes narrow and I clench my fist 'cause well I'm officaly PISSED!!

So I didnt have my car for 2 1/2 days pretty much and if they only asked me on the first day "How does the car feel"... wait they did so let me rephrase that.. If they only asked and actually frigging cared and listened!!!!!!!!!!! I could of saved them over two days worth of needless work on my friggin' baby!! I went home after worked changed and put some colonge on (work chemicals smell trust me bleh!). I haul that Mazda6 to Mazda and park next to my baby (fitting I thought). I do a quick walk around and the person who parked it ended up putting the bumper over the curb (thank god I havent lowered her any YET!) and it wasnt even washed (inside or out thank you for the dirt stains ********!). I find no real new scratches on my baby and stroll on in to the Service Dept. My Rep is there see's me and smiles a bit and tosses me my papers with my key and states "Your all set buddy." I just grab the paper and make no real eye contact since I'm glossing over the sheet. He then comments on my colonge "hey kevin you put some colonge on there buddy?" I retort "Yeah its this or smell like photo chemicals, i'd rather smell like this personaly." a small convo like 3 questions long ensue's and I leave. Oh sure I wanted to go off but I made up my mind last time I'm going to them! Maybe just maybe for a friggin' oil change if I'm ultra ultra lazy like near death bored outa my skull that I forget who I am and what has happened with my baby since I bought her for 25k total after taxes/financing.

So far they've lost two customers on this board possibly 3 to my knowledge. Dont get me wrong they are very damn nice never accused me of abuse or anything like that its simply they dont seem to realize that *gasp* Me or We the customer might just know more about the car than them or their service techs. I suggested they check the CAT yesterday hell I would of told them that on Monday but again I was blown off "Nah its not your CAT your CAT's fine man dont worry about it.". Hell everyone here was stating "Its your CAT" "Sounds like your CAT" yet I get the brush off 'cause why? Because I own the car? Because month's earlier I asked "You guys getting ready for the Recall?" and told "There's no recall for your car man.. we get told about that stuff months in advanced if not a full year." only to have a few weeks later when getting my tail lights replaced "Oh about that recall you mentioned........". Sure I might not be able to list off the exact degree our side seals open and close at by heart but christ I know how to do some research on this forum and because of such gained alot more info than I normaly would alone by myself. (Right here just wanna say thanks for those in our forum and those specificaly in our NE boards whom helped me in anyway shape or form to this point 'cause ya rock! )

Ok back to rant mode god damnit and yes this is a long mofuggin' post sit down kick your shoes off and have a beer damnit!!!! But dont worry gonna wrap this up now.

So yes this new CAT (which wasnt the problem so I shouldnt of worried about it remember!), its um.. hmm.... FUQUING AWSOME!!!!!!!! Being honest to all the damn gods both good and evil the car feels like its brand new to me. Feels like I've just gained about 50hp if not more. I fully believe the CAT's been bad since I bought the car. I took her for a quick run up Rt1 and just yeah I had a smile on my face and kept on telling myself outloud mind you.. "This aint my car... but it is..".

Spec's of work sheet if anyone cares or interested:
F0008XFX EGI System, Diagnosis
33 WM94
F0702ARX Oxidation/Three Way/Warm Up CAT
Converter R&R
33 WM94
1 N3H4-20-55XL Converter
1 N3H1-40-305 Gasket
3 JE10-40-355 Nut
2 9994-01-003 Nut, Flange
FC: 6X
Part#: N3H4-20-55XL
Count: 1
Claim Type: A

Found P0410 Secondary pump malfultion but couldn't find any problem with the pump or PCM malfuction test it on cold start secondary pump workign fine check relay and fuse not problem found at this time.
Found P0410 and P0300 checked secondary air system and found nothing bad in system, everything is working to specifications, checked and found that CAT is clogged and Engine vacum is low, clogged CAT cause excessively hight amperage to be drawn by secondary air pump replaced CAT and verified repair ok.

(Please note guys that the last part is written word for word.. someone can't type that well hahaha... bleh!)