So I have had my Rx8 for a few years it's a automatic. Ok so one day it started just fine and ran perfect for a few miles then all of a sudden when I took of from a stop light it wouldn't change out of 4th gear but changed from first to 4th just fine. Also in the time the slippery traction light activated. Does anyone know what the problem is? (Wheel speed sensors). Also a few days later I was putting air in my tires with the car at idle and all of a sudden it shut off and it took forever to get it restarted but it finally did restart but Everytime I put it in gear it stalled out and I would have to deflood it all over again. So long story short what do you guys think could be the problem? Also I changed coils, plugs, wires about 8 to 10 mths before this happened. Please help.

 

First off, if its stalling when at normal operating temperature you should perform a proper compression test with a rotary compression tester. No need to waste money chasing other problems that may not exist when you have an engine with compression that is below spec.

Is the trans shifting normally now? Might want to do a health check and look for any pending or history codes for the trans. Should point you in the right direction.

 

So I do believe it does have low compression but mostly all these cars have low compression correct? I'm currently not driving it because it's so hard to start and once it is started it stalls when I try to put in gear. It done this before and I replaced all coils wires and plugs and it ran fine. So should I replace those and see if it helps again? As far as changing gears it ran perfect until one day it just started acting up like I explain in the post. What should I do?

 

A compression test is important in your case. If you replace your ignition system it could help in the short term BUT, do you have the money to be wasting on parts for an engine in unknown condition? Brand new components won't help a shot engine.

 

How long has it been since the coils were replaced? And where did the replacements come from? If they're cheapo ones off Amazon, all bets are off, but if they're Mazda original they should give you 20-30k miles before becoming suspect again.

As advised above, I'd not spend a single penny on the car until you have results of a compression test and figure out what you want to do. They don't 'all have low compression', only the broken ones do. The solution is to replace the engine and take better care of the new one.

 

Indeed they are the ones off Amazon so I'm thinking ineed new ones again already because it has been about 10,000 miles on the new coils. Do you guys know why the car ran fine and then one day I pulled out of the driveway and it went thru every gear then come to a stop and take off again and then it wouldn't gopast 4th gear and the slippery light illuminated?

 

Don't know too much about automatics, but it might use wheel speed sensors to know.. speed, which determines gear. If one of those is damaged, the DSC system won't work and -- maybe -- the trans won't know what to do either.
Easiest way to figure it out is to hook up a code scanner and see what codes its throwing.

If you ignition is known to have failed, inspect the inside of the catalytic converter. Not doing so further risks your engine.

 

The cat looks good to me it's only about 6 mths old I replaced that at the same time. Also my code reader is not throwing any codes besides running to lean. I really don't wanna take it to dealer because they charge way to much thought someone on here may have had similar problems.

 

The problem is we cant see your car in person, only you can. We try to help as best we can based on what information you give us. Compression could likely be an issue in your case. Engines aren't complicated, you just need to make sure you are getting compression, spark, fuel pressure and getting proper intake and exhaust flow. Any one of those has a problem and you'll be having a tough time.

Insofar as your transmission not shifting properly, this could be an issue in your transmission. Mazda automatic transmissions are terrible and are known to fail. It may be worth your time to take it in JUST to get a diagnosis so it can lead you in the right direction. You need to test, test and then test some more to make sure you find what the culprit is.

 

Running too lean is a pretty major problem. That's not like a thing you can just drive around with and expect the car to survive. Could be part of the puzzle here.

i'd advise visiting the dealer. It'll cost something, but inaction will cost the car.

 

Its def not the tranny because until the slippery sign shows up everything works perfect. Last time the slipoery sign came up was when tge tow guy messed up the rear arm and it caused severe wear on my rear tires we replaced that and it went away. So i no there is no tranny problem for sure.

 

It may not be the transmission problem but it could be something that is hard to diagnose without the correct scan tools. That's why it's good to take it in just so you can narrow down what's causing these problems. I have to do that soon too because I cant read ABS and power steering codes. Not having power steering is driving me insane.

 

If your coils are off sources that are not reputable, I would check them for sure with a timing light. Running too lean could possibly be a ignition issue, since there can be a lot of oxygen that has not been combusted, and the AFR sensor can pick that up as lean.

Compression is a possibility as well, as others have mentioned.

 

Thanks everyone. I will buy all new coils, spark plugs and wires. I am gonna throw in a maf sensor too just for GP. I will let y'all know how it goes. Probably will be a few weeks though as I'm going to be waiting on my tax money in order to get all these things that need to be done. I can't file till the 15th because I have children so I'll probably get it around the 28th so around the first week of March I will let y'all know what's going on. Thanks for taking the time to help me👍

 

Noooo stop! This is the most expensive way to figure out what isn't the problem. Get a proper diagnosis before spending on parts, it will cost something but save you money at the end.

Replacing the coils preventatively is still recommended, but it's money wasted if they're not the problem. They're not causing your current problem.

 

Just do the tests in the meantime before you buy all that stuff! You are wasting your money throwing parts at this car without knowing 100% it will fix the issues. Slow down and do the compression test first to start.