OK, this is feel good post - i think. The temp here is about 32 deg. F. We went to lunch - the car was warmed up by the time we got to the resturant - ate - one hour later jumped in the car starting going back to lunch. Got to a busy intersection. Up to this point wasn't running the car hard. Zoomed across the intersection - looked down - CEL. Not blinking. Drove to dealer (its on my way back to work). Fella says. Wait in lobby will fix it now!!! Remember - Its ONE day before Christmas Eve. Not a lot of people around. Sat in waiting room for 45 min. Car fixed.

Work order says this:

Customer States check engine light is on.
False engine codes P0126 engine coolant temp not stable
driveabliity test install WDS to reprogram PCM with latest update.
Inspect cooling system. All ok at this time.

Said thank you to the service writer, shook his hand, wished him Merry Christmas!!

 

This is the code the corrupted flash would cause..

Is this your regular dealer? I wonder if they have the mode 9 data..

 

He told me he new of the bad codes and the new one he gave me should be the good one now. x-fingers

 

As I was coming back from lunch today the same thing happened to me. Car was running fine at the time. I knew it had oil. I just checked the it Monday night. The outside temp was 2 degrees though. Figured it had something to do with that. Called the dealer and he knew right away what it was. They're going to reflash the reflash tomorrow.

 

Interesting, you guys are getting reflashed, while we are out of service for a for more than a week sending our PCMs to Mazda.

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?p=666433

I wonder if they are flashing with an older version or what? I figured even if they were sending the computer to Mazda, they would at least be able to pop a new one in and reflash.

jgv999

 

My engine light came on for the first time back in August. The dealership flashed it and had no problems until November. The car flooded for the first time after having it for just over a year. Now the engine light has come on 3 times since. The code P0126 keeps showing up.

The second time the code showed up, the mechanic took the car for a test drive and apparently the thermostat was stuck open. Got that replaced and a week later the light came on again.

Now I'm on the fourth time the light has come on and the fifth trip to the dealership in about 1.5 months.

This is getting a bit irritating. If I didn't love the car so much I'd go back to owning a Nissan.
There's got to more going on than Mazda is able to figure out.

 

I seriously doubt the thermostat was the issue in the first place..

The only way to solve this (at this point) is to have the PCM sent to the tech guys for a backdate. Last winter as the flooding issues were piling up there was a flash developed to have the PCM take more than one parameter on start-up.

1) Engine coolant temp or ECT
2) Previous start history

The second parameter had the PCM recall if the car actually warmed up on it's last start and attempted to modify injector pulse at start to prevent floods.

This was the now infamous "M"

The later flashes appear to be an attempt to get all the PCMs close to the same level as there have been very few 05 flood issues. (of course this is the first winter for the 05 models).

This is the info the dealers are using to replace the thermostats..

They should start at the bottom ILO the top...It is the PCM causing this issue

RX8 Workshop Manual - Engine

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DTC P0126, P0128
DTC P0126
DTC P0128
Insufficient coolant temperature for stable operation
Coolant thermostat problem

DETECTION CONDITION
DTC P0126
The PCM monitors the ECT after the engine start for a certain period. If the the ECT never exceeds 71 °C {160 °F} when the following conditions are met, the PCM determines that the coolant thermostat is stuck open.
MONITORING CONDITIONS
Soak time: more than 6 hour
IAT: more than -10 °C {14 °F}
Vehicle speed: more than 10 km/h {6.2 mph}
LOAD: more than 21.9 %
DTC P0128
The PCM calculates the radiator heat radiation ratio while the following conditions are met. If the calculated value exceeds the threshold, the PCM determines that the coolant thermostat is stuck open.
MONITORING CONDITIONS
Soak time: more than 6 hour
IAT: more than -10 °C {14 °F}
ECT at engine start: less than 35 °C {95 °F}
Vehicle speed: more than 40 km/h {24.9 mph}
Diagnostic support note
This is a continuous monitor (Thermostat).
The MIL illuminates if the PCM detects the above malfunction condition in two consecutive drive cycles or in one drive cycle while the DTC for the same malfunction has been stored in the PCM.
PENDING CODE is available if the PCM detects the above malfunction condition during the first drive cycle.
FREEZE FRAME DATA is available.
The DTC is stored in the PCM memory.

POSSIBLE CAUSE
Coolant thermostat malfunction
VSS malfunction
IAT sensor malfunction
ECT sensor malfunction
PCM malfunction

 

hey snap...it was cold out and maybe he reved it too high? fuel line cuts off to keep RPMs down, CEL flashes for a bit but then usually turns off

mine did that on a -15f day even after I had warmed it up for 15min

 

I have tried looking for the location of the vss on the net....can't find anything except for auto....trying to locate the vss on manual...can anyone help??

 

You mean the Vehicle Speed Sensor?

Good news and bad. The good news - the computer just uses the wheel sensors as a VSS, the bad news - there is no one sensor called the "VSS"

S