dntx5b9

My 2004 flooded for the second time in 4 months. The dealer is saying that I have to pay for it this time. Has anyone here able to get Mazda to pay for the second repair? I may just make a small claims against Mazda. Any idea on how to get them to pay?

Mazurfer

How did you flood it and what did you tell them was the reason. Those most likely should have been two diferent things.

HiTMaNN

If your car is out of warranty they will not cover Flooding of your engine. Taking them to small claim court will likely get you nothing. You as a owner should try to be more vigilante on turning your car off before it is warm etc etc

dntx5b9

The car is still under the extended warranty. Only problem is that this is the second time. I don't need the preaching about flooding. I know it's an issue and I know what to do to prevent it. But you can't always think about your engine when some urgent things come up that flooding is not the first thing in your mind.

Not sure what you base on your opinion on small claims, but the hassle of it usally is good enough reason for a bigger company. It will cost them more to defend. But I am actually thinking about a class action suit. I think it warrants it.

1. I was never told about this flooding prblem at the dealer when I bought the car.
2. The manual does not say anything about flooding (other than how to start a flooded engine) and what to do or what not to do. How's an owner who does not know anything about it, avoid the problem?
3. If this is a know problem (and it is), this should be clearly brought to all owners attention and owners be told of exactly what to do and what not to do. Running it for few minutes? How many? They should freaking put an engine flooding warning light.

I think my points are warranted. Yes, I am not happy about this. I really don't think I should pay for Mazda's incompetance.

r0tor

iTrader: (1)

As an owner for 4.5 years, i disagree

its printed all over the owners manual, and new buyers even received a video...

Funny you mention that - why should they pay for your incompetence?

Mazurfer

I'll agree with you on almost all points you made. I'll have to go check, but I think the manual does in fact say something about letting the car warm up before shutting it down. I'll go look, but the point is moot.
Wait at least until you reach normal operating temp before shutting it down. I know that you know this, but ya have to remember this one thing if nothing else on the whole darn car.
There are ways to start a flooded engine, none are good or that easy in my opinion, but you can do a search and find out. It's possible to tow start it(not going to call it push starting), but you need to find the post on that. It's probably kinda standard....get it going at about 15mph and then pop the clutch, when it fires there will be tons of smoke and keep it running and then go run it hard. Do not take this last paragraph and go try it. Find the thread that talks about it first.

Good luck!

dntx5b9

My manual is in the car which is at the dealer, so I don't have access to it. So, I looked up online, and I couldn't find anything related to how to avoid not flooding the engine. May be my paper copy does have something on it. However, I have a 2004 and I never got a video and show me where it is all over the manual. I will go look it up in case I missed it. May be the new ones do, but not on mine. And thanks for that vote of confidence. You must really love your 8 and nothing is as important as your 8. I suppose I can somewhat understand...

By the way, who really read through their freaking manual after buying a car?

Here is the link to the online manual. I think it's the same one I have. Again, couldn't find anything.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/pdf/...004_owners.pdf

HiTMaNN

I was super excited when I bought my 8 and I did read through the whole manual.

If your car is under extended warranty why does it matter how many times you flooded your engine? You're telling me if I was under warranty and my engine went I would only be allowed to have one engine replaced (obviously not abusing it)? That ain't the case if it is under warranty it is under warranty.

I think you are leaving out a few things here.
What did the dealer say?
What was there reason for not covering it under your warranty?
Did you not know that Extended Warranty is a sham?
In your extended warranty that you purchased does it cover flooding?
Why don't you just deflood the engine yourself and save the $$$ they are going to charge you?

dntx5b9

My car is still under the extended power train warranty from Mazda. It is 5 years/60K. And yes, they will only fix it once under the warranty. I just discovered when the dealer called me and told me it's going to cost me around $350. That's what's going on. May be you know how to deflood the engine easily, but I don't and really don't want to. So, I will try to fight the dealer. I think I have a good case.

Mazurfer

Go for it and let us know what happens.
And I'm not being sarcastic

first-rotary04

iTrader: (4)

what dealer did you take the car to ??

I go to Rosenthal Mazda and as for now (almost a year ) never had any issues with them.

Plus, I have an '04 as well with the same warranty.

I flooded it once and they paid for the towing expenses from Landover, MD all the way to Arlington, VA and everything else they did.

dntx5b9

Same dealer. They paid for the first one, but won't for the second one. So, they will fix the defect once, but not twice.

first-rotary04

iTrader: (4)

how many miles on your car ?? I have 35k and about to go back there for some stuff. It seems that I'll have some serious talking with them and find out once and for all

I'll let you know

BTW, who do you talk to over there??

I talk to Shaun Fauz

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

There is a page in the middle section talk about Flooding. you probably just overlooked it.

For your reference, ANY engine can flood, Even PISTON engine can flood, but the problem why Rotary floods easier is that if the engine is cold and you shut it off, the fuel-air mixture will turn back into liquid so fast, Then it sits at the bottom of the rotor housing, When you try to crack it, its loaded with liquid it might prevent plugs from firing. on a Piston engine, the fuel might just go down to the Engine oil area, leaving the combustion chambers free of Liquid, easy to fire.

For the reading manual thing, I know I read mine, not the whole thing tho. (Who the hell needs to read about how to operate the Radio and AC anyway ? lol)

HiTMaNN

I all of a sudden feel like an idiot now

r0tor

iTrader: (1)

you admit to this, yet when you disregard this knowledge its not your fault? Give me an f'in break...

r0tor

iTrader: (1)

Great excuse... i can't be held accountable by my own stupidity

Huey52

iTrader: (2)

I did, and those of every car I've ever owned. But that's just me.

Old Rotor

I too read the manual when I buy a new car. Some people on here did not read it and had to pay for a new engine because they did not add oil as it went down from normal use. As ZOOM says on here everything you need to know is in the MANUAL!

dntx5b9

You give me an f'in break. You have no idea how I flooded the car so shut the f'up if you don't have anything positive to say.


Ok, I am glad you all you smart people read the manual cover to cover to figure out how to operate your radio, temp, control, and other easy stuff. May be the 8 was your first car. So, tell me since you mastered the manual, where does it say anything about what not to do to avoid flooding? I can't seem to find on mine and nor does my service rep at the dealer. The guy was very surprised there was nothing in the manual. But mine is 2004 every early edition, so Mazda may have an updated manual with something about flooding in it. Don't know.

By the way, I did read some part of the manual, not cover to cover. I never said I didn't read it. I said what I said about the manual out of frustration.

HiTMaNN

Ahhhh the Root of all Evil.... Anger

MicronX

I wonder why everyone on here is raging on this one question filled individual... this part of the forum is made for advice, and I don't believe any part of the forum is made for flaming... though I could be wrong.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

In short :

if your car is still under warranty, and you have all service records, like your oil receipts, etc , they CANNOT make you pay for the 2nd flooding. The dealership just trying to bullshit you. Cuz when they try to Bill Mazda they can only bill them up to a certain pre-set amount of labor hours. for Parts they cant really get money from it. Mazda will give it to the case for *free*.

but if they can get you to pay, they can charge you whatever they want to charge for parts, probably what 60 bux for each spark plugs? when it actually cost 20 for trailing and 9 bux for leading(thats how much I paid for mine)

plus they can probably bullshit you into paying them like 2 hours of labor, big money. when the whole process is about 30 minutes tops. (I can change all my plugs in that time, yep)

whitebeau

If this is your 2nd time, you may want to see how old your battery & plugs are.

Plugs should be done about every 30k.

Battery. If it says Mazda.. time to change it, even though it seems like a small difference, a slightly slow starter turnover due to a weak battery will prevent the needed rpms to make the needed compression for the first 2 seconds on turnover.

Also if you have the original 04' starter.. it doesn't crank as fast as the new 05+ got i'm in the same boat... bought an Optima redtop, swapped plugs. Sucker started everytime even with a side seal failing . granted it looked like i won a burnout competition for the first 30 seconds...

r0tor

iTrader: (1)

Yes they can - your warranty does not cover gross negligence... like ignoring the warning after he flooded it the first time