ZumeZume

This morning I took my car to CROWN MAZDA IN WINNIPEG MANITOBA to get a gas tank o ring set with new retainer rings installed for recall and the day didn't start very well...
First of all... a short back story...
I bought the car 6 or 7 weeks ago and on 2 occasions called them to order parts. Both times they couldn't find the part listing right away so they took my name and number to call me back. They never called back. Disappointed I said no problem... I just ordered the parts online.
About a half hour into this morning's repairs I happened to walk past the window to the service bays on my way to the parts counter. LOW AND BEHOLD... the mechanic had placed a box of parts on my trunk lid and and parts on my roof! I was steaming! I flagged down the first service desk guy and he looked shocked when he saw it and almost ran over to the mechanic and takes the box off of my trunk. Came back and I had to tell him a second time to get the damn parts off my roof also and off he went. My argument was simple... place plastic on the ground or cardboard stick the parts on there not my car.
Now the mechanic is likely embarssed at what happened who knows... but when I take my car back I notice CEL is on but I think no big deal it's happened already when I changed the battery... then coil packs etc and within a day I figured the computer rebooted because the light always went off on its own.
So now I leave with an empty gas tank of course... So wanting to be cautious of leaks etc I only put $10 in. Look at the gauge still reading bone dry so I put in another $10. This time the gauge is reading what it should so I start on my merry way.
Get a few blocks down the road and it reads empty again. Car was running perfect so I didn't think leak right away so I shut the car off and on a bunch of times. Each time... the gauge goes back up to normal and within 2 -3 seconds ZOOP... right back down to empty again.
So I get home... call the service guy I dealt with and he's telling me it may be a bad connection etc or it may be coincidental and my fuel sending unit may need to be replaced. Well they are the only ones that touched that sending unit not me it worked perfectly fine before I got there. He is implying that if it is the sending unit I'll have to pay for it. They messed with it not me. I called bullshite on that pretty quick and told Ill come back in on Friday but I will maintain that I'm not paying because it was working fine.
So my problem is having dealt with so many shady shops in my lifetime I began doing more and more work on my cars myself. When you feel like you may have been screwed you can't help but wonder if the humiliated mechanic wired something wrong and is paying back with a pricey repair. I sure hope not. Frankly if they claim it is the sending unit and they refuse to pay I'll take my car back and replace the parts myself and sue them in small claims out of principle. If they're gonna waste a bunch of my time Ill waste a bunch of theirs. Ill be calling Mazda Canada first thing tomorrow but I hear they are not usually much help hopefully they are in this case.
I understand everyone makes mistakes I sure make enough of my own but I have to say in just over a month going to this Mazda dealership it's been nothing but issues that all seem to smell of laziness.
Luckily I took pictures! I have larger files with the service guy and tech both standing next to the car figured it best at this point to cut them out.
Believe me I'm no chronic complainer but mess with my car and your gonna hear from me about it. With the time and care we put into our rides it's hard to watch someone with such a lack of regard mess up your stuff. Last shop I was at tossed my new wheel covers off my truck on the concrete floor and put a fist size dent in one popped it back on like nothing happened. They wound up buying me new ones it's just irritating.

ZumeZume

Forgot to mention when I called them to expain the situation and that CEL was on... service guy says it should never be on... puts me on hold and speaks to the tech. Comes back on the phone and says they've never heard of the fluctuating gas gauge going down to zero. Does this sound legit?
How can they let me leave with a CEL after they finished the work and they say it should never be on under normal circumstances?

MikeTyson8MyKids

iTrader: (1)

With those symptoms, it's likely they forgot to plug one of the sending units back in, or damaged wiring/connection​s.
Iirc, it sounds like the driver's side one is not working or not plugged in. Put fuel in it, let's say it sloshes around enough to get to the passenger side. Turn car on, pumps pulls fuel to driver's side, so now it thinks it's out of fuel. That would explain the gauge readings.

That doesn't explain your CEL, but you'll need the code read to see what that's all about.

ZumeZume

Thanks thats odd I mentioned a similar scenario to the service tech he said there was only one sending unit so I thought I was confused when searching online and got mixed up with the 09 plus models. I just hope they're not setting me up to squeeze me for cash.

ZumeZume

Btw... your user name is awesome love it! LOL

Supra1jz

had a local dealer service department change out my air bags under recall, noticed the techs taking out air filters and brake fluid samples with their greasy gloves and wiping them on the filters before bringing them in to the service advisor for her to show the customers how bad they are. When I noticed them start that nonsense with my car I yelled to the tech and called him over; let him know that I wouldn't be paying for anything extra and not to dismantle anything anywhere on my car not related to the recalled deadly airbags. At times anyone can make mistakes and forget to close a fastner for an air box or tighten a vacuum pulled and cause an unplanned engine stall. I had already gone over my car that morning as I was taking the wife shopping in it and planned to shred some rubber along the way.

A girl had died last year in a Honda that had an air bag that should've been recalled. Living in the same city I imagined my air bag inflator was far more rusted than hers so didn't want put the wife in front of that. I did however drive around alone a few times with some seriouse braking and clutch kicking across lime rock gravel in mexico not knowing about the recalled air bags and well forgetting newer rwd sled cars have air bags like a camry.

JamesD31

I just posted a similar topic. Exact same thing happened; brought my car in to get the fuel pump recall taken care of. To find out my next fill-up my gauge is only reading ~3/4th full after trying at two different stations to have it max-fill and it cut off.

They were the last to touch my car, so I figured it was a similar scenario of them doing something weird or not connecting everything for the fuel pump. Let me know how yours turns out, I am going to give mine a call soon to setup an appointment.

Okki-Jakarta

Hey Zume,

Not sure if this helps :

Instrument Cluster:
Put the key in the ignition
Push and hold the odometer button
Turn the key to the 'ON' position (do not start the car)
Continue to hold the odometer button until 'test' appears in the lower right corner
Once 'test' appears, you can release the button
Now push (not hold) the odometer button to scroll through various numbered options
Stop when you reach the desired output
After a full second the output signal should toggle (ex: light illuminates, gauge sweeps)
Some have an on/off switch (ex: Buckle switch changes state when the seat belt is buckled)
To exit from the output diagnostic, simply turn the key to the 'off' position and back on.
Here is a list of all the outputs and what they mean:
01 = Buckle switch
04 = Door switch
08 = TNS relay
12 = Speedometer
13 = Tachometer
14 = Buzzer
16 = Fuel-level warning light
18 = Ignition key illumination
22 = Fuel gauge sender unit
23 = Fuel gauge
25 = Water temperature gauge
26 = Odometer tripmeter, warning and indicator light
28 = Oil pressure gauge
31 = Key reminder switch
55 = Dimmer switch

Frell

Hey got a question, I did that with the test and it says TNS relay is off is it supposed to be?? For some background, I recently bought my 2005 RX-8 and I got a good deal on it, I bought it off a dealer who got it from an auction who got it from a repo... I only payed 800 with tax included but had no idea if there was anything up with it or not. The previous owner was stupid and ripped out the stereo, emphasis on ripped. I found that 2 of the 4 spark plugs where broke in 2 installed in the car, it has low millage about 45K, I replaced the gas and put in additive to help, filled the fluids but the engine light is on after cranking a few times. I did put in a new batter (best available) and replaced the plugs.. So far it still wont start and I didnt know if the tns relay could be the problem, and being the stereo is fubared the self diagnostics wont work.. Any Ideas???

UnknownJinX

TNS relay is just for lights. Nothing to do with the engine.

Get a rotary-specific compression test. 10 Monopoly bucks that the engine is dead.

Also get the code read somewhere.