[overkast]

Was leaving work today and noticed that my check engine light came on for no reason...I'm sure there was a reason...but I don't know what :? . I checked the gas cap to make sure it was tight and clicked it a few times as mentioned on this forum, but still no resolution.

I contacted the dealer and I have to drop it off this Thursday. Has anyone ever figured out what the check engine light other than the gas cap on the Mazda 3 concerns? Any resolution? Please help !

Thanks,
Spencer

EDIT: Thread title :twisted:

 

[funkyfreshmonke]

whoa whats up with that? maybe u need to get ure ecu flashed like the 6 owners?

 

[overkast]

whoa whats up with that? maybe u need to get ure ecu flashed like the 6 owners?

Do you know if that takes a lot of time for the service department to do, or is pretty easy? Also, is it covered under warranty? What does flashing the ECU do to the car?

Thanks,
Spencer

 

[beyonddc]

whoa whats up with that? maybe u need to get ure ecu flashed like the 6 owners?

Do you know if that takes a lot of time for the service department to do, or is pretty easy? Also, is it covered under warranty? What does flashing the ECU do to the car?

Thanks,
Spencer

Usually there's nothing wrong with the engine, just that the engine sensor is not working properly.

But when you bring your car to Mazda to fix it, they probably still need to run the whole engine diagnostic test.

Usually it'll take one day to do it. As in drop your car early in the morning and if you're the first one in-line, you might be able to get it back within few hours, but sometime when there's a lot of people, you might need to wait till the end of the business day.

 

[Titanum-3]

I don't know if it has anything to do with my check engine light but mine is because one of the sensors needs to be recalibrated for the colder weather. I brought my Mazda 3 in about a month ago and had two technicians from Mazda Canada look at my car. They are using the information from my car to create a CD to reprogram the computer /calibrate one of the sensors for the cold weather. Did your light come on when it was cold out? Did you let the car warm up for a long time? I found after they reset the CEL that if I did not let the car warm up for more than 5 minutes the CEL came back on. I am still driving around with my CEL on. They said it is not doing anything bad to my car. They said the CD could take another month to be released in Ontario. If this is the same problem, I think the U.S. should be getting a CD as well. Your dealer should be aware of this problem because I know there are a couple Mazda 3’s at my dealer with the CEL and last month there was about a dozen in Canada that were reported, I haven’t asked how many have been reported now but I sure its a lot more. I find it weird that not all the Mazda 3's are getting the CEL.

 

[overkast]

I don't know if it has anything to do with my check engine light but mine is because one of the sensors needs to be recalibrated for the colder weather. I brought my Mazda 3 in about a month ago and had two technicians from Mazda Canada look at my car. They are using the information from my car to create a CD to reprogram the computer /calibrate one of the sensors for the cold weather. Did your light come on when it was cold out? Did you let the car warm up for a long time? I found after they reset the CEL that if I did not let the car warm up for more than 5 minutes the CEL came back on. I am still driving around with my CEL on. They said it is not doing anything bad to my car. They said the CD could take another month to be released in Ontario. If this is the same problem, I think the U.S. should be getting a CD as well. Your dealer should be aware of this problem because I know there are a couple Mazda 3’s at my dealer with the CEL and last month there was about a dozen in Canada that were reported, I haven’t asked how many have been reported now but I sure its a lot more. I find it weird that not all the Mazda 3's are getting the CEL.

Hey Titanium-3,

Sorry to hear about your CEL. It just sucks that this is happening to us after a month of ownership. Mine came on when I was leaving work today. The temp outside was about 50 degrees fahrenheit, and I let the car warm up for about 30 seconds to a minute, or until it hits 1500 RPM like I normally do. After driving the car for about 5 minutes, that's when the like came on.

I'm so bummed . I just hope that its not a long procedure and that I can pick up the car on the same day.

Good luck to us both!!

Spencer

 

[overkast]

whoa whats up with that? maybe u need to get ure ecu flashed like the 6 owners?

Do you know if that takes a lot of time for the service department to do, or is pretty easy? Also, is it covered under warranty? What does flashing the ECU do to the car?

Thanks,
Spencer

Usually there's nothing wrong with the engine, just that the engine sensor is not working properly.

But when you bring your car to Mazda to fix it, they probably still need to run the whole engine diagnostic test.

Usually it'll take one day to do it. As in drop your car early in the morning and if you're the first one in-line, you might be able to get it back within few hours, but sometime when there's a lot of people, you might need to wait till the end of the business day.

Thanks beyonddc. Good to know. I'll be dropping it off at 7:30am...that's when they open for business.

Wish me luck.

Spencer

 

[overkast]

UPDATE!!

Ok, this is just a hunch as to why the CEL came on. I read in the manual and it stated a few possible reasons why the CEL could come on:

1. Gas cap not tight enough (I already checked this out)
2. Electrical problem
3. Something is actually wrong with the engine

...and so forth. Well, I noticed today that when I went to change the channels on my radio station that something weird took place. I normally use the steering wheel controls to adjust the volume and change the channels or modes. Today, for some reason I decided to use the controls on the center console and attempted to channel through the stations. Unfortunately, I was only able to change to station 3 and 6...preset stations 1,2,4, and 5 could not be adjusted...only on the steering wheel controls. However, if I switch to my 6-disc changer mode and channel through the CDs, the function works fine on the console and the steering wheel....it's only when its in FM radio mode that the function seems hosed. So, I'm thinking maybe there's some sort of shortage or weird wiring situation that might have caused the CEL to go off.

I'll be dropping off the car on Thursday morning...so I'll bring that to their attention as well and see if the malfunction on the stereo console has anything to do with the CEL. I'll keep you all posted!

Spencer

 

[bluong1]

Spencer, the dealer can tell you what's going on.

As Titanium-3 said, one of the sensor in the Mazda3 needs to be recalibrated. This bad calibration causes many Mazda3 CEL. When you drop your car at the dealer, if they scan the code P0128 then you likely have the same problem as Titanium-3 and it's not due to the wiring.

 

[overkast]

Spencer, the dealer can tell you what's going on.

As Titanium-3 said, one of the sensor in the Mazda3 needs to be recalibrated. This bad calibration causes many Mazda3 CEL. When you drop your car at the dealer, if they scan the code P0128 then you likely have the same problem as Titanium-3 and it's not due to the wiring.

Great...then that means I have a problem with my stereo console as well . Hopefully they'll be able to rectify the stereo malfunction and the CEL. Damn...and I thought I was on to something.

Spencer

 

[DJ Spencer]

Re: UPDATE!!

However, if I switch to my 6-disc changer mode and channel through the CDs, the function works fine on the console and the steering wheel....

You can change discs from the wheel?? I can only change mode and track - and if the radio power is off I can't do squat.

Anyway, possibly not your issue, but since you are going down the electrical issue - make sure to ask them for a load test on the battery. I'm in the "ignition issues" group, and well... Most of us have had our battery replaced already because it fails to handle a heavy load.

I'm still having ignition issues, but no CEL yet (thank god).

 

[vaBooM]

Moving on to 2 months of owning her, 1700+ miles... Zero problems so far.

Good luck those that do though

 

[DJ Spencer]

I want to cry.... I hit one month today... 1250 miles.... Too many problems so far (none of which can my dealer recreate in the shop).

 

[vaBooM]

I want to cry.... I hit one month today... 1250 miles.... Too many problems so far (none of which can my dealer recreate in the shop).

Small problems always arise in new cars. And weather does affect somethings more than others.

Keep track... 5 major services and its a Limon (lemon for others that dont drink)

 

[DJ Spencer]

Lemon Law varies by state.

In California, it has to be the same item 3 times in the first 2 years.

And even then, it's all about lawyers....

 

[vaBooM]

Lemon Law varies by state.

In California, it has to be the same item 3 times in the first 2 years.

And even then, it's all about lawyers....

You may be right. My friend had MAD problems on his GTI. Same problem 3 times then something else 3 times. Finally the dealership worked him a good deal on a 20th Anniversary GTI.

Then.. (evil laugh) more problems! He must attract them or something. 2 of his 6 problems were the same as his last GTI.

Finally, fed up with VWs (and I stopped tuning them and gave up interest) he sold it back to the dealer.

Hes thinking about an RX8 now.

 

[DJ Spencer]

oohhh.. nice....

 

[vaBooM]

Personally I told him to get a T2. Hes just worried about reliability.

Shit, I would too lol. I see one at our local track, smack down mid 11's. And he was saying the car was mildly setup too lmao.

 

[MARKPMM]

Ok people.

The 3 is setting a P0128 code for a warm-up issue.

All cars start in "open loop" the PCM selects a fuel ratio to warm up the car. Few sensors are given a "feedback" to the PCM. Just make the car go.

The car is set to get into "closed loop" as soon as possible.

This means the PCM wants the car to warm up and trust the sensor's readings so the fuel ratios can be controlled for the least amount of uncontrolled hydrocarbons in the atmosphere.

Problem is the PCM sets the timer for the loop status is set right at the parameter at which the car can warm up. If the car doesn't make the PCM's given time the P0128 is set.

There is a fix in the works. Mz sends a disc to the dealer every three months. This is a major release number..like a major upgrade for the diagnostic machine at the dealer.

Every week there is a minor upgrade. This is downloaded to the desktop at the dealer and unzipped to a floppy. It is then loaded in to the machine.(if the dealer is loading it).

The major upgrade in the dealers now is the 29.0.

The minor upgrade to fix the problem is 29.1.

The release of the 29.1 WAS Jan 15. It has been delayed.

The Mz tech guys are telling the dealer it will be released.....

Well It wasn't there at 11:26 local.

The fix will come.

Thats all I got to say about that. :roll:

 

[funkyfreshmonke]

so everyone needs to go in to the dealer to get that upgrade or no?