'03 Mazda6s "Check engine' light

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Jeffrey Kaplan - 06 Jun 2004 18:09 GMT

I seem to be having a problem with my check engine light. I got the
car in December of '02. In December of '03, my check engine light came
on. Dealer said it was an vapor sensor (or something similar) in the
fuel tank. It had spiked, which tripped the alert. However, the
monitoring system is too sensitive, it should not have tripped for that
spike, and it would take a reprogram of the computer to resolve. Mazda
has such a reprogram already, but wasn't expected to be at the
dealerships until Jan '04. In Jan '04, when the dealer got the
programming, they reflashed the computer to supposedly fix this.

Three weeks ago, the check engine light came on again. A different
dealer (I had moved in the meanwhile) described it, and it sounded like
the same sensor. They were reflashing the computer to fix it. To
which I commented, "Again? That was done in January." Service writer
then said that these computers can only be reflashed once, and there
was no indication that it had already been done...

And, to top it off, my check engine light came on again yesterday.

WTF is going on?

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Jeffrey Kaplan <*> www.gordol.org
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"There are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the
people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by
violent and sudden usurpation." - James Madison

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Bryan - 07 Jun 2004 07:13 GMT

Tell them to replace the sensor and reflash the ecu, ecu's can be reflashed
many times, they are only reflashing the eprom chip on the ecu which isn't a
big deal
Its just like flashing the bios or updating the bios on your pc/ home
computer.

--
Bryan W
http://fordprobeshop.com

> I seem to be having a problem with my check engine light. I got the
> car in December of '02. In December of '03, my check engine light came
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by
> violent and sudden usurpation." - James Madison

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Jeffrey Kaplan - 07 Jun 2004 20:00 GMT

While idly wondering if the Pakmara can really do that, Bryan said:

; Tell them to replace the sensor and reflash the ecu, ecu's can be reflashed
; many times, they are only reflashing the eprom chip on the ecu which isn't a
; big deal
; Its just like flashing the bios or updating the bios on your pc/ home
; computer.

I just got off the phone with the service coordinator, and he is
insisting that the ECU can only be reflashed once, that if it's tried a
second time the computer kicks back an error that it's already been
done and cannot be done again. We shall see if it is indeed the same
item that's tripping it when it goes in again.

I'm waiting for them to get a replacement weather stripping for the
driver's door. This has been a chronic problem on my previous Mazda,
too: The weather stripping comes out of its seat and tears.

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Jeffrey Kaplan <*> www.gordol.org
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"Is our children learning?" - George W. Bush

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name - 08 Jun 2004 09:37 GMT

> I just got off the phone with the service coordinator, and he is
> insisting that the ECU can only be reflashed once, that if it's tried a

What if they discover another bug later on? Would this mean that it
can never be corrected?

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Jeffrey Kaplan - 08 Jun 2004 21:05 GMT

While idly wondering if the Pakmara can really do that, name said:

; > I just got off the phone with the service coordinator, and he is
; > insisting that the ECU can only be reflashed once, that if it's tried a
;
; What if they discover another bug later on? Would this mean that it
; can never be corrected?

If he's right, it would mean replacing the ECU.

I'm not sure yet if I'm going to stay with this dealer's service
department. It's the closest one, but there are two more,
larger ones, in opposite directions, within about a half-hour's drive.
I'm going to wait and see what happens here.

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Jeffrey Kaplan <*> www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled <*> Send personal mail to gordol

"The NEA [National Education Association] is a terrorist organization."
- Education Secretary Education Secretary Rod Paige, 2/2004

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KWS - 13 Aug 2005 18:34 GMT

I think that people who have no real mechanic skills, but do have a
reasonable personality become service advisors.

Try a no-charge rent of a code scanner at AutoZone. (you leave a
deposit...on a credit card is fine...which they refund when you bring the
scanner back......you will be back in about ten minutes). Tell the guy who
rents you the machine what code (or codes) it read and he will look them up
and tell you the code definition. If it's something straightforward: great.
If not, post the codes here and somebody will probably comment.

Ken

> > I just got off the phone with the service coordinator, and he is
> > insisting that the ECU can only be reflashed once, that if it's tried a
>
> What if they discover another bug later on? Would this mean that it
> can never be corrected?

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Bryan - 08 Jun 2004 13:57 GMT

If they don't fix it for you , goto another Mazda dealership, because they
don't know what they are doing.

--
Bryan W
http://fordprobeshop.com

> While idly wondering if the Pakmara can really do that, Bryan said:
>
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> "Is our children learning?" - George W. Bush

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