Gbrldown

So I have a problem with my engine here or the coils or something.

The car turns off at red lights, often. It is an automatic rx-8 with 103.9k miles on it and i have a warranty for the engine and many other parts until 201k/2years. (I've had it for 2k miles) In order to have the warranty take effect I know they might ask me for maintenance records. I am also pretty new to owning a car as you'll be able to tell in just a couple of more words...

How do I know if my car needs a maintenance if the dealer (not a mazda dealer, Empire Motors) didn't give me any information about when it needs a maintenance? Is there a way getting the carfax (which they provide for free) could help me?

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Mazda's official maintenance schedule is available for free on MazdaUSA.com, in the owner's section. You can also sign up there to have all of your maintenance logged there, including adding your own entries as you do stuff.

The community's maintenance schedule is in the new owner's thread.




Since I assume that your engine isn't looking up and saying: "Hmm, a red light. I guess that means shut down", you probably mean that it stalls at idle? Do you have any trouble refiring the engine when it stalls?

If yes, then it's probably compression.
If no, then it's probably a vacuum leak or ignition (coils, plugs, and/or wires)

Be advised, most warranties won't cover coils, plugs, or wires as they are 'consumables' or 'wear items'. And if you pay to have a dealer replace them, bring lots of money, as they can charge $800 to $1,800 (not a typo) to replace $200 in parts from the local auto parts store that would take you an hour if you don't know what you are doing, 15 minutes if you do.

So since those are recommended maintenance anyway, i'd replace them yourself, and see if that helps anything. If not, you haven't lost anything because they needed it anyway. If it does help, gratz, you just saved a lot of money vs having a dealer do it.

Gbrldown

1) I had no idea mazda usa did that, that's awesome! I'll take advantage of that.
2) It has had problems firing up while hot and as of recent even when cool.
3) I have removed the spark plugs and coils (with my friend's father who takes apart and puts together his bmws on the daily) to make sure they are ok and they are not at death conditions but they are getting replaced in a week by me depending on what I learn through this post.
4) Thank you for the into and I've been reading the new owner's thread for hours now. Probably 20 hours over 3 days haha.

Gbrldown

Erm...it's empty...100% empty.

ken-x8

It's up to a Mazda dealer to enter stuff that they do, and you to enter anything else you want to appear there.

I suggest you keep your own maintenance records, too, and not count 100% on the mazdausa site.

Ken

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Yes, if no one has entered maintenance records on that VIN, it would indeed be empty. I was stating that you can use it and add your own, not that it would magically have the stuff that is missing. Most VINs don't have anything there except what the owner adds. The new owner of my 8 has access to everything I added to mine though.

TFRX8

On the site all the dealer maintenance is hidden from the owner, but it's still a good thing to log in your own maintenance (logs are nice, but they can get lost). I use the web-based records for both my Honda's (on the Honda site) and my RX8.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Not true. I had access to the dealer maintenance that I originally had done on the car before I started doing it all myself. If the dealer stuff isn't there, they just didn't submit it. If they submit it though, you see it.

ken-x8

Same here. All of the dealer service, and the stuff I entered myself, is usually there.

I say "usually" because the site is a little flaky, and there have been times when the maintenance records don't show up. But they come back, and everything was there a few days ago when I was checking recall status. Recall/special program status is not solid at all.

I keep a notebook in the car where I write down all service events, and put all of the receipts into a file folder. Silly to count on an on-line archive that I don't have control over.

Ken

Gbrldown

Ahh, I understand now. Thank you very much guys! I'm going to replace the spark plugs, wires, and coils and if the engine doesn't do any better (or continues to live bellow standard expectations) I'm going to get it checked out. I am going to start keeping a record of everything I do to it in a folder and the MazdaUSA/Carfax sites. The Carfax site has maintenance records on my car.

06PearlRx8

If I am the second owner to my RX-8 does the warranty still exist for me?

patriotjj

Yes, as long as that car is under warranty you should be good. Im the second owner of mine, and still got my reman engine under warranty