toxin440

Made an appointment a few days ago to get the recall work done on my 05 RX8 at Hiley Mazda of Hurst, TX (here in DFW, TX)

I take 1/2 a day of work off to do this because I'm going home this weekend to install my Racing Beat and wanted to have my car all fixed up...

1) Take my car in at 1:30 which is what my appointment was for, drop it off and I ask them how backed up they are and how long it will take, my answer for a rental depended on her response. She said "oh an hour, maybe two... tops" So, I said I would wait. I had my nintendo DS, and they had free computers with internet so I could amuse myself for 2 hours.

2) After two hours have gone by I go to check on my car and the guy is like "whoa you are still here? i thought you dropped your car off!?!" -WTF so i just sat for 2 hours for nothing?

3) Another hour goes by -- went to check on the car, they said it would be ready "soon" and was starting to worry if something was wrong. At this point i'm VERY pissed, im VERY tired and VERY hungry.

4) I go up and ask them for a REAL ETA on the car, because I have to drive to houston this weekend and im leaving as soon as this gets done. They apparently didnt understand how far houston is from dallas (270 miles) and were going to give me a rental until they found out how far it was. On top of that - the rental place was contracted out thru Enterprise, which i hate. Why not give me a loaner 6 or a loaner CX7? I would get stuck in a Toyota Camry like I did last time.

5) The guy comes out after 4 hours of me waiting and says "oh boy, we got some parts on order for you, a new catalytic converter, your vacuume system is all messed up and was rattling on about some BS, I told them I had an aftermarket CAT (Rotary Performance SuperCAT) and he flipped the **** out. Telling me how I was messing up the car and how I shouldnt do that. -- I'm 24 years old I paid over $30G's of my OWN hard earned money I can do whatever the **** I want to the car. I have no unrealistic expectations - I wasnt wanting them to replace my CAT... (in theory if i still had my stock CAT on and it was bad, i just saved them a ton of money). If the RP SuperCAT I have is going bad, or the 02 sensor is F'ing up... I'll deal with that on my own.

6) After explaigning to him that I do my own work on my car and put the cat on myself (he seems baffeled a young kid could work on his own car) I chatted with him about the CEL my car has been throwing randomly over the past 3 weeks. I thought it was a faulty gas cap but according to the sheet its:

P0421 - O2 Sensor Switch Malfunction .... tech guy said this was caused by Cat conveter efficiency failure. I have questions about this but will put in diff thread.

7) All i wanted was the newest flash, and a tank of gas. After being stuck there for *4 Hours*. NOT getting a free wash, and a free tank of gas and being given some **** over my MODS.... I have a very bad taste in my mouth. What makes this even worse was I had an appointment on top of all this.

They reset the CEL for me... and now i have some asking/research to do on my own for this problem. White glove treatment my *** though.

dynamho

I think the P0421 fault code is a common documented error. I read a long term test article in a car magazine (I think it's Car and Driver) about this, and I recall that an ECU flash takes care of it. I'm not qualified to say, but my guess is that your cat replacement probably triggered it, and that you probably have nothing to worry.

The worry is whether they really performed a proper vacuum test, however that's performed.

toxin440

yeah I'm going to do some hunting for specifics on that code later this weekend. The thing is I've had my Rotary Performance SuperCat installed in my car for the past (almost 6 months) and this CEL has just recently started popping up.

The car runs good as hell - its just one of those "little" things.

One thing that struck me as odd was when the tech was talking to me: he mentioned the vaccuum system and the CAT together, and I asked "how are the vacuume system and the catalytic converter system related" and he rattled on something about being interconnected or related? Now im open the the possibility of myself being wrong, but how the hell is the Vaccuume system related to the Catalytic converter?

One thing to note as well i have removed my VFAD as well because im thinking about doing a RAM air type thing from Racing beat. I made careful to plug the vaccuume lines and such and was running fine with this setup for weeks and weeks without any problems.

shahram72

The computers of cars like this are usually very sensitive to changes, and you have to be ready to deal with those quirks. I once put Platinum tipped spark plugs in my Honda thinking I was doing it a favor and then it threw a CEL and I had to replace the O2 sensor and the plugs (with original NGK). When you make changes, the dealer is unable to help even if they want to, because their training and procedure is simply incompatible with modified cars. Obviously nothing wrong with your setup, but the minot changes in sensor readings were read as a fault by the computer. Most modders have gotten used to constant CELs. Can't speak for the 8, but from limited experience with friend's and my own car. I don't think dealers should void warrantys unless you crack the case on something, or add FI.

toxin440

I somewhat agree with you -- nothing was mentioned of a voided warrenty. I have all the parts to put my car 100% back to stock if I so desired. After finally getting some rest over the matter I'm happy I was able to get the flash (at least I assume I did - they told me they updated the flash and i have an invoice that says "Performed all recall work" etc etc.

I stand by my car and the work I've done to it. It runs strong and hard. LIke you said I might just have to get used to the CEL if I can't figure out the problem. But after running for almost 6 months with the exact same setup I have now without a CEL, i find it odd it's on right now. In any event I will be doing some digging into this.

When all else boils away - the fact that I was kept for 4 hours... not given a wash, or a drop of gas that others have gotten is the ultimate pisser.

shahram72

One reason why the car has not had a CEL before is because changes to intake spark and fuel, cause minor changes in what exhaust comes out of the engine, changing what builds up in the cat over time. thus changing what comes out of the cat, and affecting the O2 sensor.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

The stock cat is big and long, meaning it would last and have alot more restrictions.

Any aftermarket *highflow* cat, they increase the flow by making the *filter media* shorter. It will not last as long, and might not be able to filter as good as stock ones.

Its just some things you have to compromise.

O2 Sensor shouldnt be a big problem.

but I guess if you want to go fast (aftermarket performance parts) you really have to get used to CEL(s)

NoTears316

I have had aftermarket CAI, exhaust, midpipe, and pulleys since my 8 was 1 month old and I have NEVER thrown a CEL. 3 years later and I have more aftermarket parts on my 8 then original parts, and still have not thrown a CEL. So lets throw that fairy tale out the window.

As far as getting a lecture from your dealership, they are being asses. I showed up for my recall service with my nitrous kit still installed.

I also have the RP Supercat and I passed the vacuum test.

Clavius

If he said your vacum test is messed up isnt that the tell tail sign of engine replacement?!?! I dunno I'd honestly call up MNAO and complain to them about the service. Seems alot of people arnt getting the white glove I think I've only read or seen two threads of "Great Job from XXX dealer" I'm hoping to find a good dealer and spread their word.

Toxin I hope you atleast bitched them out for having you wait for FOUR hours. Atleast a Service Manager should of been talking to you to smooth things over (bad service equals you not going there right?!). The Cat should of been a non issue since its not technically covered under warrenty but Mazda is aparently conceding there is a problem with them (that and our government insist they last like 100k miles or sumthing), that and how could the tech not realize "hey its aftermarket interesting" unless they only hooked up the Pc and didnt visual check it. Keep us updated though!

zoom44

you all see this is
hiley Mazda right?
this is owned by one of the 2 jack asses in the "mulligan" video.

they should have offered you a cx-7 period.
the cel could be because your 02 sensor is failing.
what does it say on your invoice about the vacuum isssue? need clarification on "messed up"

call mazda 800# and tell them about the dealer trying to order a new cat when you dotn even have the oem cat on there. maybe that will call down an audit on hiley's head. serve them right.

toxin440

Ill scan the invoice when i get home -- yes Hiley Mazda of Hurst, TX i didnt know it was owned by the "mulligan" video guys. The only rental crap they offered was contracted out thru enterprise rental car (aka you'd get a piece of ****) I don't think my 02 sensor is messed up - i just got back from an almost 600 mile road trip this weekend and no CEL at any point in time.

This week im sending a letter to MNAO... i just wanna make sure there is tangible proof of my complaint and now just some phone call someone can ignore. I'd love to send multiple copies of this letter to several people at Mazda North america but dont know all the people to send it to. I'm still just pissed about the sass I got, along with no wash, and no gas. If I was in and out without a hitch I wouldnt care so much, but I was stuck there for 4 ******* hours.

RX8Dragon

I trigger the CEL when I have my Simota CF intake on...I havent found a way to get around it.

chr1s

Have you read any of the threads on the Simota intake?

The concensus is you should run the intake with at least 1 MAF screen. If you haven't, try it, it might clear up your issues.

BunnyGirl

I'm all for that! I like when asshats get in trouble, especially shady asshats!

I think that will be my new favorite word for awhile. LOL

cruzdreamer

Enterprise sucks.....they always give out POS!! Sorry to hear about your issues toxin440.....hopefully everything will be squared away. Most of the dealers don't give decent treatment. My dealer says I have to wait a month till they get their eqpt. for the recall and by then he said I'd have my second letter for the recall...well, I have yet to get my first. Asked about a CX 7 loaner and he said they only have a couple MPV's as loaners but that maybe he could ask the sales manager. He knows i am looking to buy a CX 7 soon....if they are smart they'd give me one as a loaner and to seal the deal of me coming there. But they probably aren't too bright!!

9291150

I also get white glove service at my annual physical...not a big fan.

Maybe its fitting that mazda calls this white glove service.