My dealer (Star) Pasadena- said I had to wait- Recall expected (9/05)

 

Good. Maybe they will use the time to fix the flash once and for all.

 

What did you tell them to install these

 

That i have vibration at idle, he said OK, bring it in we will replace the mounts.... Thats @ another dealership....

 

Ok, I was very skeptical there would be any difference since I've had about 4 flashed upto and including the "P" flash. After the "P" flash the car just didn't seem to act right. Hard to put my finger on, but upshifts weren't as crisp and I would get this hesistation between 1-2 and 3-4 shifts, like the car was pulling back power. Not anymore - runs like a champ now!!! No more hesitatin and the up shifts are snappy!!!!!

No more PCM updates for me for a while. :D

 

Enters the RECALL...lol...sorry, but they said you might need an update to the ECU.

Anyway, it seems the R is a pretty good flash...any more details from your experiance?

 

This must be the 8th thread about the R flash....

 

Just got R-yesterday- to be honest I do not notice a thing. What was it suppose to do.
I went in for 30 K service (got all the fluids changed) dealer performed R-Flash) My car ran great going in- and still runs great. Maybe mine is an anomaly,I have had O problems. I think these 8's are great. 30 k- no problems- all I do is change the oil/filter, every 3-4K, and drive it like it was stolen!

 

I wouldn't think you would have any noticable differences in performance if you had nothing wrong with your car, but I did and it cured it right up. Made it enjoyable to drive like when I first test drove it. And I tried everything short of replacing the spark plugs before I took it in. My car just wasn't feeling "right" , now it feels allllll goooood.

It now even zips away from stoplights like I remember it doing. Whereas before it was like the engine was bogged down or something.

If you've had hesitation problems I would suggest giving "R" a try. I don't know what it will do for gas milage, but I'm not too worried about that right now, I'm just glad its fun to drive again.

 

Well, if you dont have the R, how do you get it? I though I was going in for this new recall & I would ask for it then...but turs out my 04 doesnt get the recall.

 

all 8s are included in the recall. all 8s will be brought to at least the. for 2004 cars that will be S. merging this R thread with one of the others

 

Took mine in yesterday for an oil change and other issues. They wouldnt flash the "R" revision. Said they couldnt do anything until the recall came out since there was a new flash any ways. I asked if they inspected anything yet and they said until the whole recall paperwork gets to them they are just waiting. Oh well, guess its going back in a couple weeks.

btw - its an '04 6spd with 10K miles...

 

I had the "N" flash and went in this morning to address brake squeeling and improve the flash because "my gas mileage has been terrible since the last re-flsh from M to N". They claim to have reflashed it but the service "gal" wasn't sure with which version. I suspect it would eb the "r". As for the brakes, it seems that it was coming from the rear this time, they claim, and they machined them. Will advise about the "R' flash results shortly.

 

got the R flash last week. Gas mileage improved. Takes me 1.5 tanks to go about 420 miles cruising. I did the same yesterday, but I was hauling *** and the car was packed full of crap.
I'm liking it

 

OK. Car is certainly smoother with the R flash and seems to get to red line faster as it caught me by surprise a couple of times. Still too early to really say for sure that the car feels faster but the smoothness must have something to do with that. Also I note that shifting gears seems also to be easier/smoother. The car feels more ready and responsive so far upon call of WOT. I'm likeing what I feel.

 

This thread may be meaningless if someone's car falls under this newly announced recall, which requires a new flash update (whether you want it or not)

 

The recall for the '04 includes the "R" flash. Dealer can't update something that is already updated.

 

I thought the flash was now 'S' for the recall?

 

Isn't "R" for Recall :D Maybe Recall flash was some sort of weird Mazda way of messing with us and a warning of things to come

 

can anyone else comment on the idle vibration with the new "R" flash? any change? can you still feel the vibration every few sec in the seat?

 

correct. the 2004 MY 6mt cars get R however the 2004 at cars go to S adn the nomenclature for 2005MY cars is different here-

Year Transmission New PCM Calibration PartNumberFile Name
2004 A/T N3Z1-18-881S SW-N3Z1ES000
2004 M/T N3Z2-18-881R SW-N3Z2ER000
2005 A/T (Federal) N3K6-18-881F SW-N3K6EF000
2005 M/T (Federal) N3K7-18-881E SW-N3K7EE000
2005 A/T (California) N3K8-18-881F SW-N3K8EF000
2005 M/T (California) N3K9-18-881E SW-N3K9EE000

 

no change.

dont get it through the seats but do get it. plugs are going to be replaced soon. think that will take care of it.

the revi helped a lot.

beers

 

No change in that regard for me. I have very little vibration to start with.

 

definite increase in gas mileage. Takes me a quarter tank to get to work and back, driving like a grandma, with only me in the car.
Yesterday I had two passengers and drove like a maniac - it took me less than a quarter tank. I'd say I could probably pull of 26 MPG....

 

I have a service appointment tomorrow morning, so I'm going to ask that they give me the new flash while I'm there. How long does it usually take to update the flash?

As for people noticing different behavior after the flash, just resetting the computer as part of the process may be partly responsible. As I mentioned on a thread just the other day, resetting my computer eliminated shifting and hesitation problems I was having, and I've noticed that the car has more consistent power now as well.