I just talked to our mechanic about the newest pcm reflash "M" he found a little bit about it. all it is for is for cold start in sub-zero tempatures. It will not apply to vehicles in states that do not get sub-zero tempatures, like California, so vehicles in the warmer climates will not get the "M" reflash. Again, it is not released yet, and this information is all he could find right now. I will keep you guys updated if I find out anymore.

 

so is this the "L" flash with the sub-zero start ?

So "L" = leaner fuel mixture
"M" = leaner fuel mixture + sub-zero starts?

 

I don't understand why you would need an 8 in subzero temperatures. I mean you just stay at home since all the schools and work are closed anyway right!?

 

I don't think the "M" flash will help with my only sub-zero problem -- the sticking e-brake

 

Well up here in NH we get those temps every now and again. Wonder if I should request it even though I just got the "L" flash done 2 weeks ago.

 

Hi guy321


Not really. Here in Montreal, Canada we go to work with 20cm of snow and even when it's minus 30 degree (Windshield)

I wish I can be down South.... Hopefully one day.

Just today (suppose to be spring) it's -15C. Wouach!

regards,

Simon.

 

Subzero probably means below 0 degrees Celcius. It isn't THAT cold.... but you are one of those warm weather spoiled Floridians..

 

to clarify a little. "M" is the next update after "L" the updates come in alphabetical order. that is the only thing the letter stands for. The next one will be "N" then "P" (mazda does not use the letter "O" ) then "Q" etc... That is the only thing the letter stands for.

 

1 more thing. This is just a preliminary info. The "M" flash has not been released yet, they may still add more to it. It probably wont be released to the dealers for a few more weeks. so by then they may add more to it. But that is all the tech sould find out about it for now.

 

Thanks, I forot people use C up north

 

There are alot of your countrymen here now !

 

Unfortunately I cannot use heat to warmup my igloo garage.

;-)

Simon.

 

You don't travel much in the winter do you?

0 degrees doesn't necessarily mean snow.

Snow also doesn't necessarily close schools and it's even less likely to close a workplace.

I wonder though if by subzero temps the tech actually meant subfreezing temps...32f difference.

-Eric

 

I travel. I went all the way to Virginia last November.

I wasn't just referring to snow either. All that stuff closes down here if it gets into the teens F. Snow or not.

 

Ifubar, does you tech have any info on what the policy is for upgrading current owners to either the "L" or "M" versions? From most accounts the L version offers significant improvement but a lot of owners have having difficulty in obtaining it. I would have thought Mazda would be actively encouraging the upgrade or at least encouraging service departments to recommend it to owners with older versions. Too bad that people are having to lie about flooding to get the update and sometimes not even then.

 

Unfortunately(?) the info everybody is getting is correct. It is not a recall so it is not mandatory for Mazda to give every customer a upgrade. Mazda sees it as if it isnt broken don't fix it. This is just a small group of RX8 owners, compared to how many actual owners there are. The only policy is if a customer comes in with complaint "***" then to fix the complaint do "---" That is how the serrvice bulletins work. Even if 7 years from now Mazda comes out with a brand new Bulletin on how to fix something on this car It does not mean it is under Warranty (it happens alot too). It is just to help the technician fix the problem. Which does make some sense, for example on the engine cover, not every engine cover is loosing the grommets, but if they do they will fix it, but why should Mazda spend a bunch of money to replace the ones that do not need to be replaced. I hope this makes some sense.

 

I was just teasing...

But temps in the teens in Fla close up schools/businesses because they're not outfitted to handle the heat requirements of sub-freezing temps. If those temps closed busineses up North, Wall St. would pretty much close down for the duration of the winter.

-Eric

 

What are the typical reasons the tech line would tell the dealer tech to reflash the PCM? I've heard gas mileage and rough idle. What are the others? and what's the best advice you can give us to "best bet" get the reflash done?

I thought my service writer was rather nice and cool about things and now he's kinda being a d*** for lack of a better word to describe him.

Also is it possible for us to pay to have this done? or will mazda not let you do that unless it's only to fix a problem?

 

At home, in Kemmerer, Wyoming it is quite common to see -30 F and we still go to school, hell we walk to school in that. I love the cold temps and I love the hot temps were I live currently. Here in the summer temp regularly reach over 100 F. The only time in Kemmerer schools get closed it because there is high winds(30 - 70MPH), snowing hard, and there is 5 feet of snow on the road (AKA blizzard). I don't think the 8 will go threw 5 feet of snow, come to think of it my fullsize truck wouldn't go threw that. In kemmerer when it is -30 F life continues as normal, only dresses a little bit warmer. When I it is -30 outside vehicles are hard to get started and the gear shifter is really hard to move in and out of gear (my truck) Anything that would help make them start easier in those temps would help.

 

I just got my "L" reflash done - literally 3 hours ago. After reading the problems that people have had trying to get the reflash, I decided to combine several suggestions together. lol

1. CEL

Temporarily unplugged the o2 sensor while the car was on. It immediately threw a CEL. Since the car was idling, and the unplug lasted for only a second, I don't think this harmed the car in any way. I read in a TSB - or perhaps it was just on this forum somewhere - that a CEL correction is almost always followed up with a reflash, if you don't have the up-to-date firmware.

2. Flooding

Claimed my car flooded - "couldnt' start it! lot'sa dark smoke!"

3. Mazda Corporate Customer Support

And finally claimed that I spoke with Customer Support, who "suggested I get my pcm reflashed with the latest version"

*I don't know which one of these excuses my service tech believed, but I got the reflash done. I really do wish all we had to do is ask.

 

I've been to wheatland in August.. it was cold then !

 

thats easily avoidable. just don't use it in sub-zero temperatures. the manual even says not to.

 

It does make sense for something like the grommets. But for a reflash that fundamentally improves engine characteristics it seems to me that it would be in Mazda's own best interest to disseminate the best version to as many vehicles in the field as possible. Customer satisfaction is one reason, and reduced incidence of service problems would be another. Why wait until a customer floods to say "oh yea, let's work on preventing it in the future"? Much more of a downer for the owner than some grommets falling off. Part of the beauty of computer control is that they can make these kinds of adjustments for relatively small cost whereas a generation or so ago it would have taken hardware.

And even if they took a position of not universally installing the new version (at oil-change time, etc), then at least you'd think they'd accomodate those who specifically asked for it, seeing as these are likely enthusiasts and more likely to act as "ambassadors" for the marque amongst the buying public. Why not make sure they have the best ownership experience if all it takes is a few minutes of tech time?

Of course, I am assuming that this flash does indeed produce the benefits that so many are claiming.

 

the main reason for reflashing is for a CEL light is on. or was on and is now off.
The problem is, and something everyone should remember, (if they believe it or not) Mazda says it will not fix any fuel mileage problem. the only people that says it will are people here. Im not saying that it is not true, because I personally do not have the update. so I have no experience with it. So as long as Mazda sticks to their story with it not fixing the gas mileage issue then they are not going to state it does. so if Mazda does give you the reflash and nothing changes who do you yell at? do you yell at Mazda because customer "x" says it fixes the problems even though Mazda stands behind themselves saying it doesn't?
I believe if it fixed the problem then Mazda would have something in writing that it fixes the fuel/running issues. I really don't think Mazda would purposely not announce it even if it is just on a service bulletin. It just does not make sense to me. IMO

 

I'm going to leave the gas cap off and throw a CEL...just in case. But of course, I'll say I have no idea why it came on. My car has been flooded in the past by a body shop. And I get decent gas mileage, 17-~19 mpg city driving. We'll see what happens.