Spoke with Mazda service department today regarding RX-8 issues (Browning Mazda, Cerritos, CA.). I am looking to buy an RX-8, but wanted to be sure the service department was knowledgable about many of the issues I have learned on this site. I discussed their knowledge of the different ECU flash upgrades available. They told me the current version is M, however, they recently got an engine light recall, and they received a new PCM system flash this week from Mazda. I asked if this new upgrade was the N flash we all have been hearing about, and was told no. This is a modified M flash. They did not know anything about an N flash.

I asked if I bought a car from them, would they flash to the latest update, and they told me no. ECU flashes are warranty issues. If I brought the car back for service, they would upgrade for me then.

I hope this information helps with the confusion over a new N update.

Later all.

 

hey man... do me a favor... next time you're at your dealership mention somethin about Mazdaspeed releasing a turbo and tell me what they say... just curious

 

Will do.

 

Bought my 8 three weeks ago on a friday, had them update the flash on monday. They said no problem. you should not have to wait . I think it should be done early during the brake in period.IMO,,,,, I noticed a big diffrence in power and gas mileage.

 

BS.......It's not a warranty issue.......It clearly states on the TSB that it is to be done to all RX-8's that come in even if they come in for another issue all together. I had the TSB in hand when I picked my car out and asked for it to be done. They said no prob, did it, and posted the sticker with the update info on the inside of the hood. Go to the TSB section under discussions and look for the cold start issue or something like that....cheers and good luck.

 

Oops....My bad....it's under Tech garage.......

 

good lord....look for "engine cranks, no start", not cold starts like I had mentioned earlier.....geez, if i'd just take two minutes to look back......

good luck

 

also there is the new Mazda Special Program-MSP04 which clearly tells them to update all current inventory and customers cars when they come in for service if their vin is in range or if the car was built before March 12th. so yes, your car should be up to the most current PCM level before you pick it up.

 

Thats where I bought my RX-8 a few weeks ago! they're nice people and I'm taking my car there tomorrow to get all the newest flashes and an oil change.

-Rupes

 

So lemme get this straight...You can get your car updated to the latest flash no matter what rite? Even if your car doesnt need service? What should i bring to Browning Mazda as my proof to get it M-Flashed for free?

 

TSB 01-011/04

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...1-04-1273d.pdf

 

and for grins....

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...01-022-04.html

 

That explains why they reflashed my car last week after already doing the M flash in May. This is better than keeping up with Microsoft security updates.

 

getting mine flashed tomorrow,felt it had good perfromance haven't really gotten on it just turned 80 miles. Hope that it works and there are no complications,dealer told me it would take 20mins??? i figured to get it done asap while it had low miles. I read it was better for the car to have the car flashed and broken in with new flash--was i right in think this?

 

i just got mine about 2 months ago, is this an updated version?

 

no wonder when i opened the hood to look clean the plastic pieces. i found two stickers on the left side of the engine bay in the back. maybe they did the m flash update w/ out me kknowing ...hmmm im gonna read what service papers and see if they did.

 

I've been looking around at some of the posts on this and some have had bad luck after the flash,I think it's running great now,hope nothing screws up when they do it!

 

I purchased a used Rx8 July 31. Based on the driver doors sticker, the car has an August 2003 build date. I was back at the dealership I purchased from this week to try to sort out what has, and has not been done to the car. Based on their access to the Mazda data base, I was given to understand the car has had two service warranty related issues done to it, 1. a front airbag/seat belt issue; 2) a dynamic dampner recall (which I was given to understand had something to do with a transmission or rear differential mount); and 3) that it was eligible for a PCU update, effective, or at least listed as in effect for the car as of @ early June, '04 and described in the computer as recall or warranty service item/call "MSP04."

The service manager was perplexed by my questions about a "J" or "K" or "L" or "M" flash. In fact he was nice enough to take me back to his office, log on to the Mazda service computer and show me a list of "firmware" updates that he hass access to for the car. None of the files he had for flashing the up date were known to him as the, or an "M" flash. What he had was a long file name, in this case something like B31-2xxxxxx, maybe ending in BIN. My impressioni was that the BIN files gets updateded with some frequency, in fact I believe the file that was to be used to flash the PCM in my car may have been released by Mazda to dealer service departments as recently as 28-July, but I'm not sure about that.

I did try to ask if the Service department was able to at least tell what generation or version of existing firmware in a PCU they were about to flash over. I wasn't able to get a satisfactory answer to that question from anyone I was able to talk to. If they knew how to determine the "existing rev" info, they weren't sharing.

 

what he showed you were the wds calibration files that are available to them. the wds is World Diagnostic System. the files you saw are software updates to that computer. thye get updated weekly or so and then there is a major update about once a month that includes all of the weekly minors incase someone isn't keeping up. not all of those updates have to do with Mazda's as the wds is a ford company wide diagnostic computer. but all tsb's(and the service people in my opinion shouldn't have to be told this but better safe then sorry) that have to due with software updates instruct them to first make sure their wds calibration is a certain level or higher or the PCM update will not be in their system to uplaod into your car. when we say "M" flash we are talking about the part number for the RX-8's pcm flash update. the file names look like this- SW-N3H6EM000 , where the letter after the "E" is the calibration level in this sample it is "M". the part number looks like this- N3H6-18-881A for mt and N3H4-18-881A for at. any tech using the wds on your car should absolutely be able to show you your current pcm calibration level as he is supposed to look at it BEFORE he installs a new flash to see what you are currently at.

 

browning is just making you bring it back for a second visit to the service dept, that way they can make more money on the warranty service, if they fix it all before delivery, that dont earn quite as much

 

Ok guys, just had my 8 flashed tuesday. I've noticed that when i was in the dealer I was watching the mechanic down load the M Flash. He told me my car took 8 files to update my car. I bought my 8 in feb 04 car was built oct 03 and I never had a problem other than hard shifts between 1st & 2nd at high RPMs and that i fixed with Redline MT-90. Anyways since the M Flash I have noticed what seems to be more power at the lower RPMs and seems to rev faster between 6500-8000rpms, well that's my two cents about the M Flash

 

I took my 8 back to the dealer on the 12th of August for an oil changed and asked about the "m" flash, the manager said "No Problem" and wrote it up as "Lack of Power" and "Would not Start" even though I had absolutely no problems whatsoever. I read nothing but good things about this flash as opposed to the others, but honestly, I have not noticed a bit of difference, except that for some reason now I am having trouble shifting smoothly, never had that problem before.

 

I must be missing something, I've had my RX8 now for 2 weeks, it's great, not sure what the mileage is yet, not going past 7 K or so and all seems good. Just enjoy the car for now and wait for a few K miles and stop worrying. I have had in the past 2 years a 325i and a G35 coupe and still have my factory five cobra, whatever shortcomings this car may have, its as good as they get for what is out there !!

 

There is an update to the M Flash. It is the MSOP4.

I got it on July 8th.

 

Actually, it is MSP-04, and it is a recall, according to Browning Mazda service dept. I never got a recall notice for it, but when I went in for service, they told me about it, then updated my ECU.