Need a bit of help. Just got my car back from the body shop today (been there for over a week) and every now and then when idling the RPMS drop below 500 and the vehicle stalls. Doesn't happen every time, but stalled out 4 - 5 times on the way home. When it's not stalling, the RPMs are jumping around from 500 - 1000 and back down again.

It's never done this before. Most body shops are really dirty inside....any possibility it could be the air filter clogged? Any ideas?

 

I would bring it to the dealer and ask them to perform the recall check on your motor. As an '04 owner you may need your engine replaced. Or you may just need new ignition coils. The coils are cheap, a common problem and easy to replace but not under warranty. The engine is expensive, a common problem, a long to replace, but covered under the extended powertrain warranty.

 

You really think it could be an engine issue?? God I hope not. The engine is running very strong, no issues when the vehicle is moving.....

Replacing the engine even with the new powertrain warranty will still cost $3000. I hope not!

 

It will not cost you a thing. The extended warranty is FOR the engine 8yr/100K miles. Same thing happened to me. if I were you I would HOPE for a new engine.

 

They more than likely flooded your car...and also disconnected the battery...so the car will have to re-learn the idle.

I would re-set the ECU and KAM and give it a drive cycle or two to settle.

Then take it out and drive it hard to burn off the crap on the plugs and stuff

 

Ah, this makes sense.....how do I reset the ECU? I don't even know what the KAM is.....

They did disconnect my battery. Also, my car just sat there for 8 days.

Thanks!

 

Good call Dan. Hopefully that works out for you.

If not...
Here's to hoping for a new engine.

 

lol, if it doesn't cost me anything, then I agree.......

Thanks for the help!

 

Yep I vote they disconnected the battery.

Now the ECU has to re-learn.

Just drive it a few cycles over two days.

 

Agree with reseting the ecu first, also look under the hood and see if they maybe messed up with plugging something in, not sure where your damage was but my wife got her car back from a body shop and I popped the hood to find a cooling fan was not plugged in once.
BTW rough idle/stalling is on the list of a motor failing, not to scare you but it is a possibility.

 

Ill put money on your motor is going to ****... Get a new one, thats whay mine started doin then a few months later wouldnt even start, seal when out.. go get a compression test done

 

Drive it for a couple days to verify it's not the battery issue. If it is continuing, than take it to the dealer for further diagnostics.

 

i experienced similar issues when my battery died. i replaced the battery and after that when i would come to a stop that car would drop revs and die. i spoke with my mazda service rep and she advised me that it may have something to do with the on board computer.

so i took the car into the dealership and after running several diagnostics, they recognized the problem but could not figure out why it was doing it. they re flashed the ecu and ever since then i have not had any issue at idle. if you dont want to take it to the dealership, try resetting the computer by doing the brake trick.

best of luck..

 

how do I reset the ECU with the brake trick?

 

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tech-garage-22/ecu-clear-reset-27548/

the stickys are your friend. you might take the time to look at the tops of each section of the forum.

you might be amazed at what you find.

beers

 

turn key on and press brake 20 times but actuallly just do it till water temp gauge speeps!

 

and a day..

beers

 

To start I would ask you what did they do at the body shop? If they had to repair anything do to with the engine....even the exhaust realize they are not mecxhanics and they may have left something unpluged or broken. But low idle/stalling is a engine replace symptom fyi, thats a last resort though.

 

My car did that last summer, I popped my hood and pushed on all the ignition wires and problem solved.

BTW, hows your fuel level? Coils?

Check the obvious before assuming your engine is failing. Ive been certain my car needed a new engine over a dozen times by now and everytime is something ignition related, or the cat.

Check in this order:
Battery
Wires
Coils
Plugs
Compression Test.

 

Yes, I forgot to mention that

 

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/slightly-rough-idle-165704/

 

oh yeah i forgot that resetting the ECU took so long haha...nevermind scratch that

 

had same issues. now getting my engine replaced. i have an '04 as well with 47K

before they replaced my engine....they changed plugs,coils,throttle body clean out, fuel injector service etc. what a rip off