I have an 04...with 14,000 miles on it. I live in northern Illinois and the winter weather is atrocious. The Car sits in the garage for most of the winter. I try to start at least 3 times a week and run it for about 20 minutes. Well I waited a little too long on the last start and when I cranked it the battery went dead. Jumped it the next day and it wouldn't start. This is the only time this car has been flooded. I used the de-flooding procedure and after about 20 min. it finally started. It ran like crap for a few minutes, smoked like crazy, then seemed to be alright. It has been starting since but I now have a cel...random misfire and cylinder 2 misfire(not sure which plug that is) Since the warranty was extended and I also purchased a platinum extended warranty myself, will this be covered? Any advice on the steps I should take to rectify this would be appreciated.

 

i dont think flooding is covered

 

an 04 with only 14000 miles....wow thats still new!!

 

Just do some scheduled maintenance and replace your plugs. Easy as pie.

 

I'm impressed with your mileage, damn!

 

Nice mileage. Under the factory warranty flooding is not covered. I also have the extended through a third party company. They might cover it depending on how your dealer tells them what went wrong (since the dealer calls them and asks if it's covered). If the dealer tells them it's because of flooding they probably won't cover it. Just hope your dealer tells them with out telling them it's cause of flooding the engine. Or maybe your extended warranty covers it, but I doubt that...

 

My extended warranty covered coils and plugs twice . To them its not usual to replace these items after 30k or less so they covered no problem each time, even when my motor was being replaced at the same time.

 

Take it in and tell them it is running like crap.....You don't need to tell them you know partly why

 

Time for a new battery. I've left my car for a week and its started no problem.

 

everyone i know that flooded their car (AND went to a dealership for it), mazda had their car towed to the dealership and deflooded under the standard warranty.

 

Why are you starting it 3 times per week without being able to actually take it out and drive it? You're just gonna carbon it up, discharge the battery, and flood it. If you can't drive it for extended periods, just make sure the battery is fully charged and disconnect it. It won't self discharge for many weeks. I've left cars for over 3 months like this, and they start right up. You're doing more damage starting it and not driving it. Or, leave it on a trickle charger for the season.

 

Hi Billypsm, I have a 04 with 17,000 km on it and I know where your comming from as far as bad winters. I live in Southern Ontario Canada and winters here are bad. I put mine away for the winter but I place mine in total hybranation mode. Take the battery out, fill the fuel tank full along with gas line anti freeze, place moisture barrier down, drive it up onto carpeting to avoid flat spots on tires and finaly stuff rags up exaust and just let her sit. If your storeing her for 4 to 5 months then there is no harm in just letting her sit. There is actually more harm in starting her up periodicaly if your not driving it daily. The enemy is condinsation and if your only starting her up every so often and then letting her sit a great deal of mosture builds up. Let her sit that way it always at a constant with really no moisture being an issue. ust my 2 cents that way you never have to worry about flooding her or the battery going dead.

 

Solution: Drive the car. Even in the cold.

 

photo courtesy of altspace

 

kersh =[ I miss the snow

 

I only drive mine once every other week in the winter.

No need to intentionally start the car a few times a week, just drive it when the roads are perfectly clear and at your leisure.

 

How is the car running now? If it is running fine, then I woul dclear the CEL and see if it comes back. You could have some issues, but maybe not. If you don't have the ability to clear CEL's and you are close by I can do it for you.

 

flooding aka "engine no crank" is covered by the extended standard warranty. here is the TSB courtesy of rosenthal mazda:

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...5-08-1883f.pdf

 

When I flooded my engine last winter labor was covered under warranty but the parts weren't since they were considered "wear items" but the price they charged for the plugs alone were expensive $75 a plug and they charged me for an oil change and engine cleaning forget the total cost but it was several hundred maybe even close to $500. At least they gave me a loaner car for a few days though.

 

shouldn't have cost you a dime. the new plugs are covered by the TSB i just linked to above.

 

Well WTH, I wonder if its too late the complain? Guess it couldn't hurt, I would have to call Mazda USA since my dealership went out of business a few months ago. First I have to dig out the work order. Thanks for the info I could use an extra few hundred dollars.

 

The weather can't be worse there then it is here, i got some blizzaks and it gets around fine.

- however if you really don't want to drive it in winter i would do the hibernation method as opposed to the starting it for 20 mins all the time.

 

i would definitely reach out to MNAO. at worst they should give you a gift certificate that you could use at a dealership in the future. would be great to get the refund and i can't see why they wouldn't but at least push for the GC if they say no to the refund.

 

You are over doing it!

Just put it on a trickel charger and start once or twice over the winter.

And it's not 6 months.... you don't live in Minnesota.