Arrrrghhhhhh
#1
Arrrrghhhhhh
My car started running like absolute crap yesterday. Got a couple of miles trying to get back to work and then smoke starts pouring out of the cabin from the floor area and the console display/aftermarket radio stopped working inside and warning lights everywhere. Radio has been there for three years BTW.
Got it towed to Hine Mazda (where it started and ran just fine) and got the initial diagnosis today: Partially clogged cat. Now they need to unplug the aftermarket radio (with the obligatory you may need to pay for this speech) because the cabin fuse keeps blowing when they try to hook up their scanner.
Now bear in mind I still have warranty, but if in fact wiring along the floor fried, it seems to me that if I do in fact have a partially clogged cat, that this is the reason for any fried wiring along the floor/console and not the radio.
Got it towed to Hine Mazda (where it started and ran just fine) and got the initial diagnosis today: Partially clogged cat. Now they need to unplug the aftermarket radio (with the obligatory you may need to pay for this speech) because the cabin fuse keeps blowing when they try to hook up their scanner.
Now bear in mind I still have warranty, but if in fact wiring along the floor fried, it seems to me that if I do in fact have a partially clogged cat, that this is the reason for any fried wiring along the floor/console and not the radio.
#2
My car started running like absolute crap yesterday. Got a couple of miles trying to get back to work and then smoke starts pouring out of the cabin from the floor area and the console display/aftermarket radio stopped working inside and warning lights everywhere. Radio has been there for three years BTW.
Got it towed to Hine Mazda (where it started and ran just fine) and got the initial diagnosis today: Partially clogged cat. Now they need to unplug the aftermarket radio (with the obligatory you may need to pay for this speech) because the cabin fuse keeps blowing when they try to hook up their scanner.
Now bear in mind I still have warranty, but if in fact wiring along the floor fried, it seems to me that if I do in fact have a partially clogged cat, that this is the reason for any fried wiring along the floor/console and not the radio.
Got it towed to Hine Mazda (where it started and ran just fine) and got the initial diagnosis today: Partially clogged cat. Now they need to unplug the aftermarket radio (with the obligatory you may need to pay for this speech) because the cabin fuse keeps blowing when they try to hook up their scanner.
Now bear in mind I still have warranty, but if in fact wiring along the floor fried, it seems to me that if I do in fact have a partially clogged cat, that this is the reason for any fried wiring along the floor/console and not the radio.
how often do you change your oil? or are you putting the right oil in?
#5
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: temecula, California
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Just a thought...my cat is ok but my cup warmers do get pretty warm somedays, so if you cat was real bad maybe it got the center console real hot and messed up some wires.
#7
So one of the O2 sensors went which led to the cat clogging. Some wiring went around that sensor and they need to replace the carpet which burnt a little. I think there is still a burnt wire somewhere which is causing the cabin fuse to blow but they are blaming my aftermarket HU (which has been there for three years). All will be replaced under warranty once I provide them with proof I replaced my spark plugs under their maintenance schedule (I did it a month ago), and my baby will be back in about a week.
Methinks that at 46k I should be inquiring about an extended warranty......
Methinks that at 46k I should be inquiring about an extended warranty......
#8
Well its official. They have to replace the engine too after it failed a compression test. Now I have to run around and get all my service records from back east to show I have changed the oil regularly for Mazda North America (I have) and while understandable its a pain. Ugh.
#9
Well its official. They have to replace the engine too after it failed a compression test. Now I have to run around and get all my service records from back east to show I have changed the oil regularly for Mazda North America (I have) and while understandable its a pain. Ugh.
hopefully when you get all your records they put the right oil in sence its a rotary and we take different oil.
iv had to drain my whole motor for someone putting the wrong oil in.
well hope everything works out for you.
#10
Ok, here's the scoop:
Mazda has agreed to replace the engine.
They have NOT agreed to replace the O2 sensors, catalytic converter, burnt wiring harness and carpet. They are claiming that my Revi box, Denso plugs, and aftermarket plug wires are responsible for that portion of the damage. Now I'm calling BS, and unofficially my service guy is too. That cost would be $3,500.
If I can't convince Mazda to do the right thing, I'm somewhat tempted to file a) a lawsuit under the Magnuson-Moss act and b) file an inusrance claim for fire damage.
Thoughts???
Mazda has agreed to replace the engine.
They have NOT agreed to replace the O2 sensors, catalytic converter, burnt wiring harness and carpet. They are claiming that my Revi box, Denso plugs, and aftermarket plug wires are responsible for that portion of the damage. Now I'm calling BS, and unofficially my service guy is too. That cost would be $3,500.
If I can't convince Mazda to do the right thing, I'm somewhat tempted to file a) a lawsuit under the Magnuson-Moss act and b) file an inusrance claim for fire damage.
Thoughts???
Last edited by Davey's RX-8; 02-25-2008 at 11:40 AM.
#11
mazda tried pulling that same **** when my clutch burnt out at 10,000 miles, one day on the freeway it just went out.
they claimed it was because of my grounding kit! ahahahahha
come on, a grounding kit effecting a clutch.
they claimed it was because of my grounding kit! ahahahahha
come on, a grounding kit effecting a clutch.
#12
I am going to call Mazda this afternoon and let them have it. I am not an engineer by trade but I do know how an automobile operates, and there is no way properly installed, gapped, and heat range spark plugs (with 2,000 miles on them) are responsible, and if you're going to tell me that the Revi, which is nothing more than a box is responsible for my car going into open loop mode, then I have this bridge over the East River for sale.....
#16
any way you can prove that the after market parts arnt the cause of the failer?
#21
No of course not. And properly gapped and heat range plugs properly installed in the trailing and leading locations should not be a violation of the Magnusson-Ross Act. Of course citing that and getting the car fixed without my footing the bill up front are two different things. Believe me, at some point I AM going to "speak" to the district manager. Same with the Revi, which is sold by a couple dealers in OC. Short of an actual lawsuit (not a threat of one) I don't see them backing down. In the meantime I am driving a courtesy car which they could simply take back and then I would have to ride my bike to work and back and not much else. There is legal, and then there is reality. And then there is payback......
#22
Original Turbo 'd Auto !!
...then there is stupidity.
I would see them saying the plugs caused the engine to have low compression.
How could the intake and plug wire cause the cat to plug up? Those two items are before the exhaust part of the cycle. I could see a over-producing OMP to help clog the cat.
One thing you may want to investigate. The EPA may have a say so in the replacement cat. The OEM cats now have to last 120k miles of service.
Also Mazda installed a ceramic cat that fails under high heat loading the Rotary expends during its exhaust phase.
I would see them saying the plugs caused the engine to have low compression.
How could the intake and plug wire cause the cat to plug up? Those two items are before the exhaust part of the cycle. I could see a over-producing OMP to help clog the cat.
One thing you may want to investigate. The EPA may have a say so in the replacement cat. The OEM cats now have to last 120k miles of service.
Also Mazda installed a ceramic cat that fails under high heat loading the Rotary expends during its exhaust phase.
#24
I just filed an online complaint with the California Department of Consumer Affairs
Bureau of Automotive Repair. I want to be careful though, because I am going to use the fact that Mazda is replacing the engine (cover the engine but not the cat and related fire, WTF?) to put in a lightweight MS flywheel and maybe a new clutch. I don't want to shoot myself in the foot doing this. Also keep in mind that the costs of the repair not being covered by Mazda are the cat, O2 sensors, wire harness and burnt carpet of which all but the cat and $500 are being covered by Geico under my comprehensive policy.
Bureau of Automotive Repair. I want to be careful though, because I am going to use the fact that Mazda is replacing the engine (cover the engine but not the cat and related fire, WTF?) to put in a lightweight MS flywheel and maybe a new clutch. I don't want to shoot myself in the foot doing this. Also keep in mind that the costs of the repair not being covered by Mazda are the cat, O2 sensors, wire harness and burnt carpet of which all but the cat and $500 are being covered by Geico under my comprehensive policy.