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7 visits, same issues
The last 2 trips, I bought the parts myself. The mechanic would've scalped me.
6/15/2008 113815 rough idle
Catalytic Converter 273.94
O2 Sensor 427.95
PCV Valve 16.75
Valve Cover Gasket 104.47
Fuel Injector Cleaner 116.5
8/13/2008 119436 rough idle Unstick Idle Control Valve 74.72
12/26/2008124293 rough idle Replace Idle Control Valve 554.78
8/1/2009 133399 rough idle Catalytic Converter 98.79
9/10/2009 135063 rough idle Fuel Pump 283.49
Fuel Filter 129.72
Coolant Temp Sensor 195.75
Thermstat 122.97
10/7/2009 136158 rough idle Coil Pack 235
Wires 33
Plugs 21
Total pain - 2688.83
I'm in for the 7th time today. Just want them to get it right. Hopefully no more money passes hand. All the parts have been replaced, some twice.
Have they hit the root cause?
John M
Anthem, AZ
You can tell by the list they're looking at spark/fuel issues, specifically the ignition coil pack and the fuel filter and pump.
I'd go one step further and if you haven't already replace the spark plugs and especially the spark plug wires. They last about 30k miles on Miatas. On my 93 I remember changing them twice, and both times it fixed a hesitation issue.
Try that if you haven't already - and get good quality wires.
My Dad has just got a 2001 plate mx-5 sport and it has not decided not to start, I am a mechanic and i had 2 of my mechanical mates over last night to look at the car. We have gone through the coils, ht leads etc and all seems to be ok. I am aware that the cam position sensor could be at fault and i have not as yet replaced this. The car then decided to start and ran (badly) for about 10 seconds. we then looked in to the fuse box inside the car where we came accross something called the key recognition system. having spent rather a lot of time reading the forums and testing out the car, I suspect that there may be something to do with the immobiliser (if fitted) or this key recognition system could be playing up. We have tried to find fault codes in the engine and also the electrical system, but nothing was coming up. By no means am i disregarding the Spark plugs, Coil units ht leads etc, but if people have already replaced these items and are still having difficulty starting the car, this in my opinion is where you need to look in to. I will keep you posted on how things progress, if they progress.
Russell
Any ideas? I am afraid to drive the car any real distance. The stalling occurs much less frequently, but it does still occur.
Since the engine itself doesn't appear to be the cause of the stalling I am assuming it is electrical in some way. Is there a wire that could be shorting out or pinched?
Help!!!
Russell
The squeeling is probably the belts. Annoying, but not likely the cause of the engine not turning over.
So the engine won't physically turn over all the way? That's beyond what I'm able to trouble shoot. Sounds pretty serious.
Ask also on Miata.net.
The misfires seem to cause the Catalytic Converter/O2 Sensor damage.
After multiple Cat Converter/Sensor replacement/repair by the dealer,
(Remember that the emissions systems are warrantied for 8 yrs/80,000 miles)
I still have the intermittent misfire, codes, engine light and rough running on two cylinders which clears up after a few miles and then clears the engine code after
a couple of drive cycles (approx. 25 miles)
After having done a lot of research and spending lots of money, I have discovered that apparently, Mazda Engineering has known of the 2000 Mazda Miata Faulty Ignition Coil Issue but for some reason, they never issued a recall.
Perhaps because of the resultant damage to the other systems and thus their financial responsibility.
The coils are a two part design. Following, you will find a post from AllExperts .com.
"The ignition coils have been a common problem, they are not easily tested so these results should not be conclusive and the coils should not be ruled out entirely. The fault is intermittent and random misfire is the code that is displayed as they act up. In addition the assembly is made up of two coils they seldom both fail. One fires #1 & #4 the other #2 & #3.
Another common issue is the crank position magnetic pickup, also a hard to diagnose component since it causes intermittent faults as well.
These are the most common faults and one of them is likely your problem. The coil replacement should be treated as preventative maintenance, I have seen failures on almost every 1999 and 2000 model Miata I work on. Both are relatively easy to change. The CPS pickup requires a gap to contact adjustment when installed.
Fuel pumps seldom fail even with limited use unless the fuel was allowed to sour and reduce to resin (2-3 years no use)
Probability of Failure:
Coils 9 out of 10
CPS 5 out of 10
Fuel Pump 2 out of 10"
The engine just stopped! Never heard a noise of any kind. the car just starting losing speed. I cut the radio off off witch wasn't very loud and the air off very quickly, tried to restart while coasting, but nothing happen. I coasted into a parking lot and tried again.
It does turn over but sounds like a blender or a sewing machine. Someone told me it was the timing belt, but they wee just guessing, some body please help my baby is sick!
First off i bought the car used and it's ran Great for over 6 months no problems at all
then a few days ago i drove the car to a friends house, i was there about 2 hours
it was a 25 mile drive up there and when i went to leave the car wouldnt start,
i called a tow truck and had it towed home, after checking the car out im not getting any spark from the plug wires, i got a computer from autozone it's not reading the car or finding it, the computer works just fine on my other two cars
but not the mx5, Here is my question when i turn on the key the only lights i get are an airbag and parking brake light, I'm almost 100% positive i used to get a check eng light as well when i would turn on the key and now i'm not.
will the crankshaft sensor going out cause the car not to get a chk eng light ?
or does this sound like a bad computer or something else
all the car will do is crank i have power everwhere else horn lights dash light all that just no spark oh ad yes i am getting fuel
and i have checked all the fuses inside and out.
thanks for any help
makes no since to me /cry
Any advise/suggestions :confuse: from anyone, please...
Before I spend more $$$ does anyone have advise/suggestions, please... I have read through most of these posts and the forum at mazda.net; has anyone reported back that the problem is solved?
Since there is only 25,000 mi on this car the parts were all original until I took it to my mechanic, he changed the plugs (informing me they were original) and changed the ignition wire set. It didn't solve the problem. He seems to think I need to get it on the highway and open it up to burn off any carbon built-up in it from sitting and not being driven very much, but I never get to make it that far with out this problem. I don't know, I will keep searching for answers.
Again, thank you
Robin
Next issue 149K
No power - idles fine, feels like I'm on only one cylinder. Car started to overheat near my house, dont know why. Shut it down, car was towed. Mechanic (30 yrs)has tried the BARO and one other sensor, no luck.
Waiting for their next move. They said they've tried every test under the sun and the car is tight
What could it be?
after finding hard start when hot. It seems the cam senor is a issue on these,but i haven`t replaced it yet. I`ll wait and see this summer how it runs.
Thanks for the info.
The exhaust could also be clogged, I suppose.
I'm going to ask if you've had the spark plug wires replaced. On my '93 mile I would only get 30k out of those, so I went through 3 sets of wires.
The problems I just described will apply if the car will start and feel very bogged down until you get it up to about 3500 rpms on the highway, at that point it would then feel almost normal... the biggest issues would be at lower rpms.
If the cat is bad you will have more issues at higher rpms than at lower rpms... haven't had a miata with any cat problems but have had other cars and they would usually work well at very low speeds and sputter and choke as you went faster.
The horn sounds like an electronics problem or short somewhere.... frankly it sounds like your mechanics don't have a clue and are probably going to fix you to death.
I'd turn all the items connected to the accessory belt to see if any of them are frozen.
Edit: one more thought. When I had the water pump changed (yours could be seized BTW), the mechanic didn't set the timing right.
Stock setting is 10 degree before top dead center. You can go as far as 14 degrees on 87 octane, about 17 degrees if you use premium.
They had set the timing at around 4 degrees, well out of spec. You lose LOTS of power that way, mine drove like a dog until I set it back to 14.
2 days later, after driving for 15-20 minutes, I stopped to put air in the tires. The car started with no trouble but shut off after about 2 blocks and would not restart.
We have now replaced the fuel filter, fuel pump and battery. The engine turns with no trouble but will not fire.
The fule seems to be getting all the way to engine but no further.
Is there a problem with the EFI?
If the fuel supply is good, what about the spark?
Miatas of that vintage eat plug wire sets every 30k miles or so. I owned mine long enough that I had to change them twice.
This is a puzzle.
No check engine light.
Nothing has been serviced or changed since a plug change a month ago.
Fuel filter changed last spring.
I've regularly cleaned and inspected the manifold and the EGR system.
Replaced O2 sensor about a year or so ago.
This seems to be a control problem, under certain conditions. At idle, once settled, it runs normally. At highway sppeds it is normal unless you ask for a sudden increase in power - then it wants to lag. When decelorating you can tell it loses power quicker, and less smoothly. I would suspect the fuel pump but that wouldn't explain the hard starting. Any ideas? Thanks for your help !
My 97 Mazda M had to have a new - and really pricey battery - and now it must be put on a battery charger over night after driving a couple of days. I do not want to go back to the people who installed the battery - I was in a big city, far from home - and I am not sure where to take the car to get it checked out. The car was fine until the battery went bad, never had a problem.