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Astegman, you're just special, that's all! :P
Vince.
Maybe it's not a bug... maybe it's a feature :lemon:
I was one of the first on the board with a CX-7, and my CEL came on as well, but I can honestly say that my light hasn't come on since they replaced my gas cap in September.
There have been instances of a sticky valve on the emissions line, and that may be what's doing it as well.
But, no, I wouldn't wait for the checkup; if you have some free time, stop by your dealer and have it checked out.
The car is a gem, if all we have is a CEL bug and an iPod gripe, I'd say we're batting pretty good for a first year car!
:shades:
We called a "Bug" and undocumented feature.
Gas cap CEL = "orange ambient interior lighting." LOL...
Still love my CX-7, and I knew going in that a first year model could be funky. It was a "risk" worth taking, as far as I'm concerned!
#$%&&#^$(@$^%&!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lesson Learned- Never lease or buy a new model vehicle during it's 1st year inauguration. Too many bugs......
Imagine your warranty has expired, your check engine light comes and you need the car inspected. You bring it to the "stealer" and he tells it's this, that and the other thing and it will run 200 dollars. All you are worried about is getting the car inspected. Meanwhile it was a loose gas cap or a loose wire on a sensor.
Note: there are ways to find out what it is by going to places like Autozone and such, but the average person gets sucked in big time.
First CEL was the gas cap - which my sales guy said was taken care of before we got the car - I made sure to ask. they replaced with the new and improved gas cap.
Second CEL was the manifold issue - as the part is "on backorder" from Mazda, they followed orders to modify the part to temporarily fix the situation.
Third CEL was a whole new issue we haven't heard of - a cellanoid - Which needs to be ordered from Mazda and was overnighted last night to the dealer.
In the mean time, they tell me not to worry if the light comes on again, I shouldn't have to go back in to get it looked at. Like I'm comfortable with that. 3 times, 3 entirely different things. The law of averages says that if it comes back on it will be for a whole new reason.
Oh, yeah. The clincher is that the dealer keeps giving me a rental car (paid by Mazda) for my "troubles"...it's a base Rav4! 1 in 3 weeks at the garage, and I'm paying my car payment for a base model Rav4! Not cool.
Looking into the possibility that this car is a lemon. :lemon: According to lemon law attorneys it is. It's not only the 3 times is a charm with the same problem, it's the amount of time it's been in the shop in the time of ownership. Not sure yet if we're going that route since I LOVE the car, but we'll see...
Did you actually check with an attorney or are you speculating? Did Mazda provide you with some info about your state's Lemon Laws? In VA, I received a little pamphlet that discussed the Lemon Laws. That pamphlet described the laws, victims rights and the processes. I never bothered reading it, but filed it with my other paper work. It's there if I ever need to reference it.
Vince.
I start the car up in my garage where the temp is around 40 degrees. I drive the car and within 1 mile the CEL comes on. Not sure if it is due to the ambient temp drop or the car warming up. Frankly, I don't care. btw - outdoor temps have been in the 20 degree range.
I am not going to the dealer for at least 1 month until Mazda USA figures out what the #$&^%^@# is wrong with their vehicle. I do not have the time to visit the dealer every few weeks.
MAZDA USA: Are you listening???
Hope you don't have to go down that road and all of us that have had a CEL issue share your frustration.
I find it hard to believe mine is not gas cap related since filling it up took care of it... unless the problem is in the gas fill neck that someone else alluded to.
A problem with the gas fill neck was one of the early causes of my various CELs, so it's possible. At this point, I would definitely consider my car a :lemon: , seeing as it's been treated for the CEL multiple times (at least 5 and counting) for a different reason each and every time. However, I have not researched Connecticut's lemon law and don't feel the need to do so just yet. While I find it frustrating, it's still not enough to make me take action. It's disappointing, though, and is certainly coloring my opinion of Mazda and their products. I would think long and hard (and do TONS of research) before sampling their products again. On the other hand, this is the first year for this model, and we all know how that can go! :surprise:
Edited to add: Upon re-reading my post, I realize I am not understanding the basic lemon law concept - 3 times for the same problem, right? So all the times my car was serviced for CEL - each with a different cause - would not fall under a lemon situation, right?
You can buy an OBDII scanner for around $60, which will work on most cars built since 1996. I picked one up at my favorite supercenter and it was invaluable when I was working on my old truck, which had been driven through high water and was having ignition issues.
I also used it a while back to reset the CEL on my Mazda. I confirmed the problem was the gas cap issue, and I was on my way - without having to go to the dealer.
It might be overkill for most garages, especially in this age of 30-minute oil change centers, but it's pretty handy for those who are untrusting of dealers or who aren't afraid to turn a wrench on a brand-new $30K car.
-c92
My point was that it would be useful to know why the CEL is on from a consumer stand point so that you don't get ripped off by the shysters that exist out there who now have the potential to tell you just about anything is wrong with your car.
So, if you want to know what the light means and be truly informed, buy a scan tool along with a shop manual. Otherwise, leave it to someone that has both.
So, if you want to know what the light means and be truly informed, buy a scan tool along with a shop manual. Otherwise, leave it to someone that has both."
I don't have a problem... the problem is that everything is so secretive under the hood of a car these days it is almost impossible to prevent deception on the part of a dealer or mechanic when the consumer is totally blind. Some of us who have wrenched their own over the years either through work experiance or as a hobby can make a better judgement call as to what is and is not legit if we are armed with the proper information. We can also better decide if it is something we want to fix it ourselves. The technology is there to deliver the information, it is just not readily available so that we at least have something to work with. At least not without buying special diagnostic tools to determine what the error code is. Cars from the eighties and nineties had the capability to display codes, but here we are in the new milenium and everything is a secret.
The same holds true for the dealer having to program the autolock feature of this vehicle. They could have designed this as a user programmable feature with little effort, instead of it having to be done by the dealer. In my VW, I can program every single convenience feature option anytime, anywhere from the onboard computer and I don't even have to open a manual.
The problem is that most of the auto manufacturers want to lock you in to having to visit the dealer for everything including some the most basic items.
Well, you sound frustrated, and I don't want to add to that - but my point is, there is nothing "special" about the scanners readily available now. I'm not saying that dealers don't make money off of service, or that they are all honest, but my experience has been that with a $60 piece of equipment and internet access, one can educate themselves about their cars, and it doesn't have to be secretive at all. So, maybe the definition of "readily available" is relative person-to-person. My only wish is that REAL shop manuals didn't cost $150
FWIW, my CX-7 dashboard doesn't tell me anything less than any other car I've ever owned, and that's counting 1976, 1984, 1993, 1997, and 2000MY vehicles of American, German and Japanese origin..
Here's a couple of links about the issue:
Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association
Dealer responds to Right to Repair column
Ah, remember the days of the 4-barrel carburetor and distributors? That's the last time I tinkered with cars. Once fuel-injection, electronic ignitions, and computer chips appeared on the scene, that's when I hung up my wrenches. Too dang complicated. Need a college degree to work on a car any more. Even oil changes are complicated. Sheesh, what's a guy to do with the old oil? Too many rules, procedures, laws, etc.
For me, it's just EASIER to let the experts work on the car. Yes, I pay for the service, and I have to have faith that the local Mazda dealer knows what they're doing. Fortunately, my Mazda dealer is de bomb and I'm quite happy with their service.
Vince.
"the problem is that everything is so secretive under the hood of a car these days it is almost impossible to prevent deception on the part of a dealer or mechanic when the consumer is totally blind."
Being blind is their choice. (no offense, Vince )When anyone off the street can hook up a store-bought tool to the car, get an eror code, look up the code on Google, and then either look up on the internet how to fix it, or read the shop manual, that doesn't sound secretive to me.
"Some of us who have wrenched their own over the years either through work experiance or as a hobby can make a better judgement call as to what is and is not legit if we are armed with the proper information."
So buy the tools you need and arm yourself, then. Personally, I've been working on cars for 25 years, and yes, I knew what vapor lock was, and knew how to work on drum brakes, and diagnose a car based on sounds, smells, drips, and exhaust, before there was fuel injection or ABS or any of that. Heck, I used to own a timing light. Remember those? You can bring that knowledge with you as you grow older, but I defy you to show me a car you owned where the dashboard told you the any error codes (and I don't mean an "oil pressure idiot light" and then told you how to fix it. If you want to continue your hobby of working n cars, yes you will be clueless without the right tools. That doesn't make it a secret.
The technology is there to deliver the information, it is just not readily available so that we at least have something to work with. At least not without buying special diagnostic tools to determine what the error code is. Cars from the eighties and nineties had the capability to display codes, but here we are in the new milenium and everything is a secret"
I still do not get this comment (or your point, obviously.) When they have a tool at WAL-MART, that says to me that it is not "special" and that the mass public is asking for it. Why aren't you?
Not a problem. Tell you what...next time I need service, how about flying down to DC, work on my CX-7 and I'll buy you dinner at Ruth Chris Steak House!
:P
Vince.
Please feel free to explain what you mean by secretive.
Stop wasting my time trying debating points that I never made.
It was really more of a discussion, but I'd be happy to debate if you like.
That tire shop is free to purchase a $25k diagnostic machine that will only service Ford vehicles. The Ford dealer had the same expense and will pay for that machine by servicing Ford vehicles exclusively.
The Right to Repair link you posted is not clear about its mission. They claim that the information is not available but the real gripe is that the information is not available free of charge.
I'm not 100 percent on it and it is actually complex in many ways... remember it is written by lawyers... plus it varies state by state.
Try this link:
http://dealerselect.com/lemon/lemonbystate.html
I thought it was pretty evident.
"It was really more of a discussion, but I'd be happy to debate if you like."
I have no desire in entering any debate, and especially a debate where your intent seems to be to defend the auto makers and dealers. Respond as you like, but I have no further interest in continuing this discussion.
-Zoom-Zoom 4-ever...
Well see if this works.
Ok, Road Trip huh?
Well, I'll let you get back to this stimulating conversation about CEL's.
Vince.
Thank you for contacting Mazda.
Even though synthetic oil has been on the market for a while, Mazda
does not recommend its use in our vehicles because it has not been tested
in the long run on the Mazda engine. The recommendation for oil that is
listed in the Owners Manual is also what the Mazda engineers recommend.
Since our office is not technically trained, I would be unable to
advise you what could be damaged if synthetic oil is used. Using synthetic
does not mean something will become damaged, Mazda just can not
recommend it.
Again, thank you for contacting Mazda.
Regards,
Thom R.
Specialist, Customer Assistance E-Business
Speaking of Mazda emails, check out the Nav forum for an email I received today about NAVTEQ.
Vince.