check engine light?

This guide will help us get the codes so we can fix it

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Please run down this guide and report back.

Auto Zone result:
code P0421
Warm up catalyst system (RH) effeciency below threshold

Probable cause
1. exhaust leak
2. Check other service codes first
3. Faulty catalytic converter

If no exhaust leak before CAT and no other codes then CAT is faulty. But have seen code 421 and no other CAT replaced code came back turned out to be O2 sensor. You could try clearing code and see if it resets.

i bought this car at auction and found when i got home the check engine light was not working.someone had removed the check engine lamp and of course when i put it in it was on.i scanned and found a few issues.all the sensor pids are displaying full voltage(5 volts).and also the pcm is reading 18 volt charging voltage.with a voltmeter i only have 11 volts at the battery.i am assuming it is the computer itself.i would like some more info on this issue before i replace the pcm

Could be the PCM controlled of the alternator field generation-See below

My car has been acting up. The airbag light would be flashing and my radio would turn on and off when it shut off it would not start again. I took the radio out and everything was working fine for a few days until the check engine light started flashing. I plugged in a code reader and it gave me the codes U3510 and C3F13 it has not shut off while it was driving since i took the radio out, but the battery has been dying when it is least convenient. The alternator maybe?

you may other problems there may be a parasitic draw somewhere which is covered under battery on repair guides on site. the codes you have are false codes as there are none with that number so it may be just a bad battery check for condition including load test most places do for free.

97 mazda protege. My check engine light came on again. I went to get and OBDII test and they gave me a code of P0420, saying it's either a O2 sensor or my catalytic converter. What is it more likely to be? If it's either one how much do they cost to get fix. Are the catalytic converters very expensive?

hi
i would have the dealer look at it and narrow it down , a good tech will be able to test the 02 and find out whether you need the 02 or the converter , the code set states test the 02 in question and if its faulty if it is good replace the 3 way cat converter

jim

if you are happy with the info please leave feedback we all here do this for free feedback is a way of saying thank you for the help

Hello. I have a 97 Mazda Protege, 156,263 miles. This morning my check engine light came on. I took it to an auto shop to get a diagnostic test. They told me that there computer connected to the engine's but it would not allow them to see the codes. He believes there to be a problem since the engine seems to be running rough, yet he said that could be a sign of a tune up. Also he just cut the light off and told me to drive and too see if it would come back on. I was just wondering should i follow what he said or go somewhere else and see if they can check the codes? Also, if the engine is running rough could this be a sign of expensive repairs to come?

You need to find a different shop. What you described is a shop that is not up to snuff on the technology. You need to find a shop capable of troubleshooting a "communication failure to the pcm" for starters. Once that is solved and the codes cn be accessed, it can be troubleshot properly.

Maybe it will come back to tune up items, but I'm sure you keep that current....right?

Yes, it sounds like the shop you used does not have the proper equipment for diag this car. OBD II generic system diagnostic tools can get a bit tritchy with the older models ie: sometimes a Windows XP program doesn't run too good on a Windows 98 system.

Even at my MAZDA dealer we hve some trouble using the most 'up to date' equipment on the old vehicles. It usually means we have to go get someof the old stuff out of the tool room. I would go get it tested at your local Mazda dealer. If not, post what code you find before going ahead with work. There are alot of 'Phantom" codes from those years. Eg.codes for fuel trim malfunctions....people will have there 02 sensor replaced, but its really some rust in the fuel pulse dampner......STUFF like that.

With the older cars it is sometimes better to go to the dealer


Cosmo...Mazda TEch

Hello all.
I seem to be having problems with my little mazda protege.
For about a year now, the engine light will go on for a few days. Stay off for a few months, and then reappear suddenly. My dad had it checked out before, but was told it was just a faulty wire, because the car checked out fine, with no visible problems. Shortly after last summer, my overdrive will kick in all of a sudden (without me having to press a button) and the light will go on and off, all the while my car will kick in and out of overdrive at a rapid speed. We were told recently by a firestone tech that this could be a transmission problem. I am worried about how much this could cost, as this is an older car, and I don't plan to have it much longer. I have kept it in good condition, making sure it gets regular check ups,oil changes, ect. Within the past year it has gotten new belts, a transmission flush, and just within the past week a tune up that was badly needed.
I am a poor college kid, so I am not always able to cover the expenses as soon as I would like.
A newer problem as of late, is that when I try to start my car, the clutch appears "stuck". I have to let the car cool down first before I can shift the clutch into gear. At first I thought it was just the cold weather, but it has been warm these past couple of days, (70's) and my car still appears to have the same problem.
After I got my tuneup, it has slightly improved. the only time it appears to do this is early in the morning, and is fine through out the day, where as before the tuneup it would be anytime through out the day that I wanted to start my car.
If anyone could give me some insight into these problems, I would greatly appreciate it!!

The clutch? is this an automatic or manual trans? you talk about an OD light but then a clutch. The PCM needs to be scanned to get the trouble codes, just because it is physically in good condition doesnt mean the PCM cant see a problem

I just took my car in to be repaired. It was running rough and the Check Engine light started blinking. Had a standard tune up, replaced spark plugs and wires. The car is still running rough. The repair shop says I need a Complete Head Set $232.99 and a Magnaflux/Valve Grind $465.00. Are these prices high? The total of all the repairs needed are $2387.96 parts and labor, this includes other repairs as well.

Id take it to another place and get a re-appraisal. This guide will help us get the codes so we can fix it

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Please run down this guide and report back.

i need some help. my car overheated when a friend of mine failed to put my radiator cap on correctly. i ended up losing all the fluid in my cooling system and let it cool before refilling it. it started to overheat a few more times and i had to bleed the air out of the radiator. then the engine started misfiring occasionally when starting up and the temp gauge sometimes creeps up at long idles. thought maybe there was still air in there and just keep trying to bleed the system. so i replaced the radiator cap, and got a thermostat and spark plugs/wires put on my car. and the temp gauge seemed like it was going up less frequently. but then 2 days ago the check engine light came on. and the temp gauge still sometimes creeps up on long idles. also i can smell burning coolant. i fill up my coolant regularly but when i check my coolant level after driving heavily there are bubbles in the coolant. but once it cools down its low again. its really frustrating. so i got the codes read and they are PO115 and PO420 help please!

If I were you have it chemically and pressure tested-start here

Sounds like you have a leaking head gasket all along. You should not have to be adding coolant "regularly".

The chemical test rasmatz is talking about involves drawing air from the radiator through a glass cylinder with two chambers partially filled with a special dark blue liquid. If combustion gases are present, the liquid will turn bright yellow. A leaking head gasket will allow exhaust gas to be pushed into the cooling system and coolant to be burned in the engine and disappear out the tail pipe.

That air can also pool under the thermostat allowing it to close, and the engine to overheat. Thermostats open in response to hot liquid. They don't respond to hot air.

i was told by a couple people that if it were the head gasket there would be white smoke coming out the tail pipe, which there is none, or coolant in my oil or vice versa, which there is none. what do those codes mean?

P0115 – Engine Coolant Temperature Circuit Malfunction

P0420 – Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1)

is it possible to try to determine what is most likely setting the codes off?

I have the check engine light on what should I do to get it fixed? Some mechanics told me that it is the crankshaft sensor that doesn't work . Is that a big problem for the engine?

Hi there,

When the check light is on there is a set fault code set in the ECU, you will need to have a scan done to read this code and this will identify the problem you are having.

Mark (Mhpautos)

Not easily. Codes get you to the circuit that needs diagnosis, not usually to the defective part.

Coolant sensors don't fail real often. More common is a loose connector, the connector was removed while the ignition switch was turned on, or a terminal in the connector is stretched and making intermittent contact. The most effective way to troubleshoot them is with a scanner that displays live data.

The rear oxygen sensor monitors what comes out of the catalytic converter. The front one monitors what goes in. By those sensor readings, the Engine Computer knows what the converter is doing. When it's not cleaning up the exhaust properly, it turns on the Check Engine light. Most of the time that means a new converter is needed, but other tests should be done first to confirm that.

I'll try to get some tests done. I forgot to mention another weird occurance. When I turn the heater on and off, I hear a weird noise coming from the dash. Kind of a winding down noise or something, almost sounds like fluid? I can't really describe it well.

How about the heater fan motor coming to a stop?

No the heater works fine. Its just when I turn it off it makes an odd gurgling noise. But I just talked to the mechanic and asked if he ran a pressure test when they changed the thermostat and he said they did, and everything tested fine. So i have an appointment to have them check it out tomorrow. Hopefully he figures out what the problem is.

black soot in tailpipe and all over back of car has new plugs wires cap rotor fuel and air filter runs a little rough still no check engine light no stored codes seems to be running rich and don't know why.

Perhaps air in the heater core? Radiator fan coasting to a stop? Keep us posted.

Check the engine compression, fuel pressure regulator and ignition timing.
Ensure air filter is not clogged.
Check Engine Coolant Temperature performance.

the guy said the best place to start would be temp switch/sender and the o2 sensor. he didnt put any scanner or anything to it though. just hooked the computer up. should a take it to a different mechanic? or get the o2 sensor and temp switch and have them done?

The coolant temperature sensor should be tested with a simple ohm meter reading before it's replaced. Any goofball can replace parts. Professionals do at least a little testing first to be sure the new parts are needed. If the initial problem started from leaving the radiator cap loose, that's not going to damage the coolant temperature sensor. I suspect someone just unplugged it at one time. Erase the fault codes and see if they come back before replacing parts.

The downstream, (after the catalytic converter), O2 sensor is just reporting what it sees, so changing it isn't going to fix a problem with the converter. Again, see if that code comes back after it's erased.

To erase the codes yourself, disconnect the negative battery cable for a minute, then reconnect it. Don't do this on newer cars because many computers can lock up and will need to be reprogrammed by the dealer. I have to mention that for the benefit of other people who might read this and try it. General Motors and Volkswagen are the worst offenders at that. They are very good at getting your money after the sale.

well the intial problems started after my radiator cap popped off and blew all of the fluid out of my cooling system on a long distance drive. yeah i was thinking of getting a quote from another shop because i feel like being a women these mechanics all try to rip me off.

I've heard that many times before, but more often than not, it's not that you're a women; it's that you don't speak the same language as mechanics. The same can be said of 90 percent of men. As a former instructor at a community college, I was asked almost every week by someone to examine their repair bill, and when it was explained in layman's terms, people realized what at first appeared to be excessive charges was really the mechanic looking out for the customer in the long run.

Many mechanics never even meet the car owner. They just diagnose the problem, then report their findings to the service adviser who contacts the owner with various repair options. Service advisers often don't know much about cars, but they have good communication skills; something most mechanics lack.

We spent a lot of time in my classes too on "perception". A shady salesman for any product can make you feel good while ripping you off. THOSE are the people who give every profession a bad reputation. The honest people in any profession don't make news. We never hear about them.

I felt just the opposite about woman customers when I worked for a very nice Chrysler dealership. I made an effort to do extra things at no charge and to keep costs down to help prove we could be trusted. We had a REAL big base of repeat customers, both for service and new car sales. I was lucky that I often got to meet the owners and talk with them. I explained what their car needed right now and what could wait. We were always so busy, there was no need to try to pad the bill by selling unneeded services. Some shops are slow so they look harder for other things to sell you. That's okay if a preventive service makes your car last longer, but it should really be needed.

We fall into a rut when we explain the same things over and over so we start to leave things out, or we forget you're hearing this for the first time. I've heard mechanics tell a customer what was needed to fix their car, and the way they said it, I wouldn't even approve the service. They are busy and have other cars waiting, and they describe the problem and cure as though they were talking with another mechanic. A good doctor will explain things a lot differently to the patient than to another doctor. Doctors, and mechanics, who are wrapped up in their work, forget or don't want to take the time to explain things in detail. They just blurt out the repair and the cost, and expect you to make an instant, informed decision when you don't have all information. That can lead to the customer's lack of confidence in the mechanic.

The best thing you can do is ask some questions when presented with their findings. Ask if what they found could have caused other problems that might not show up right away. If they give you various choices such as replacing a large component vs. rebuilding it on site, ask for the advantages and disadvantages each way, and what they would do if it was their car. They might have their own recommendations too. Many repairs involve parts that come as complete assemblies or as individual parts. The individual parts cost much less but take a lot more time to install. Complete assemblies cost more and were assembled in a controlled factory environment, but take less labor time to install. If business is slow, they may opt for the less expensive parts that take more time to install. The overall cost to you might be about the same but it will keep the mechanic busy. If the shop has a lot of people waiting, they will likely steer you toward the complete assembly to save time so they can move on to the next car. Most shops are busy now because people are fixing older cars rather than buying new ones. If you see one shop that has people standing around, there might be a reason. Look for a busy one.

Sorry to get so far off topic. Once I get on a roll, I can't stop.

check engine lights on it won't read the codes on a 95 mazda protege

I MEAN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS IS WON'T READ THE CODES AT ALL ???.

Is OBDII scanner being used?

Why is my car idling so rough? I recently had my rear O2 sensor and the wires replaced. This fixed the problem I was having with the engine and check engine light that had been on. Now my car idles very rough at around 700 rpms. It used to idle a bit rough once at Normal Operating Temperature. Now its every time that I'm idling. It hasn't stalled or seem to come close to stalling, but I'm concerned that this may lead to another problem over time.

What should I check first? I read some forums and I kept seeing "check the IAC valve", but I don't to look for, or what to get to clean it. I know where my IAC is though. I had bought the car from a friend and don't know everything that has been done to it. I'm going to get an oil change this weekend, hopefully that will help. It couldn't hurt as I see it.

The idling speed seems to be too low. Try cleaning the throttle body and IAC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzgX5t0qR-8

The above link should be helpful.