Anyone Experience this CEL problem?

[WalksInDarkness]

Hi All,

If you read my "Mazda is still a Ford" rant, you might remeber me...
So the short story is: they supposedly "fixed" my problem, by replacing the purge solenoid. But a few days later the CEL is back. It seems that whatever CEL code is generated isn't constant, because then if the battery is disconnected it goes away again for a few days. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this intermittent problem. The mechanics report said the code had something to do with some sort pressure or vacuum system that the solenoid is connected to. I guess they tested the line pressure/vacuum and it wasn't leaking. I am just wondering what else it could be???

 

[goldwing2000]

Faulty gas cap? Cracked vapor canister?
Hard to say without seeing the car but the vapor system only has a few components, so they will have to narrow it down eventually.

 

[peepsalot]

A cracked hose causing a leak in the evap system?

 

[M_3]

you have to take a trip to the dealer but reading the ford still a mazda i sugest taking it to another dealer.

 

[WalksInDarkness]

Update

UPDATE

Well hopefully my car is fixed now. They had to do all kinds of tests to isolate the problem, but apparently there was some sort of stuck "evaporative emissions valve" located near the fuel tank (they had to take out some part of the suspension or structural part to get at it). That is about all I could understand from the gibberish on the bottom of the workorder/invoice. The funny thing is that the parts invoice just says they replced a sensor? Anybody know what the heck this thing was? (GoldWing2000 myabe?) (shrug)

TIA,
Will

 

[M_3]

UPDATE

Well hopefully my car is fixed now. They had to do all kinds of tests to isolate the problem, but apparently there was some sort of stuck "evaporative emissions valve" located near the fuel tank (they had to take out some part of the suspension or structural part to get at it). That is about all I could understand from the gibberish on the bottom of the workorder/invoice. The funny thing is that the parts invoice just says they replced a sensor? Anybody know what the heck this thing was? (GoldWing2000 myabe?) (shrug)

TIA,
Will

glad you got it fixed and nio i dont know

 

[peepsalot]

Sounds like the evap solenoid maybe, but didn't they replace that the first time? I don't know where it is on the 3, but it mounts on the intake pipe before the throttle body on the MSP.

 

[WalksInDarkness]

This was definitely not the Purge Solenoid, which apparently is such a common problem. That was clearly stated on the invoice last time, and it took them all of 30 minutes to replace IIRC. They definitely didn't have to take all kinds of parts out to get at.

This thing took them like ~2 hours from start to finish. They had to remove what they called "rear cross member", because they had to get under the car near the fuel tank.

So this was something that I haven't heard of on this forum. The "service advisor" said this whole evap/emissions system is real touchy on the 3. He said he has seen all kinds of parts replaced, laughing about the damn gas cap issue too. At least he was honest about it.

-Will

 

[goldwing2000]

The vapor canister is back there above the rear suspension. There is a valve/solenoid that is part of the canister assembly.

It is definitely a PITA to get to. I had to move mine out of the way when I was removing my upper control arms and it took every trick I knew and every special wrench I could think of to just to move it a couple inches without dropping the subframe. Getting it out would definitely require major parts removal.

Glad they figured it out.

 

[Nikola]

Could someone please post a pic of where the PURGE SOLENOID VALVE is?????

Please!!!