ECU "Fix" - still not fixed?

[Hachiman]

I'm one of many who has experienced the hesitation problem, along with a loss of power in the lower gears.

This past fall, when the ECU flash came out, I was excited. I don't plan on performing any major mods to my car, with the primary (and pssibly only) mod being a Turbo Timer. So I wasn't worried about it from that angle. I got the flash done at a Mazda dealer in downtown San Diego, as my local dealer refused to acknowledge such a fix was available.

After the flash, my car was running great! It was just like it was when I drove it off the lot, and I lost much of the frustrations I had with the car. It drove well, and had power (and life) again. Now, a few months later, the loss of power has come back. It's not as bad as it was before, but it's getting there. The hesitation has started a little bit, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed and knocking on wood that it doesn't get worse.

So I took my 2003 MSP to my local dealer this morning to possibly have the ECU re-flashed, and get the front and rear suspension checked. (Also my CD player has given me "Mecha Error"s a few times in the last week, but that's not a major issue... yet.) When I mentioned the ECU problem to my service writer (a 2003.5 MSP owner as well), he informed me that they wouldn't do it. When I asked why, his response was, "The flash doesn't really fix anything. Mazda hasn't figured out what's causing the problem yet, and they haven't informed anyone of any possible fixes. But since it doesn't work, we're refusing to do the flash at all until Mazda can finally fix the problem." I told him that I did have the flash done at another dealer, and the problems went away for a bit, but are now coming back. He confirmed this and said that I wasn't the only one who's had this problem.

Can anyone else confirm any of that? Has there been any word about possible permanent fixes or anything? Last time I was here on the board (last fall), it sounded like Mazda was touting this flash as the "be-all end-all" fix... Were they possibly just throwing this out there to buy more time? Or is the service writer full of crap? (Although I've never dealt with him personally before, I wouldn't doubt it since the dealership has lied to me numerous times in the past... Only reason I keep going there is that it's 3 miles from me, and the other one is near to 35 miles. Bleh!)

Slightly miffed,

- John

 

[Notorious]

do you mean the dealership at hine. I was the first one to get flashed there, never had the hesitation return. Check and see if you have the ecu modification sticker. Its either under the hood or on the drivers side door.

 

[unwrittenLaw]

you sure there's nothing wrong with your car? something else could be causing the hesitation. Or you could try resetting the ecu..

 

[Notorious]

Try resetting the ecu. Also check for boost leaks.

 

[Hachiman]

Notorious: I had the flash done at Hine, but the local dealer is Cush in Escondido. I'll have to check for the sticker when I get the car back; the only thing I can think of otherwise is that it took them like 5 hours to do the flash. What they told me was that they kept trying to download the fix, and files kept coming through corrupt. I honestly don't know for sure that they did it, but they said they did... and put it in my service paperwork. What does the sticker look like/say?

Unwrittenlaw: I suppose it could be something else, but I've no idea what it could be. I'm a computer tech, but know very little about cars; but I'm learning all the time. I may reset the ECU when I get it back and see what happens... I just didn't wanna have to re-do all of my radio stations.

- John

 

[Notorious]

Its a blue sticker, thats all i can recall at the moment. If your not doing anything tonight there is a meet on el cajon blvd tonight. We could check it out then.

 

[Hachiman]

Well, I'll be at work, but that's okay because my car is in the shop until tomorrow, likely.

I'll take a look when I get the car back and see if it's there.

- John

 

[skilletrx]

not all dealerships put on the sticker.. at least for us in N VA

 

[122 Vega]

well some of us are having issues again post flash.

BMW just released the 6th ECU Flash for the Mini Cooper S for hesitation and stumbling problems.

mazda could still be working on it, but I doubt enough post flash owners have complained about it.

Britt

 

[WillisW555]

Could we get a list of the people that are having problems?

If we submit a list of like a few hundred people I would think that would be better than a couple of people at a couple of dealerships.

 

[122 Vega]

We just did that last week, look at the top of the MS forum, under "MSP Problems"

Britt

 

[MazdaspeedNJ]

Or maybe a list of names like the production number thread has....That would be a good idea....Just cut, paste, and add a list of names. Then it can be printed and shown as proof of the poor testing of this vehicle.....Thats just my idea.

 

[SOSPEED]

You may want to check for boost leak.. I had my car flashed and it still has a hesitation problem but its not bc of the ecu its bc i have a boost leak problem. When the car goes into boost i can see my boost gauge spike up to max boost and then come back down as the engine comes up to speed. How to fix this?? Get hard piping...

Also it wouldnt be bad if mazda really tuned the ecu. The car really runs way to rich.. With the proper timing and fuel curve this car could really be a beast....

 

[rocketspeed]

They've released 4 flashes for the SVT Focus since it came out, and its still not right. That car isn't even FI.

 

[BlkZoomZoom]

SOSPEED- Mazda uses a really rich fuel mixture to fight detonation.

-You guys think our little hesitation is bad, at least you didn't pay 30-40k for a VW Passat, then have to worry about if the stupid thing is going to start when its cold out. (Note: 1.8T misfire horribly when cold.....to the point that sometimes they won't start, VW knows about this, however it will be till feb. for the flash to come out.)

 

[Hachiman]

You may want to check for boost leak.. I had my car flashed and it still has a hesitation problem but its not bc of the ecu its bc i have a boost leak problem. When the car goes into boost i can see my boost gauge spike up to max boost and then come back down as the engine comes up to speed. How to fix this?? Get hard piping...

Also it wouldnt be bad if mazda really tuned the ecu. The car really runs way to rich.. With the proper timing and fuel curve this car could really be a beast....

Any way to test for this without a boost gauge?

- John

 

[markeddy]

You may want to check for boost leak.. I had my car flashed and it still has a hesitation problem but its not bc of the ecu its bc i have a boost leak problem. When the car goes into boost i can see my boost gauge spike up to max boost and then come back down as the engine comes up to speed. How to fix this?? Get hard piping...

Also it wouldnt be bad if mazda really tuned the ecu. The car really runs way to rich.. With the proper timing and fuel curve this car could really be a beast....

Can you define or expand on what you mean by "Hard Piping", and what existing STOCK piping would need to be replaced to take care of this problem?

Thank-you!

 

[MSPDAVE125]

Can you define or expand on what you mean by "Hard Piping", and what existing STOCK piping would need to be replaced to take care of this problem?

Thank-you!

Hard meaning "metal or aluminum" Plastic will swell and stretch and compress and weaken over time from the heat. It will also crack.

Switching to a "hard piping kit" will eliminate any stress cracks or weakened points found in plastic piping.


There are many companies offering piping kits for the MSP now.

Or you could always buy a Front Mount Intercooler kit which come complete with Hard piping.

 

[yashooa]

well some of us are having issues again post flash.

BMW just released the 6th ECU Flash for the Mini Cooper S for hesitation and stumbling problems.

mazda could still be working on it, but I doubt enough post flash owners have complained about it.

Britt

I would love to complain but my car is running spot on. It never really ran that poorly to begin with. I do hope someone can conquer the EManage problem and then this won't be a problem for anyone and we can get some good fuel/timing maps for our car.

 

[122 Vega]

I figure that it is because you live in Texas where the temp stays relative. Up here, it seems that the problems come and go with the temperature and humidity outside.

My car is down to 18.1 mpg with no mods, all freeway driving.

Britt