Engine Idle Speed?

[terpkristin]

Hey all,
I have an 07 mazda 3 GT hatchback, which I think is the 2.3L engine.
I was wondering if any others with the 2.3 engine around here (doesn't have to be an 07) could tell answer the following questions:

1. When you start your car in the morning, what rpm does it idle at when in park (assuming an automatic transmission)?
2. When you start your car after letting it sit all day, what rpm does it idle at when in park?
3. In cold weather (less than 45 deg F), what does it idle at when you start it?

Thanks,
/tk

 

[major error]

Cold, mine idles around 1500. Hot, between 500 and 1000

 

[terpkristin]

Cold meaning cold temperatures outside or cold as in "sitting overnight"?

Anybody else out there?

And while I'm on a topic of things I'm curious about, when you don't have a passenger with you in the front seat, does the "Passenger Air Bag Off" light stay on or turn off?

Thanks again..
/tk

 

[MM3Canuck]

Cold, mine idles around 1500. Hot, between 500 and 1000

Same here

And while I'm on a topic of things I'm curious about, when you don't have a passenger with you in the front seat, does the "Passenger Air Bag Off" light stay on or turn off?

Thanks again..
/tk

It will only be on if you place a lighter object (4-30kg, I MADE THIS NUMBER UP) on the seat, I don't have the manual handy, but it does tell you. For example, when I place my heavy-loaded backpack on the passenger seat, the light comes on (the car thinks a baby seat is present and disables the Airbag). So when your buddy seats beside you, he is heavy enough for the light to stay off, enabling the airbag for his safety. The seatbelt light will stay light until he fastens the seat belt as well.

 

[MM3Canuck]

Cold meaning cold temperatures outside or cold as in "sitting overnight"?

/tk

Mine never idles higher than 1500rpm (sometimes starts off at 2,000 and then rapidly drops to 1,500rpm and slowly drops down.

Over night and/or cold temps (-35Celcuis) still 1,500rpm...it just takes longer to get back to normal.

PS: I have a 2.3L with standard tranny, I don't think that auto or manual tranny makes a differnce when in park or neutral.

 

[B1GHAM]

due to emissions equipment, the vehicle will idle higher (around 1500-2k rpms) when the engine is cold (when the vehicle has sat overnight or not run in hours). it will also idle higher for longer when it is cold outside (under say, 50 F). It will do this as a way to warm up the catalytic converters for emissions. Catalytic converters ONLY work when @ a higher operating temperature, and anytime they are "cold" they will not do their job. This is the vehicles way of speeding up the time it takes for the cats to reach operating temperature.

generally speaking after 2-3 minutes (at most usually) the vehicle will drop down to normal operation rpms of 500-1k. This will also happen if the vehicle is put in drive, or put into gear.

 

[B1GHAM]

as for the airbag, mm3 is right.

if there is a light object in the seat, the airbag will be disengaged - but it might ask for the seatbelt to be latch (blinking) even if its just a bookbag.

if there is more than 60lbs in the seat, the airbag will be engaged and the light will go off.

if there is NOTHING in the seat, the airbag will be disengaged, but no light will come on.

 

[terpkristin]

Thanks, everybody, for the responses. My car is currently at the dealership (with head unit issues), and I was trying to ensure that there was nothing else I needed to bring to their attention. I didn't remember seeing the airbag stuff in the manual, but I didn't have it handy, so I appreciate the info. The high idle stuff seems silly, my car is getting horrible gas mileage and I thought it might be related to that, but I guess not.

Oh well
Thanks!
/tk

 

[blue2turbo]

Thanks, everybody, for the responses. My car is currently at the dealership (with head unit issues), and I was trying to ensure that there was nothing else I needed to bring to their attention. I didn't remember seeing the airbag stuff in the manual, but I didn't have it handy, so I appreciate the info. The high idle stuff seems silly, my car is getting horrible gas mileage and I thought it might be related to that, but I guess not.

Oh well
Thanks!
/tk

If it's an 07 I am assuming you may still have fairly low miles on it? My Mazdaspeed3 is getting terrible gas mileage, but it is slowly going up as I add miles, first tank was like 18.5MPG, second went up to like 19.3MPG, recent tank was 19.8MPG, and the tank I am driving on now is looking to be over 20MPG (idhitit)!!

 

[terpkristin]

If it's an 07 I am assuming you may still have fairly low miles on it? My Mazdaspeed3 is getting terrible gas mileage, but it is slowly going up as I add miles, first tank was like 18.5MPG, second went up to like 19.3MPG, recent tank was 19.8MPG, and the tank I am driving on now is looking to be over 20MPG (idhitit)!!

Well, it's an 07, with about 1700 miles on it. I took delivery of it on March 20th, but the dealer I got it from is 100 miles round-trip from where I live (it's closer to where my parents live) and it's been back and forth to/from the dealer a bit.

It's there now, where they were messing with the head unit, and I also asked about the engine idle, I just wanted some other opinions from people here, so I would know if the dealership was messing with me. From the sounds of it, they aren't. They just called me and told me my car is ready, I'll pick it up this weekend. They mentioned that the bad gas mileage (I've filled up 4 or 5 times, getting about 20 mpg) could be because the engine is still settling in. They said it starts with a really tight tolerance and loosens up as it gets driven, so by the time I hit about 10k I should have the gas mileage I expect (about 24-25 for me, excepting when I go to my parents' house or to the dealership, I drive mostly city). Sounded fishy to me, but if that's what others are experiencing....

I guess if that's what's normal, I just have to suck it up. The car has not been what I expected in many ways, and I'm generally disappointed with it (sunshield rattle, horribly designed nav system and LCD display for the head unit, bad incorporation of satellite radio and aux jack), but at least it's good to know the car is "normal" and I really really hope my gas mileage improves before I hit 10k miles...

/tk

 

[Olestra]

I have the same model as you except 06. When the car is warm, it idles consistently for me at 750 RPM.

As for the gas mileage, I wouldn't expect that it would take 10k miles for the fuel economy to "settle in". I was getting the fuel mileage I expected from the car (the estimated fuel eco) almost right away.
I found to get a decent fuel mileage you really have to feather the gas and try to maintain a constant speed once you're cruising at the speed limit. Also idling my car in the winter really hurt my economy, it is slowly getting better now that it is warm again.