Mazda Tribute CEL & ECU reset question...

[Avengeance]

Hey guys... this is my first post here so hopefully this is in the right forum.

I have a 2002 Mazda Tribute. I replaced a O2 sensor about a week ago and used a code reader/scanner to clear the CEL. Long story short I have until Jan 2nd to smog this truck to pay my registration. The problem is my wife and I have drove this thing for a few days now and I figured the ECU would be done self-diagnosing by now. I was wrong, it passed the sniffer test with flying colors but they failed me because I still have pending MIL codes? They told me I had to drive it for a while more to clear that up and then retest.

Ive estimated between my wife and I that we've logged approx. 150-200 miles, probably under 200, since I installed the O2 and cleared the code.

My local Ford dealership (since it is the Ford V6) told me it certainly shouldnt take a couple hundred miles to run all the tests, they said something like 30 miles. The guy at the desk, not a tech, told me it had to be a good mix of intown and freeway. Im not sure if I believe them.... simply because with my handheld scanner its showing that all the tests are not complete, yet I have deffinately done more then 15 intown and 15 freeway. Right now it says my Cat converter, O2s, and O2 heater tests are not complete.... everything else is.

How many miles must I drive to clear this up? My buddy that owns the handheld said he thinks its 200. I spent an hour driving today just to see if it would do anything.... still not cleared.

Any help is appreciated and sorry for the long post.

 

[solid_snake]

Try disconnecting the negative side of the battery... that should clear any codes stored in the ECU.

If that doesnt work let me know and i'll look for an answer in my Tribute workshop manual

Good luck

 

[Avengeance]

Try disconnecting the negative side of the battery... that should clear any codes stored in the ECU.

If that doesnt work let me know and i'll look for an answer in my Tribute workshop manual

Good luck

Thanks for the response...

I should have added that it currently doesnt have a CEL and isnt storing any current fault codes. Im just trying to figure out what I need to do to get the ECU to complete all its diagnostic tests... or basically how many miles I need to drive before its complete.

Maybe your workshop manual can explain what I need to do.

Thanks again.

 

[solid_snake]

Vehicle Preparation

1. Attach WDS or equivalent and access the ECT, FLI, and IAT PIDs. (OBD-II Computer that can access the ECU, and that can read engine information from the ECU)

2. Warm the vehicle until the ECT PID reaches a minimun of 77* C (170* F)

3. Without returning the key IFF, clear all DTC (Diagnostic Trouble code) using WDS or equivalent generic OBD-II function.

4. Access the On board System Readiness Menu on the WDS or equivalent to view the status of the OBD-II monitors

5. Proceed with the selected monitor repair verification drive cycle. Once started, the engine must not be turned off

 

[solid_snake]

OBD II Drive Cycle
-Note: Once started , the engine must not be turned off during the drive cycle.

1. Start the vehicle and drive the vehicle.

2. Drive in stop and go traffic for 20 mins with at least 4 idle periods.

3. Drive on an expressway or highway for 10 to 15 mins. Access and monitor IAT (Intake Air Temp.) PID on the scan tool during the entire highway drive. Heavy acceleration or wide open throttle are not reccomended.

4.Access the On Board System Readiness menu to check component status.

5. Rerun Continuous Memory Self- Test to check P1000 code status

 

[solid_snake]

HO2S monitor Repair Verification Drive Cycle:

1. Complete vehicle Preparation.

2. Cruise at 64 km/h (40 MPH) for at least 5 mins.

3. Verify no DTCs are available with exception of P10000


DTC P1000 means OBD II monitor testing not complete

 

[solid_snake]

Catalyst Monitor Repair Verification Drive Cycle:

1. Complete vehicle Preparation.

2. Drive in sop and go traffic conditions. include 5 different constant cruise speeds, ranging from 40 to 72 km/h (25 MPH to 45 MPH) over a 10 mins. period.

3. Verify no DTCs are available other with the exception of P1000

Hope this helps

 

[Avengeance]

Thank you very much bro..... I appreciate the help.

Merry Christmas!

 

[solid_snake]

Thank you very much bro..... I appreciate the help.

Merry Christmas!

You are welcome

Let me know how everything goes

 

[Avengeance]

Well... I drove it for a good 80 or so miles. 50 miles round trip from home to work. Then on my lunch break I drove it for a full hour in town. Got back from lunch and still wasnt done running all the tests.

So when I got home from work I decided, after reading the items you listed, that I might have to reset the ECU and then, without turning the car off, go drive for a while and see what happens.

I followed the procedures listed and after driving for over an hour, in town and freeway... following those things to the T.. I still had pending items. Except this time there was more pending items.

Im not sure what to do at this point. I did find out I can get an extention on my registration due date... not sure how long theyll give me. Hopefully a full month, seems Im going to need it.

My wife and I are going on a trip to our cabin this weekend. Its a good 300 mile round trip.. through the mountains, flat freeway, stop and go. I hope its enough to take care of all the tests it needs to do.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[TheMAN]

make sure that the temperature is above 40 degrees outside and you have ONLY about 1/2 tank of gas... any more or less may cause the evap test to not run

just *driving* the car and putting miles on it is NOT the quickest way to get the emissions monitors to set ready... you NEED to perform the drive cycles as directed in the service manual, and you must perform it EXACTLY as it says... if you have difficulty doing that, then you need to find an open road away from the city, which is what I normally do when I have to do such drive cycles

 

[TheMAN]

also, what was not posted by solid snake:


Monitor Repair Verification Drive Cycles

Comprehensive Component Monitor Repair Verification Drive Cycle

1. Complete Vehicle Preparation.​

2. For M/T, accelerate from 0 to 80 km/h (0 to 50 MPH). Continue to step 3. For A/T, from a stop and in overdrive, moderately accelerate to 80 km/h (50 MPH) and cruise for at least 15 seconds. Stop vehicle and repeat without overdrive to 64 km/h (40 MPH) cruising for at least 30 seconds. While at 64 km/h (40 MPH), activate overdrive and accelerate to 80 km/h (50 MPH) and cruise for at least 15 seconds. Stop for at least 20 seconds and repeat step 2 five times.​

3. From a stop, accelerate to 104 km/h (65 MPH). Decelerate at closed throttle until 64 km/h (40 MPH) (no brakes). Repeat this 3 times.​

4. Verify no DTCs are available with exception of P1000.​

EGR Monitor Repair Verification Drive Cycle

1. Complete Vehicle Preparation.​

2. From stop, accelerate to 72 km/h (45 MPH) at 1/2 to 3/4 throttle. Repeat 3 times.

• Verify no DTCs are available with exception of P1000.

HO2S Monitor Repair Verification Drive Cycle:

1. Complete Vehicle Preparation.​

2. Cruise at 64 km/h (40 MPH) for at least 5 minutes.​

3. Verify no DTCs are available with exeption of P1000.​

Fuel or Misfire Monitor Repair Verification Drive Cycle:

1. Complete Vehicle Preparation.​

2. Perform the following drive procedure three consecutive times.

• Accelerate on highway to 104 km/h (65 mph).
• Coast down with foot off the accelerator pedal (no brakes) from 104 km/h to 64 km/h (65 mph to 40 mph).

3. Verify no DTCs are available with exception of P1000.​

EVAP Running Loss System Repair Verification Drive Cycle:

NOTE:
When the ambient air temperature outside is 4.4 to 37.8_C (40 to 100_F), or the altitude is above 2438 meters (8000 feet), the EVAP monitor will not run.FLI PID must be between 15 and 85%.

1. Complete Vehicle Preparation.​

2. Cruise at 72 to 104 km/h (45 to 65 PMH) for 10 minutes (avoid sharp turns and hills).​

3. To initiate the EVAP monitor, the EVAPPDC PID must increase to at least 75% (canister purge vent open). At this time, the EVAPCV PID will then display 100% (canister vent solenoid closed to seal the system) and the monitor will begin to run. Continue to drive at steady throttle with light steering until the EVAPCV displays 0% (canister vent solenoid open, system unsealed).​

4. Bring the vehicle to a stop.​

5. With the scan tool, view the EVAP monitor for completion through the On-Board System Readiness Tests Menu. Repeat Step 2 if the EVAP monitor is not complete.​

6. Verify no DTCs are available with exception of P1000.​

Catalyst Monitor Repair Verification Drive Cycle:

1. Complete Vehicle Preparation.​

2. Drive in stop-and-go traffic conditions. Include five different constant cruise speeds, ranging from 40 to 72 km/h (25 to 45 MPH) over a 10 minute period.​

3. Verify no DTCs are available with exception of P1000.​

 

[Avengeance]

Thank you very much.

So I guess its safe to say I can do these things over a period of a few days if needed? IE not all at once before turning the truck off? I do have access to long country roads so I think I can knock most of them out maybe tomorrow after work.

Im just glad I have access to a scan tool or Id really be screwed. lol

 

[TheMAN]

do it all at once, and try to do it from minute one of an engine cold start... as in vehicle has been sitting for at least 6 hours... the first 30 minutes is crucial as that's when the evap test will run, and you MUST be steady on the accelerator while performing the drives

 

[Avengeance]

Thanks again buddy.. I appreciate it.

I dont know why I didnt think of it but I have a buddy that is a Ford tech.... a very good tech that graduated from the Ford Asset Program with top of the class honors. He is a very good family friend and I couldnt believe it took me until tonight to figure out that I should call him.

We talked for a bit and as we chatted we ended up on the subject of O2 sensors. He actually pulled up the maint history of my Tribute on his PC and Ford programs. The reason he asked was because it never showed dealer installed O2s. Well... thats because I replaced them with Bosch O2s... which apparently is a no-no on SOME Ford engines. He basically gauranteed me that my monitors will finish testing once I install OEM O2s and drive the truck, or do all the drive cycles. The fact that I had both HO2S monitors pending after over 200 miles driving was a for sure giveaway based on the fact that I had put in Boschs. He mentioned to me that 99% of the cars that come in that cant pass smog for HO2S and Catalyst monitors end up having owners that replaced their own O2s with Bosch units. (argh)

Good thing I have an account with Ford at work.... because he told me the OEM units arent cheap.

DAMN!

 

[Avengeance]

Ok Im back.. I replaced both O2s with Ford OEM units. NTK brand. With my discount from work they were $64 each.

Before I replaced them I noticed I had a code stored, P0153.

After replacing them and driving for a while I checked with the scan tool again.. all systems not complete, I expected that as I only logged a few miles. Got home and I still have a P0153 code. The scan tool mentioned something about "FREEZE FRAME...." then spit that code out.

Did a search here and found the code to be "P0153 O2 Sensor Circuit Slow Response (Bank 2 Sensor 1)". Which exact sensor is this? Are these the down stream sensors? Should I be looking at something other then O2s? What else could trigger this? I vaguely remember something about a exhaust leak might be the problem.... but I really dont hear any kind of leak.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Avengeance]

Right after I posted that last post I decided to whip out the little mechanic mirror, extendable, and take a closer look at the exhaust manifolds.. specifically at the gaskets. Right before I bought this truck the front manifold, with built in pre-cat, was replaced by the dealer. With the engine off I checked both banks and didnt see any trace of exhaust soot on anything. Then, of course right in front of my nose, was the exhaust flange where the new manifold meets with the rest of the exhaust and sure as sh!t there was a few soot markings. I wiped the soot, started the truck, and sat and watched and as I was feeling a bunch of exhaust escaping there was also a lot of exhaust condensation (water) escaping from this spot as well... I mean until the truck warmed up there was a steady flow of water dripping out. This spot is within inches of the downstream O2... I hope its not toast.

I think I just found the problem.