Need help, I am begging... (TURBO LAG)

[Rick's CX-7]

It's different:

01-010-07
L33N-18881-R



Although these vehicles will inherently suffer from turbo lag at the very botton, my car moves much better than what you are decribing here. Although the turbo really pushes you back hard at 3000-3500, it does take off very well below that from a dead stop without power braking. Nothing like you are experiencing.

Rick

 

[mogulman]

I live in Parker. Close to Franktown/Castlerock.

If you want to race. We can see if yours is much slower or not

BTW.. Don't bother going to the Burt Mazda dealer on Arapahoe Rd near I-25. They were very hesitant to flash my car and even after they said they checked it, I was doubtful they did it. Gateway Mazda in Aurora seemed better.

 

[bond007taz]

Hmm... since yours is a FWD the PCM for yours should be L33N-18881-J, according to the TSB, and yours ends with an "R", so that may mean your PCM update was a newer version than the TSB. However, mine according to the TSB (since it is AWD) should be L33P-18881-J, but the flash my dealer did ends with a "B". I wonder if they didnt do the latest flash? Guess I will go to another dealer to find out what version they flashed and get the latest flash for both the PCM and the TCM.

I will post an update once I find out!

 

[mikey1981]

Did you have the dealer hop in your car, drive it, then hop in another CX-7 on their lot, and drive that one back to back?

this would seem the easiest and most obvious way to point out that something is seriously wrong in your truck. a 4 second lag is not only a mechanical concern but safety as well. Your problem seems unique, i havent come across anything in regards to a 4 second acceleration problem. My lemon 7 had just about every horror story problem but not an acceleration issue.

Your issue does not seem like any tsb-style fix. I would try another avenue with Mazda reinbursing you and buying back your car, and/or pursing the lemon law as it seems they cant correct the problem. ALthough they state its "turbo lag", again, i would say, have the dealer pick any 7 on their lot for a test drive.

 

[bond007taz]

Did you have the dealer hop in your car, drive it, then hop in another CX-7 on their lot, and drive that one back to back?

this would seem the easiest and most obvious way to point out that something is seriously wrong in your truck. a 4 second lag is not only a mechanical concern but safety as well. Your problem seems unique, i havent come across anything in regards to a 4 second acceleration problem. My lemon 7 had just about every horror story problem but not an acceleration issue.

Your issue does not seem like any tsb-style fix. I would try another avenue with Mazda reinbursing you and buying back your car, and/or pursing the lemon law as it seems they cant correct the problem. ALthough they state its "turbo lag", again, i would say, have the dealer pick any 7 on their lot for a test drive.

we test drove another CX7 (build date 11/06) from their lot with 4000 miles on it, same lag. That is why they think the lag is normal and they dont have any post 12/06 builds on their lot to test

 

[Rick's CX-7]

I really don't know what to say....it almost sounds as if boost is bleeding somewhere. Maybe a wastegate problem?
Definitely, seek help elsewhere. Many dealers are very hardheaded when it comes to warranty issues...that's how I lost my beloved Z28.

Let me know if you need any more help!

 

[CX-7owner]

Maybe a video would be of more help? To see if the lag is normal or not.

 

[mikey1981]

we test drove another CX7 (build date 11/06) from their lot with 4000 miles on it, same lag. That is why they think the lag is normal and they dont have any post 12/06 builds on their lot to test

wow thats horrible then, they got some busted-ass vehicles on their lot (dunno)

 

[bond007taz]

Maybe a video would be of more help? To see if the lag is normal or not.

Yea, I was going to make one, i just need to get someone in the vehicle with me to film the RPM's

 

[CX-7owner]

You can always tie the camera down the the steering column.

 

[mikey1981]

Have you initiated any contact with Mazda directly yet?

 

[bond007taz]

not directly, the dealer is supposed to have a mazda rep come down to test drive my CX7

 

[exlabdriver]

After reading this thread, I went out today and tried some accelerations from a stop. My CX7 has a build date of 10/07 with 11000 Kms, both ECM & TCM reflashes are done, I'm at sea level using Chevron 92.

When performing harder than normal accelerations in my car there is an initial slight 'flat spot' then good acceleration comes in. The best performance seems to come from using 50-70% throttle initially then smoothly flooring it. If it is aggresively floored from a stop (something that I'm normally loathe to do), the flat spot is somewhat more pronounced and it seems not to accelerate as quickly. Others have surmised that this is a characteristic of 'fly by wire' throttle systems and the way that they are programmed.

My CX7 doesn't exhibit any where near the lag that you are seeing on the CX7s that you have tried. In summary, I have found that stomping on the gas from a stop is not the best way to get my car to go fast.

 

[Midnight22]

i dont know much about the cx's but if it is taking 4 seconds to reach 10mph, are you even in first gear? it sounds like something similar when i start out in 3rd because one or both of my hands are tied up elsewhere, i'm assuming you have auto tranny's (like i said i dont know anything about the cx's, so forgive me if i am mistaken) so it could be that it wont shift properly... i'm just throwing an alternative out there, if the solution has been found please disregard my post

 

[mogulman]

Yeah... have you tried shifting manually with the auto?

 

[bond007taz]

It seems to cut off a second if I do manual mode with the TCS and AC off. I just got off the phone with my current dealer and they said they spoke with the Mazda rep for their district and said the issue was normal for the CX7 and that there was nothing they could do. They did confirm they flashed L33P-18881-R, not "B" as noted on the door, but the B could be an R, it is hard to tell...
I am going to call Mazda and complain and of course take my CX7 to the other dealer tomorrow morning


Update: Called mazda customer service and I should get a call from my rep in a week...

 

[bond007taz]

After reading this thread, I went out today and tried some accelerations from a stop. My CX7 has a build date of 10/07 with 11000 Kms, both ECM & TCM reflashes are done, I'm at sea level using Chevron 92.

When performing harder than normal accelerations in my car there is an initial slight 'flat spot' then good acceleration comes in. The best performance seems to come from using 50-70% throttle initially then smoothly flooring it. If it is aggresively floored from a stop (something that I'm normally loathe to do), the flat spot is somewhat more pronounced and it seems not to accelerate as quickly. Others have surmised that this is a characteristic of 'fly by wire' throttle systems and the way that they are programmed.

My CX7 doesn't exhibit any where near the lag that you are seeing on the CX7s that you have tried. In summary, I have found that stomping on the gas from a stop is not the best way to get my car to go fast.

how long does it take when you floor it before the turbo kicks in?

 

[erhayes]

exlabdriver. You state your build is 10/2007? You should not have needed the reflash or did you mean it came from the factory updated. My build in March 2007 and my VIN # indicates my car was upgrades at the factory and another is not needed.

 

[bond007taz]

umm... it is not 10/07 yet...

 

[exlabdriver]

Sorry for the build date typo. The correct build date of my Canadian CX7 on my invoice for some warranty work is 10/19/06. The ECU Reflash on that invoice says 'Reprogrammed Computer F0010XFX' what ever that means.

Since my dealer wouldn't provide me with an invoice for the TCM Reflash (done at a later date) for stuttering at highway speeds (despite Mazda Canada stating in an e-mail that I'm entitled to it - I'm still fighting with the dealer to get one), I can't tell you what that one says.

As far as flooring it from a stop, I get adequate acceleration immediately and brisk acceleration with in 1.5 to 2 seconds when the RPM rises through 2500. As I noted above, the car feels stronger on the initial launch by smoothly increasing throttle to 50-70% then to full throttle shortly thereafter. It certainly is not taking 4 seconds tho............

Perhaps it's the dense, cool Pacific air at sea level that is making the difference; however, I did a long trip in June through our Rockies in some pretty high temperatures over some fairly high altitudes and found no discernable decrease in performance. In those 3500 miles, I never once needed to floor it to make the car perform nor to get out of trouble.

TAM