check engine light
 

hI! Have 2005 Mazda 3i with 21,000 miles. Check engine light came on for ist time and checked manual. Fuel cap is on and not loose. What are possible causes--is oxygen sensor one of them? Have apt. with dealer next week to check out.
Thanks! John F

I couldn't tell ya exactly even if i knew what it was doin. But i did have a cel and it didn't do anything out of the ordinary and i took it and it was a purge valve or atleast thats what they said

Thanks "d.b."---will let you know specifics when I do----autorepair.about.com mentioned a Camry owner with pollution control purge valve problem----we'll see if this is it or another diag. problem. Johnf

Depends on the code, but the purge valve is a common one. If that's it, you'll get a new one, along with a new line that doesnt have as many bends in it to disrupt flow.

Thanks. Dealer is ordering a "boost sensor". Did some research and it is used by the EGR system (pollution control sytstem). It looks to see if exhaust gas is flowing thru the casted-in passageway in the intake manifold. It has nothing to do with performance----more to do with proper functioning of the EGR system.

The first thing I always do when I get a CEL is go to AutoZone and have them pull the CEL code (it's free!). Once you find that out, we can be of a lot more help at that point.

Thanks--will try them next time.

Always thought that it was funny that Mazda called it a boost sensor, makes it sound like your car is turbo'ed.

Not a technician, of course, but if I had to guess I would have to say that it's just to make one feel better to know their boost sensor is being replaced as opposed to an exhaust gas sensor! Only your automotive engineer knows for sure.
p.s. How does your Mazda.....?.....handle the roads in Anchorage? Are your roads salted or do the road crews put down small round gritty stones like they do in parts of Ohio? Thanks, John (Bobby) Fogarty

Well, I don't drive the TII much in the winter time, maybe once in a while to warm things up, it's just too rare of a vehicle to risk getting in a wreck, or someone hitting it. It actually does GREAT, especially if I have studded tires on it. This is probably due to the fact that it's got a rear LSD, and the total balance of the car is second to none.

They don't really salt the roads here, it's too "environmentally unfriendly", so they just toss dirt and small gravel on them, mainly at the intersections. We mostly have to rely on studded tires and safe driving skills to get around properly.

I usually drive my other "Mazda", my 1990 Ford Probe (basically an MX-6), in the winter time. With studded tires, FWD, and a 3.0L V6 weighing down the front end, it gets around pretty good, although I'd have to say that my RX-7 takes off on an icy intersection a bit better due to the LSD.

So your light staying off after the dealer replaced the sensor? Hope all is well with your car.

mine has came on twice in the past 6 months. code came back mass airflow. i took some electric contact cleaner and sprayed it. reset the computer and its fixed.

Check Engine Light Free Diagnostics @ Auto Zone
 

Just to let all of you know, If at anytime your check engine light comes on, you can go to any Auto Zone store and they hook up this device to your car and then it gives you a code number. From that code number they have a list of issues that coincide with that code and it will tell you exactly why your Check Engine light is on and the beauty of it all is that it's a free service ! So it could be a simple do it yourself fix or take it to the garage and tell them exactly what needs to be fixed without any B.S.