CEL after car wash?

[wtom]

I was lining up at a Sunoco touchless/railless wash yesterday. Five cars in front of me waiting, total. I did turn off the car after each car went into the wash and we rolled forward one \"space.\" I also turn off the car during the wash. I did a supreme wash and everything went like normal, except when I turned the car back on, the CEL came on.

I eventually resetted the ECU and everything was back to normal.

I vaguely remember someone else here getting a CEL after a car wash but I can\'t find anything from Search.

Anyone know what might have caused the ECU? I\'m told the O2 sensor probably threw the CEL.

EDIT: I normally do turn off the car during the wash. I just don\'t like the thought of the exhaust fumes collecting inside the small enclosement of the building.

[midnightfxgt]

Warren, not to worry! If the high pressure sprayer sprayed water on somethin elecrtical that it shouldnt have, it coulda caused some condensation, etc. This could throw the CEL for sure. I did it once on my Probe while washing the engine bay. :)

Once everything is dried you should be fine. Resetting the ECU doesnt hurt either, I wouldnt worry at all unless this becomes a frequent thing :)

~JOHN

[wtom]

Originally posted by midnightfxgt


Warren, not to worry! If the high pressure sprayer sprayed water on somethin elecrtical that it shouldnt have, it coulda caused some condensation, etc. This could throw the CEL for sure. I did it once on my Probe while washing the engine bay. :)

Once everything is dried you should be fine. Resetting the ECU doesnt hurt either, I wouldnt worry at all unless this becomes a frequent thing :)

~JOHN

Thanks, John, that was the first time I got a CEL ever with the 3 (and the original 3). Worried cuz the engine had a noticeable vibration to it when idle and driving.

Such a sensitive car... must be female :p

[Newlook]

Originally posted by wtom

Such a sensitive car... must be female :p

That\'s why people use \"she/her\" when talking about a car... :p

[MZ3_GS]

I got CEL and Air bag now. Damn car. Both have been fixxed twice.

Anyone

[kl7402001]

how do u reset ur ECU? ...

[majic]

Originally posted by kl7402001


how do u reset ur ECU? ...

AFAIK
1) unplug negative battery terminal
2) press the brake for a few seconds
3) reattach

i think this method makes you lose your radio presets and all that stuff

[wtom]

Originally posted by majic

AFAIK
1) unplug negative battery terminal
2) press the brake for a few seconds
3) reattach

i think this method makes you lose your radio presets and all that stuff

Yep it will cause you to lose all radio presents as well as the custom Trip meter (A and B).

What does step 2 do? I never did that when I resetted my ECU. I just did step 1 and 3 with a few mins time in between.

[majic]

oh .. yeah i assume that since the brake light goes on when you press the brake it speeds up the process (getting rid of the charges built up in various capacitors)

that\'s just something i heard to do somewhere (m3f or msprotege.. 4get now)

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Originally posted by kl7402001


how do u reset ur ECU? ...

you can use this (http://www.nology.com/pdadyno.html) :hoho

[MZ3_GS]

CEL magically fixxed itself. Airbag light still there...:(

[wtom]

Originally posted by MZ3_GS


CEL magically fixxed itself. Airbag light still there...:(

Both lights came on after you went thru a car wash? :D

[MAZDA Kitten]

Obviously you never owned a VW.

When the CEL was on you knew your car was running RIGHT :D

[PlatMS6]

Originally posted by MAZDA Kitten


Obviously you never owned a VW.

When the CEL was on you knew your car was running RIGHT :D




truuu

[MZ3_GS]

Originally posted by wtom



Originally posted by MZ3_GS


CEL magically fixxed itself. Airbag light still there...:(

Both lights came on after you went thru a car wash? :D

Ya, god damn I hope this shit doesn\'t continue on when the warranty runs out. SRS Sensors are expensive to replace.:sarc

[FLIPDADY]

Have you had the crash sensor replaced before?

[Cosmo77]

WTOM, although you have reset your PCM by disconnecting the neg. cable, you have also earased all records of the light being on and the data recorded by the PCM...what if the car wash had only been a coincidence? Even after the CEL light shuts itself off the codes are still stored in the PCM along with about 50+ sensor readings......

Also for those who have their AIR BAG lights on and the engine light, these two are related....there is an updated sensor bracket that came out about 8 weeks ago...so even if yours has been replaced once, it may come back on if it did not get replaced with the updated bracket....remarkably there is really not a fault with the sensors (exactly)...we just all drive in Canada. So when the AIR BAG sensor fails it is also recorded in the PCM which also turns on the CEL with AIR BAG codes stored in the PCM along with the RCM.

Call your local delearship and find out if you car needs the updated sensor by giving them you VIN#....

Good driving guys...they are fun cars

[SoopaBanana]

My CEL just came on and this is bothering me. After leaving my car in the snow for approx 8 hours at work, the CEL came on and it has never turned off since.

This car is barely 1 month old with 2500km on it, so I am surprised to see the CEL. I\'ve put a couple of mods on the car so I am not sure if the car still qualifies for the warranty. Should I call the dealership or should I just do the EUC?

[Cosmo77]

I would call the dealership and get it checked out...the time that it sat probably had little to do with the problem....the PCM has to see a fault a certain number or times (or drive cycles) before it will turn the engine light on...if the car is running fine it probably has someting to do with the evap system (causing very little to no damage to anything)

[SoopaBanana]

I don\'t notice anything funny with the engine sound... But then again I might be wrong.

Gonna have someone check it out today... Can\'t say much but keeping my fingers crossed :(

EDIT: CEL is off now... Presumably due to the evap problem... WOOHOO!!!! :D

[wtom]

CEL after car wash happened AGAIN! I tested it out last night at a different Sunoco Touchless/Railless. Turned off the car while in the wash, and then when I started it again, CEL! I drove around for awhile and yep, 20km/h max speed.

Rolled into a nearby well-lit parking lot and resetted the ECU and things were back to normal.

Called Avante Mazda service earlier and the service rep who picked up (Emilio) said he had never heard of this happening before but does suggest next time it happens, I pull the code from the ECU to determine why the CEL is thrown.

Between these two instances though, I\'ve gone through either Sunoco Touchless/Railless washes in the nearest vicinity and left the car running while in the wash, and there is never any problems. But shutting the car off during wash and then starting it back up... CEL :(

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Originally posted by wtom
Called Avante Mazda service earlier and the service rep who picked up (Emilio) said he had never heard of this happening before but does suggest next time it happens, I pull the code from the ECU to determine why the CEL is thrown.



give me a call when you want to try the shutting off experiment again. if you get the CEL, i can pull the code for you and look it up in the Service Manual. then we\'ll see exactly what\'s wrong.

20km/h max speed with the CEL sounds like the car is going into \"safe mode\" for whatever reason.

[wtom]

Thanks, MBN, per our instant msgs;

my guess is the heat entering the intake and it\'s much warmer/humid air than normal and the sensitive-like-a-clit MAF bitches about it.

EDIT:
i guess when the car is running while in wash, the intake/MAF slowly picks up the transition from cool air to warm humid air? but if shutting off the car and suddenly starting it up, the warm humid air is sucked in immediately and the car just thinks it\'s on the sun and throws CEL...

[MazdaTree]

so if u have a aem intake you cannot use those car washes?

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Originally posted by MazdaTree


so if u have a aem intake you cannot use those car washes?

just leave your car running in the car wash.

until we read the code that\'s throwing the CEL, we won\'t know what exactly is causing it. but it sounds like it is MAF related (speculation right now).

[majic]

interesting and weird..

i always turn the car off in a carwash .. and *knock on wood* never had that problem.. i wonder if it just applies to YOUR car b/c it seems nobody else had that happened to them.

[Cosmo77]

May I just add again, do not erase the CODES! Take it to a MAzda dealer and have the code read so that they can get all the info out of the PCM....by erasing the codes there is no record of the code or any of the information that might help us (Mazda tech\'s) figure out what is wrong and help other Mazda 3 owners. If we find anything wrong we can inform Mazda Canada so that we can put out TSB\'s for these weird problems.

Also I would like to know what kind of scan tool you guys are using to remove the codes from the Mazda 3\'s that is compatable with the high and low speed CAN networks?

Cosmo

[majic]

Originally posted by Cosmo


May I just add again, do not erase the CODES! Take it to a MAzda dealer and have the code read so that they can get all the info out of the PCM....by erasing the codes there is no record of the code or any of the information that might help us (Mazda tech\'s) figure out what is wrong and help other Mazda 3 owners. If we find anything wrong we can inform Mazda Canada so that we can put out TSB\'s for these weird problems.

Also I would like to know what kind of scan tool you guys are using to remove the codes from the Mazda 3\'s that is compatable with the high and low speed CAN networks?

Cosmo

I think he uses a \'divining rod\' but i could be wrong :p

MajesticBlueN uses this (http://www.nology.com/pdadyno.html) if that\'s what you\'re asking.. to remove the codes that would be a very expensive tool as the -ve battery terminal disconnect method is much cheaper ;) :p hehehe

maybe you should tell us which dealer you work at so as a fellow TM3 member if wtom is in the area he can pop in and get the CEL code looked after, maybe even bypass the line and get a free carwash, to check for another CEL :)

[Cosmo77]

I think I\'ll keep that a secret for now...but from time to time if anyone has a question, just go ahead and ask...I\'ll see if I can answer anything.

Cosmo

[Flagrum_3]

Okay guys,

Not to sound condensending here, but, wton why on earth would you shut off your engine in a high pressure car wash? Common sense dictates leaving the engine on! for various reasons...but basically water + electronics is a no-no.So keep your engine ON.
And as for all these sensors going on all the time (various posts).....most of the time they mean nothing, these new systems are very sensitive and will activate a code for the smallest thing (some dirt in the fuel, moisture on a lead, whatever), but will in most cases go off eventually on their own.So don\'t be such worry worts.

In most cases if the problem is real it (the light) will be accompanied by a noticable problem ie; engine running rough etc; and will not go away even after several COLD starts.


IMHO.:)

[wtom]

Originally posted by Flagrum_3
engine running rough etc; and will not go away even after several COLD starts.


Your opinion was fact, you wort. :p

[Flagrum_3]

Originally posted by wtom



Originally posted by Flagrum_3
engine running rough etc; and will not go away even after several COLD starts.


Your opinion was fact, you wort. :p

I don\'t exactly understand what you are trying to say with that statement, but I\'ll guess that you are trying to say that your symptoms included the fact that the CEL was still showing even after several cold starts.....a point that you never mentioned once anywhere in your posts.

Anyways incase you misunderstood my statements let me try to clarify it a little better...IT is unwise to shut your engine off while in the process of running thru a High pressure car wash, you are just asking for trouble and it seems to me, because you continue to shut your engine off you are not getting the point.


Good Luck

[wtom]

Hi Flagrum, no hard feelings man, just playing. I\'ve only done the car-shut-off-in-wash twice. No worries for me/my car. :)

[Flagrum_3]

Originally posted by wtom


Hi Flagrum, no hard feelings man, just playing. I\'ve only done the car-shut-off-in-wash twice. No worries for me/my car. :)




No Problem.:D

[wtom]

K this is just STUPID now ... I just came back from filling up and getting a high-pressure \"Ultra\" wash at the Sunoco near Markham Rd. and 14th Ave. I started lining up for the wash after the fill-up. There was like 10 cars in front of me waiting. Each time I move up a spot, I\'d shut off the engine and just keep the CD playing. When eventually I came to about the third spot. Started the engine and %$#&@&$ Check Engine Light!!! Almost ALL the times I get the CEL is from this Sunoco station! I didn\'t even enter the wash yet! There is SOMETHING going on with this station and my car. This is the fourth time my car has gotten a CEL in this particular Sunoco station! (Yes I know to never return). Two other times I\'ve gotten CEL - once in the customer service lot of Avante when they completed a check-up for me. Another time when I had parked in front of a Wal-Mart to wait for my gf and upon starting the engine; CEL.

I don\'t f-en get it. Is there something in the air at the 14th/Markham Sunoco!?!? *peed off*

[Broli]

I got a CEL after a wash with underspray!
but it didn\'t happen until i took the car over 4000 RPM,
i get this after rain as well,

basically whenever whater soaks the filter of my intake, and i push it, this happens

I remember to take it easy in the rain, but when the next day comes around, i forget sometimes
and then push it, and then CEL,
which always reminds me to take it easy for the rest of that day!

It only lasts for one day after it is wet outside!

i will takes methodysts advise and put a shield over my intake, also i will tape up that area,
but i have been to busy . . .
so the take it easy method works for me for now!

i though that i would post up, doesn\'t exactly fit with ur symptoms wtom, but . . .
i wanted to see if others have noticed this??

[Kevin@nextmod]

Originally posted by Broli


I got a CEL after a wash with underspray!
but it didn\'t happen until i took the car over 4000 RPM,
i get this after rain as well,

basically whenever whater soaks the filter of my intake, and i push it, this happens

I remember to take it easy in the rain, but when the next day comes around, i forget sometimes
and then push it, and then CEL,
which always reminds me to take it easy for the rest of that day!

It only lasts for one day after it is wet outside!

i will takes methodysts advise and put a shield over my intake, also i will tape up that area,
but i have been to busy . . .
so the take it easy method works for me for now!

i though that i would post up, doesn\'t exactly fit with ur symptoms wtom, but . . .
i wanted to see if others have noticed this??


I said this before also. I used to get CEL during rainy days when i somewhat push it and it\'s friggin annoying. But after i got my exhaust on I pushed it a few times during raining days, no CEL.

[Broli]

Originally posted by Pearl_Hatch



Originally posted by Broli


I got a CEL after a wash with underspray!
but it didn\'t happen until i took the car over 4000 RPM,
i get this after rain as well,

basically whenever whater soaks the filter of my intake, and i push it, this happens

I remember to take it easy in the rain, but when the next day comes around, i forget sometimes
and then push it, and then CEL,
which always reminds me to take it easy for the rest of that day!

It only lasts for one day after it is wet outside!

i will takes methodysts advise and put a shield over my intake, also i will tape up that area,
but i have been to busy . . .
so the take it easy method works for me for now!

i though that i would post up, doesn\'t exactly fit with ur symptoms wtom, but . . .
i wanted to see if others have noticed this??


I said this before also. I used to get CEL during rainy days when i somewhat push it and it\'s friggin annoying. But after i got my exhaust on I pushed it a few times during raining days, no CEL.

its true, u mentioned it to me, and that is why i noticed it!
but it is always after the rain, i push the car, and it sux up
the water that is soaked in the filter!
damn!
it is so hard to remember the next day!

lol

[CoolColombian]

Broli, i got a Injen CAI and the same thing happen to me every time that i take the car to the car wash o it\'s been raining and i rev it up more than 4000, and like i have the CAI and only 8000 Km i don\'t want to take the car to the dealer.

The good thing is that the CEL is usually gone at the next day, it sucks every time that happen but i think our MAF is to sensitive and when it detects some water immediatly throw the CEL.

I\'m gonna buy the Hydroshield from Injen which is only 40 bucks to try to get rid of that problem.
Thats my experience.

[jdanielsg]

you guys have intake and you dunt have that valve thing? which locks out water? i dunt know if its the same thing as the hydroshield.. but I know theres a valve thing for AEM.

[Broli]

Originally posted by CoolColombian


Broli, i got a Injen CAI and the same thing happen to me every time that i take the car to the car wash o it\'s been raining and i rev it up more than 4000, and like i have the CAI and only 8000 Km i don\'t want to take the car to the dealer.

The good thing is that the CEL is usually gone at the next day, it sucks every time that happen but i think our MAF is to sensitive and when it detects some water immediatly throw the CEL.

I\'m gonna buy the Hydroshield from Injen which is only 40 bucks to try to get rid of that problem.
Thats my experience.

i want to get a hydro shield as well
and tape up the area, it has been a pain in the ass

so, i will get to it soon!!

[mEtH]

The water runs along the side of our hood and drains into our fenders. The water that causes the cel, I am positive is from above. I am not sure in warren\'s case but the others yes. That hydro shield wont do enough for you. If your car sits in the rain for a long time water-resistant wont be enough. Do remember that the hydro filter is NOT WATER-PROOF and only water resistant. So after water persistantly hits in the same spot, it will just go right through.

Broli if you get that injen shield and cover it from the top you should be fine. In regards to having the Injen intake you have to give it a hat. Something large enough to force the water to run down further away from the filter. Use tupperware, a sheet of metal, whatever works for you.

If you take a look after it rains you will notice some water behind the headlights, especially the driver side. If you want to do a test, next time it rains put a chamois under the hood to cover the top edge of the headlight and the hole in the drain area that goes along our hood. You will more then likely not get a cel that day.

Give it a try...

[Broli]

Originally posted by methodyst


The water runs along the side of our hood and drains into our fenders. The water that causes the cel, I am positive is from above. I am not sure in warren\'s case but the others yes. That hydro shield wont do enough for you. If your car sits in the rain for a long time water-resistant wont be enough. Do remember that the hydro filter is NOT WATER-PROOF and only water resistant. So after water persistantly hits in the same spot, it will just go right through.

Broli if you get that injen shield and cover it from the top you should be fine. In regards to having the Injen intake you have to give it a hat. Something large enough to force the water to run down further away from the filter. Use tupperware, a sheet of metal, whatever works for you.

If you take a look after it rains you will notice some water behind the headlights, especially the driver side. If you want to do a test, next time it rains put a chamois under the hood to cover the top edge of the headlight and the hole in the drain area that goes along our hood. You will more then likely not get a cel that day.

Give it a try...

true say, i have just been lazy bro!
i will get it done,
as soon as i get some of my stuff at school done!
arg!

but, no more CELs
that would be great!!!

[CoolColombian]

hey guys this is the hydroshield, it covers the filter from the top, i\'ll post some pictures of it when i put it in.

[CoolColombian]

Sorry guys, the first time i couldn\'t upload the image, so here is.

http://www.injen.com/new_layout/products/hydro/hydro.jpg

[Kevin@nextmod]

Well I got my first CEL after my exhaust installed. As usual I just pull out the batter neg and put it back on.

[wtom]

Had a post in one of the Avante Mazda Service dept review (http://www.torontomazda3.com/forum/read.php?TID=5191) threads and decided to post an update here...

Basically the bad vibrating my engine got along with the safe mode (and CEL) is two cyclinders mis-firing.

So all that bad shiet with the CEL and vibrations and then just CEL alone without the vibrations all happened Saturday (11th) afternoon, with Saturday night starting up the car around 9pm just to see (only CEL, no misfiring).

Today, Sunday 12th, around 1pm I head out. Car has been in the garage for the whole night. CEL on, no misfiring. I go to a nearby No Frills (passed by Spyder01 on one of our small streets but by the time I realized it was him, it was too late) to buy some chips and pop for a poker game I was heading to. Came back out from NF around half an hour later and the car starts up; CEL, no misfires.

I go to pick up my gf. Shut off car, go inside to wait for her, fifteen mins later back out and CEL, no misfiring.

Arrive at buddy\'s place for poker, play about 4 hrs and then leave ... car starts, no CEL, no misfiring, everything seems to be back to normal! This was approx 6pm. Since then, until now, no more CEL or misfiring.

I didn\'t disconnect the battery negative so any codes stored in the car\'s ECU should still be there.

Pretty sure moisture is getting into something somewhere and fudging things up...

EDIT: 6:30pm - got back from Avante. Ted was able to pull the CEL code. One line stated PCM and error code 606. The second line mentioned something about communications error. Will be checking the wires from the cylinder coils and trace from there ...

[BETRTHNU]

happened to me last weekend...i\'m guessing my MAFS got a little wet with the high pressure wash. Threw the CEL...drove with it on for a bit. Reset the ECU via negative battery off and CEL code has been gone for a week now.

[wtom]

My cylinder mis-fires with CEL and just CEL there-after have been showing up more often lately. I haven\'t reset my battery and will bring the car into Avante Monday first thing for them to work on (thx Ted, service mgr). Let\'s see what the cause of all this nonsense is... (shouldn\'t be my engine mods because I\'ve gotten the mis-fires w/ CEL even before touching the performance parts).

[wtom]

Just off the phone with Anthony, seems they pulled PCM 606 code again (PCM processor fault) and determined my PCM is just faulty so they\'re replacing it with a new unit.

[wtom]

bbump! oops wrong idea ...

I got a new PCM module in the car. Not too sure how to test if it\'ll get cylinder misfires other than going to my friendly neighbourhood Sunoco for a wash ... :( (I really don\'t want to! Look at that weather! It cries for hand-washing!)

dredd - How the heck do you enjoy driving in a Matrix? I had one as rental ... it was not fun. :D


EDIT: You\'d think someone is telling me I should go test the new PCM eh (http://www.torontomazda3.com/forum/read.php?TID=6009)?