Driving to work this morning, I was on a local highway driving between 60-70 when I heard a very large "clunk-clunk-clunk" sound which seemed to come from the drivers side front wheel area, sounded like I ran over something relatively big and it hit the wheel well a couple of times before exiting my car. I don't think I ran over anthing, so I got off on the next exit and examined the best I could underneath the car (can't really get underneath it without having it jacked though). Nothing seemed to be out of place or missing. I continued my way to work. The car seemed to be working fine, but about 15 miles or so later, the check engine light came on for about 2-3 seconds and then turned off. The light didn't turn on the rest of the way to work (which included a stop to get coffee). When I got to work, I again did a visual inspection underneath the car and it seemed OK.

Four questions from this episode.

1. Is there anything underneath the car which is prone to falling/breaking off? I really don't think that I ran over anything that big.

2. Is it normal for the check engine light to flash on for a couple of seconds then turn off? I've never experience this in the 2 years that I've owned FDs.

3. The check engine light turns on when I turn the key but haven't started the car is this normal?

4. Do you think it'd be OK to bring the car to a Mazda dealer to have him hook up to a machine that reads the error codes?

Thanks!

 

Not unless you hit something EXTREMELY hard!

It's not normal at all, and it means a sensor is failing.


Yes. It ensures the check engine light is working, and then it shuts off once the engine is started.

ANY dealer should be able to read your error codes without causing anyharm. Actually WORKING on the car is a different story :p

 

This might be of some assistance. Yesterday when I was logged in I read a post which explained how to read your codes. If you look through some of the past pages of the 3gen specific you will find it. I was up there on sunday. It does work because I did it last night. I had two error codes an O2 and the damn EGR.

 

Do you only have error codes if your check engine light is on? So if my check engine light is not on, I have no error codes?

Thanks,

Ravi

 

If the light goes on then back off, the ECU retains in memory why it turned on in the first place. Go check your codes, and the ECU will tell you what it was for.

 

Clunking of the suspension... could be a broken CV joint... have you checked the boot for any cracks or leaks? Get your car up on jacks and check for any play in the wheel, and then check for any play in the suspension parts...you could also have a bad bushing

 

OK, I just checked the code and it seems like it's 09 or the water thermosensor that's bad. After I ground the correct diagnostic connections, I turned the key, but did not turn on the car and the light lit up (with all the other idiot lights) after about 3 seconds the check engine blinked 9 short times is this 09? How do I check this part? is a replacement readily available?

Thanks!

 

Wasn't exactly a clunk, it was kinda between a clunk and a thud. I think something definitely was kicked up into the wheel well... I'm hoping that the error code is just a co-inkydink...