Lost power & went down a ditch.....

[RuggedMazda]

I need some advice here… Last Fri. I was coming home & as I turned into my main drive way I lost power for a second & I also lost the power steering, my CEL came on for that second two.
The big thing is that I was surprised & scared by this & I lost control, so I hit the brakes hard & the rear swung out ( lots of dirt on the ground do to new houses being built). I tried to turn the wheel the other way to gain control, but I ended up hitting the side curb hard & I went over it & went down a ditch. I think in me getting scared & losing control I also hit the throttle which kept the momentum ( spell ? ) going & didn’t let the car come to a stop before I hit the curb.
It was hard to get out, but somehow I was able to get out…..
So now my steering wheel does not center, it stays to the right about one inch from the center point as I drive. My front bumper separated about half an inch from the hood line & it has two dents on the right & left corners & the front lip is bent back. Also my hood does not want to open on it’s own, it seems it does not want to pop open. My gas tank is hanging down & it’s creating a rattle as I drive.
Oh, the lost of power happened ones before, but I didn’t get to take it in to get checked, but then it never happened again & I just forgot about it…..
So the advice needed is what should I do, I mean yes I will take it to the dealer tomorrow, but will they not repair the car under warranty?
Can they try to put the blame on me?
I have know idea what went wrong with the lost power or power steering being lost, I cant figure out what the hell happened.
The suspension seems to still be tight & there is nothing I can visually see that’s broken or loose. Tie ends are still in place, ball joints seem to not be loose, springs & dampers seem to work fine. Hopefully just alignment is needed.

Sorry for the long thread…. But I would like to get some reply’s in before 11:00 tomorrow then I will bring the car in, I just want to be prepared as I talk to the service manager.

[Midnight22]

dude, if u lost power, itz not ur fault, how the hell do u control a car that has lost everything that enables the driver to control it, they should replace everything and see what the hell caused the power out...

[Heathen23]

I would call mazda immediately. This should not harm your insurance which it will if you claim it with them. You need to take this up with mazda IMHO. It would suck to get the shaft on your insurance because this problem has come up with a few other MSP owners.

[RuggedMazda]

Yeah, I know, but just hearing stories about these dealer
makes me think. Also, I do have a turbo timer installed & I have
brought the car in for warranty work before, they know I have it
& they can try to blame it on my timer....
Have any of you guys ever experience any power lost?

[alexlitov]

Take all the mods off before you bring it in. Call MNA ASAP. There is definately a problem with the car!! Be careful when you going to drive it next time. Also I believe the brakes lock up when the car is off...

[t3ase]

Allllllllrighty.

First of all, a turbo timer can not and will not turn your car off while the key is in and in the "On" position. I've tried this. My timer even turns off when I lower all of the windows at the same time due to an unknown problem with my electrical system.

Secondly, this is the third of forth incident where a member has posted that his/her car has died on them without warning. This is a MAJOR safety issue as you're well aware of now. Contact Mazda immediately.

[RuggedMazda]

Well, I hope everything goes smooth & thanks for the reply's.
I know that the timer was not the problem, but you guys know how the dealers can be. My dealer has so far been good about service, but I just wanted to see if you guys would think of any
foreseeable problems that I may have getting the this fixed when I go tomorrow....

[Miques]

I've actually had a situation similar to this last sunday. While coming off the freeway, my car just shut off. I had to make a pretty steep turn and the lost of power steering made me almost crash into a street light in the way. Luckily I was used to not having power steering becuase my rx did not have it either. I strong armed around the turn pushed the car back into nuetral and started it up while still rolling after the turn. butI dont want to imagine if that caught me off gaurd.

[tonkabui]

wtf? damn... sorry to hear about this. maybe the ecu fix will help assuage this problem. seems like more than a coincidence if more than a handful of members are experiencing this. especially considering there aren't that many speeds out there.

[Vicocola]

happened to me too except car stalled.. w/ normal driving.. not high rpm then clutch neutral... just normal driving.. only for at most 5 times.. then the car turned good itself somehow :P gl hopefully it goes the same to u... btw did u get the pcm flash yet? it mite help

[No.5]

Originally posted by t3ase
This is a MAJOR safety issue as you're well aware of now. Contact Mazda immediately.

Least you all forget that I started a Thread about 5 months ago about the Safety concern I had with my Speed stalling. Most didn't think it was a concern.

My car STALLS when driving since the 2nd month of ownership...and I have been waiting for the past 7 months for the friggen Flash.

I did contact Mazda Canada Customer relations and voiced my safety concerns, and to the dealership. For the most part, it's fallen on deaf ears. I still haven't received a call from Mazda Canada (since I was on the Priority 1 list to recieve the first Flash in Canada), nor have I received a call from my Dealership; and the Flash is out.

Granted it's a first year car and things will go wrong; but Stalling at highway Speeds?

The way Mazda has treated me and my problems with the car, will make it the last Mazda I will ever own.

[nomahh]

I don't think it's flash related.

My car is in now having the flash done, and they're replacing a number of leaking vacuum hoses.

Bring it in!

[phantom]

that happened to me before... one time after 2 months of delivery. I was doing normal driving and making a slow left turn. it died on me at the middle of the turn and it totally freaked me out!

lucky the oncoming traffic wasn't too close, otherwise it is a bad crash! At first I though it is my fault, maybe I'd release the clutch too fast when shifting or something (without even notice...), so I didn't even think it is a mechnical failure of the car itself!


so now I heard so many of you had the same problem before. I better report to the dealer. but I already have the mods and stuff I wonder if they will even consider it is a mechnical failure.


anyone know if the flash thing will help?


I am so worried now, that it is a big safety issue it will definately kill one of us one day........ :(

[No.5]

Originally posted by phantom
anyone know if the flash thing will help?

Well.....I really hope so, or else I'm contacting a lawyer and Mazda will be buying this car back.

Needless to say it seems like you guys are starting to experience what I've been dealing with since day-one.

Keep in mind once this battle is complete, a permanent fix for the bushings is next....;) (My replacement D's haven't even made it 5000 km's without starting to fail)

[csman22]

The stalling/almost lost power has happend to me as well. I just got my MSP about 4 weeks ago and more than a few times, the rpm's dropped to the point where where the engine was about to cut off. while stopping at lights or the end off off ramps. It was at this time that I read about the "flash" issues on the boards

I've got the flash now and all seems to be working well but I'm still monitoring it.

I'm thinkning getting the idle RPM up from the factory setting of 700 RMP's to 800 just incase.

my 2 cents...but I don't kow much, so if I'm way off base with my suggestion, disregard

[No.5]

Originally posted by csman22
I've got the flash now and all seems to be working well but I'm still monitoring it.

Cool, sounds good - thanks for the update. Keep us posted if it starts acting up again.

[FrigginGLI]

This just keeps getting worse and worse. I'm glad I did not buy a car no matter how great it is , that stalls out when I'm driving. Many people seem to be affected and it would SCARE THE SHIT OUT OF ME! :eek:

[laptopheaven]

Originally posted by t3ase

First of all, a turbo timer can not and will not turn your car off while the key is in and in the "On" position. I've tried this. My timer even turns off when I lower all of the windows at the same time due to an unknown problem with my electrical system.


I disagree. A improperly installed TT would do just this. If there is a loose connection in the TT harness, the car could loose the ignition signal for a short period of time (<1 second)., I would check to make sure the TT harness is securly connected before running off to the dealer and drying foul. This also will protect yourself if the dealer claims the TT causes the power cut.

Just my $0.02.

[No.5]

Well...I'm a happy camper....

I'm booked for the Flash tomorrow!!!

Interesting thing though I'm not using my regular dealership, but another Mazda shop in town. Just goes to show you that in order to keep customers, you have to be a proactive dealership.

[FBI14]

Ive had the stalling Issuse as well. I got the Car in Jan and had it stall on me atleast 3 times by Feb. I took it in and they just blew me off pretty much. Worst time it happened was when I was on the Highway doing about 50 coming up to a light and put it in netural to start braking, the damn thing just died... not too fun. Ive also noticed that my revs are starting to dip down really low again while sitting at a light and it will get close to dying on me. The only time I had a problem was in the Winter, as soon as it warmed up it just stopped. Now its starting to cool down here and it seems to be acting up again. It makes me think the cold weather has something to do with it. Either way Im not in the mood to have a car stall in winter weather while on the highway. Mazda might have a Black MSP on the lot before the new year if this isnt handled quickly

[No.5]

<b>FBI14</b> : you bet the Cold Weather has something to do with it. As soon as it cooled off here in WPG., the car is acting up majorally again. During the summer months it was on the verge of stalling (lights on dash would come on), but then sputtered and didn't die out-right.

I'd could factor atleast an average of one-stall-per-day when the temperatures are less than 15 degrees Celcius. The most it has stalled in One Day was 4 times; within a 4 hr span too.

[YuYuRena]

Do you guys remember there was some cold-start problem with the regular protege? Could this be something related? Since it has to do with cold temp and my MSP sometimes drop rev and almost stall at the light with the clutch engage. Sounds like a design flaw.

[Kraven Morehead]

Well, the day after i got mine, when looking in the bottom right where the CAI hole is, i saw a dangling set of ground wires just floppin. i pulled it up through, and had to ground it myself. ususally, this is mounted by a sheet metal screw and it son the inner side of the fender. i had to mount it in the engine compartment. something to check for at least.

my 2 cents-

[KzA]

Since you all know the MSP runs so damned rich..Checl your plugs! If they are black then you will have a real low idle and your stalling

[jersey_emt]

My car stalled on the highway once. Lost power steering, power brakes, everything. I put it in neutral, try to start it, nothing. I start to get over to the shoulder, before I stop I put it in 3rd gear (was doing about 35 now) and popped the clutch. The car started.

Never happened again.

[Notorious]

I have a stalling problem and im sure it has to do with the car running overly rich. People behind me say that when i hit open loop operation and shift a nice cloud of smoke comes out. I have a stock exhaust system too. Mine likes to stall when I shift.

[computerGeek]

holy ressurection batman!!!!!

[noclue119]

It happens to me all the time it really pisses me off... I figured out when it happens to most...

go on a hill, go like 30-35 mph and be in 5th(like 1700-2000 rpm)... take teh gear out watch it stall it happens every time... I'll go around a corner and some idiot cuts me off, i hit the breaks and then go to down shift and it stalls. good thing is if u put it into like 3 gear and let out on the clutch, it recranks.

it is almost as if the car's breather do not open up fast enough.

[t3ase]

Um, I don't ever go in 5th at less than 45mph de to the stress it puts on the engine.. Plus at 30-35mph in 5th, you're at what, 2k rpm?

[noclue119]

Um, I don't ever go in 5th at less than 45mph de to the stress it puts on the engine.. Plus at 30-35mph in 5th, you're at what, 2k rpm?yep 2000 rrm at 45 in 5th ... but i mean it happens somtimes.. u know it not intentional.

[t3ase]

yep 2000 rrm at 45 in 5th ... but i mean it happens somtimes.. u know it not intentional.Just stick it in forth anytime you're <45mph. That should help ya out in this particular case.

[jersey_emt]

As long as you don't mash the throttle in 5th gear at 30mph, it should be fine...it only puts stress on the engine if you are on the throttle. Sometimes when traffic is slowing I'll coast down in 5th gear until I get down to the new speed, and then downshift into whatever gear is best.

Usually I just heel & toe as I'm decelerating, but sometimes I get lazy

[YP5 Toronto]

this is scary stuff......

[EVILSRT]

Give Mazda hell man!!!!

[BlkZoomZoom]

Sounds like alot of people are having problems with 1. leaking intake systems, 2. bad/leaking bpv, 3. leaking or not good enough vacuum signal to bpv.
RuggedMazda- I doubt that Mazda will be willing to help you on that situation.
But sometimes maza suprises me, good luck!!!

Holy crap didnt realize how old this one was.

[nickbachman]

my car died on me once. between gears, after i put the clutch in during normal driving, the rpm's dropped down to zero and it was obviously dead. i got spooked and put it in second gear and popped the clutch so it would start. it worked and it hasnt stalled again yet.