Lets hear your warning light opinions

"cooterbaldwin" (cooterbaldwin) 01/11/2019 at 07:07 • Filed to: None

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My < 1 year old (~10k miles on the clock, services up to date) Mazda  3 threw a dash full of warning lights at me this morning: TPS, TCS, AT, Check Engine, Smart/City Braking (can’t remember what the difference is between the two).

The lights all came on when I got to the coffee shop this morning, came to a stop and put the car into reverse to get parked. I shut off the engine and then restarted it. All the warnings were gone except Check Engine.

My initial thought is it some sort of transient computer hiccup (transient computer hiccup meaning a computer glitch that occurred due to a brief, specific set of conditions... not a hiccup from a computer carrying a bindle) with the Check Engine warning being ‘sticky’ and thus the only warning that remained after stopping the engine.

Other than concern about what caused the hiccup, at this point I’m thinking unless something else comes up the CE light can probably be ignored with the hope that it will clear itself.

Thoughts?

Montalvo > cooterbaldwin 01/11/2019 at 07:37

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Use a code reader if you have one or pick one up if you dont. They can give a lot of useful info pretty quick. You can also always take it in to a service center as a precaution. Cars are so complex with systems so interconnected that the smallest thing can cause warnings when they really shouldn’t.

E90M3 > cooterbaldwin 01/11/2019 at 07:47

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When I read “3" I assumed it was just doing BMW things, had to dig further to figure out it was a Mazda 3. 

cooterbaldwin > E90M3 01/11/2019 at 07:56

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Oops. I’ll augment!

E90M3 > cooterbaldwin 01/11/2019 at 07:59

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I see you did add that little bit of info.

If it was a BMW I was going to say, my 328i threw a code when it was really cold last January. Think a sensor wasn’t working correctly because of the cold.

Wacko > cooterbaldwin 01/11/2019 at 08:16

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That’s how the Mazda rust starts

jimz > cooterbaldwin 01/11/2019 at 08:32

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I’d suspect wiring or a module causing a bus fault. CAN is fairly fault tolerant but can’t protect against everything.

MoCamino > cooterbaldwin 01/11/2019 at 08:44

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Everyone should own a code reader. Sure the fancier ones are pricy, but a simple one can be bought at WalMart for $20. Was it just a glitch and no big deal?  Maybe.  But if it was something important and you kill your engine you’ll wish you had checked it out.  

CalzoneGolem > cooterbaldwin 01/11/2019 at 09:01

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I always assume transient computer hiccup unless something is obviously wrong. I’d read the codes, make note of them, clear them, hope they don’t come back and obsess about it all day. 

WilliamsSW > CalzoneGolem 01/11/2019 at 09:11

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Starred for obsessing about it all day 

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > cooterbaldwin 01/11/2019 at 09:26

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Since it’ s <1 year old and <10,000 miles I’m assuming this is still under warranty. Based on that I’d make an appointment to get the codes checked at the dealer. It can be a PITA to get things checked at the dealer, but it’s not worth the risk of letting something go when the car is under warranty.  Even if you’ve got a code reader or have it checked at a parts store there may be a TSB out regarding the car throwing codes like that that the dealer may have a fix for.  If you do read the codes on your own I would note them and bring it to the dealer without resetting the codes.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > cooterbaldwin 01/11/2019 at 09:31

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Loose gas cap? My subaru lights everything up if the caps loose.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > cooterbaldwin 01/11/2019 at 09:35

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I had something like this happen to my Mazda5 a year or two ago. Misc electrical things shutting down, radio glitch, tons of warning lights. Thankfully it was a simple fix - just a loose negative battery cable. Zero recurrences since that was tightened.

CalzoneGolem > WilliamsSW 01/11/2019 at 09:40

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Many googles. 

WilliamsSW > CalzoneGolem 01/11/2019 at 10:01

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All of them - with a particular obsession with the guy who says a MAF fault caused his engine to es plode

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > cooterbaldwin 01/11/2019 at 10:09

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The only time my Mazda 3 threw a CEL there was actually something wrong. My Subaru Outback goes Christmas tree about 4-5 times a year, we have yet to figure out what is going on.

CalzoneGolem > WilliamsSW 01/11/2019 at 10:20

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It couldn’t ... or could it?

WilliamsSW > CalzoneGolem 01/11/2019 at 10:29

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I am 100% certain that it’s absolutely impossible.

I think.

Well, maybe if there were some crazy circumstances it’s theoretically possible, but it’s a 1 in a billion thing.

Hmmm, this guy kinda sounds, like he knows what he’s talking about.

I guess it’s possible.

Still unlikely.

But...

I heard a noise last week that kinda sounds like what he described.

I better check it soon.

Wait, here’s another guy who said it happened?

Shit I hope my engine doesn’t blow up on the way home.

Crap it’s going to blow up, I’m sure of it...

( Has heart attack and dies)