Hi,

I have a 2001 Tribute LX V6, 59,000 miles. Last week I had the car in at the Mazda dealer to figure out a starting problem, which seems to have been fixed, but now I have a new problem.

The rundown on that first, so-far-looks-like-it's-fixed problem: Over the 2 or 3 weeks prior, the car occasionally would not want to start up right away. It would take 2, 3, 4 tries, and finally the engine would "catch." Sometimes it would start up and then peter out and die within about 5 seconds. No dash lights came on, battery is fine, hear the fuel pump buzz, and cranking/starting sound all normal--just wouldn't want to start and stay started. Seemed to be worse when it was raining, snowing, or just damp out. When I was out somewhere a couple times and had this problem and had to get the thing going and get home, I put the gas pedal down some when it turned over and revved it fora minute or so (not hard, 1500-2000 rpm at most), and then it stayed running, and I was on my way. The next day, of course, it could start up right away like nothing was wrong. Finally one day, I tried the above method of getting it going and it wouldn't--it would idle at about 200 rpm, which of course will get you nowhere. It was cold that day, so I let it idle like that until at full temperature, then I revved it harder, kind of jammed on teh gas, and the idle set itself atnormal. I parked it inside that night (heated garage), drive it to the dealer the next day, because again, it was normal like nothing had ever gone wrong.

After not being able to duplicate the problem (of course) and not finding any codes to go on, some closer inspection suggested the idle air control valve needed to be replaced. So they did that, and so far that seems to have fixed the problem. Although now the car runs a bit rougher than before, and I notice my dash lights dim if I do something like put a window down or start the defogger. They dim for a few seconds and then come back up.

Now the problem du jour--when I turn at low speed, turning the wheel far to either the right or left, whether in forward or reverse, like getting in and out of a parking space, the car kind of jerks through the motion and almost feels like it's meeting resistance. It feels like it's sort of hopping along. I have to apply the gas a bit more sometimes to complete the maneuver; it doesn't happen smoothly. It's kind of hard to describe, but I hope you get the idea.

Anyway, after all that--can this problem, which appeared after the IAC was replaced, be related to all that (never experienced it until after picking up the car from the repair), or is it something new? If new, what?

Thank you for any insight.

 

Sorry, one more detail that might matter-- it is 4WD. (and no, I'm not driving around in 4WD all the time)

 

It almost sounds like it has an airflow problem. I have an 04, but check out the accordian pipe that connects the air filter to the intake manifold. The airflow sensor is usually located just behind the air filter, and the accordian pipe is behind that, followed by the intake manifold. If the accordian pipe has any cracks or holes in it, your car will get unmetered air and it'll overwhelm the engine. The reason it'll usually run once it gets warm is because the heat from the engine expands the plastic and closes the holes usually. Mazda had the almost exact same part on a 1990 Mazda 626 I had years ago and it did the same thing then. If its cracked and its on the highpart and less than an inch, you can usually epoxy it then tape it to close it up, but if its down in the grooves, your gonna need to replace it. Check with your local junkyards firstbecause they usually run about $200 new from the dealer.

 

Thanks for the reply. The starting problem seems okay, but I'll take a look at that, given the age of things in there and all.

The news on the jerky turning is that they think the car is permanently engaged in 4WD and won't uncouple back into 2WD.

That's going to be an interesting conversation with them later if the problem lies in the transfer case--which seems likely. My transfer case was replaced last April. Though the car was more than 6 years old, they agreed that it should not have failed at 48,000 miles or so and provided the parts (about $900 worth) at their expense, and I paid the labor, about $450. Nine months and 6,000 miles later, there shouldn't be any problem wth that system that I should have to pay for.

I read quite a bit the first time around with the transmission/transfer case stuff about Mazda's now notoriously bad transmission systems and am thinking seriously about getting this fixed and then getting rid of the thing in the next 6-9 months. Unfortunate, because I really like the car otherwise and haven't had all that much other trouble with it. Could see myself keeping it nearly 10 years otherwise.

Well, thanks again!

 

More proof that Tribute drivetrains are CRAP!!

Yup, car is permanently engaged in 4WD. Problem lies elsewhere in the drivetrain (not transfer case), something I believe he called the RBC (?) Anyway, was quoted $2300 to repair. The same (actually quite reasonable) service dept director who got Mazda to kick in with the transfer case has gotten Mazda to kick in with this job, and Mazda will pay half.

An $1150 repair bill due to such a major piece of the system clunking out at 59,000 miles is still inexcusable. I don't care that the car is 7 years old--you have to drive it to wear things out, not to mention how little the 4WD has actually been used.

I will keep this car another 6-8 months, tops.