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HELP! CEL Nightmare

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    HELP! CEL Nightmare

    After changing the bulbs in my gauge cluster, a CEL popped up, and it was that the fuel and speedometer sensors were not working correctly, even though they were. The computer was cleared, and the CEL came back, again, the same errors. Now, Mazda wants me to pay $700 for new sensors.

    The speedometer is working fine, and the fuel level is slowly dropping as I drive more, so it, too is working. Is is possible that Mazda made a faulty diagnosis? Should I tell them about removing the cluster and they can just check to see if there is a loose wire? I don't want to pay $700. Any help is appreciated.

    #2
    Do not tell them anything about removing the cluster because they will deny you service, period. I am sure your sensors are find. To find out if they are, put it back like it used to be.
    "Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."

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      #3
      No, I did put it back, everything back to normal. Every gauge on teh cluster works as it should, but the CEL keeps coming back. I think we are just going to take the light out of the CEL's socket, so the light will still be there, just no one will be able to see it. The only downside to that is that if there is a serious problem with the car, we will never know, but that's the chance we have to take. We're not paying $700 on a car that holds a value of about $3500.

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        #4
        So good, and weird, news...

        The CEL has disappeared. I drove the car to Mazda Rev-it-up yesterday, and the light was on the whole time. I start my car this morning, and there is no light! The bulb still works, because it lights up before you start the car, then turns off. I didn't know this could happen. Can the errors just erase themselves after a certain lenght of time?

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          #5
          The code should still be stored. But yes they can just go off sometimes.
          Ryan The middle child is always ignored
          BP powered 97LX Touring Edition
          Vibrant strut tower brace, KVR front brake pads, Tungsram Megalicht H4 headlight bulbs, Phillips Halogen H3 foglight bulbs.... 91 GT rims w/ 195 60 14 Yokohomo Mirada GTX sport

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            #6
            But if the codes are still there and the light is off, what happens when I go to get my emissions checked?

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              #7
              AFAIK they only look for a check engine light. I don't think they actually scan your car for codes.
              I'm pretty sure thats how its done here.
              Ryan The middle child is always ignored
              BP powered 97LX Touring Edition
              Vibrant strut tower brace, KVR front brake pads, Tungsram Megalicht H4 headlight bulbs, Phillips Halogen H3 foglight bulbs.... 91 GT rims w/ 195 60 14 Yokohomo Mirada GTX sport

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                #8
                That wouldn't have been a problem anyway, I could have just removed the bulb from the socket and no more light! But I hope they don't do an ECU scan.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by midnightblue97
                  AFAIK they only look for a check engine light. I don't think they actually scan your car for codes.
                  I'm pretty sure thats how its done here.
                  That depends on where you live. Starting next month New York state will be scanning the codes in the computer at inspection time. If you have a code, or also if you have some settings in the pending state (i.e. you just reset the ECU to pass inspection) they will fail you. Also if your light does not pass the on before starting the car check (i.e. the bulb has to work) you fail as well. It does not matter why the code is there (i.e. a transmission problem) as they take it to mean that emissions are up because the car is not at 100%.

                  It sucks! I am waiting to see what the monetary amount you have to spend is before they grant a waiver. Other states that already have this testing in place do that and it is around $600 bucks invested in trying to get it to pass before they grant a waiver.... time will tell how New York handles this.
                  --JJB--
                  '02 Silver Protegé5 - 5sp - no performance mods, no plans for them
                  Kenwood Z919 -- Polk Audio speakers
                  16" alloys w/ 205/50 Bridgestone RE750 (summer)
                  15" steels w/ 195/55 Bridgestone Blizzak LM22 (winter)

                  Moon roof - wind deflector - variable intermittent wipers - electrochromic mirror w/ temp & compass
                  Winter/beater car: 1997 Mercury Mountaineer with 182k on it

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                    #10
                    when I removed my gauge cluster my CEL went on too. It stayed on for about 20 starts then it turned off. It has done this several times when removing electronics and putting them back in for me. I was told once that it takes about 20 starts to clear the CEL, or you can disconnect the positive, or negitive (not sure which) and that will also clear it.

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