Security light on and car wont start

[Lex]

Originally Posted by maisonvi God I hope its not the ecu, but I can't connect the obd so that scares me a bit. I cant imagine that's cheap. Why would it just stop working? I can't take the intake off and see if anything under there is rubbing. I know when I re-did my battery tray a month ago or so I moved the wires around down there. Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

You can find used ECUs for cheap for your year and sometimes COBB can recover it if it happened during a flash. They are good at helping out. Dealer price on an ECU is a pretty penny but there are options.

I added to my post - it may not be the ECU - there are a few components at play there. If you suspect wiring it is well worth checking out.

If you can't unlock the car via the key you won't be able to connect to OBD using the usual scanners or AP.

[maisonvi]

Originally Posted by Lex You can find used ECUs for cheap for your year and sometimes COBB can recover it if it happened during a flash. They are good at helping out. Dealer price on an ECU is a pretty penny but there are options. I added to my post - it may not be the ECU - there are a few components at play there. If you suspect wiring it is well worth checking out. If you can't unlock the car via the key you won't be able to connect to OBD using the usual scanners or AP.

Well it didnt happen during a flash, so Im not sure if thats good or bad.

I will check out the wiring and see. Everything at the ECU connection point looks good. With how the car is flashing a code though I think its receiving something from the ECU, but I really know very little about this stuff. And the whole "cant connect" with the obd2 stuff still has me wondering.

I will try tonight to see if I can find some wires causing issues. It sucks more now, because my heater is only half working in the garage and its supposed to go down to single digits I believe tonight. yay.

[blackms3_71]

Plug in ur ap to your computer and see if an recovery mode is on there.

[maisonvi]

Originally Posted by blackms3_71 Plug in ur ap to your computer and see if an recovery mode is on there.

Where would that be? Everything looks normal in the AP manager.

[Playaj]

Originally Posted by blackms3_71 Check the wire that runs from the main harness to the starter. I have been having problems with that wire since i installed my 3 bar map. Sometimes the car wont start and i have to giggle the wire to get the car to start. I though i had fixed it by disconnecting the wire of the starter and cleaning it. But the problem is back 4 months later.

Checked battery cells as a last resort before buying new battery and they were bone dry. Put distilled water in all 6 and ran it for lil bit on the freeway. Seemed to start up a bit faster and with no struggle. The last 7 starts were good too, this after dying twice in the same day. Hope this lasts.

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[Micha]

ken, my wiring harness did this after my last motor swap. The problem with mine is the part of the harness that goes to the ecu was all beat up for some reason. so I took everything apart, cleaned it up and re taped it up good with electrical tape. I wish I had my car on me so I could show you what I meant. maybe @Little John; can take pics and send them to you because he was there.

There is an exposed ground wire in the middle part of that section of harness.

[HawkeyeGeoff]

Has this been rectified yet? We must get our only BT Speed3 running!

[maisonvi]

Originally Posted by HawkeyeGeoff Has this been rectified yet? We must get our only BT Speed3 running!

Gonna call the dealer here again shortly. Talked to Cobb yesterday, they have no idea either. Hoping to have it towed in to the dealer tomorrow morning and have them take a look.

[HawkeyeGeoff]

Originally Posted by maisonvi Gonna call the dealer here again shortly. Talked to Cobb yesterday, they have no idea either. Hoping to have it towed in to the dealer tomorrow morning and have them take a look.

I'll get my baseball bat in case they decide to fuck with any of your mods.

[maisonvi]

Well she is set to go on the flat bed at 7:30 in the morning tomorrow. Hopefully the dealer can give me some good news before I leave for the terMInator ski trip at noon.

[maisonvi]

Well as of this morning she is at the dealer. We will see what they say.

Feeling not great about my hopes of a cheap repair.

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[Funkster777]

Hoping for good new.

[mzr0818]

Man, it sucks to see. Let us know the outcome.

[kritz]

Sad

Sent from fastest Ko4 Pu.

[maisonvi]

Well the dealer spent a bunch of time on it today. Looks like the PCM is shot.

The dealer said they would be willing to install a used one (not something they normally are OK with but I know the parts counter guy). So now I'm on the hunt for a used ECU that will work. Anyone got one?


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[theurgy]

Damn...

From what I know, used form a wrecker they go for about $150 on average.

[maisonvi]

Originally Posted by theurgy Damn... From what I know, used form a wrecker they go for about $150 on average.

That's better than the $1200 dealer cost.

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[theurgy]

Exactly, just look up on Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market for the part: Engine Computer.
There's apparently the following variations for these:
Elec Cont Unit (ECU), (mtd by battery), 2.3L, MT, turbo (Speed3), ID L34B-18881-D thru G
Elec Cont Unit (ECU), (mtd by battery), 2.3L, MT, turbo (Speed3), ID L34C-18881-D thru G
Elec Cont Unit (ECU), (mtd by battery), 2.3L, MT, turbo (Speed3), ID L39R-18881
Elec Cont Unit (ECU), (mtd by battery), 2.3L, MT, turbo (Speed3), ID L39R-18881-A
Elec Cont Unit (ECU), (mtd by battery), 2.3L, MT, turbo (Speed3), ID L39S-18881
Elec Cont Unit (ECU), (mtd by battery), 2.3L, MT, turbo (Speed3), ID L39S-18881-A

I guess lookup which one is yours and locate a close enough wrecker willing to ship.

[maisonvi]

I'm looking for a L39S-18-881E according to the dealer. I made a WTB to see if anyone else has one.

I'm on my phone on the way to the Nator MI ski trip. So if there is a PC I can use tonight I will be shopping.

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[theurgy]

2008
Engine Computer
Mazda 3 5/08,2.3,M.T.,FWD,L39S18881E 13D0357 $110 Morrison's Auto Inc USA-WI(Edgerton) Request_Quote 1-800-866-2277 Request_Insurance_Quote

[Lex]

There are many part numbers for the PCM from 07-08. You want any 07-08 PCM. Not 09. Unless your car is an 09.

Now, this is very important. Most wrecked PCMs have tunes on them. The dealer tool can't communicate with an ECU that has a tune on it. They will tell you the PCM is bad. You must go there with your AP, plug it in, uninstall any prior tunes that are on the car prior to the dealer being able to program it. This will save you a lot of headaches.

[maisonvi]

Originally Posted by Lex There are many part numbers for the PCM from 07-08. You want any 07-08 PCM. Not 09. Unless your car is an 09. Now, this is very important. Most wrecked PCMs have tunes on them. The dealer tool can't communicate with an ECU that has a tune on it. They will tell you the PCM is bad. You must go there with your AP, plug it in, uninstall any prior tunes that are on the car prior to the dealer being able to program it. This will save you a lot of headaches.

Well I have to figure out how to un marry my ap from an ecu it can't connect to

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[ihasmazda]

from what i've been told if you're the original AP owner and can prove to cobb that your ecu is dead they should re-license it for $50

[Lex]

Originally Posted by maisonvi Well I have to figure out how to un marry my ap from an ecu it can't connect to Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

I would contact COBB and send them the AP and faulty PCM.

[maisonvi]

Ok further updates for those who care or love to read about my plight:

Picked up a PCM off of @apena85; Big thanks man.

Got it in today and borrowed a work truck to take it to the dealer. Talked to the service tech there (super nice guy and understands my car is not stock by any means) He is going to reprogram my keys and everything else that needs to be mached up, but not start till until tomorrow when I should have my V3 AP in (V2 is married to bricked ECU and cant be unmarried).

So assuming things go according to plan, my car should be running again tomorrow evening....I hope.

[theurgy]

May I ask what the PCM cost you?

[maisonvi]

Originally Posted by theurgy May I ask what the PCM cost you?

New from the dealer they quoted me $1283, but onlinemazdaparts had it for $900 something. Bought mine for $215. Found cheaper ones at junkyards, but I knew this one was unmarried and from a forum member, which I like to support when possible.

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[apena85]

Don't forget the specific model you were looking for too.

[maisonvi]

Originally Posted by apena85 Don't forget the specific model you were looking for too.

Yeah, you saved me big on that. Got a text from my buddy there this morning saying everything is good and they are waiting for me to come put a tune on it so they can start it.

Now I just need my AP to show up.

[maisonvi]

Car started up and ran! Wooo!

I will go after work with the wife to pick it up.

Went in at lunch to tune it and brought pizza with me. Now I have a bunch of friends that work at a mazda dealer and they gave me a 10% discount on the labor (paid for the pizza pretty much)

So ready to have it back, but its snowing like crazy again so driving anything but nice will have to wait a bit.

Big thanks to everyone who helped out. Especially all my supportive Nator MI people, and also @Micha; and @mzr0818; for all your trouble shooting help.

[Micha]

Looks like I wasn't much help in the end.

i hate tapatalk

[mzr0818]

Originally Posted by Micha Looks like I wasn't much help in the end. i hate tapatalk

I feel the same way @Micha; I hate to see this as the way things turnid out but I'm glad she's running

[maisonvi]

Originally Posted by Micha Looks like I wasn't much help in the end. i hate tapatalk

Originally Posted by mzr0818 I feel the same way @Micha; I hate to see this as the way things turnid out but I'm glad she's running

Yeah, didn't turn out to be any of what we came up with, but had it been something other than the ecu you both were a big help.

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[meicalnissyen]

Originally Posted by Lex There are many part numbers for the PCM from 07-08. You want any 07-08 PCM. Not 09. Unless your car is an 09. Now, this is very important. Most wrecked PCMs have tunes on them. The dealer tool can't communicate with an ECU that has a tune on it. They will tell you the PCM is bad. You must go there with your AP, plug it in, uninstall any prior tunes that are on the car prior to the dealer being able to program it. This will save you a lot of headaches.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This should have been stickied

Or I should be less impulsive

[HaXiR]

What a pain in the ass this turned out to be, at least it was fairly inexpensive, could have been worse. Wonder what made the ecu take a shit randomly like that, were you able to find out?

[aviator79]

Ive got a flashing key/security light on dash and no start. No power going to starter solenoid wire on start. Giggles wheel, not it. Just replaced engine wire harness due to blowing out coils. Now what? This is on an ms3. ECU shot? or PCM?