2000 Mazda Protege ES :Check engine light came on

Today, for very first time ever, the heck engine light
came on in my 2000 Mazda Protege ES with 115k mile on
it.

It doesn't seem to being running rough or anything.
matter of fact I cant tell ANY diff in the performance.

I've checked all the fluids and they seem OK.

Any advice on what it might be before I take it to the
dealer and they scalp me?

I want to add that last summer I had the timing belt,
tensioners, and water pump changed and a tune up as
well

Check your owners manual, the CEL comes on for different reasons in
different cars. It may be a built in reminder set to go off around 100k for
the O2 sensor in the exhaust or something totally different. If you don't
have your manual, I believe you can download it from Mazda USA on the web
(IIRC).

Good luck,
Chris

> wrote in message
...
> Today, for very first time ever, the heck engine light
> came on in my 2000 Mazda Protege ES with 115k mile on
> it.
>
> It doesn't seem to being running rough or anything.
> matter of fact I cant tell ANY diff in the performance.
>
> I've checked all the fluids and they seem OK.
>
> Any advice on what it might be before I take it to the
> dealer and they scalp me?
>
> I want to add that last summer I had the timing belt,
> tensioners, and water pump changed and a tune up as
> well

On Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:25:22 -0500, wrote:

>Today, for very first time ever, the heck engine light
>came on in my 2000 Mazda Protege ES with 115k mile on
>it.
>
>It doesn't seem to being running rough or anything.
>matter of fact I cant tell ANY diff in the performance.
>
>I've checked all the fluids and they seem OK.
>
>Any advice on what it might be before I take it to the
>dealer and they scalp me?
>
>I want to add that last summer I had the timing belt,
>tensioners, and water pump changed and a tune up as
>well

90% of the time it is because of a loose gas cap or a bad one. At
115k, just buy a new cap. If that doesn't fix it, then you can spend a
fortune on the dealer. Even after you solve the problem, it will take
a week or so of driving for it to reset itself, so be patient.

I wasn't aware of anything you could tune up on a car that new.
It's all computer controlled. Plugs and filters is it.

Tom

"altar nospam" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:25:22 -0500, wrote:
>
>>Today, for very first time ever, the heck engine light
>>came on in my 2000 Mazda Protege ES with 115k mile on
>>it.
>>
>>It doesn't seem to being running rough or anything.
>>matter of fact I cant tell ANY diff in the performance.
>>
>>I've checked all the fluids and they seem OK.
>>
>>Any advice on what it might be before I take it to the
>>dealer and they scalp me?
>>
>>I want to add that last summer I had the timing belt,
>>tensioners, and water pump changed and a tune up as
>>well
>
> 90% of the time it is because of a loose gas cap or a bad one. At
> 115k, just buy a new cap. If that doesn't fix it, then you can spend a
> fortune on the dealer. Even after you solve the problem, it will take
> a week or so of driving for it to reset itself, so be patient.
>
> I wasn't aware of anything you could tune up on a car that new.
> It's all computer controlled. Plugs and filters is it.
>
> Tom

agreed... don't top off the car at the gas station. screw the cap down
tightly. see if the light goes away.

"Chris D'Agnolo" > wrote:

> If you don't
>have your manual, I believe you can download it from Mazda USA on the web

Yeah but they want a bunch of info and for me to
"register" to get the manual. So I guess that's out

altar nospam > wrote:

>90% of the time it is because of a loose gas cap or a bad one. At
>115k, just buy a new cap.

OK I will double check

But I checked cap tightness last night and all was well

I will fill up the tank this time tho.

On Tue, 26 Sep 2006 08:50:20 -0500, wrote:

>altar nospam > wrote:
>
>>90% of the time it is because of a loose gas cap or a bad one. At
>>115k, just buy a new cap.
>
>OK I will double check
>
>But I checked cap tightness last night and all was well
>
>I will fill up the tank this time tho.

They computer generally checks the pressure in the tank when it is
three quarters full or so. It can't check it when it is clear full or
almost empty. It is also required to make at least three "official
trips" before it resets. An "official" trip is a certain distance, at
a certain speed, and a few other parameters. so it could take a week
or so. If it isn't clear in a week of good driving, buy a new cap. I
would anyway. They're cheap.

Tom

If you have a local Autozone parts store, they have a rental policy that
includes a code reader. You pay them a hundred something dollars on your
credit card and they hand you the reader. You go out to the car, plug
it in, read the codes, write them down, bring the thing back to them and
they credit your card for the same amount.

They can look up the code and give you their interpretation of what
needs fixing. The most common offender is an oxygen sensor. In your 2000
Protege, both O2 sensors are very easy to change (unlike some). Or you
can post the codes here or elsewhere on the web and let all us "experts"
out there give you advice. Your choice.

All the best,

Ken

wrote:
> Today, for very first time ever, the heck engine light
> came on in my 2000 Mazda Protege ES with 115k mile on
> it.
>
> It doesn't seem to being running rough or anything.
> matter of fact I cant tell ANY diff in the performance.
>
> I've checked all the fluids and they seem OK.
>
> Any advice on what it might be before I take it to the
> dealer and they scalp me?
>
> I want to add that last summer I had the timing belt,
> tensioners, and water pump changed and a tune up as
> well

altar nospam > wrote:

> If it isn't clear in a week of good driving, buy a new cap. I
>would anyway. They're cheap.

The vehicle is only 6 years old should cap be replaced
already?

Also the cap is tethered to vehicle how do I replace
it?

KWS > wrote:

>They can look up the code and give you their interpretation of what
>needs fixing. The most common offender is an oxygen sensor. In your 2000
>Protege, both O2 sensors are very easy to change (unlike some). Or you
>can post the codes here or elsewhere on the web and let all us "experts"
>out there give you advice. Your choice.

OK thanks

Where does the instrument "plug into the vehicle at
tho?

Where is the "port" in the vehicle?