1997 Mazda 626 check engine light

Tiny
2CP-ARCHIVES
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 MAZDA 626
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 128,000 MILES
1997 Mazda 626 ES mileage: 128,000. My car recently tripped the engine check light. My wife took the car to our local Mazda dealer (I was out of town) and they pulled codes 23 and 24 from the computer. According to the service manager, those codes related to high idle and misfire. They adjusted the base idle, perform a top end carbon cleanout, and reset the computer. According to the service report, they road tested the car for about nine miles and the check light stayed out. When my wife picked up the car, she drove it a short distance away from the dealer and, as you might expect, the check light came on again. I'm perplexed. I did a bit of Internet research yesterday after the car visited the dealer and my information indicates that codes 23 & 24 relate to the right side oxygen sensor, not high idle and misfire. All the various engine sensors are original. Also, plugs are new NGKs and we do use high octane gas as recommended by Mazda. My speculation is that the oxygen sensor is bad. With 128,000 miles on the car, it appears prudent to me to replace both the right hand and left hand sensors. Am I heading in the right direction?
Friday, December 3rd, 2010 AT 10:14 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
2CP-ARCHIVES
  • MEMBER
  • 4,542 POSTS
You are heading in the right direction, replacing both oxygen sensors is where we would start. If the spark plug wires are several years old, replacing them would be a good idea. If the problem persists, you may have to replace the mass airflow sensor.
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Friday, December 3rd, 2010 AT 10:17 PM

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