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Neighbor with a G37 Infinity we did some extensive engine work on last year (oil pump shattered) has a 2008 Mazda 3 as the wife's grocery-getter. The little beastie went to limp mode recently, the cheezy code reader I have said the Transmission Control Module wasn't talking to the ECM... We went to YouTube for some visuals, then Mazda Forums. Seems the TCM issue is not uncommon with these models. We priced a new TCM and found that insulting ($350~$500, depending on source!) considering just WHERE the engineers decided to mount the unit: On TOP of the transmission case, just rear of the engine. It is bound to get hot enough to eventually fail. Sent the unit to an outfit in Lauderdale for a rebuild ($200--wasted) with "no joy". While hunting for a used unit, driving the car in third as the top gear caused a previously faulty repair (by either a ham-fisted P.O. or unscrupulous shop) of a plastic coolant manifold to leak, an engine overheat resulted, shooting superheated coolant onto the TCM. That cooked the "reconditioned" unit for certain. Replaced the coolant manifold (approx. $30), leak stopped. Got a good used TCM ($180) yesterday and installed it on the firewall, ran a good ground lead, all well away from direct contact with the aluminum trans case. Now no AT fault light, no overheating engine, shifts smoothly through the cogs.
This would have been a repair at a dealership costing well more than the car is worth. An independent shop came close to that.
What a game we play.
This would have been a repair at a dealership costing well more than the car is worth. An independent shop came close to that.
What a game we play.