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Thread: P2188(yeah I know)

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    Default P2188(yeah I know)

    Hey guys, long time lurker here. Having an issue with my car in the vein of the dreaded P2188 code. I know you're all probably going to tell me to do my research, and I have, believe me. Been searching this topic on and off for like 3 years. However I just want to add a couple things in here and hopefully someone has found a permanent fix for theirs.

    This is such a common and BS code that random fixes have been reported as working and some have been tried and true, but I have yet to find one for mine so I'm just curious if someone else had a similar set of circumstances as mine and found a fix. It's been bugging me for a while and I just can't figure out what the hell to do next without blowing money on "possible" fixes. I've searched ALL over just about every Mazda forum I can think of to no avail for my particular problem.

    Basically here's what happened: I, like most people on the forum here, have modified my Mazda. Cat-back exhaust, SRI, ignition timing advance, various knick knacks, mazdaspeed seat swap and some other cosmetics and so on. After a year of me having my mods on my car without changing anything else, I suddenly get the p2188 code on my car after filling up on gas. So I think this is weird, maybe bad gas or something but the code persists. I tried everything: relearning the ecu, reversing my ignition timing, buying new O2 sensors(both of them and lengthening wires for second O2), cleaning my throttle body, tried seafoaming, cleaned out MAF, checked all connections and hoses and vaccum hoses 3 times over. Still no fix. Then I was reading that a user had reported that a shop that did his oil change used oil that had gas in it and I had gotten my oil change done at roughly the same time this code came on so I thought "hey, I work in a shop, why not use my own oil I have here and do it myself to make sure it goes properly". I used castrol full synthetic. 100% chance there is no oil in these bottles, used a really good filter too and the code went away because I changed the oil and disconnected the battery for full change of ecu and oil and whatnot. Basically starting from new. Success! It ran beautifully!

    Except it was not a success. This was about 1800kms ago and now the damn code is back again, however it happened about 10 mins after I filled up my tank. And I missing something? I filled up three times since all this went down from different gas stations and still the code is here. I'll clear the code and like 10 mins later it will come back. Aside from buying 200+ replacement parts is there any fix? Or anyone who knows something that might be able to help? It sounds like it might be fuel related like the gas cap or maybe even injectors? I haven't tested my injectors but I inspected them and they seemed fine, and no leaks in or around them which is also a plus. Possibly purge valve? I haven't checked it but it seems unlikely considering it is related to p2178 not p2188 right? It would throw a lean code, not a rich code I would assume. Even if it was stuck closed that would throw an evap code as far as I can tell, not necessarily a rich code.


    I'm at a complete loss, boys. My car runs like garbage, RPM jumps and sounds like it's choking half the time. Any help is appreciated, I'm about ready to scrap the ****in thing.

    If it helps I have a 2009 Mazda 3 2.0L hatch.

    Thanks,

    Galaxy

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    Something obviously giving a major misreading and causing to much/little fuel. I'm doubtful it is something as minor as a gas cap. Primary O2 or MAF perhaps.

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    See that's what i thought as well but i replaced the primary o2 like 3 times and even used a working used one to be sure and it was still the same. I tested all the connections to the MAF and everything is in working order as far as i can see and no rips or tears in the sheathing or the fraying of the wires. I'm at a complete loss. Hell I rven cleaned my MAF and when that didn't work I switched it with a working one with no changes.

    So confused.

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    Also checking on my torque app I am getting all the readings I should be but they're just so whack when I read them sometimes. Gonna copy and paste my saved images I have so you guys can see my readings. MAF and O2 are reading fine but the readings they get are weird.

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    Uncle Ben
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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    Check the maf sensor wiring. As with short rams/cold airs they were very common to pull pins out or break wiring internally and unable to be seen. The car will run like crap if the wires are split.
    I would smoke test the system and also use the torque app to see the misfire counter on each cylinder. This may narrow down a particular cylinder should it be an injector.
    I had a very unusual behavior with my 07 with extended crank and ran like crap. (no codes) Tried using an injector cleaner that connects straight to the fuel rail. Car ran mint, went back to the regular fuel line and all the symptoms came back. Fuel pressure was extremely low. Parked the car overnight problem went away. Changed the fuel pump with a used one anyways. Not a fun job to do, have to drop the tank.
    Those may be some areas to look in to considering you work at a shop
    1991 Nissan Pathfinder - trade in, 2005 Mazda 3 GX ty grey - Write off, 2010 Mazda 3 GT E sedan CWP- trade in, 2010 Speed 3 w/tech CWP - Up for sale (soon), 2007 Mazda 3 GS silver- motor swapped in to 2009 MS3 CWP that had blown engine, 2002 BMW 330ci silver- new winter ride, 2005 BMW M3- new toy

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    Thanks for all the suggestions. Gonna give the MAF another go to see if I can find any fraying or pulled wires. My MAF for the most part is not being tugged as far as I could tell because the harness seemed to have a good amount of slack but I'll take it off and check the connections again.

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    That is a good place to start. Perhaps a bad fuel injector could be the issue.

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    Quote Originally Posted by Galaxy771 View Post
    Thanks for all the suggestions. Gonna give the MAF another go to see if I can find any fraying or pulled wires. My MAF for the most part is not being tugged as far as I could tell because the harness seemed to have a good amount of slack but I'll take it off and check the connections again.
    if you have access to a wiring diagram, check the 5 wires from where they go to the maf. I've had one where the break was internal and unable to be seen. happens at the bend where it goes in to the main harness. replaced a section and all was good

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    My question though is why would it only come back now after 1800kms? Seems kinda random especially RIGHT after I filled up on gas. Anything else besides MAF you can think of?

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    Uncle Ben
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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    Your question is as good a guess as mine. Why does the engine light come on after an oil change?
    Because it does. Cars are unpredictable. Considering I have been working on cars for close to 15 years coincidences are not new to me. As a side note, cleaning the maf rarely does anything. The mafs monitor a few different things. All it takes is for one thing to malfunction internally and that could be your issue. I had another mazda 3 where after fixing the maf wires, car still ran like shit, no codes though. All resistance values on the maf itself were ok. I plugged in a new maf I had and car was fine after that. I'm not saying this is your fix. I'm giving you examples

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    I think what I'm going to do is snag about 5 working MAFs from the junkyard as well as a bunch of working O2 sensors and see if maybe those were the issue. I'm gonna make a day of it and try to switch my MAFs out first and keep switching them if they fail and give me weird readings, then I'll do the same for the O2s. If I keep switching them and they all fail then I know for sure my MAF and my O2 sensors are not busted. At that point it might be some wiring somewhere. Trial and error from here on out I guess. At this point it's going to have to be breaking down which issues are constantly returning so I can branch down and find the root of the problem by process of elimination.

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    Quote Originally Posted by Galaxy771 View Post
    I think what I'm going to do is snag about 5 working MAFs from the junkyard as well as a bunch of working O2 sensors and see if maybe those were the issue. I'm gonna make a day of it and try to switch my MAFs out first and keep switching them if they fail and give me weird readings, then I'll do the same for the O2s. If I keep switching them and they all fail then I know for sure my MAF and my O2 sensors are not busted. At that point it might be some wiring somewhere. Trial and error from here on out I guess. At this point it's going to have to be breaking down which issues are constantly returning so I can branch down and find the root of the problem by process of elimination.
    again, I am not saying to throw the parts cannon at it. That is not the solution to the problem. But knowing that you have an intake on the car and knowing that the maf sensors/wiring is a weak spot, this is where I would start. In general fuel injectors are very uncommon needing replacement. Again, not saying this is not the problem. Easy way to tell would be to pull the plugs before starting the car after parking it over night. If the plugs are covered in fuel, then that cylinder/cylinders are having injector/s leak down.

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    I hear what you're saying. I'm going to recheck the MAF and definitely check my injectors. I'm just hoping it's not the injectors because those are not cheap.

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    One thing I wanted to add is I keep erasing the codes to see when they come back on and one thing I noticed is the code really only comes back when the car is idling. Like when I'm at a stop light or when I pull into my driveway. If that's the case wouldn't it not be the MAF being stretched but possibly something else?

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    Default Re: P2188(yeah I know)

    Hey man, so I went through this issue myself on a previous mazda 3 I owned. When it was still under warranty the dealer loaded the parts cannon. First they changed a fuel pump, then purge valve then the upstream o2 sensor.. Same result.

    Long story short, it was my maf sensor wiring. Specifically the ground wire. If you manipulated the harness as it idled, boom check engine light and the issue was there. So if you have a SRI or a CAI, the factory wiring isn't long enough and you will do damage to the wiring/pins. Usually the best option is to undo that zip tie to the battery box right away but live and learn. Hope this helps

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