Alright so I have a 2002 Protege ES 2.0 Automatic with about 142 000 miles on it. The car had been running fine but for reasons that I continue to now regret, I thought I'd try and breathe new life into it and asked completely on my own to have the fuel injector service done at a Mazda dealership with its regular oil change. Dumb move now yes I know.

So the service was done, no problems reported to me, I drove off, there was a bit of a rough idle when I started up the car but figured it was just some cleaner still working through the system, and so I drove off, car ran fine all the way home. The next day, I go to start it from cold, the car starts then the RPM's immediately drop down and it stalls. This happens repeatedly and the only way I got it to stay running was to give it gas and quickly shift into reverse. I drive a few miles, it doesn't stall at traffic lights but idles rough and RPM's seem quite low - below 500 (Before the cleaning the car idled smooth as a baby at about 800RPMS). Not long after, my Check Engine light comes on. So I bring the car back to the Dealer and tell them the story. They check the code, tell me it has to do with the Idle Control Valve sticking but they can't get the valve off to clean it because the screws are seized. So they try cleaning it without removing the valve and tell me it should help. I leave, drive home, car seems to have low RPM's but isn't rough idling. A few hours later I start up the car and it starts without stalling but idles extremely rough. The RPM's are at like 100 and the car shakes like crazy.

I call them back and they tell me I might have to replace my Idle Control Valve motor but I should wait it out a few days and see if the symptoms go away. If not to call them.

Anyway, its been a few days now. The Engine light did not return and the car does not stall on a cold start but the RPM's are really low and it shakes - almost stalling at every start up (which it NEVER did before). Once I drive a few blocks, it will kind of shake when I come to a stop but then it idles okay for the rest of the stop - RPM's seem to drop a bit below 500 at first then they return to about 500 and no shaking.

Any advice on this would be much appreciated. Should I get the ICV motor replaced? Should THEY have the pay for this? I know I asked for the service but I wasn't told it would make my car run like this. I don't even understand how a Fuel Injector Cleaning Service could cause my ICV motor to stop working. I'm worried that this is going to be a lingering problem now and the motor change won't do much if they can't get the valve off to properly clean it.

 

The best injector service you can buy is a $10.00 bottle of Techron poured into your gas tank. It also decarbons the valves. No telling what they screwed up really. I would take the car elsewhere and request my money back. I doubt you need an IAC. Sounds more like CYA to me on their part.

 

Thanks for the response. I have been calling them and they are not returning my calls. They have usually done good work for me so this is disappointing.

 

it is almost impossible to clean the idle control valve without removing it. i dont know what to tell you... fighting with the stealership or going to a shop with good references. the problem with that valve is that it is a little difficult to access its screws and removing it.