Mazda MPV: Problems & Solutions

crissman

Over the past year or so the CEL on my 2000 MPV with 83500 miles has been intermittantly lighting up with no set pattern. I've suspected the gas cap, but further tightening didn't seem to help. Just to change the routine I decided to only ratchet the cap down two clicks instead of the five or six I normally would. Since doing this the light has not shown. It may be premature to say it's fixed, but, knock on wood, the light has now been out for at least a week and one filling of the tank.

bigdadi118

There's Mazda Service Bulletin Number regarding the tranny hardshift problem on 2003 MPV. If your dealer didn't fix it right, tell him to look into the numbers below...

2003 Mazda MPV
NHTSA 10005737
Service Bulletin (TSB) Number 0004180
Issued 01/30/2004

tomj5

A steady light means the stupid gas fume recirculation system has a system leak. I have the same problem. I had it fixed once but now I just let it stay on and someday will get around to take it in. Probably should take it to Auto Zone and have them reset it.... Damn dealers takes all day to reset it.

bob57

Our old '94MPV triggered the CEL @80K. It was meant to notify you to change a part of the emission system. I replaced the $39 part myself but found out Mazda wanted $125.00 to reset the light. I checked in with one of the local repair shops and they wanted $135 - said it was a real pain to reset that beast. So - I drove with it on for another 25K miles. Still ran fine when I traded it in.

jk1969

Our 97 MPV would not start last night for about 90 minutes (wife waited about 15 minutes between tries). The clock was reset to 12:00, but then started running again. When I got home, the clock read 1:46 and I tried and was able to start the car several different times. The alternator light was not on while the engine was running. This morning, I started the car again without fail (again no alternator light on), although I noticed as a slight hesitation when I turned the key in the ignition before it turned over. The original bettery was replaced 2 years ago, and we have not had this happen until now. I checked the battery cable connections and they are fine and I alternator belt is secure.

Any thoughts?

user777

Hmmm. if it were me, I'd bring the car to autozone or one of the other chains which do free battery and alternator checks. Maybe the alternator is failing. It's also possible the battery, even though only 2 years old is marginal.

Question: is this vehicle driven significant distances, or just small trips of a few miles? If the latter, maybe the battery doesn't get sufficiently recharged?

dwsmha

Hey all, I've got a general "oops" question. To make a long story short, our cat got into our garage and into our open 2003 MPV. He chewed up the end of the gear shift, the [expletive] cat. It's not unbearable, but I would like to investigate replacing it. Could anyone give me a cost estimate of what something like that would be? Thanks!

tomj5

You probably have to replace the shift lever (big bucks) smooth the end of the shift lever with a file and wrap it in plastic/rubber tape.
As a cat lover, when cats start chewing up things it means a brain disorder and they become dangerous. Cat should be taken to the pound and put to sleep....

6inavan

I bought a brand new 2003 MPV ES. It never steers straight from the time of purchase and has transmission problems. I take it to the dealer and each time the steering problem gets worse. I take it in for the transmission problems and they say that they can’t recreate it. I tell them about the bad brakes and no fix there. The van steers so bad that I contact Mazda Corp regarding the Lemon Law Safety issue of the van not steering correctly. What do they do? Respond right away like a responsible organization…nope…it takes them FIVE months and DOZENS of calls by me for them to even respond. They keep saying that they have to look at paperwork. The only time they make a move is if I threaten to contact an attorney.

I finally have a meeting with them soon, so I’ll repost after that, but I have a feeling that I have a really cruddy car. Any others out there with similar problems?

Word to the wise if you have a problem with a vehicle, take legal action immediately. Don’t think that Mazda will help, even thought they promise that they will.

6inavan

I've had poor gas results as well...mostly highway drive.

6inavan

Yes, I'm having pulling problems as well. Mine are to the right and happen at all speeds. We're you ever able to get it fixed?

PF_Flyer

Mazda Mania



Liven up your evening and join your fellow enthusiasts every Tuesday from 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET for our Mazda Mania Chat!
The chat room opens 15 minutes before the scheduled chat time, so come early and get a good seat! Hope to see YOU there on Tuesday!

Mazda Mania Chat Room

PF Flyer
Host
Pickups & News & Views Message Boards

bigdadi118

If your problem on transmission is all about hardshift, Mazda had fix Feb 2004. Please refer to my message No. 3683 and 3728

As for the pulling to the right problem, I guess it is not hard to fix. I didn't hear anyone complaining about this one.

kinko

My 04 MPV is in the shop today for transmission fix. The thing I complained about was an extra upshift shortly from the transmission shifts past the 1st gear. The RPM came back down from 2500 to 2000 for the second time, and it should not do that while the van is speeding up, it feels like the van hits a little bump if I'm not look at the instrument panel. I had only 900 miles on the van, I think I've waited past the bread-in period before I started to complain about it. After spending about 4 hours in the shop, the service department called and told me that they have reprogrammed the TCM/computer system, with the latest Service Bulletin info. I hope this will do it. I am so glad that they didn't give me the "Can't reproduce the problem" statement. BTW, I am getting 22-23 mpg for the 900 miles I did. I think it's doing okay for a V6. My 4-cyl 02 CR-V and 99 Camry did 25 and 28 respectively on the same daily route.

bigdadi118

Kinko

That's the fix. I got it done and not a problem ever since.

Also I believe the harsh ride and wind noise in highway speed are something to do with the tire pressure. The dealer lowered my tires to 32-33psi and feel the noise level went down. MPV has firm suspension for handling performance, ride is like BMW not caddy's. Maybe it's the Dunlop rubber. I never like Dunlop. Prefer Michelin.

kinko

I totally agree with what you said about the tire pressure and the tire itself. The psi reading I got from my MPV was range from 38 to 42 psi. I let it went down to 35 psi each tire and it improved the ride instantly. The dealer from where I bought the MPV has a so-called "Tire for Life" program for all the new Mazda. As long as I take the car in annually for an alignment service and follow the service schedule, they should replace the tires when they wear out (2/32) tread measure.
I am not so sure the awkward shifting on my MPV has been fixed. The receipt said something like "reprogram TCM (0.7 hour)...xx531xrx...". I will give a few more days to find out. Thanks.

bigdadi118

The fix contains "2" steps
Other than TCM reflash, don't forget to reprogram the PCM as well. Do you see PCM on the receipt?

kinko

No, they did not reprogram the PCM. Verified that on the phone, and they told me to bring it back for that... It seems to me that they haven't done their homework. I guess we can't assume they know what they're doing.

bigdadi118

Here is my previous post ...

Below is the description on svc slip. Svc rep didn't say a word of 'cannot duplicate'.

CONCERN : Customer reports transmission sometimes has hard upshifts.
CAUSE : Internal Fault.
CORRECTION 1: Reprogram TCM (Hour 0.7)
CORRECTION 2: Reprogram PCM per Mazda Cust Assist. (Hour 0.7)

sweet_subie

This is a big problem. MPV isn't worth it unless bought at a deep discount (I mean 5-6k below MSRP)

Here we go:
2002 MPV ES I bought for 24k (MSRP 29k)
Acc to Kelly Blue Book, Now it is worth 15k for trade-in & $18k for sale to private party.

2002 Odyssey i could have bought for 27k(MSRP 29k)
Now it is worth 20k for trade-in & $23k for sale to private.

I feel disgusted for buying an MPV & am not at all happy with its handling of road bumps.

kinko

the service department told me that they do not have the reprogramming PCM part of procedure but only the TCM fix. I am sure that they got the latest fix ( xxx531xrx ). The van still does the upshift which would drop the rpm to 2000 for the second time when speed up from the startup. I haven't heard any abnormal transmission noise from inside of the van yet. The van radio preset and the clock reading did not get erased after they reprogrammed the TCM, does it mean there is not need to disconnect the battery while they're reprogramming it?

bigdadi118

After the TCM reflash, do you feel the same or better? Do you feel the hardshift of 2 to 3, like a hesitation and a sudden jerk, the motion is similar car behind give your bumper a little bump.

If this dealer don't know, you can call different Mazda dealer(s) to get their opinion on PCM reprogram.

My one was done in 2 steps (TCM + PCM) and added 2000 miles not a hiccup problem.

johnfromnc

We are a car donation program in Raleigh, NC. We place cars with people in need. We recently received a donation of a nice '95 MPV with 73,000 miles. It looks like it could be a great placement for a family with kids. The car generally starts and runs fine; very pleasant to drive. BUT . . . it will sometimes go through this cycle where first the radio cuts out, then the headlights dim, then the engine starts to stumble . . . and then it dies. A "jump" gets the car started in half a second. But once this starts, the car will go three blocks and the radio, light and other electrical failures will reappear. Last night, it took me about 15 jumps to go one mile.

Here's the kicker: the alternator was just replaced, right before we got the car.

Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated!

John
at www.wheels4hope.org

kinko

my MPV's transmission shift logic is still not correct. From 0 to 50 mph acceleration, I could feel the hardshift of 2 to 3 twice, after the sudden jerk when the gear change from 1st to 2nd gear. I've called two other dealer's service department. One said that only TCM needs to be reprogrammed, while the other told me PCM must me reprogrammed first. I finally called the 800 number of Mazda customer service. The answer I got was to take the MPV back and work with the service department. They will use Mazda nationwide tech. hotline to find out about the fix...

bigdadi118

Keep us posted. I am interested to see what's going on. Eager to know if Mazda can finally help you solve this problem, in this case the local dealer repair was not right.

tomj5

I took my 03 MPV in today for a CE lite. It was the usual gas cap leak problem. The service manager said that when you shut the engine off wait about 3 minutes before opening the cap. The recirc system is tested when engine is just shut off. They reflashed the computer to decrease the sensitivity of the gas cap test....
Tj

stever

Haven't heard that one before. Three minutes is a pretty long time to wait when you pull into a gas station and need to fill up.

It's nice to see that everything on MPV's can be fixed with a reflash!

Steve, Host

rp64

Does anyone else have a hard clunk from their brakes after putting the car in reverse right after starting?

tomj5

Yeah, that is a bit. But, by the time you get the credit card in the pump and select the gas and recover from the shock of gas prices 3 minutes isn't very long... Plus I told the service guy don't flash the tranny, just in case.. My tranny is perfect....

Biddulph Mazda (Peoria/Phoenix) service was pretty good plus they had free Krispy Creams and coffee....

Plus we are taking a serious look at the MP3 Hatch....
Tj

dlmc4

I'm getting a clunking or maybe its a clicking noise from my braking system on the 1st brake after the van has been idle. I have an 03LX purchased in July 03. For me, it happens in either forward or reverse gears and I usually get 2 clicks which is from left front brake to right front brake. It seems like there is different pressure points for the 2 sides. After the first one, press a little harder and the 2nd one happens. This is not affecting the braking performance but an annoying noise that should not be happening. It has been happening for about 6 weeks now and is doing it in both cold and warm temperatures. I'm just about due for an oil change and will be addressing this at the same time. Let me know if this sounds like the same thing with yours. The brake noise started right after I had the transmission reflash done. I dont think that the 2 are related though.

rp64

Post what your service results are. Your description is exactly what's happening on my 2003 MPV LX. Thanks.

amgpanda

Has anyone had any problems with the MPV slipping out of gear for example from Park to reverse without the gear shift being moved?? Any similar events would be greatly helpful. Thank you.

bigdadi118

Look at the gear indicator on instrument panel, make sure the "SQUARE" is sit at the correct gear. Everytime you shift the gear stick, the square moves. If the stick is not in proper position (between 2 gears) the square disappeared and start driving the O/D light will come on until your next shift gear shift in the correct way. Usually the shift to P and back to D or R will correct this problem.

subearu

There is a shift brake interlock in practically all automatic transmission vehicles these days, including the MPV. I have not heard/read of any incidents of the vehicle moving out of Park on it's own, including over at mpvclub

-Brian

tomj5

I had a similar problem. When shifted into drive the tranny would really be in 3rd. The OD light would flash warning that the tranny was in the wrong gear for the speed it was going... It was an intermittent problem. The service dept said they had to adjust the shift detents. The problem has never returned in 8K miles...

I wonder,,,,, What if part of the hard shift problem was the shift detents are slightly out of adjustment?????? My tranny shifts perfectly and never had a reflash...
Tj

owr084

It would help to know the year of your MPV...

amgpanda

My MPV is a 2003 model with 7000 miles on it.

goodluck

we bought our new MPV. Edmunds said the capacity is 19.6 gallons. Our first refill is only for 15.5 gallons.
I could not find it in the manual (probably did not look it properly). The mileage is about 20-22 miles per gallon - ie about for every 340 miles we are refilling for 15.5 gallons.

we have MPV ES.

subearu

Page 10-5 of the '02 Owner's Manual has the capacities, including the gas tank: 78L or 19.8 US Gallons or 16.5 Imperial Gallons

The light usually goes on with about 1/8 left in the tank. And even on Empty, it *might* have a gallon or so left.

-Brian

dlmc4

Service Manager was well aware of problem. They installed some type of larger pin. He said we may still hear it occasionally but it would be much quieter. It took a little over an hour including an oil change. We have only heard it once in the last 5 days and it was much quieter. Had the radio not been off, we might not have noticed it at all. Hope it helps!

scottnsc8971

I have a 2003 MPV with 16K miles. A few weeks ago I was backing out of a parking space with my foot on the brake and it felt as if the brakes suddenly applied with full force (enough to feel the ABS pulse). I didn't think too much about it, but yesterday I was driving home from work on a straight flat road and it did it again. Just for a second it felt as if the brakes had applied full pressure. It was enough to throw me against the seltbelt and some papers on my seat into the floorboard. I thought that I had hit something, but the road was completely clear and there is no damage on the van. Could this be some type of malfunction with the brake force distribution system? I figure my dealer will think I'm crazy when I tell him, so I thought I would post it here first. Thanks!!

Karen_S

Enter "reflash" into "search this discussion". Perhaps this is related to what you're experiencing.

PF_Flyer

It's Tuesday, so it's Mazda chat time again. Drag a friend along tonight!

Mazda Mania



Liven up your evening and join your fellow enthusiasts every Tuesday from 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET for our Mazda Mania Chat!
The chat room opens 15 minutes before the scheduled chat time, so come early and get a good seat! Hope to see YOU there on Tuesday!

Mazda Mania Chat Room

PF Flyer
Host
Pickups & News & Views Message Boards

jgullo

Has anyone had trouble with the dealer installed DVD system? My DVD player is very sensitive. I have to turn it on for about 5 minutes prior to it being used. Then after about an hour or so, it tends to start skipping and then eventually stops. At that point, you can't even get the DVD out of the player. You have to wait for about 30 to 60 mins. It's sensitivity is definately related to the humidity, but, it just seems like it should perform much better for a $2000 piece of equipment. Anyone else experienced this problem? Any suggestions?

mom2rl

I have a 2002 Mazda MPV LX minivan. Recently I had the engine cleaned/flushed at Jiffy Lube and since then I've noticed the engine idling rather high when at stop or parked. The high idle would last approx. 10 seconds then stop and then 20-30 seconds later do it again. When in drive the engine seems fine. I've turned off the A/C to see if it makes a difference and it does not. Is this normal or should I take it in for service?

dinabor

Hi. I got MPV 2001. Car's manual says no transmission oil change. Came to some shop for general service and they say - transmission oil is "discolored". They suggest to flush/change this oil. Spoke to dealer's techs - sure they know manual does not require oil change, but they are ready to change it, as long I will pay for their service. I see no problem with my car/transmission. Did anyone change transmission oil in MPV 2001 and up? Do I have to change it indeed?
Thanks.

scottnsc8971

I had an earlier post (#3770) about what I thought was a brake problem, but now I am curious about the 'hard shift' that seems to be a very common problem. What does it feel like? Does it make you feel like you have hit something in the road? Throw you against the seat belt like in an accident? I'm thinking that what I thought was brakes, may be the transmission. Might be time for the world-famous Mazda MPV reflash.

I hope this doesn't mean that trouble is starting. So far we have had 17K of trouble-free driving with absolutely no complaints. On a recent trip we even discussed what we would buy if our MPV suddenly had to be replaced, and we agreed it would be another MPV (ES next time - we miss the leather). Thanks for the info.

bob57

What do you mean engine "cleaned/flushed"? Did they tell you that your headlight fluid was low?

Seriously, I assume you mean the oil was changed. You might want to check to see if they put the air filter back in correctly if they checked it and reconnected one of the cables and latched the filter box back together. It isn't real easy but they might have just "schlopped" it back if, again, they were in that area.

mwikle

My early production 2000 MPV LE (made 01-May-1999) had a "gross evaporative emissions failure" code set. It was the fuel tank evap actuator mechanism (gizmo is pressed-in by the seated gas cap). Had to really make sure tech knew it was not the "gas cap left off/unseated" triggering the code (as is typical). (I pulled/cleared the code when first triggered and checked--$99 code readers should be in all DIYers toolboxes!)

Anyone else have this issue?

Dealer wanted ~$530 to fix. 1.0h diagnosis, 2.0h to install @ $100/h + parts.

Mazda would not fix under 7/70 emissions warrany for the "gas tank". Found out in chat with Mazda, warranty time to replace this part is 0.5h !!! Mitchell guide is 0.7h. Dealer then agreed to charge 0.7h. I no longer trust this dealer, though they tried to explain excessive labor as an error...BS 3x-4x book labor is unethical or negligent at my cost.

Still speaking to California ARB to see if emissions warranty was really intended to cover this repair/component of the "gas tank". They may take some action if this defect is not an isolated failure.

We still like the van OK...Reliability is fair/average. We're the orginal owners. Only one other, non-recall or "service bulletin" type warranty repair so far (bad spark plug/plug wire). Ford still needs one year to make a good design manufacturable/bug-free (ugh!). 55K miles. Original brakes no-less too. 2.5L Cleveland-made Duratec in Hiroshima made van is obvioulsy too small, but OK for us (Ford again not investing in-time to be competitive). Gas tank too small as well, but this was fixed in later years...Drives nice.

gman

I have noticed a few surface rust spots on the rear bumper and under the rear liftgate. The dealer says this can happen sometimes, but unless there is a hole in the sheet metal they cant do anything about it..
  Anybody else have this problem.

-GS