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I think the black color looks more suiting now with the slightly sportier look.
-Brian
'02 ES with no tranny problems :-)
Radio, CD, heater controls, etc. THAT is what really sold me on the older MPV style when it first came out...nice dash layout.
See, I can post without being negative about my 03 with the jerky tranny....:-))
Rear grab handle on back of passenger seat came very loose all of a sudden too. Screw may be stripped...I swear, I baby this thing and it sounds like I'm trashing it! My kids are not allowed to eat in it yet...etc. Stopping in my dealer in the am to have them try to fix the handle. Wonder what THIS unit will be like after 8 years and 160K miles...after 17K and 9 months it's slipping fast.
I read a post on the "other" board how a guy changed his tranny oil and filter and the shift smoothed out.
My point is:
1. My Mpv shifts perfectly all the time. I would assume that I have the same software and oil type as the rest.
2. There seems to be a wide "range" of severity of the hard shift.
3. Yeah, there is the temp variable, but the problem showed up last summer when it was warm for everyone...
4. Honda has a policy of 3 flushes for hard shifting trannies, which works most of the time.
5. Cannot assume that the factory checks every car for oil contamnation. As it won't show up until breakin is well under way...
The contamnation issue must be eliminated....
Army trucks arrived in "perfect" condition. After we got done with them , the engineering and breakin bugs showed up... Usually clutch plate breakin(particles) caused tranny malfunctions...
I can see fine tuning of the software, but not the need for a major rewrite....
Interesting Problem...
Tj
I have not used it yet...maybe if my wife kicks me out of the house it will serve well as a resting place...:-)
Dealer tightened the grabber handle behind the pass. seat. Dealer also sighted that new computer fix has not been announced yet. He stated that there is an alarming amount of MPV owners lining up angrily waiting this FIX. I'm in that line too! Probably will need an appt. out weeks when it does come through...
Could be a win/win situation!!!
Am currently engaged with the Mazda corporate rep who test drove the car with me once and felt it twice, and will have the car for a couple of hours next week.
I hope there will be a good outcome but this thing is taking far too much time already.
I strongly urge prospective buyers of 04 MPVs to hold off until this issue is resolved.
Had first taste of winter with my MPV in MN. today. Handles great with that Traction Control option. Little light on dash lights up when it engages and slips. Streets were pretty icy today and it held well!
My wife says she thinks it's much better in the snow than her 99 Camry. THAT says alot since she is soooo in love with that old car.
Tj
YMMV,
-Brian
This was an isolated, easily reproduced problem, unlike the tranny issues reported here. No other issues since, and it's been months.
However, I'm not impressed with the OEM Dunlops in the slick. We had our first snowfall of the season in Denver - temps in the 20's, roads covered with hard-packed snow and ice.
To be fair, we're not familiar with driving a large, heavy FWD vehicle in the slick. Our other car is an AWD Subaru, and our other previous cars were small FWD sedans. I think the 'ru has spoiled us...
The van felt loose in the curves, the ABS kicked in a lot, and I actually got stuck briefly on an inclined icy driveway trying to pull out into traffic, despite the TCS, which did kick in.
I grew up in the mid-West driving RWD vehicles in the winter - went to school in MN, so I'm not new to winter driving per se - it's not like I was pushing the van under these conditions.
Long story short, we ordered snows for the van this weekend on separate 15" steel rims.
Does anyone have experience with Kumho Zen KW-11 tires ?
-brianV
I used a vaccuum pump that I normally use for my boat and is available at all Boat US and West Marine stores (carefully cleaning the suction hose with tranny fluid to remove all contaminants).
The fluid replacement is not complete since there is still fluid in the torque converter, but exchanged about 13 quarts in three cycles so I estimate I have about 70% new fluid.
The change in shifting was immediate -- the tranny is far smoother and more responsive than before and so far there is none of the hard slamming that occasionally happened from 2-3. I have about 60 miles on the new fluid so far.
For those attempting this, the Valvoline Maxlife ATF is available at Walmart for $2.44 per quart. Also be very careful to follow instuctions on how to measure ATF fluid level--after engine is warm, idle for 2 minutes then run trans through PRND32. The while still idling in Park, check level (hot scale). Its difficult to read the scale so be careful.
I will keep everyone posted to see how if this is truely the solution.
I used a vaccuum pump that I normally use for my boat and is available at all Boat US and West Marine stores (carefully cleaning the suction hose with tranny fluid to remove all contaminants).
The fluid replacement is not complete since there is still fluid in the torque converter, but exchanged about 13 quarts in three cycles so I estimate I have about 70% new fluid.
The change in shifting was immediate -- the tranny is far smoother and more responsive than before and so far there is none of the hard slamming that occasionally happened from 2-3. I have about 60 miles on the new fluid so far.
For those attempting this, the Valvoline Maxlife ATF is available at Walmart for $2.44 per quart. Also be very careful to follow instuctions on how to measure ATF fluid level--after engine is warm, idle for 2 minutes then run trans through PRND32. The while still idling in Park, check level (hot scale). Its difficult to read the scale so be careful.
I will keep everyone posted to see how if this is truely the solution.
I have to say it still handles great, even compared to my old 95 DC shorty, which was good in the snow too! Geez, it got cold up here in the Tundra land tonight though. Cold and crisp!
The disadvantage is that you can only get about 1/3 of the fuild at a time, because you can't empty the torque converter. So if my math is correct you will need 6 cycles to get about 90% new fluid.
1 = 33%
2 = 53%
3 = 68%
4 = 78%
5 = 85%
6 = 90%
The manual states the total capacity of the transmission is 10.3 quarts with four seasons but I've read elsewhere that a system evac took 17 quarts. In my experience each suction cycle takes about 4 quarts out (roughly 1/2 of the 2 gallon tank capacity) so you can assume that 24 quarts will get you to 90% new fluid assuming 17 quarts capacity. This is inefficient but far less expensive than doing it in a garage, and I control all the variables.
Between each suction I am running the car for a while (maybe 2-5 miles) to mix the fluid.
Currently I am at about 75% new fluid level. Per my pervious post, the trany continues to shift far better than before (I have about 120 miles on the new fluid). Much smoother and faster, particularly on kickdown. Its an amazing difference.
HOWEVER, from time to time certain shifts (the 2-3 range) are slightly rougher than others. Still far better than before and not the slamming previously experienced. But this could still be due to "software glitches" claimed by Mazda.
I will perform two more cycles to get at 90% to see what improvement that makes and keep everyone posted. When I finish my "experiment" I will let Mazda know and present them with the bill for my ATF fluid.
...TJ thanks for the inspiration and if you live in the Boston area the beer is on me!
Keep in mind that this is a "learning" transmission controller, so it changes its behavior over time in response to how you drive. That alone makes it difficult if not impossible to compare across vehicles. The TCM's program settings themselves represent multiple factors. Not to mention differences in mileage, wear and manufacturing tolerances, and interactions with the ECM...
It could be that dirt/contamination is affecting some units, and it might even be interacting with whatever nuances the TCM has "learned".
In fairness to Mazda, I seriously doubt that a simple flush will fix all cases, although it could and probably does fix some. The only way to tell would be to get a large number of vans that exhibit this behavior, drain the fluid and check for contamination. If a large percentage have it, then issue a recall and change everyone's fluid out. Then follow up and see how many units improve with the new fluid. If they all do, well, you're done, but suppose that only fixes, say, half as I suspect?
Well, now that you've eliminated that factor, go after the next one. How many of the vans that received the fluid change still misbehave? When? What internal components could cause the reported failure? Start to eliminate them one by one. There are plenty of components that could be to blame as well, but you get the idea. Software would probably come last, in my view, because it's the hardest factor to pin down.
If ours started to misbehave, I would certainly do a flush and replacement first. It's simple, relatively inexpensive, and eliminates one factor that you can control. After that, the ball's in Mazda's court, so to speak.
I am certain that this is a high priority issue for Mazda. It's not like they're sitting on their hands, but they could certainly do more by way of communication with their customers.
Good luck to everyone wrestling with this and hang in there...
-brianV
As to the door speakers, they have the identical part number in both audio systems, so there's no need to replace unless you want to upgrade. If you go aftermarket, be aware that many aftermarket speakers expect more power from the head unit than a factory unit typically provides - they may not "light up" like you'd like.
The OEM subwoofer picks up the signal from the left and right rear panel speakers. You'll also need to feed fused power and chassis ground. Last but not least, you'll need to carry the relay connection from the head unit in the dash back to the subwoofer in order to turn on its amp.
Unfortunately, the rear tweeter covers are integrated into the rear quarter panels. You cannot order them separately and modify your existing panels. So the rear tweeters may have to be aftermarket - or use a second set of dash speakers so that the trim matches, and cut holes for them instead (you're cutting either way).
It sounds more complicated than it is - no worse than an aftermarket installation. The advantage of the OEM subwoofer is that its amp and box are an integrated unit that fits into the rear quarter panel, leaving the floor clear for cargo. As to the OEM tweeters, they're guaranteed to match the head unit and the trim color.
These advantages come at a price, of course. Aftermarket components will be cheaper/better value for the dollar.
Hope this helps,
-brianV
However I experienced a number of hard shifts today which was very surprising. So I am now working on two theories:
1). The transmission is "learning" to slam with the new fluid (per brianV's posting above)
2). The tranny may be very sensitive to fluid levels.
I carefully adjusted the level (it may have been overfilled slightly when I added the Valvoline) and am now testing again.
The good news is that it does shift better with the Valvoline, so I don't think I wasted my money if the hard shifts persist.
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Steve.
Don't believe the TCM programming theories..
(Why does some work ok and some don't)
Changeing the oil and improving the shift is an indicator that I am right.. If the bad shift returns that means it is not oil type but contamnation...
In system analysis, if you change a variable and get a postive change in function, then you are on the right track to solve the problem...
Back flushing must be done. Changeing the oil is good but not enough. You got to blast the junk out... Or change the tranny....
Tj
With the experience I have so far, I would have to say that the fluid level is the key variable with respect to hard shifting. Changing the fluid certainly made the trany shift smoother and faster but depending on the fluid level I did experience the hard 2-3 shift.
Having said that I'm finding that actually getting an accurate read on the level is no easy feat. Its really hard to tell what the level is even when following instructions precisely. I've noticed that being on level ground is very important.
I will keep the current trany fluid as is for the next few days to see if it continues to shift smoothly or if the issue comes back.
But if you are looking for helpful advice--go out and take a nice long walk (or go skiing or whatever you like to do outdoors), or sit by the fire with a tall cool one and a good book, or do whatever you like to do to relax.
What kind of fluid is it? Coolant, brake fluid, engine oil, tranny fluid, power steering fluid (may be the same as tranny fluid), wiper fluid, etc ? If it's just water, it may be from rain/snow or just condensation from the AC.
Once you've determined the fluid type, you know what system you're dealing with. Then start to systematically check that system for leaks.
Truly "random" behavior is unlikely, but it sure can seem that way until you work out what's going on...
I had a blown head gasket on a Plymouth 2.2 liter (infamous for them, apparently) once, that would only reveal itself if I drove far enough to make the thermostat open. I checked the oil for contamination, the coolant for contamination, nothing.
As I generally drove only from the park-n-ride and back, the engine warmed up that far only about once every other month. I couldn't figure out why my coolant level would be stable for weeks on end and then abruptly drop to zero. The blown gasket was pressurizing the coolant system on the engine side of the thermostat - every time it opened, it would blow the coolant out the overflow tank. Of course, I never noticed, because I was on the road each time it happened.
Seemed "random" at the time... Fortunately, I figured it out before any real damage was done, and I had the head gasket replaced.
Good luck.
-brianV
Bummer. Can you get it up on ramps or something to get a good look at it ?
Finding an oil leak can be a real drag. Have you tried the dealer? Even if the leak is sporadic, the trail it leaves shouldn't be. They might find it that way.
Good luck.
-brianV
Otherwise, see if you can snap some pics of the leakage area(s) and post 'em here. Maybe we can help pinpoint the source.
-Brian