Mazda6 Maintenance and Repair

mjvchicago · June 2005

I have a 2003 6s 5-speed and started hearing an intermittent clicking noise coming from the engine. After a mechanic looked at it they said that I was low on oil. They refilled my oil and everything was fine.

Now, 6 months and 2 oil changes later, I heard the same clicking. I checked my oil level and sure enough I was low... oil levels were below minimum. I had to add 2 qts to get it just past minimum. Again, got my oil changed and everything is fine.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this where your oil level gets to low levels 3000 - 5000 miles after an oil change? Now I don't have any leaks... external ones, anyway. Could oil be leaking somewhere I wouldn't see it?
I drive daily in stop-go traffic on the way to/from work going about 70 miles 5 days a week and am a failry aggressive driver, is that contributing? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

mz6greyghost · June 2005

A word of caution...

The Duratec V6 is VERY sensitive to oil levels in the motor, and there have been a fair amount of cases where entire engines had to be replaced due to low oil levels. I can't remember the exact specifics, but it has to do with the bearings between the rod and the crank...

I'd make it a habit to check the oil once per week. There is no oil level light on the motor, but there is a light for oil pressure. Chances are if that light goes on, your engine is toast.

As for the oil leaking... I'd have a trusted mechanic look over the motor, including the seals, to try and determine what's going on. I've got an '04 6S and I drive 50-60 miles/day aggressively, without any significant oil loss. Chances are there's a leak...

Hope this helps.

mazda6iguy · June 2005

This is a bit off topic, but I do own a Mazda 6, so please forgive me :-). Here in NE ohio, they are advertising on billboards Casino Windsor in Canada. Apparently they are giving away Smart brand cars. My question is this.... if someone from USA wins one of these cars, wouldn't that person have problems bringing the car in the USA? Wouldn't they need to be federalized?

Also, If one would want to buy a Acura EL (not offered here) in Canada, what would be the potential pitfalls?

osadnick · June 2005

I just got my 2003 6i back from Walser Mazda in Burnsville, MN. I have 40,000 miles.
1) the sqeek I heard from the front brakes was from a loose clip. the clip had worn a groove in the rotor. Dealer turned the rotors and replaced the brakes for free. YES!

2) I complained that I heard weird wizzing noises from the front dash. The dealer found I had a bad bearing in the pretentioner. They replaced the pretentioner and the surpentine belt for free. YES!!

3) I complained that I had no zoom zoom zoom and a lot of throttle lag. The dealer gave the throttle a Software update and it ZOOMS better than new. Huge impact.

I celebrated by spending $200 on 35% window tint all around. Looks great!

jsnewjersey · June 2005

I can only speak for My 99 Beetle but I drove it for 84,000 and it cost me 1 set of brakes,two sets of tires and oil...........it runs as good now as it did when I purchased it.I got the 6 wagon because I have two young boys and needed the room. My 6 has already been more trouble than the vw........maybe my luck will be better from here on out.

On the service side vw was great........of course nothing major was ever wrong with the car so what can I say.

retropia · June 2005

It appears that there are fewer complaints about the 2005 M6, and I'm curious if this means that they are finally reliable? I know that jsnewjersey had a defective throttle body, and I believe there was a problem posted with a 4-cylinder model.

I'm probably crazy for considering buying one, but I still really like the M6. There are attractive prices on 2005 models that have been sitting on dealer lots for awhile.

Does anyone have an opinion?

autonomous · June 2005

When you say It appears that there are fewer complaints about the 2005 M6 are you aware of this statement in the April 2005 Consumer Reports auto issue: Reliability has dropped to below average, so we no longer recommend the Mazda6. According to your profile your other vehicles are a Toyota and a Honda which have excellent reliability; I would not recommend that you be seduced by "attractive prices" if you are concerned about reliability. Now, if you said you were after a more exciting car than a Toyota or a Honda ...

mz6greyghost · June 2005

Despite what CR says, I think Mazda builds a product that's just as good as any Toyota and Honda out there. ALL car makers have a few duds out there, it's simply unavoidable. That being said, my '04 6S has been PROBLEM FREE for over 13K miles, and 10 months of ownership, while a co-workers '04 Accord has been back to the dealer 4 different times.

Point is, you're taking a risk no matter what kind of car you buy, whether it's a Toyota or Pontiac. If you want a fun-to-drive sedan that looks sexy to boot, get the 6! You won't regret it!

mazda6s · June 2005

The April 2005 CR data was probably collected for 2004 models.

retropia · June 2005

My understanding is that the Consumer Reports data refers to earlier-than-2005 models. We won't see the CR reliability ratings for the 2005 M6 until next year. And, yes, I want a reliable car AND an exciting car AND I want it cheap! I want it all, LOL!

Karen_S · June 2005

We have had discussions concerning purchasing in Canada and then bringing the vehicle to the states. However, winning one may be a whole different animal. You might try looking thru the Smart Shopper topics and see if there is one that might fit your question.

jsnewjersey · June 2005

I agree that you may knowing agree to give a bit of reliability for a car that does a liitle more than offer basic transportation. The Honda's do nothing for me same for the Toyota's. Every single car made has their share of lemons. What bothered me was Mazda's lack of customer service on a three day old car. It took almost two weeks to get my car back. That just would not happen with Honda, Toyota and definitely not VW.
Again, I love the 6 wagon........The handling,styling and engine performance are right there with some of the higher priced Audi's and Volvos.

autonomous · June 2005

J.D. Power 2005 Initial Quality Survey

For the 2005 report, the J.D. Power team compiled responses from more than 62,000 buyers and lessees of new 2005 model year vehicles. The survey respondents were asked to rate their vehicles after the first three months of use.

The exhaustive questionnaire touches on 135 different attributes, spread across nine categories. They include ride quality, handling, braking, engine and transmission performance, plus a vast array of typical problem areas on new vehicles.

The annual Initial Quality Survey also establishes an overall score in Problems Per 100 Vehicles (or PP100, its well-established yardstick) for the various nameplates, and it hands out awards for overall plant quality worldwide.

NAMEPLATE RANKINGS

Lexus - 81 PP100
Jaguar - 88 PP100
BMW - 95 PP100
Buick - 100 PP100
Cadillac - 104 PP100
Mercedes-Benz - 104 PP100
Toyota - 105 PP100
Audi - 106 PP100
Infiniti - 109 PP100
Hummer - 110 PP100
Hyundai - 110 PP100
Honda - 112 PP100
GMC - 113 PP100
Lincoln - 113 PP100
Acura - 116 PP100
Industry Average: 118 PP100
Jeep - 120 PP100
Mercury - 120 PP100
Nissan - 120 PP100
Chrysler - 121 PP100
Chevrolet - 127 PP100
Ford - 127 PP100
Mitsubishi - 129 PP100
Pontiac - 129 PP100
Dodge - 130 PP100
Mini - 130 PP100
Scion - 134 PP100
Saab - 136 PP100
Saturn - 136 PP100
Subaru - 138 PP100
Kia - 140 PP100
Volvo - 140 PP100
Porsche - 147 PP100
Volkswagen - 147 PP100
Land Rover - 149 PP100
Mazda - 149 PP100
Suzuki - 151 PP100
Source: J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Initial Quality Study

marklaw · June 2005

I took my daughter's 1999 Mazda 626 V6 car into mechanic for brakes and few other items. The ABS, TCS, TCS Off lights are on now. I have taken it back in several times and they don't know what to do. Can anyone help? Suggestions? I would greatly appreciate any advice.
Thanks-Mark

m1miata · June 2005

I have the Consumer Reports magazine, and was scratching my head after reading that they do not recommend the Mazda6 due to a drop in quality. Those questioned in 2003 and 2004 must have been happy with the car according to the data as I see it. Now if they are using JD Powers or some other source which rates cars after only 3 months, I could see them making a statement like that, but their data shows no major change in problem areas. Actually it looks fine for the last two years data they have. So where or where did they get this NEWS of a change in quality control? Hummm, very strange. Looks like JD Powers now shows Mercedes as good in initial quality, where one can look back and take note of major quality problems acknowledged by the company itself. It was there goal, just months ago to have a major improvement in quality control. Boy, do they move fast! Looks to me like this data is all over the map. One thing I like in a car is simple --- keep it as simple as possible. All this fancy stuff, and new safety devices and such are possible problem areas in a car. Yes, I know, I am going to roll the car, or not stop in time, and not be able to apply enough pressure to brakes to do the stop correctly. Never hit anyone on the road, and never been in a wreck on the road, other than a person hitting the back bumper pretty hard, when I was stopped. Not permanent damage, and all the ABS and ESP in the world was not going to help in that case anyway. About the worse brakes I ever had were the Achieva car with ABS, and my best car was the Stealth with all disk brakes, with no ABS. Car could stop on a dime. All this power windows and door locks and such are just more problem areas. Keep it simple. - Loren

autonomous · June 2005

Obviously we want the ratings to confirm our choices and to clobber all the vile specimens that we detest. But that's what makes public ratings very interesting: One's personal experience or point of view may not be confirmed by a larger audience. For example, many of us have heard that GM builds bad cars and that the Japanese (read, Toyota) with their excellent reliability are poised to take over. Well, as you can see from the JD Power survey, GM has two vehicles (Buick and Cadillac) in the top ten in terms of initial quality ratings. What really floored me was how Mazda has plummeted in the 2005 survey. According to Consumer Reports quite a few models (Mazda6, Mazda RX8, Mazda MPV) are suffering from poor reliability; these reliability ratings are culled from surveys of thousands of subscribers to this magazine which is not beholden to any car company. JD Power and Consumer Reports are routinely mentioned in the industry as consumer benchmarks.

Keeping it simple may not work in the auto industry. Most consumers seem to prefer a well-equipped car at a discount rate rather than a basic car at a decent price. Call it human nature, greed or a great deal but many of us want everything for nothing. In defence of the auto industry, many products with ever increasing amounts of incredible components are outstanding for the price; an Echo hatchback is an excellent vehicle in its category; I happen to prefer another category and so dream of the Mazdaspeed3.

baggs32 · June 2005

According to Consumer Reports quite a few models (Mazda6, Mazda RX8, Mazda MPV) are suffering from poor reliability;

I thought I read somewhere that the poor ratings for the RX-8 were due to complaints of engine oil consumption. Kind of like how the Hummers were thrown to the bottom last year due to complaints of poor fuel mileage.

Anyone else remember this?

m1miata · June 2005

I have their mag. and it does not indicate anything really bad about Mazda in the section where the people have given their reports to CR. So how do they surmise that something has changed at Mazda unless they use JD Powers reporting which is the first 3 months. I may avoid Mazda for now. I like all the stats on the Mazda3, but too many people say the air conditioning doesn't work and have brake problems and such. What is once again interesting to note, the problems do not show in CR for the Mazda3 back in 2004 -- very interesting. They love the Mazda3 at CR, but not the 6. Hummm, looks like more complaints here on the 3 than the 6 model -- once again interesting.
Loren

fitguy · June 2005

I have owned a VW, a 2000 Passat, and it was the worst car I've ever owned. The service equally as bad- it was tied up for 6 days after a transmission module failure that stranded me and required the car to be towed to the dealer. And, they gave it back to me filthy after sitting under a tree collecting pollen and bird poop. I finally dumped it at 56K after numerous problems, including the oil sludge issue.
My M6 just passed 10K miles without a single problem, so I guess I got one that bucks the CR ratings (so far). The car isn't perfect; none are- I still am lukewarm about the shift performance of the auto 5 spd and don't like the greasy brake dust, although the brakes stop fine. But overall, a very good car for the money and still a hoot to drive!

autonomous · June 2005

I like all the stats on the Mazda3, but too many people say the air conditioning doesn't work and have brake problems ... the problems do not show in CR ... They love the Mazda3 at CR, but not the 6 ... more complaints here on the 3 than the 6

Good points. Often a few posters on a website can create a false or incomplete impression of a vehicle. This impression then influences others who may not consult other sources. Let's aim for a balanced discussion and not only the gripes of an individual. This is not to advocate censorship but to argue for balance. That's why we need Consumer Reports, JD Powers and other tools.

m1miata · June 2005

Yes, how true that those having all the bad luck will be the most vocal and the most likely to post. What is a puzzler is when Mazda is sliding on the number of problems per car ratio, yet CR reporting owners seem happy enough not to mark down all those problem areas. Not sure what to make of it. What is interesting are the number of people you talk to that have owner several Mazda cars. There certainly is a following.

Loren

bucks05sixi · June 2005

the highland 2-pc. set for my trade-in on my 05 6i-a04 elantra- were nearly perfect for the pass. side and pretty close -not quite wide enough- on the driver side.about forty bucks from j.c.whitney.com.generic all-weathers will pop into the back nicely and are under fifteen from any auto parts store-the slightly rectangular kind.a plug,also,for colgan custom.com re: their front-end nose mask and mirror mask sets-126.70 total for both/no s&h-there are no better quality products made and my 6i was parked until I installed these two products.Note that the 04 6 sedan with sport pkg. and 05 had zero changes re:perfect fitment of nose/mirror mask sets.I only use KLASSE all-in-one for waxing,also.MY pleasure...

mdaffron · June 2005

Loren ... I'm one of those people. Six new Mazda vehicles since 1991, and I'm the very happy owner of a 2005 Mazda3 hatch with 3,500 miles on it. Please keep in mind that the loud yelps of a pitiful few are being grossly overshadowed by the tens of thousands of happy owners who find no reason to come to a "Problems and Solutions" discussion since their Mazda3's are fine.

Here's something that may help you ...

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=30&article_id=9569

Note the source of the data in this survey of vehicle quality. Then note what car is in a 3-way tie for best small car, as voted by the OWNERS of the car.

Meade

clinton4 · June 2005

Like fitguy, I had a 2000 Passat which gave me more trouble than any car I'd owned. When I had a chance to go to a Mazda6, I jumped on it! Have had the 6i for exactly two years and 24,000 miles. Brakes are great, gas mileage and acceleration as good at the Passat. However, the 6 has nagging little problems (air bag light stays on, CD player skips when it gets hot, engine light comes on for no reason, etc.) that makes me nervous about keeping it. Worse yet, my dealer's service department is truly crappy.

I now have a large dog and am thinking about getting a wagon. Thoughts re: the 6 wagon, anyone? :confuse:

suydam · June 2005

I have a 2004 6 wagon and 2 dogs; a great dog car! 7500 miles so far and no problems. Is there another dealer not too far away from you? I wouldn't get a car from a place with lousy service; that's why I gave up on Subarus.

brian211 · June 2005

Considering mazda6 wagon. Was looking at subaru for awd capability as well as suvs like cherokees, 4runners, pathfinders and envoys. Would like the fuel efficiency of the 6. Has anyone driven it in snow conditions? Is the traction acceptable to you? And finally, never had a mazda, would you buy another? Is the 6 as good a car as it looks? Reliablity is very important.

suydam · June 2005

I've owned both a Subaru and now a Mazda6 wagon. Subaru is of course better in snow but Mazda6 does fine also. I took the Mazda everywhere this winter that I had driven the Subaru and it was just fine (I live in the midwest; there is snow but not like Colorado or Maine). If you live where there is a lot of snow, the Subaru has the edge. Fuel efficiency is about the same -- average 20 mpg overall. As to reliability, the Subaru gets good ratings but we had a lot of trouble with ours, and a crummy service department to boot, so that's why we got rid of it. We may be an exception, however; others here love their Subarus. I have owned 3 Mazdas and all have proven very reliable.

jahnu04 · June 2005

Last december, before buying my 2004 Mazda6 Wagon, I was seriously considering buying the Outback. But the firm seats and tight legroom for rear passenger changed my mind. I set the driver seat all the way back and in that position I could not sit behind driver in the Outback. But that was not the case in MZ6 wagon. There is enough room for rear passengers. I have a toddler and more space helps.
I live in Minnesota, where it snows heavily, I have driven the Mazda6 wagon on snowy days and its fine. It drove better than the car it replaced, 95 camry.
Had initial minor problems with the car in the first month, but the dealer service is excellent and they took care of it. I have put more than 7000 miles on it, love driving the car and handling is great.
I would certainly buy another Mazda from the same dealer. I am very happy with their service. I have owned Nissan and Toyota's before, but cannot stand their crappy service.

ccwinslow · June 2005

My husband had a 2000 Outback and now a 2002 which he bought used a few months ago. He loves them. Traction in snow and even on ice is terrific. No problems at all. He put 238K (mostly highway) miles on his 2000. I wish he'd bought a 2005 instead of a 2002 - I prefer the lower stance and feel behind the wheel. But he wanted to keep his dog gate and cargo box, and the 2005's have changed enough that they wouldn't fit.

I bought a 2004 Mazda6 wagon in Aug 04 and have been very pleased. I've put almost 15K miles on it. Have driven it in a few inches of snow but not on ice. It handled well. My only complaint is that the A/C fan doesn't seem to work properly anymore, but I'll have that fixed at the 15K checkup. It's a wonderful road trip car, very comfortable. And a good dog car - we have a 100-pounder and an 85-pounder - tho I don't take advantage of the dual position cargo net like I thought I would. I generally put one dog in the back seat and the other in the cargo area.

The Mazda is a dream to drive and is esp. fun on winding mountain roads. It hugs the road like no other car I've had, much better than my '96 Honda Accords (we had both a wagon and a sedan). The sound system is super, the engine is quiet (unless I punch it), controls are nicely placed. Some have complained about road noise from the tires, and they do whine on certain roads, but not enough to bother me.

What I really love about this car, tho, is how good looking it is. I read somewhere that the Mazda designers were trying to make it look like a big cat about to pounce, and I think they got it right. In the 10 months I've had this car, traveling across the state and as far as 800 miles away, I can count on one hand the number of Mazda6 wagons I've seen on the road. Don't understand it, but it's nice not to see myself coming and going as I did in my Honda.

retropia · June 2005

I'm curious if anyone has tires worn enough to require replacement. If so, how many miles were you able to get out of your OEM tires, and what did you get for a replacement?

bomber101 · June 2005

Please Please HELP!! Has anyone towed a 6(17" wheels) on a car dolley? If so, who what where and when did you get it from? U-Haul and Penske don't have a dolley that will accommodate a sport 6 and Budget will only let you have one of their "car carriers" if you rent one of their trucks first. :P Just FYI for anyone else who is trying to get their 6 across country.

Thank you for any responses and the quicker the better.

mjvchicago · June 2005

I have 36000 miles on my 03 mazda6 and was thinking that I should be replacing my brake pads about now. I haven't heard the brake sensor go off and was wondering if I should have. Anyone have a recommended timeframe for pad replacement? I looked at the Mazda site and there's just a big I for inspect.

mz6greyghost · July 2005

There's no sense in replacing your brake pads if they're not worn down. Have them inspected to see exactly how much longer they'll last, then work from there.

ferdy · July 2005

Hi group,

I have just purchased a 6i mtx, and was reading the owner's manual.

In the spec's section, the spec'd antifreeze is given only with a specification number.

What is the correct antifreeze in plain English?

daleproblems · July 2005

What happened to that car?

angelamc · July 2005

Help!

I purchased a brand new Mazda 6(2005) in February, and the car's engine has stalled twice on me when I am at a stop light. I have brought the car back to the dealership both times and they say that they can't diagnose a "intermittent" problem without being able to replicate it. They have made no fixes to my car, and I can't get them to really take this seriously. I have also tried Mazda corporate, and they are backing up the dealership's response.

Here is the scenario for both instances, early in the morning when driving to work I'll stop at a stop light. Once the light turns green, I'll press the gas and the engine will have turned off. So I feel like I am driving in neutral, no acceleration. I never lose electrical power, and the car starts right up again without any problems.

My concern is that I live in a metropolitan area, and came very close to getting rear-ended the last time this happened. Has anyone experienced similar problems?? Mazda claims that no other 2005 - Mazda 6 has logged similar problems..I can't be the only one??

mz6greyghost · July 2005

Sounds like a throttle-body problem to me.

Faulty TBs are known with 6 owners, but Mazda doesn't want to admit they have a problem, considering I've heard they're on their THIRD manufacturer of TBs.

Have the dealer check it out, along with the connections and wiring. It could be a simple as a loose connection, all the way to a faulty TB.

This is what happens with electronic throttles, there are bound to be bugs...

lefthandman · July 2005

mz6greyghost:

Regarding your earlier comment:

Faulty TBs are known with 6 owners, but Mazda doesn't want to admit they have a problem, considering I've heard they're on their THIRD manufacturer of TBs.

If possible, would you please elaborate on this (source of info, etc). The only major complaint I have about my M6 S is the vague clutch action and imprecise throttle at low speeds (example: trying to launch the car from standstill on a hill). I've stalled the car numerous times on an incline, and I suspect my M6 has a mis-adjusted or faulty throttle-body unit. I like my Mazda dealer a lot, and if I'm going to complain about this I'd like more info beforehand. -Thanks, appreciate it!

audia8q · July 2005

Our service department has seen a few TB problems with mostly a 2003 and a few 2004 Mazda6...all have had the 6 cyl engine...... we have not had the issue with the 2005 models. None of them have returned after we did the work.

mz6greyghost · July 2005

I heard about this problem with (mostly) V6 cars with any transmission. It's never happened to me personally, but a few other boards have mentioned it. In your case, as with the other TB problems, the only way the dealer will even look at it is if it happens when they drive it. Try and have a tech stop and start on an incline, and see if he/she has any problems.

I really wish I could be more help. One more thing, are you sure it's not just a symptom of the "dynamic" clutch?

lefthandman · July 2005

Thanks, audia8q, appreciate the info. My M6 S is, in fact, a 2004 5-door produced late in the model year run.

lefthandman · July 2005

Hey mz6greyghost,

Guess I'll monitor my car's clutch/throttle symptoms and visit the dealer if it gets worse. Not sure what a 'dynamic' clutch is, but I do know my M6 S has been suffering from an intermittent 'irritating' clutch :mad: (and a touchy throttle with a mind of it's own - see Issue 2 below).

Issue 1: the clutch pedal's take-up or engagement point does not seem to be static, but seems to vary from shift to shift.

Issue 2: I can have my right foot on the accelerator at a constant pressure while dis-engaging the clutch from a standstill, and the engine will surge without any input from my right foot (particularly in reverse, or when starting from stop on an incline). That, to me, indicates a problem with the throttle body.

I'd appreciate any insight from other M6 S (V6) owners with the manual tranny and similar symptoms and/or complaints, thanks. -Lefthandman

suydam · July 2005

> the only way the dealer will even look at it is if it happens when they drive it.

Not so in my case. When I took it in for the 5000 mile checkup they replaced the TB under warranty without my even knowing I had a problem-- I just mentioned the CEL was on.

mz6greyghost · July 2005

Issue 1: the clutch pedal's take-up or engagement point does not seem to be static, but seems to vary from shift to shift.

That, my friend, is the "dynamic" clutch that you, me and just about every other Mazda 6 owner with a manual has to deal with. It's a common occurrence with just about every manual-shifting 6 owner that I've met or chatted online with. Not only does it vary from gear to gear, sometimes the take-up varies in the SAME gear, depending on heat and humidity. I'm so used to it by now, I don't even notice it anymore. My wife does, but she doesn't drive it nearly as much as I do.

Issue 2: I can have my right foot on the accelerator at a constant pressure while disengaging the clutch from a standstill, and the engine will surge without any input from my right foot (particularly in reverse, or when starting from stop on an incline). That, to me, indicates a problem with the throttle body.

Again, you're not the only one with that either. Some people think the "surge" is an emissions-related thing, others think it's simply the electronic throttle having a slight "lag" in it sometimes. Chances are, the throttle body isn't the problem, unless the stall/stutter triggers a CEL.

Is the surge only 500-750 RPM, or does it surge higher?

Given this day and age, these things shouldn't occur, but it doesn't bother me for two reasons:
1. Driving (or learning to drive) stick shift on this car will make you look like a pro driving any other stick shifter sans an 18-wheeler, and
2. It's been a year and 15K miles, and I'm still too busy grinning from ear to ear to even CARE about the quibbles.

I figure all cars have SOMETHING that acts up, but I love driving my 6 too much to even think about trading up...

mz6greyghost · July 2005

Not so in my case. When I took it in for the 5000 mile checkup they replaced the TB under warranty without my even knowing I had a problem-- I just mentioned the CEL was on.

Yeah, you're right. If the CEL is triggered, the car keeps a log of the problem code, which is read by the techs at the dealer.

It's funny how other problems usually "cannot be duplicated" or magically disappear when the car enters the dealer lot...

lefthandman · July 2005

Thanks for the info mz6greyghost - appreciate it - and it's nice to know I'm not the only M6 S (manual tranny) owner with these issues. However, think I'll stick with the phrase 'irritating clutch' rather than using the work 'dynamic.'

To answer your question, the throttle surge on my vehicle only occurs at or just above idle (500-750 rpm). I agree with you about driving the M6 (a blast), but I guess the poor throttle and clutch operation bother me because I like to shift - and opted for the manual for that reason. Ironically, the throttle and clutch in my '87 VW operated much better than my M6, even with a couple hundred thousand miles on it. That's an area where the Germans (and most European cars), IMO (in my opinion), still outshine the Japanese and Americans - manual transmission and clutch operation...but just my opinion

slickdog · July 2005

I'll chime in and say 'me too'...

My last Mazda, a 626, actually exhibited similar clutch/throttle behavior, although more subtly than my M6 wagon, perhaps due to the smaller engine and the mechanical throttle?

Issue 1: I agree with mz6greyghost that the clutch inconsistency may be caused by heat/moisture. I've actually observed similar behavior in other cars before, so it's not just Mazda. I don't know about your clutch, but mine definitely acts more fussy during the first few shifts in the morning than it does when it's all warmed up.

Issue 2: If I load my engine too much too quickly at low RPM, it briefly surges up a few hundred RPM as you describe. Furthermore, I've noticed that if I don't do anything about it quickly enough, the engine speed will actually bounce up and down until I have the clutch all out, which gets really interesting because the car will sometimes start bucking a bit. I suppose it's better than just stalling, though. It's easy to remedy with either a bit less clutch or more throttle when the surging starts. I've found that it's most likely to happen in the morning when the clutch/tranny/engine aren't warmed up. My 626 did not have an electronic throttle and did the same exact thing, so I believe it could be the ECM (ECU, PCM, whatever... pick 'yer favorite acronym) that's responsible. Perhaps it's a method to cut down on stalling, or an emissions thing as mz6greyghost suggests?

I too have learned to live with the clutch/throttle quirkiness as I'm usually having too much fun with the car to care all that much, and it really doesn't happen most of the time anyway (usually just when I'm tired and not as tuned into the car's behavior).

You're not the only one that thinks the Germans are better at manual gearboxes/clutches either, but we'd have to pay a price premium for that German engineering now, wouldn't we? Not only that, but you might be trading off the clutch quirkiness in the Mazda for nasty electrical gremlins or some such thing in the German car!

lefthandman · July 2005

Agreed, slickdog - precisely why I chose a Mazda over another VW - electrical gremlins and poor reliability reports.... Zoom, Zoom! Thanks for the comments & input.

stuartbell · July 2005

Our new Mazda 6 clutch slips. When running at 70 under cruise control - as we approach an incline the car slows down and the engine turns faster.

The shift point is right at the tippy top of the pedal travel.

The dealer says the shift point (free play) is not adjustable on the Mazda 6 as it is a hydrolic clutch - sounds strange. He also says the clutch doesn't slip.

How do I get the clutch to stop slipping before it wears out? Shouldn't this be a warranty issue?

stuartbell · July 2005

My daughter took it to another dealer who said, "This is busted, we will replace it.?"

The car - with a new clutch - should be back today.

The question remains, "Is the Mazda6 clutch free-play adjustable?

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