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Mazda6 Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • 1badsix1badsix Member Posts: 1
    I've been having issues with my trans. "jolting" into 4th from 3rd when I have it in Automatic. The dealer cant seem to reproduce the symptons, and my warranty will be up soon. There is however a Technician Service bulletin posted on ALL Data about the servo pistons not being built right in my particular year make and model made before march 4th 2008. this is B.S.!!!!
  • xchikaxxchikax Member Posts: 1
    I'm having a similar problem. When I turn the key, the dashboard lights flash and the needles spin. But, the lights on the stereo display/stereo itself do not turn on. When I turn the key back a click, the flashing lights stop but the stereo and display light up normally. Also, the passenger window won't go down using the master switch. It will go down with the passenger switch.

    These problems come and go. Last time, they replaced the battery cable saying it was corroded. My car worked great for 6 months / 7k miles, and almost to the day 6 months later, it's happening again. This is driving me nuts. Thankfully I don't live very far from work and have AAA.

    I have a 2007 Mazda 6 SVI.
  • krame00krame00 Member Posts: 21
    edited May 2011
    Hi there, with my car it turned out to be the sensor that tells the car that the clutch is depressed. I never replaced it, but quickly learned if I take my foot on and off of the clutch when the problem happens, the car starts with no issue. I still have the car, and it is hard to believe that it is 7 years old now. Love it.

    If you have an automatic transmission, you might try moving it from park to drive a couple of times to see if it helps.

    Khana
  • microrepairmicrorepair Member Posts: 508
    I've got a 2009 M6i GT and it now has 30,500 miles. When I had the "spider" recall taken care of the dealer suggested it was time for a transmission flush. In checking the manual, there is no mention of any maintenance schedule for the transmission. And a call to Mazda USA didn't shed any light on it either; they had no idea what is recommended. They just suggested calling the dealer....!

    Does anyone have reliable info on when or why the fluid should be changed/flushed?

    Every car I've ever owned has had a recommendation for transmission maintenance in their owner's manual. What's up, Mazda???

    :surprise: :confuse:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'd register on the Mazda USA owner's site and they'll give you all the info you'll need for your particular car and mileage.

    https://www.mymazda.com/MusaWeb/displayOwnersHome.action

    I'm personally okay with a fluid and filter change at 30K but not a "flush"--that sounds like overkill and could cause more problems than it pretends to solve.
  • la4meadla4mead Member Posts: 347
    I agree with Mr. Shiftright: No mention of maint. for the tranny means drive it till it needs to be replaced/rebuilt, increasingly more common on modern cars.
    I'd always get the tranny serviced (most fluid with the filter and gasket). It doesn't flush out all fluid, but that's what might be overkill. It also means that it can't cause any trouble if something's brewing, and the tranny mechanic can see the magnetic pan and filter to check for early warning of any potential wear problems. Many dealers won't bother to "service" transmissions any longer in favor of higher-profit "flush". I don't go to the dealer for that. I've been taking my cars to a local, trusted tranny mechanic. Check your manual first for the correct fluid type. Most places only carry generic types (although yours may call for that, I'm not sure).
  • lrotalrota Member Posts: 18
    BE VERY CAREFUL about someone trying to sell you a transmission flush even if it is at a dealer or an oil change service shop.

    I read somewhere that some of the flushing machines filter the transmission fluid.

    The problem is that sometimes these filters remove certain additives in the ATF fluid. This was especially the case with Honda's ATF. In my case, the flush was done on a Honda Accord with about 100K miles....by about 130K miles I started to have gear noise.

    I much prefer to avoid ATF flush and just drain and refill. If you are really worried about the fluid that usually remains in AT, then just repeat the drain and refill.

    Personally, I went with a Mazda 6i GT with manual transmission because I wanted to have no problems with AT. It seems that most customer complaints these days about cars are about the AT.
  • microrepairmicrorepair Member Posts: 508
    I logged into the owner's site and they did not say anything about the tranny; but they didn't know I had 30,500 on the car; they thought it only had 23,000.

    I just got off the phone with my local mechanic of 15 years who stays up on the latest info and he does NOT recommend a complete flush on the newer cars due to lots of new internal parts like one-way valves, electronics, etc. He says that the newer trannys can go 60K miles with just a simple drain and filter change (some now have two filters).

    So guess what my plan is? I'll take a look at the fluid if I can and if it isn't too dark, I'll wait to drain it until near the 60K mark..

    Thanks for all the feedback folks.. Just saved $219 at the dealer..!!

    :):)
  • microrepairmicrorepair Member Posts: 508
    Last year I had the CD changer on my 09 Mazda6i replaced in August 2010 because when a CD had played about halfway, the sound would start to break up and within 20 seconds it would no longer play that CD. If I changed to the next CD in the changer unit, it would play fine until about halfway through the CD. This would repeat for all 6 discs. It seemed to be worse in the summer, but the new CD deck started doing the same thing (but not as often) when the cold weather came. Now with the warm weather it is getting to be routine again.

    Even though it should still be covered under the 12 month replacement warranty, it doesn't seem like it is the head unit itself, but maybe something else. Any ideas on what the problem might be?

    BTW, it makes no difference whether the CD is store bought or one that I burned; they all behave the same.

    :cry::(
  • jkobty2jkobty2 Member Posts: 210
    I already changed mine at 30K miles. did it myself. NEVER do a flush or let anyone open the transmission. they are more likely to cause harm than good.
    If you drain and refill the fluid regularly, you do not even need to worry about replacing any filter.
    The procedure is very simple.
    1. Buy a 4 litres of a good quality transmission fluid compatible with Mazda. I used Mobile Super multi ATF which clearly states it is compatible with Mazda Mercon V
    2. Lift the car and remove the plastic bottom cover.
    3. The transmission pan is black in color and has a drain plug that if I remember correctly uses an 8mm allen key.
    4. Remove the drain plug and collect the fluid in a container that can measure the collected fluid level.
    5. When the fluid stops flowing you would have collected about 3.5 liters.
    6. Close the drain plug then refill with exact amount collected.
    7. If you really want to over do it, then drive the car for a few minutes, then repeat the steps.

    What I usually do is drain and replace at 30K and then every summer after that, keep the oil clean and no one will ever need to open your transmission.

    FYI, at 30K miles the fluid color was similar color to a fresh engine oil, that is it lost its red/pink color but was not too dirty,
  • ericzoomericzoom Member Posts: 213
    I've already done 3 drain-refills using Redline D4 on my 04' 6s since i bought it new over 7 yrs. ago. That, combined with a ATX cooler and a shot of Lubeguard Red, has had my ATX running great.
  • jodony1jodony1 Member Posts: 19
    We own a 09 6i GT and use it mostly to run to the station... NYC metro area. I have started to notice that every time after I fill up the tank, and I park or turn the car to a stop, I can hear the sound of the gas plashing in the tank behind me... a bit odd. Anyone with the same problem?
  • ctl1ctl1 Member Posts: 18
    I have an '09 6i GT with the keyless start. I tried to start the car this morning, but the battery was almost dead - enough juice to barely light the dashboard but nothing else. I couldn't even use the start button to turn the power off, it was inoperable (normal cycle with the button is off-acc-on-off). Luckily, I was able to jump start the car and go get new battery. But if couldn't do that immediately, how do you turn off the electrical power? Any suggestions other than disconnecting the battery?
  • rhyno23rhyno23 Member Posts: 2
    Hope someone has some ideas for me to try. I have a 2005 Mazda 6i. 4 cyl, automatic. I've never had a issue before this one. My daughter drove the car the other day for about a mile. She said it started shaking bad and then died. When I try to start the car it turns over and fires one time but won't start. Tested all four of the plugs and they all fire just the one time, at the same time. I tried changing the crank shaft sensor, cam shaft sensor and the ignition coil. Same result every time. Tried disconnecting the battery to clear up any possible security or computer issues. Could it be something with the ignition or key or security system? Any help is greatly appreciated!
  • des5des5 Member Posts: 88
    Could be the engine ECU needs to be reflashed or replaced. Not a cheap fix, unfortunately.
  • rhyno23rhyno23 Member Posts: 2
    I was told by a Mazda mechanic that it probably jumped time. What does reflash the ECU mean?
  • michaelscaimichaelscai Member Posts: 75
    09 mazda6 V6 I just bought from dealer a few weeks ago,

    loud whinning noise when accelerating on 1st gear, from 2nd gear forward it sounds fairly normal.

    This is most noticable/louder if I switch the gear manually (from automatic) and accelerate to higher rev than automatic transmission would

    Is this a problem with worn transmission gear or something? is it costly to repair?

    it runs/shifts normal otherwise, but the whinning noise is annoying. anyone else have the problem?
  • yankman04yankman04 Member Posts: 14
    I have the 2010 Mazda 6 touring plus for about 17 months. I have 15k miles on the car and so far the car has been great. The only complaint I have is that the bluetooth on the receiver's end (people have complained to me) is raspy at times. I have 'not' brought the car to the dealer for the bluetooth, but will when I have the time.
  • ddeliseddelise Member Posts: 353
    I have the same problem. I brought the car in and the technicians said it is performing to spec. They set up the bluetooth with their own phones, and said the sound on the receiving end was fine. I did try a friend's cell phone, and it did sound better than mine, but not perfect.

    This being said, there is a "fix" which the dealer offered to perform. It involves moving the microphone from its current location to the top of the A pillar. It involves a lot of rerouting of wires, taking apart the dash and headliner, etc. Because of all the parts that need to be taken apart and put back together, I am trying to avoid this.

    I am due for a new cell phone soon and am hoping that the reception is better with the new phone.
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    I haven't had any issue with the Bluetooth on mine, 15 months and 18K miles. It was slightly weaker with my old phone (a Sony Ericsson), but improved with my new LG...
  • microrepairmicrorepair Member Posts: 508
    I had an LG phone that didn't work all that great. I had to YELL to have the bluetooth/phone and the receiving person recognize what i was saying. I replaced it a few months ago with a Nokia and now I can talk at a normal level and folks on the other end can hear me fine. ??? I hate to think how bad your old Sony was...
    :)
  • mazda11guymazda11guy Member Posts: 5
    Hello, having a similar problem on my 3 mo old lease ('11 Mazda6). Since a week after delivery, I have found this film like build up on my windows. It looks like someone has been chain smoking in it.... BTW non-smoker here. I clean the windows two or three times a week. This makes smudges and at night it is EXTREMELY glaring and hard to see. It is almost oily and never comes off, just moves around. The substance is on all six windows... When the windows are put down, which is often, then put back up, it almost carves into the film. It makes the window look like a giant barcode from the back of the package. When I get in the car in the morning I can see condensation or frost on the inside of the windows. Last week I had to scrape both the inside AND the outside of the window due to frost.
    PLEASE HELP... :mad: :cry: I do not want to have an accident because of low visibility!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well i would say you either have a water leak that has soaked underneath your carpeting (and you haven't noticed it) or you have a heater core leak.
  • mazda11guymazda11guy Member Posts: 5
    Thank you for the ideas... Do you know how I may test these issues? My dealer always threatens that it will be 129 dollars for a diagnostic if it is not going to fall under the warranty. I cant afford that... I also must note under the symptoms, when the car is in motion especially at high speed (windows rolled up) I get a hefty breeze from the vents when it is put on the out-side fresh air selection, even though it is on the zero. The only way to stop this is to put it on the in-cabin air selection.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well you can test for wet carpeting by hand....and for a leaking heater core by sliding your hand under or around the area where the hot air comes out on the floor, on either side of the console as it meets the dash. You won't get any trouble codes for a leaking heater core so a diagnostic is of no use to you.

    Also, if you have a friend experience with tinkering with cars, ask to borrow their nose---a leaking heater core would have a distinct odor of coolant.
  • azorglubazorglub Member Posts: 43
    After 10k miles and about 6 months of ownership, the brake started pulsating. I finally bring it in at 16k miles, and I'm told that the front rotor is warped (big suprise...). So, should I expect to have front rotors warp that quickly? I have some stop and go traffic, but it's mostly highway. This is really too bad, because the car is great otherwise.
  • mazda11guymazda11guy Member Posts: 5
    :lemon: :sick:
    I am six months into my lease of a brand new 2011 Mazda6, Leased from and serviced in Michigan. The car has 11,5XX miles. I have been into the dealer more than four times. When I first test drove the car it had 8 Miles on it. When I came back a week later in had 78 miles on it. (Took a week, was not my first choice. was looking at the Mazda3) I only first test drove that particular car so I could get the feel for the manual trans. It was the only manual in the state at the time to test. The dealer was more than happy to put the starting mileage at 198 miles in the paper work. Odd?... Before the first oil change I had already been in for an alignment and the first electrical issue. The airbag, check engine, and seat belt light were flashing. I stopped and shut the car off immediately. When I got it to the dealer the couldn't duplicate the problem. They said if it happened to drive it in and don't shut the car off. So, they wanted my to drive the car with the chance of it having no working airbags? Anyway it did happen again, this time i got my phone and recorded it! It was at night after dealer hours so i couldn't drive it in. When I got it in the next morning the service man told me he didn't want to see the video. Then the next day they called to tell me no luck with duplicating the problem. I again told them that they were not interested in seeing the video I had captured of its electrical fit. The second time the lights the came on were, the check engine, air bag, 2 of the traction control lights and the washer fluid light. Both times there were no codes found for the check engine lights coming on. Just over a week later I was completely unaware of what was happening until I was pulled over and ticketed. The officer pulled me out of the car took me around the back. It was 11 o'clock at night, I was on my way home (in the country). I had no rear running lights aside from the license plate light. I was given a ticket that could amount to $500 in fines if it was not fixed in one week. I then made the third trip for the electrical fourth in total back to the dealer and left the car for three days and wasn't offered a loaner or help with a rental. I rented a car and they would not reimburse for it or the ticket. I had to replace the bulbs before the officer would let me drive home so he followed my down the road to a store that was open so I could get the bulbs. Then again the dealer could not make the bulbs burn out like before. I did however make another video with my phone having no tail lights before replacing the bulbs. The dealer again didn't want to see the video. I asked if it would help diagnose the problem to watch them and they said no.

    I now have the two videos, service records for four visits, rental car bills, and of course now this ticket.

    Suggestions?!?! ... PLEASE HELP!!!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    1. another dealer

    2. start the Lemon Law action

    3. Call Mazda customer service and insist on a factory technician coming to the dealership or you'll definitely start #2.
  • mazda_sucksmazda_sucks Member Posts: 1
    I just spent $1740 to replace the blower motor on the Mazda 6. this car is a real piece of $#@%^. The reason the motor burnt out was because leaves got caught behind the cabin air filter. This seems to be a design flaw if leaves can enter the ventilation system. I would never buy a Mazda again. Stick with Toyota or Honda
  • ddeliseddelise Member Posts: 353
    What year and model is your car? Have you replaced the air filter yourself, or did the dealer do so? How did the leaves enter into the ventilation system?
  • kat82kat82 Member Posts: 1
    I purchased a new 2010 Mazda 6 in May of 2010. In August of 2010 I went out to start the car and it wouldn't start. I had the car towed to the Mazda dealership where I purchased it. They could not find anything wrong with it. A few days later the same thing happened, this time the tow truck driver tried to start it before taking it in and it wouldn't start for him either. The dealership thought it might have something to do with the fuel pump, so they replaced it. About a month later it would not start again, had it towed. This time the dealership said it started fine for them, but they would keep it for a few days to see if it did it again, and actually let me have a rental car. Again they said they couldn't find anything wrong with it. That was in October of 2010. I had no problems with it again until June of 2011 when it started doing the same thing again. I was on vacation in another state and was stranded. I thought that maybe shaking the car would get it to start, seeing how it always started after being towed. Amazingly it worked! Had to do this 3 times before I was able to take it back to the dealership. Again they found nothing wrong. Finally it happened when my son-in-law was going to drive it. The shaking thing didn't work, but he unhooked the battery cable, waited a couple of minutes and hooked it back up and it started. Back at the dealership I told them about this and they said they thought it was a loose ignition wire. I picked the car up, drove it to the store, came out and it wouldn't start. Called the dealership and they said they had done everything they could and they would contact Mazda. That was in the fall of 2011. The car was fine over the winter. Now in the past 3 days it has done it 4 times. Each time I have to unhook the battery cable, wait a few minutes then hook it back up. I think it is really odd that this problem only occurs when the temperature outside is above 80. I never heard anything back from the dealership, but I will be seeing them on Monday. Has anyone else had this problem?
  • microrepairmicrorepair Member Posts: 508
    My 2009 Mazda6i blower motor has a MSRP of $133.16. Can be bought online for $98.00.... So what year is yours?
  • microrepairmicrorepair Member Posts: 508
    I failed to mention that the Bluetooth module was replaced on my Mazda6 about 6 months after I bought the car in 11/2008.

    As a follow up to the different phone brands, I now have an HTC phone and the reception is even better than with the Nokia I had last November. It is almost like talking to someone just 5 feet away....! Clear as can be..!

    :):)
  • ncmazda6ncmazda6 Member Posts: 8
    I have a 2009 mazda6 and I keep having trouble with the headlights keep blowing out.....has anyone else had any trouble with their headlights
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Is it possible that water is getting in the headlight housing ?

    If water or moisture gets in the housing, it would cause this.

    Also, with the car running, what is the measured voltage at the battery? If it is much higher than 14 volts, you might have a problem with the voltage regulator and or alternator.
  • ncmazda6ncmazda6 Member Posts: 8
    thanks man I'll check into that
  • tammiertammier Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2012
    I left town for 5 day and when I returned my battery was dead. after replacing the battery the alarm continued to go off. I spoke to gresham mazda and they advised me to change the batteried in the remotes and so i did....the service man didn't know that if yiu put the key in the door to reset it, the alarm goes off. duh!! SO after finally getting the alarm to turn off now the car still wont start. had a neighborhood mechanic look at it and advised me to replace the main fuse....SO I ordered a fuse, which was not available...had to order this part that took 3 days to arrive. replaced the main fuse and the car STILL won't start...ANYONE ever had this problem? I will say this is the 2nd time my battery has died in the past 6 months. I guess the Mazda dealer wants me to beleive this is normal when its sitting for 5 day. REALLY???!!!
  • jkobty2jkobty2 Member Posts: 210
    I rotated my tires on my 2009 Mazda6. I noticed that the rims are not supported by any protruding part of the axle as in most cars. They basically fit flat on the axle with nothing to support them but the nuts and the screws coming out of the hub. Is this enough, or did I miss something when I was putting them back on.
  • bigaldjbigaldj Member Posts: 3
    I'll touch on all important aspects.
    1) Rustproofing: Electronic - complete waste of time, spray it with something, inspected yearly
    2) Change PCV Valve yourself or insist on it being changed because Mazda will never do it as it is not on their service schedule Ok after first 3-4 years, then do it every 2 years. I have 2 PCV in line
    3) Auto Tranny Fluid is not lifetime, change it every 35,000 miles or sooner. An extra external tranny cooler is advisable. If Mazda says no, go to tranny shop!
    4) Clean your MAF sensor and throttle body every 2-3 years
    5) change brake fluid and power steering fluid every 3-4 years
    6) change spark plugs 65,000 miles clean EGR valve
    7) change ignition coils 100,000 miles
    8) intake accordian tube before throttle body does leak after a while giving you problems
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    image


    Every Tuesday 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET
  • bigaldjbigaldj Member Posts: 3
    2009, it's time for a new battery.
    Mazda does have a small discharge as you'll notice something flashing on your dash. 5 days is a long time without starting. Your battery should also be wrapped in insulation to keep the heat off and keep the cold off. I also installed a small 120 ma solar panel on mine (mounted to visor). Between the 2 it has been working great. I also suggest adding extra ground wires from the negative terminal of the battery to the following: engine block, car body, tranny (if automatic), throttle body. Mazda original wires are minimal.
  • ambrosiaambrosia Member Posts: 11
    I have a 2009 Mazda 6I Grand Touring edition and I am experiencing issues with the auxiliary input. When I select AUX, it tries to switch over but almost immediately goes to FM instead. I have my tablet connected and consistently use it to play music. (I don't really use the BT connection because it drops at times without warning and will take a minute or two to reconnect whereas the AUX connection is far more stable.) It used to happen very sporadically and when I called customer service I was told to restart the car but was never given an explanation why this was happening. Restarting the car does fix the problem but its happening with greater frequency and its an inconvenience if I'm already on the expressway when I notice the problem. Does anyone have any idea why this is happening and how I can fix it? I'm over 93k miles so its not covered under the warranty.
  • jmaxejmaxe Member Posts: 198
    Took a test drive of the Grand Touring this weekend. First time in a Mazda as I'm basically an Accord guy. The salesman mentioned that there is "no scheduled service" required. I believe he was referring to the 30,60,90k schedule of most mfgrs.
    How can that be?
  • tundradweller1tundradweller1 Member Posts: 74
    I've driven two models of the 2014 Mazda 6 along with others in this segment.
    While asking a woman at my office about her Nissan Altima 2.5 I mentioned the 2014 Mazda 6. She laughed and told me of her Husband’s Mazda that started rusting out a few years after they bought it. Now it has holes all over it.
    I research Mazda's rusting on the web and it is wide spread across the model line and not just the old Protege's either. Read the reviews and find hundreds of owners who say Mazda did not fix the rust issues and they will never buy another one.
    Mazda forums say to have your car rust proofed every year if you live in the salt belt.
    Damn shame about the 2014 Mazda 6 as I would buy this car on every other merit.
  • tundradweller1tundradweller1 Member Posts: 74
    Well the 626 was over 10 years old and has 200,000 miles on it. Yes thay issues with the Mazda 3's but have long since addressed corrosion issues.
  • tundradweller1tundradweller1 Member Posts: 74
    I' have researched this quite a bit and you are correct there are no lomger rust issues with later models. Being a former GM guy and living in the great white north (salt belt) this is a genuine concern.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited March 2013
    Maybe $80 -$90 for the pair. Keep in mind though that the tint is applied to the inside of the windows, so anything that can scratch that surface, like a dog's paws, or a seat belt snapping against it, etc, or anything you load in the back that might touch the film--that'll all damage the tint.
  • cogitojazzcogitojazz Member Posts: 14
    Greetings. Time to replace Michelin original tires at 39K, they are shot. Looking for recommendations as I have to buy tires like now.... I have basic service done at local Firestone no Mazda dealer in town. They are recommending Firestone Firehawk P215/55R17 (50K mileage) or Bridgestone Ecopia (65K mileage), price is $789+ for Firestones, $817+ for Bridgestone before any coupon or discount. I'm on the road quite a bit, especially in fall months, living in Middle Tennessee, not much snow or ice. Car is in great shape, keeping it for at least 3 more years. Would appreciate any thoughts or recommendations very much! Thanks. JazzerMP
  • microrepairmicrorepair Member Posts: 508
    You might try checking out Yokohama tires as replacements. I've used them in the past and just purchased two for my Mazda5. They are somewhat cheaper than Michelin and my experience has been that they are as good as Michelin in performance and mileage.
  • cogitojazzcogitojazz Member Posts: 14
    Thanks very much. I bought a set of the Bridgestone Ecopia (probably spelling that wrong) yesterday - several long trips coming up. We'll see how they do.....
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