Mazda 3 Transmission Problems

jeffreyg1 · October 2007

I may have over reacted a bit..i just didnt expect my car to have a major mechanical issue at 34,000 miles...maybe 50,000 or so i wouldnt bother...I had a chevy S10 before that the clutch lasted 120,000 miles...and a honda prelude before that and that clutch lasted forever....I did try to see if a defect may have caused the damages but they said the clutch was shredded saying my driving or whatever did it..I never did any abuse to my ride. So I'm assuming some Madza parts dont hold up as well a some other cars? I do know mazda did cover the clutch but only for 12,000 miles as I previously stated and other companies does the same but it is very limited as well.

tiff_c · October 2007

I may have over reacted a bit..i just didn't expect my car to have a major mechanical issue at 34,000 miles...maybe 50,000 or so i wouldn't bother...I had a chevy S10 before that the clutch lasted 120,000 miles...and a honda prelude before that and that clutch lasted forever....I did try to see if a defect may have caused the damages but they said the clutch was shredded saying my driving or whatever did it..

Yeah with new cars unless you beat the snot out of them they should easily last that long. the clutch in my Rex is slipping a bit but it has over 190K miles on it! :surprise:
No one is more surprised than I am and I haven't been easy on it. Mazda is a Ford in some ways and maybe it's a Ford Clutch? Maybe it was weak when they installed it at the factory? it's just a mechanical part that can wear out. Interestingly enough they make it tough and expensive to replace the clutch. You should have easily gotten 100K miles if you drove it normally but the good thing is you now have a new clutch and THAT should have a warranty on it as well. I'm considering a Mazdaspeed 3 myself and i wonder with all that torque going through the front wheels just how hard it will be on the clutch.
Top Gear was driving Mini's with 300HP in them and they felt that was the limit of the car.
Keep the car and see how it works out with the new clutch as it should last a very long time, if not raise a big stink at the dealership! Be very loud and vocal especially in the sales area. Don't let them get you into an office where no one can see/hear you.
This puts pressure on them to actually try and fix the problem.

berdawn · November 2007

I'm sooo happy to read your post!!! I'm picking my 05 3 up after the same thing happened. I had it towed to a dealer who said it was the "shift assembledge". I was out of town and since it would take a week for them to get the part, they gave me a bolt to use to override the transmission. When I got back to town, two days later, it started working fine. the dealer couldn't find anything wrong with it.

aubreyjace · November 2007

Sorry for the "stupid" question but all my other cars have been manuals.. I didn't know that automatics can roll back when in drive (I thought they were supposed to catch themselves after just a tad rollback) Is it because it's a Sport AT?

roadburner · November 2007

Sorry for the "stupid" question but all my other cars have been manuals

It's not stupid; how would you know?

I didn't know that automatics can roll back when in drive (I thought they were supposed to catch themselves after just a tad rollback)

Some do, some don't. It depends on the car and the transmission. Whatever you do, DON'T hold the car with just the throttle; doing so could damage the automatic. Use the brake.

rulp · November 2007

My 3s is a manual and I sometimes use the parking brake to hold on steep hills
when caught at a light or stop sign. Should work fine for AT also I would guess.

houstonmike · December 2007

I've noticed a number of postings regarding bad experiences with the Mazda 3 clutch.

I purchased my 2004 Mazda 3s new. The clutch and flywheel went out at 14,000. Mazda refused to provide a warranty repair as they said that there was only a 12,000 mile warranty on the clutch, although the overall car warranty was 50,000. They said that is was driver abuse and that they had never seen one shredded and burned like that. However, that also sounds a lot like other postings.

I was very tempted to get rid of the car, but couldn't find anything comparable that seemed to be of otherwise high quality and fun to drive. However, the new clutch went out at 70,000. I then had a mechanic friend replace it and fortunately only the clutch was gone this time. But, there were two round grooves worn into the plate. My mechanic suggested that perhaps something had broken off inside to wear the grooves.

Needless to say, I'm definitely not keen on keeping it too much longer before I have to put in a 3rd clutch!

Does anyone have any suggestions for an alternative car to consider? I liked the size, interior quality and the fact that I could lay down the back seats and lay my road bike down inside.

Thanks in advance for any help

jeffreyg1 · December 2007

wow your clutch went out @ 14,000 miles?..i think there are some problems with these madza clutches and they dont want to do anything about it...mine went out @ 34,000 miles(mine's a 2004 too)..and they went along and blamed it on me...i'm gonna get rid of it pretty soon...as for another car i'm thinking of a honda or a toyota...i've had both cars before and the clutches on both lasted forever....

zlatan · December 2007

Model Mazda3s, made in Japan (!?), bought June 2004, 70000 miles, driven under normal conditions home-work-home. Transmission went bad, authorized service had a problem to fix that.

Repair >$ 2000. Mazda customer support position: Normal wear and tear and the warranty expired. This will be the last Mazda I purchase.

OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE PLANNING TO BUY NEED to know! Something went teribbly wrong with the quality of Mazda. I used to love & trust Mazda,...not any more. Period!
Zlatan

autonomous · December 2007

Mazda3s... bought June 2004, 70000 miles, driven under normal conditions ... Transmission went bad, authorized service had a problem to fix that. Repair > $2000

A few questions:
1. Does your car have a manual or automatic transmission?
2. Did you buy your car new at a Mazda dealership?
3. Was the car regularly serviced at a Mazda dealership?
4. Does "authorized service" refer to the dealership and/or the manufacturer?
5. Did you consider a complaint to a consumer body, BBB or legal action?

zlatan · December 2007

1. both - driven as automatic
2. yes
3. yeah, even last year a transmission fluid was changed per Mazda service recommendation
4. "authorized service"..I meant an official authorized mazda service department.
5. not yet but I am planning, I was pissed off with Mazda Customer representative-support, who said wear-tear problem.

Since this a relatively New Mazda model & transmission concept, the question is how many people are experiencing the similar problem.

autonomous · December 2007

Sounds like you did the required upkeep. With the warranty exceeded that does not necessarily mean that Mazda cannot assist. The question is what is a reasonable duration of a Mazda transmission that has been properly maintained.

A few more questions for you:
How many times was your tranny fluid changed?
At what mileages?
Did your Mazda dealership advise you of other transmission services that you were required to perform?

My understanding is that automatics are not as durable as manuals and urban driving with lots of stop and go traffic can be hard on the vehicle but failure at 70,000 miles under normal driving conditions seems premature. You may want to get a more complete explanation from Mazda about what they think was the cause of the failure. You may also want to consider having Mazda provide a compromise solution to have the repair done at a reduced cost (e.g. they pay for a reconditioned transmission). They need to hear that their reputation is at stake and that your future cars will not be Mazdas unless you are satisfied. Put everything in writing so that you have a record for future reference.

Going the BBB or legal route can be trying, lengthy and costly but if you have the stamina go for it.

Good luck and keep us posted.

jujumaster · December 2007

I am really confused now. Mazda is owned and operated by FORD. Common problems carry over, look at known problems with ford focus and now ford fusion, and sub models sold under MERCURY. If there is a known problem with ford line of vehicles, MAZDA is sure to have it too (same suppliers I suppose). I do admit FORD products have gotten a bit more reliable since 92, (they bought mazda). If you left home to buy a car and made sure its not FORD, stay away from Mazda. Did you notice how the jaguars look now a days or past 10 years??? you guessed it FORD bought them out too. They look half tuarus half continental. Do not buy the name brand, SEE WHO MAKES IT. NEXT TIME SIT INFRONT OF THE COMPUTER AND DO EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THE NAME AND MAKER. THAT WAY YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO SIT AT THE CURB, WONDERING WHERE YOU WENT WRONG. GOOD LUCK.

autonomous · December 2007

Mazda is owned and operated by FORD.
Actually, that is only partially true as Ford owns a portion (I believe it's 1/3) of Mazda. In addition to Jaguar, the Ford family includes Volvo, Land Rover and of course Mercury. Also, this is a changing story as Ford needs to divest itself of some of the money-losing brands in order to recover its equilibrium. The collaboration between Mazda and Ford goes back over 50 years but the philosophies of the different manufacturers, their engines and their components are not identical.

If there is a known problem with ford line of vehicles, MAZDA is sure to have it too
Again, that is only partially true. For example, the Mazda6 six cylinder is a Ford engine but the turbo Mazdaspeed3 is unique and not a Ford-based engine. You are right in that many car manufacturers are looking to build a global car under different names and badges but that is easier said than done. For example, you'll likely not see the "global" Ford Mondeo riding down your street. But the astute will have spotted it in the latest version of Casino Royale. Not quite the Aston Martin but very nice in any case.

DO EXTENSIVE RESEARCH
Agreed.

ennis · December 2007

I've had the same problem at 80,000 miles!!! I've kept everything up on it, taken it to the dealership etc. Luckily I had purchased an extended warranty and they are covering it, but we've had to fight tooth and nail to get it covered. All the i's had to be dotted and t's crossed. In my opinion Mazda should cover the transmission either way, piece of crap!!! It was EXTREMELY dissapointing dealing w/this reality of the Mazda 3. Other problems I've had include - fuel pump (had to be changed the week I bought it - not right from the factory?), broken motor mount, problems closing the glove box, the carpet on passenger side and I'm sure there are a couple more but that's mostly it. I think they were sleeping the day they made my car!! I guess I should've went with the Toyota!

autonomous · December 2007

I've had the same problem at 80,000 miles!!! ... Other problems I've had include -fuel pump (had to be changed the week I bought it - not right from the factory?), broken motor mount, problems closing the glove box, the carpet on passenger side

Did you have to pay for any of these repairs? What year is your Mazda3?

jeffreyg1 · December 2007

interesting... your clutch or transmission goes out at 80,000 mile how did you get Madza to cover that??? i would consider that normal wear and tear...considering some of us had ours go out at low mileage...and had to pay some 1200 bucks for repairs...I never had any other problems with my 2004.....other than a broken moter mount when they replaced the clutch on mine which was covered...

vlstellato · December 2007

I have a 06 automatic, I looked threw the owners manual to find the service intervals for the trans and couldn't find them. I called the dealer and was told it was a flaw and it wasn't printed. I bet if I had any problems the dealer would say it either was from neglet or bad driving. I read other forum postings of people having problems with manual trans and cluthes and being blamed on poor driving habits or not knowing how to drive stick. If that where me I would have the dealer give me the keys to a new car and show him that I knew how to drive stick. I had the following problems with my car, A/C stopped woking at 18000 miles(live in fla.) took it to the dealer and was told it was because I had a clogged cabin air filter and they are not responsible for the repair, I purchased a oem filter and after 5 hours of disasemblind the center consol I finally changed the filter and it wasn't clogged and the A/C still didn't work. So I looked under the hood and found that the nut holdind the cluth to the compressor came off. I also hate the everytime you bring your car to the dealer for warrenty work the always try to sell you a mileage service package that is to expensive or not nessary

tpulak · December 2007

I am confused too. So mazda3 isn't really reliable then right? I am planning between a Mazda 3, Volkswaggen Jetta, Toyota Corolla, and a Chevy Cobalt. I am planning to buy either of these cars, and planning to keep them for about 100,00 miles. I have a discussion over in the toyota corolla forum that talks about this. Maybe you need to see it, because the folks over there say that the Mazda 3 is very reliable.

roadburner · December 2007

I am confused too. So mazda3 isn't really reliable then right? I am planning between a Mazda 3, Volkswaggen Jetta, Toyota Corolla, and a Chevy Cobalt. I am planning to buy either of these cars, and planning to keep them for about 100,00 miles. I have a discussion over in the toyota corolla forum that talks about this. Maybe you need to see it, because the folks over there say that the Mazda 3 is very reliable.

Browsing a few internet message boards is an extremely inaccurate way to ascertain the overall reliability of a particular make/model. The Consumer Reports reliability rankings are also flawed, but I have found them to be considerably more useful than reading than reading the rants of a few unhappy owners on a particular web forum. In my experience I would rank the reliability of the vehicles you mentioned as follows:
1. Corolla
2. Mazda 3
3. Jetta
4. Cobalt
I'd also say that there is only a slight difference between the reliability of the Toyota and the Mazda. Also remember that a good dealer makes a big difference in your overall satisfaction with a vehicle.

kidoctor · December 2007

I'm the owner of a 2007 Mazda Speed3 (turbocharged 3). I had massive clutch problems at 39 miles (couldn't move the car - I talked about it earlier). Since I had the clutch replaced (Mazda "warranty"), I've never had a problem (4 months, 7500+ miles on it so far). Personally, I think the car overall is great (I'm totally happy with it), but the clutch may leave something to be desired. I used to drive a 1991 Toyota Corolla which had 90 000+ miles on it and was STILL on the original clutch, drive belt, etc. If you're thinking about super reliability, I think Toyota's the best - they last forever.

mpdaponte31b · December 2007

I changed the oil today on a 2207 and now the tranny seems to drag shifting gears. i drained the pan on the drivers side and it could not have been the tranny pan because the engine oil went down. any one have any suggestions on what it is before it goes back to the dealer?

lightning3 · January 2008

IN BRIEF,
I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS IN DEALING
WITH FORD DEALERSHIPS & FORD CORPORATION
WHO SEEM TO NOT CARE WHAT THEIR DEALERSHIPS
ARE DOING. AFTER TALKING TO VARIOUS PEOPLE, THE
NEXT TIME I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH EITHER OF THEM,
I WILL LOOK REAL HARD INTO SUING THEM IN SMALL
CLAIMS COURT OR POSSIBLY GETTING AN ATTORNEY
ON IT. FORD SERVICE JUST FLAT OUT LIES TO ME &
I TRY TO BE NICE BUT IT DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER.
EVEN IF THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT, BE PREPARED FOR
WHAT LAME STORY THEY MAY TRY TO COME UP WITH
OR HOW THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
OF THIS PROBLEM WHATSOEVER.

jeffreyg1 · January 2008

are you talking about a ford car or a mazda car?? you might be in the wrong forum man...

mazdaboy2 · January 2008

I am overall thrilled with this car, but after about a year it started making an occasional harsh brief grinding noise when going into 2nd gear - all other gears are fine. At about 24K miles I took the car into the Mazda dealer (where I bought it new) and had them check it out - initially they said they couldn't detect the problem. I wasn't too surprised because it happens only maybe 1 out of 10 shifts. Next day I went in and drove it with the tech person and the service mgr, and sure enough I could get it to grind after awhile, but they still weren't very convinced. Tech person's first idea was that I wasn't shifting correctly. Service mgr suggested they if they opened it up and found nothing, I would be liable for the labor charges. So we agreed to wait until it got worse, then I'd bring it back. Now it's 26K miles and it's only gotten slightly worse (grinds maybe twice a day), but I don't like having to flinch while shifting. I guess I will take it back in in a few weeks, and insist on the fix. PS I know how to drive stick, because previous 20 years of cars were Mazda 5-speeds ('86 626, 149K miles, perfect transmission; '98 Protege, 100K miles & counting, perfect transmission) This never ever happened with those cars.

brunod · April 2008

In 2004 I purchased the Universal extended service plan for up to 75k miles ($1295) when I got the car. Recently drove it out of town, started having problems with shifting into 4th gear... By the time I got it to dealership back home it was 75, 200 ... Does it not matter that I started having trouble before I hit 75K and had to drive it home over 200 miles to get it serviced??? I CAN"T AFFORD a new trans???

What do I need to do??

autonomous · April 2008

purchased the Universal extended service plan for up to 75k miles

Did you purchase this at the dealership? Is this a Mazda product?

brunod · April 2008

Yeah... I was talked into it by the finance manager. It's thru Universal Warranty but it was sold to me by the Mazda dealership.
The dealership said if they tried to file the claim that it would be rejected right off because it is over 75k... no special circumstances accepted. Told me to call the warranty co. myself to file claim. Tried that... they want a receipt for the injector cleaner I bought while out of town before they will even start the process.. I originally thought it was the injectors and that's why I didn't take it to the dealership right away.

I just went out to the dealership and they gave me an estimate of $3500!!!!... Is that reasonable?

autonomous · April 2008

they gave me an estimate of $3500
For what exactly? A new transmission?

The dealership said if they tried to file the claim that it would be rejected right off because it is over 75k... no special circumstances accepted.
Considering that you were over a few hundred miles I would find this hard to swallow. I would document the problem in writing and send the letter to the dealership, the insurer and the Mazda USA. My position would be that the coverage was bought in good faith, and the fact that the incident occurred through no fault of yours so close to the end of the coverage leaves you troubled by this so called "extended" warranty. You may be able to get a portion of the money to pay for the repair of the transmission. Do you have any legal friends?

brunod · April 2008

well I have a lawyer.. who I suppose is my friend,

My dad just called me and said he found someone put a new transmission in parts & labor - $1800 so we're going to pick the car up now... The dealership shouldn't charge me just for looking at it should they??

jeffreyg1 · April 2008

i just had my clutch replaced not long ago @ 34,000 miles on my 2004 madza 3(yes original clutch)...i do know most warranties will not cover transmissions or clutch (my clutch was covered for only 12,000 miles i even fought for it but wasted my time on it...) after a certain miles so i would not waste my time on any legal issues involving extended warranties..i would read the fine print before looking into it. Also 3,500 is pretty high for an auto on your car...1,800 sounds more reasonable...when i had my clutch replaced it was cheaper thru the dealer than an outsider...

muffin0 · May 2008

Alright, so I have a 2007 Mazda3 with 23,000 miles. I bought it new and not long after I got it the transmission would start acting weird. It has an automatic transmission and I'd be at a stop light and it would start to stall. (I guess the way to describe is having your car in first and slowly letting the clutch out and when it starts to stall quickly putting the clutch back in.) It's stalled on me a couple times. I've taken it into mazda four times (the last time today) Every time they say "we tried to replicate the problem, but we couldn't so next time it happens bring it in"

Today they told me it could be my fuel lines needing to be flushed, but when I informed the guy I've been having this problem since I first got the car he said it could just be a "characteristic" of the car.

Has anyone else had this problem? Or do you know what it could be? Thanks!

autonomous · May 2008

It's stalled on me a couple times ... when I informed the guy I've been having this problem since I first got the car he said it could just be a "characteristic" of the car.

Did they document the problem on a workorder?
Did they run any tests on the car or just give it a visual review?

I would consider a second opinion (like another Mazda dealer). I would write a letter describing your concern to Mazda documenting the problem and copy it to the dealership. You are still well within the warranty period, but it would be wise to have a record of the problem and Mazda's response in case the problem escalates.

brted · June 2008

I just got my 2008 Mazda 3i touring value a couple of weeks ago. The clutch is different from my old Honda, so it took a little getting used to. However, I think I've got it now but still have trouble sometimes when starting up. As I am letting the clutch out and giving it gas the car has no power. I put the clutch back in and do it over again and it usually goes. Other times it just goes on the first try. I could take it in to the dealer, but I know they won't be able to replicate it and will say I don't know how to drive a stick.

Any ideas?

Another thing I notice, which isn't a big deal, is when I am in second and maybe third sometimes, the stick will shake as I am accelerating. The stick usually doesn't shake at all, so it's a little unnerving, but it doesn't seem to have any effect.

ahightower · June 2008

No advice here other than to give it time. I test drove a Civic and a Fit before settling on my Mazda3. Both Hondas had excellent shifters. So light and easy, just perfect. The Mazda's is good, far better than my old V6 Mustang, but not quite Honda smooth.

Also, it seems to me that the K&N filter I put in last month has given me a little better low end oomph, so my starts are smoother and it doesn't bog down when the revs drop in a higher gear.

inkycat · June 2008

I have an '06 Mazda3 with 31,000 miles. I've done all the maintenance except for the last oil change at the dealer. When the dealer couldn't get me in, I took it to Valvoline, and they told me there that the transmission fluid was scheduled to be flushed at 30,000. I told them I'd had it done at the dealer already because I wasn't sure it was really needed. The manual says nothing about changing the tranny fluid. It's a lease and I plan to turn it in next summer with 39,000 miles and (hopefully not too much) change. Is this something I need to get done?

enaj · June 2008

I own a 2008 3s Touring and not infrequently when I attempt to shift into reverse can't until the third or fourth try. I have only owned cars with manual transmissions and have been driving stick shift for 25+ years so I don't think my shifting skills/technique is the root of the problem. I've owned the car for six months and the problem shifting into reverse seems to be occurring more frequently. I tried to identify the circumstances when it happens and there is no consistency to when it occurs.

Also I've recently noticed that when I am accelerating the car seems to hesitate. When this happens I am not shifting gears but am simply giving the engine more gas in whatever gear I'm in, e.g. 4th or 5th.

Has anyone else experienced these problems? And does anyone know the causes? I have not yet had the car serviced but thought I'd ask the questions to get a heads up before I take the car in for servicing.

cmit2007 · July 2008

My sister is having the same problem with shifting into reverse. My father is going down to have a to do with the dealership because 1) they did not respect my sister when she brought it in and 2) told my sister some bull story about that always happens and that you have to shift into 2nd and quickly shift into reverse.
We will hopefully have this resolved soon and if so I will post the response here.
If you know what is wrong, please give me a heads up.

muffin0 · July 2008

"2) told my sister some bull story about that always happens and that you have to shift into 2nd and quickly shift into reverse"

That's the most retarded thing I have ever heard in my life.. "Hey lets design a car that you have to put in 2nd gear to get it to go into reverse" --- Yeah I'm sure that's what happened...

calzone1 · July 2008

I have the same issue with my manual 1993 Ford Escort.

Someone told me a trick: turn the steering wheel either left or right - it doesn't matter, then shift into reverse. Don't know why, but it works every time!

ag13 · July 2008

I had my trans replaced under warranty at 19k miles. It would pop out of 2nd gear by itself. Now at 42k my motor has bad bearings and mazda is denying the warranty work.

wingmandan · July 2008

"2) told my sister some bull story about that always happens and that you have to shift into 2nd and quickly shift into reverse"

Actually, that is a way to save your clutch. That is what you are supposed to do. The dealer told you right. I used to own a Ford Ranger Manual and when I replaced my clutch, my mechanic told me whenever I put it in reverse, you should put it in 2nd. That will save your clutch from having to replace it sooner than needed. I never had an issue with my clutch after that.

Now as to the respect issue, I can't answer to that. He probably had a bad day.

Best of luck

kenny15 · July 2008

Hi, everyone. I had 2008 mazda 3 5 door S touring for about 6 months, with 5000 miles now. so I decided to change the ATF. I know I don't have to change that early, but just want to keep the ATF clean after break-in. so I drained the ATF from the ATF pan, I know I drained only about one third of total ATF, roughly 3 Quarts. after that put the drain plug back in and started add some new ATF. Unfortunately, I made a mistake, pour the Honda ATF-Z1 into my mazda 3. I know my mazda 3 use the M-V type of ATF(which is synthetic type). what happen now is there are two types of ATF in my mazda3. after driving it about 100 mile, the engine light came on. does anyone know if the ATF could be the reason? and what should i do aobut it.

badself · August 2008

ATF incompatibility is the likely culprit. You could be looking at total transmission failure. I'd make sure the trans is drained and filled with the proper fluid prior to arriving at the dealer and playing dum.

Why would you drive it knowing you introduced the wrong fluid?

gib11 · August 2008

First, I dont understand why you would flush the ATF so early. Doesn't make sense to me.
Two. You should know that car manufacturers are very pointy went it comes to lubricant. Using other type than the one recommended is a no no IMO.
That said, I hope nothing is broke. Good luck!

dreamobics · August 2008

I am in Toronto Canada. I bought a new Mazda 3 GT automatic in May 2004 after getting rid of a Volkswagon Jetta 2.0 turbo which needed 4 new turbos within 60k.
Everything was great with my Maxda until approx 60k kms. The transmission wouldn't shift from 2nd to 3rd without the rev counter going nuts and eventually I couldn't get it past 3rd gear.
I took it to Mazda and they told me to my amazement that it needed a new transmission. So I thought ok, I guess it happens now and again.
At 76k kms it did the same thing so it lasted for 16k kms this time.
My Mazda Dealer was very non-chalent about it and when I expressed concern that my 100k Warranty would soon expire and if the transmission went again I would have to pay for a new one, he told me not to be so negative and that my case was unusual as they had very few transmission problems and to have to need 2 new ones by the 76k kms mark had never happened before and that the chances of getting another defective transmission is slim to none.

So not sure what to do. Thought I would try Customer Service for Mazda and try and get them to agree to extend the warranty for the transmission only. (That's what VW did for my Jetta). I am open to suggestions.
Mazda have lost a future customer though.

lt08 · September 2008

Hello - just bought an 08 because I loved my 04. question: I use the manual mode quite a bit, for better control. My 2004 always functioned correctly, downshifting on its own to a stop and then drop to 1st. I bough the 08 and noticed that some times, not all the time, it would NOT go to first but stay in 2nd, even at a full stop. I've been telling my dealership about this, have video on my phone when it happens. They've first told me they could not replicate the "problem" and to record it and bring it in as soon as it happens. Unfortunately, it is sporatic that I can't just bring it in when it happens as I don't know when its gonna happen and if I have to drive to the dealership, I'm certainly going to have to get out of 2nd gear. Long story short, I finally figured out how to replicate it, showed a service tech and they finally agreed to look closer at it. Today I get a call that they tell me, actually the transmission is SUPPOSED to do that - if driving in 2nd gear and come to a stop, it should stay in second gear? Apparently the user manual says this? So my 2004 operated wrong for 4 years? The majority of the time, the car does automatically go to 1st gear at a stop, and about 20% or so of the time it stays in second. Now they are trying to tell me that that is correct so I'm now saying, FINE, then 80% of the time, the transmission is malfunctioning???

anyone out there having similar issues? Any year of Mazda? Help - don't want to be screwed over with a faulty transmission that they think because I'm a woman I don't know what I'm talking about - that is certainly how this has been going. First they agreed it was a problem they'd like to check out, and now apparently it is a "feature" of the car I didn't know about??? :confuse: :lemon:

ahightower · September 2008

I'm probably not much help, but I seem to recall my last vehicle that had an "auto-manual", a 2004 Mistubishi Outlander, would let me start from a stop in 2nd gear. I understand that people often do that in winter weather for better traction. For example, Mercedes transmission and perhaps others are programmed to start in 2nd gear when in winter mode. However, I don't remember if my car would stay in 2nd if I came to a stop in 2nd. I'd think I would want it to stay wherever I put it regardless of my speed. I did use manual control quite a bit, but I would generally coast to a stop in auto mode instead of stepping down each gear manually for something so mundane as a stop sign or red light.

Please elaborate. How exactly do you get it to remain in 2nd vs drop down to 1st?

dreamobics · September 2008

it was the engine not me

autonomous · September 2008

I use the manual mode quite a bit, for better control. My 2004 always functioned correctly, downshifting on its own to a stop and then drop to 1st. I bough the 08 and noticed that some times, not all the time, it would NOT go to first but stay in 2nd, even at a full stop.

If I am reading your post properly your Mazda3 is an automatic with a manual mode and the situation occurs when you use the manual and not the automatic mode. True?

Mazda 3 Transmission Problems

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