Mazda MPV: Problems & Solutions

morin2

My wife's 2000 MPV has 28K miles. I'll drive it once every 2 or 3 weeks to check it out (her philosophy: "if it runs, its OK") and check all fluids/tires etc. every saturday. Last night (cold) it made a new moaning sound a few seconds after starting. Sounds just like the moaning so well described by others here. On page 21 of the warranty booklet ("federal emission control warranty") the idle air control valve is listed among parts covered by only 24 month/24,000 mile warranty. Has anyone had this part replaced after 24K miles under warranty ? If excluded, what was the cost incurred ? Many thanks.

alexv1n

I had mine replaced at about 40K miles and almost 30 months under warranty. I hope this helps.

evaddave

I had ours replaced on 12/9. That's 20 days short of the expiration of the 3 years, and we had just over 45k on the odometer.

I've had issues with this dealer not being able to reproduce some of the sounds, etc. that the van has made at certain times, so on this visit, I had the service writer get a tech to come out and listen to the noise while it was happening. On the way out to the van, the tech asked me, "Does it sound like a cow?" Now I grew up in farm country, PA (more cows than people in my county), and it didn't even sound close to a cow to me. The tech said that a lot of people describe it as sounding like a cow. Once he heard the sound, he knew exactly what the problem was.

Whatever it sounded like (I'd call it a moan, but maybe we'll compromise on mooan), it doesn't make that sound any more.

daddioof4

A FYI posting. I posted awhile back about the accelerator sticking on first drive of the morning (when accelerator pressed it didn't accelerate then it surges). Well, finally took it in before my 50K warranty expired and here is what they found. "Throttle Plate Carboned Up; Ck accelerator sticking felt gas pedal sticking ck pedal OK cable OK removed air cleaner assy cleaned throttle plate re-check operation OK." What a difference!!! It improved significant and covered under warranty. I actually had 50235 miles on the odometer. So if you are experiencing this sticky go pedal, take it in before you hit the 50k mark.

stever

The sticky throttle is a common problem with us Quest owners too. I need to get to my throttle body and clean my off my plate soon in fact - throttle body cleaner is available at the parts stores (don't use carb cleaner). Hopefully it's an easy d-i-y job on the MPV too for those out of warranty.

Steve, Host

crissman

Actually, I'm just a bit baffled. One of the rear brake lights on my 2000 MPV has died. After removing the two screws on the light assembly it still seems firmly anchored at the front edge. It swings out a bit on the screw side, but I'm afraid to apply much pressure elsewhere. The owner's manual seems to show some tabs at the front edge, but I'd sure hate to break one. Has anyone out there attempted this operation? Thanks for any help.

alexv1n

I have removed the rear lights once. The driver's side one came off very easily, but the passenger's side one did require some force. I too was very afraid of breaking it, but eventually it came off and wasn't that much of a deal in the end.

Just apply some more force it should come off. I'm not saying to use a crowbar, but some force won't hurt it. Usual disclaimers apply though. I can't be held responsible for any damage you do to your combination lights

bob57

My wife "bumped" (yeah, sure darling...) into a brick mailbox and broke the lens in the center. After 30 minutes of playing with that one I thought I was gonna have to use C4 explosive. That thing was sealed tighter that Fort Knox. Two beers and a few "words" later it finally gave up and I wasn't even worried about breaking a broken part!

maltb

it takes at least 3 beers you idjut!

beachnut

lol, maybe you can get some altezza lights now Bob!

crissman

I followed your advice by applying a bit more force out to the side with my fingers under the light assembly and the bottom tab popped free. The top tab was then easy. Like you said, it wasn't much of a deal at all. Thanks, again.

cards_200

Good info. I had exact same problem. Took to dealer just prior to 50K. Except they would NOT cover me under warranty (approx $120 charge to clean). Dealer claimed "normal maintenance". I asked dealer why owners manual doesn't say anything about this "routine" cleaning if it is required. According to my dealer it is because of the "bad" (reformulated) gas we have in area and problem really prevelant in our area (St. Louis) and California. Not much problem elsewhere. Well the cleaning sure helped but they say need to do this every year!

Can anyone else add insight? Is this problem widespread? Are dealers covering under warranty (within 50 K miles of course)? Is this something I can clean myself from here on out? Thanks.

(2000 LX w/50K miles)

tboner

sounds like BS to me. No fuel passes through the trottle body.

What does happen is the EGR is downstream of the throttle body and sometimes you do get carbon deposits on the back of the throttle plate.

(They also can plug up, FWIW.)

But that happens pretty much everywhere in the nation, not just HERE (yes, I said here) in St. Louis.

FWIW,

TB
East Side

tboner

On how to remove the entire upper intake. (This how to actually covers both the upper an lower intakes, but to clean the EGR passages, you only need to remove the upper.

http://www.contour.org/mods/mods.php?s=howto&displayid=17

This is NOT what your dealership did for $1xx, but if you really want to clean thing out, this is a good way to get to the gunk.

TB

glideslopes

The carbon deposits on the back of the throttle plate used to be a real problem on our 97 Quest. It required cleaning every 30,000 or so. Idle would get to be a problem along with the sticky throttle.

A real pain.

Mark.

msgjvh

Hi guys, sorry I haven't posted in a long time. But after 68k miles I am starting to get the sticky throttle problem. I suffered threw a similiar problem on my daughters saturn. I got confident and ended up causing $100 worth of damage to the Throttle Position Sensor when I removed the Throttle body and cleaned the TBS. OOOPSSS. Sooooo when I clean the TB on the MPV I do not plan on removing it. Can I successfully clean it on the car? If not I do not plan on tearing it apart, I will take it to my mechanic for that having learned my lesson. Tomorrow I will visit Kragen and get a big can and spray heck out of it with throttle body cleaner. If its just the plate that is causing the problem, it should be a simple spray and let dry process. Let me know what your experiences are.

tboner

Yeah, you can prop it open and spray that stuff in there, then use a clean rag to get most of the gunk out. You will probably find most of the gunk on the back side of the throttle plate and maybe some build up behind in on the throttle body.

I cleaned the one in my SVT when I first got it two years ago with 35K on the clock. It was a little sticky.

Just choose a cleaner that is sensor safe and made for throttle bodys. I know Ford says you shouldn't clean it because of the teflon coating, but if you are gentle, it should be alright.

TB

cubbybull

I purchased my MPV last summer and both my wife and i love it. It is smooth and powerful,but we have encounterd a problem with the check engine warning light which went on,during a trip west after i filled my tank in New Mexico.
The dealer says the problem is related to my habit of toping off my tank during fill ups and i might need a new emissions cannister.
Is anyone out there aware of such a problem ?.....Cubbybull

prlamz

Is the engine light still on or did it go away shortly after appearing?

cubbybull

The dealership said that they could only turn off the light by their computer,which they did and it stayed off for most of the day only to go on later in the day when i restarted the car, though i had been careful not to top off the fuel tank after i had been advised not to.

robh19

We are experiencing some frequent issues with the power side doors not closing. The van is a 2003 MPV ES.

Problem: About every other day, seemingly at random, when we go to close the right power side door (push the button either on the dash or at the door) it will close, act as if it's settling into the door sill, beep, and the reopen on its own. I've cleaned the steel/copper contacts between the door and the sill regularly and this continues to happen. The problem continues for between 4 tries and 15 minutes each time, adding to a high level of frustration.

Today, for the first time, it happened with the left side door.

Possible solution: We have no idea. I've taken the van to the dealer and they cannot replicate the problem. They claim they have never seen this happen and don't know what to suggest.

Question: Has this happened to anyone else???? Is anyone aware if this is a known-issue or if there is any possible fixes??

Help/direction would be appreciated. Thanks!

-Close-less in Baltimore

artgpo

I had a very similar experience the other night with the driver's slider on my 2003 Olds Silhouette. No matter what I did, the door would just about completely close then reopen on its own. I finally pulled it shut and that worked. It has not repeated since.

bsvoller

but power sliding doors have been a source of trouble for virtually every make to some extent. I've seen posts similar to yours regarding the Odyssey, Sienna, the GM vans and the DC vans.

If it were me, I'd make the dealer get behind the vehicle, and call Mazda if they refuse.

Sorry to hear of your problem, I'm sure it's really frustrating.

-brianV

audia8q

If the tech can not duplicate the problem, they don't know what to fix. These are alwys the most frustrating problems for the consumer and dealer.

So far we have only seen one MPV with a door problem. It was early on and something actually broke off and jammed in the door and it would not close...The part was removed and problem has not returned...The part was not part of the door and nobody knows how it got there.

Hopefully your dealer is a good one and will work with you to try and find out the problem. Suggest the service tech or manager drive your van for a few days... Maybe the problem will pop up then.. This is what we try when we can not duplicate the problem.

hues10

I solved the power door problem, I just didn't get them on my 2003 ES. Heard of too many potential problems with them, plus, just didn't trust them for a 1 year and 4 year old running around with little fingers.

I have had the van for almost two months, and absolutely love it. Gas mileage is excellent, braking seems sure and trustworthy, and engine/transmission, while a little touchy, is not slow for our purposes.

Good luck with y'all's.

bsvoller

No arguments here. I was just expressing sympathy for robh19 and his problem.

The power door thing has come up enough in general (not picking on Mazda here) to cause me to veto them on our future MPV. I know there's some who just can't live without them, but from my point of view, they're just not worth the potential hassle. Our son is old enough to handle the door now, so it's just an extra expense for little benefit and increased risk of aggravation down the road. As usual YMMV.

-brianV

prlamz

I recently had the engine light go on and the dealer ran diagnostics, and found a faulty sensor in the transmission. That light should not go on. It it does, they should get to work. BTW, I tend to top off a bit, without any problem.

mwright1949

I had the same problem. Usually this is caused by the throttle plate binding on the throttle body, so I took a .030 feeler gauge, cut off a piece and glued it onto the plastic pice that the throttle stop screw contacts. There was a small dimple in the plastic that allowed the throttle to close enough to bind. Putting the feeler gauge spacer in solved the binding problem, and its been fine for at least three months.

cubbybull

Thanks for the information.I am taking the van to the dealer next week, since the engine light will not shut off and the service department contends that the problem is related to the emissions cannister that went bad as a consequence of my topping off fuel and the problem will be solved once they replace the cannister.
I will difinitly share your information with them and Thanks again.

prlamz

You're more than welcome. Good luck!

mls002

Cubbybull

Here might be an easy solution to the check engine light - it has worked for me on two occasions now. This is a suggestion from the dealer - when it comes on first thing to do is to loosen the gas cap and than tighten it and make sure that it clicks once - as indicated in the owner's manual. Now you have to be patient, after 2 to 3 days driving the light should go off. My primitive understanding of the problem is that there is a pressure indicator in the gas tank and if the gas cap is not tightened properly than the sensor fires off the engine light.

Good luck!

glideslopes

My prediction is that replacing the canister will solve your problem.

Good Luck!
Mark.

buyersoon

I bought a KN filter for a MPV 2000 - no change. I have one in a 94 civic and it made a much bigger difference.

When I start the MPV cold the transmission sticks in lower gear for a few seconds or so until high RPMs warrant transition to higher gears. After a few minutes, the transitions are normal. Anybody else experience this?

Any recommendations on Extended warranty companies for the MPV?

eviltyrant

I have recently purchased a 2002 mpv. I also have noticed a bad smell. From previous discussion, the explanation may be a simple as the gas used. Some people have recommend Amaco/BP. That is one gas available in the Chicago area. Are there any other Gas stations that are recommended to prevent this smell? Are there certain stations I should avoid? Thanks for any feedback.

martys2

We just bought an '03 MPV and have only 800 miles. So far we love it except we are disappointed with the rear seat heating. It takes a long time to produce any heat at all, and then if we're on the highway the output is luke-warm air. The dealer explained its because the long coolant lines running from the engine to the rear heating core are exposed to the outside temperatures and wind under the vehicle.

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to improve this? I've thought about trying to add some insulation around those lines, but what's the right insulator?

Can I expect the same problem with the rear air conditioning in the summer?

billmckinley

Sorry about your heater problem, but you can relax about the AC. The rear AC on my 01 worked instantly and perfectly.

RJ

big_guy

I noticed the sulfur smell a couple of times on my MPV. I noticed that if I let the car idle for 30 seconds to 1 minute before I shut it off that the smell wasn't there when I got out. I don't know if that will work for you but it may be worth a try.

javadoc

I have to start out by saying, I love your handle. Very nice.

The sulfur smell effects many cars these days, and I've mainly heard that you have to go and try different brands of fuel and then stick w/what works. Also, if you aren't already, only use 87octane in the vehicle. It won't do anything for you to run w/a higher rated fuel. I've heard a couple people even mention that premium blend fuel caused the smell. YMMV, and good luck!

glideslopes

I think you will find that BP currently has the lowest sulfur fuel available in the USA at this time.

The fuel in this country is dirtier than my nephews diapers, and we should be ashamed of it.

Mark.

bob57

Not inferring you smell Marty - )
The rear a/c has no problem freezing you out here in Texas. I don't think you'll have a problem. You aren't in Death Valley by chance....

Smell: I was in traffic the other day and a sulfur odor drifted into the cabin. Since I never encountered a smell problem in mine before I was afraid "Red" had suddenly barfed at 36K+ miles until I realized it was a new Chevy truck in front of me.
"We are not alone..."

rotarykid

just make sure that you have rear heat. I have had customers who were told by salespeople that their van had rear heat when it actually did not. I dont mean to insult anyones intelligence but I am just asking that you verify that rear heat exists in your van. rear a/c comes from the ceiling and rear heat comes from air ducts in the floor. Not all vans that have rear a/c have rear heat, and not all vans that have rear heat have rear a/c.

martys2

Thanks for the encouraging comments for good AC performance in the summer.

But here in Massachusetts the bigger issue is having the kids chilled in the rear seat while Mom and Dad are toasty in the front seats. (Its that silly guilt thing.)

Still hoping for suggestions to improve the rear heating in my 2003 with the Four Seasons package and Rear AC.

prlamz

Sometimes it is easy to overlook the obvious. The rear heater has it's own setting button, is yours set correctly? We've had no problems with heat in the back rows, but then again, we've been in the 80's in SoCal lately.

otish

We have the 4 seasons package also with the rear heat and air and use it quite it bit here in Kansas with the big temperature swings. Make sure that the rear heat controller is set the way it should be and that the front controller is set to rear also so those controls in back operate it. If it doesn't seem to work take it to the dealer and have them look at it.

martys2

Thanks for suggesting the obvious, but I triple checked the control settings before taking the MPV back to the dealer, and then posting.

The dealer confirmed the settings were correct and explained the marginal performance was due to the long coolant lines transferring fluid to the rear heater core allowed for heat loss. He also suggested there may be some "break-in" period on that rear seat heater core. It sounded a little suspicious to me so I posted a message to test it.

It seems my problem is uncommon so I'll try the "break-in" approach and go from there.

maltb

Have the dealer check the piston return springs too. :-)

otish

I really didn't mean any disrespect - I only mentioned the way it works because I can remember a couple of other posters who didn't realize it and came here with problems. I hope that you get the problem worked out on your van. I can't say that we get immediate heat but once it warms up the back is just as warm as the front.

gmarga56

Just put a deposit on an 03' MPV LX with 4 seasons package, rear AC, power sliding doors, roof rack. Lease is $1900 out of pocket - $313 per month 48 mos - 12k per year. I think the deal is good - can anyone give me any feedback?? - Also, does the LX come with any kind of alarm??? Couldnt find anything on standard features or options. Thanks

bbkpa

Have a 2002 Mpv LX. Having a problem with a sulfur smell when idling. Talked with service manager today and advised to try a different brand of gas. I already use BP fuel - mid range octane. I have 6300miles on van. Those of you with this problem, has switching brands solved your problem?? Serv Mgr also mentioned that there
was a service bulletin on this smell. Has any one seen this bulletin??? Also, looking for some good mud flaps for my van. The dealer mud flaps looked so small. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

bcooper4

Test drove at Dealer and had servere vibration in steerig wheel. Had dunlop tires from factory. Dealer switched tires to Michelin and Im going back to test drive again. Has anyone had this problem and was it fixed by changing tires.