Mazda5 Transmission Problems

peacepunk

I've had my Mazda5 for almost a month now. It's been a great vehicle, but I find when I'm using the manual mode of the automatic/manual trasmission I'm getting a smell of burning rubber. Living in Canada, I didn't even get my M5 before the recall was done, so I don't think that's an issue. Has anyone else smelled a weird smell after using the manual shift on the auto tranny?

caliaghi

I was wondering if anybody experienced problems engaging the first gear with a manual transmission. I have a Mazda 5 GT with 3 000 Km on bord and from the beggining the first gear is hard to engage....I have to really push much harder the stick in order to enter in the first gear, much harder than the other 4 gears including the revers. Is it just because is a new transmission or is it a problem with the transmission linkage?

evped

The clutch in my new 5 makes a slight clicking noise when the clutch is released. It didn't do it for the first few hundred miles, now it has for the last few hundred. Anyone else experience this?

whobodym

I saw several posts about engine hesitation but they seemed all to be automatics, so I thought I'd try my own. The scenario -- drive steady speed for a while, say 40-50 mph in 5th gear, constant ~2000 rpm. Then, suddenly step on gas all the way. Immediate big hesitation that lasts only a split second. It's fairly easy, knowing this, to avoid it 99% in normal driving, but the 1% is still annoying. I haven't tried dealer diagnosis, but am expecting a "they all do that" response. It certainly starts and runs perfectly in all other respects. Anybody know more about this?

wa98strat

What you are experiencing is pretty normal for any car once you are in the top gear. 5th gear in this case has to be pretty long to be usable between 80 and 180 kmh. I had this with the 2.4l mustang I had in High school and my Sidekick. Normally on a Manual, you just do a quick downshift and go.

The "hesitation" your experiencing isn't, it's just then engine trying to cope with all the extra fuel you're dumping into it (remember it's not a V8)

Mr_Shiftright

You need lots of torque to pull 5th gear at 2,000 rpm. Your engine might not be up to that. At 40 mph I'd definitely downshift to 4th if you need a burst of power. 5th gear is really a freeway speed gear.

menmy5

Let me jump in and ask, what is the optimal speed/rpm for highway fuel efficiency in the 5? Not quite on topic i know, but the two of you who responed to whobodym seem like people who might know.

Thanks,

Mr_Shiftright

Probably you should ask a longterm owner that question. Anybody???

c3po

I have an automatic. I notice the hesitation when accelerating from 100km\h (2900RPM) to 120 km\h. It lasts about a second, then all of a sudden after that second of hesitation, it just goes. I have read in other forums, that others are experiencing this hesitation especially in the 2.3L . I have notice the acceleration is not as smooth as my 1991 Toyota Corrola 1.6L.

whobodym

I understand what you're saying but when this happens, our Mazda5 is definitely not behaving like a well set-up engine/manual trans combo. At steady part-throttle, the engine will have been pulling acceptably, producing some torque. The quick application of heavy throttle causes a one-second (or less) complete disappearance of any torque, like how an old junker engine with burned valves will backfire thru the carburetor at wide open throttle. A car should offer smooth, proportional torque that varies with throttle opening. None of my previous manual trans cars, at least one continuously owned since 1977, have done this -- Rabbit / Scirocco / Jetta / Accord / two Civics / Integra GS-R. Yes I understand about downshifting for power and accelation -- but this is another kind of driving. I should be able to get smooth response when I want the engine's best at 2000 rpm, just like at 4000 rpm or 6000 rpm.

c3po

My Mazda 5 is an automatic and I notice the acceleration is not as responsive or smooth. I have this hesitation especially a hard throttle like merging on to a highway or passing another vehicle on a single lane highway. This hesitation usually occurs at about 2900-3000 rpm when going from 90kmh to 110kmh. I have read in other forums that the 2.3 L is running too lean on fuel. Anybody with an automatic that experience this.

wuster

My theory is that it has something to do with the electronic throttle control software and the lack of torque. I'm guessing that engineers programmed the software to make the throttle input gradual, so there isn't a sudden neck snapping downshift. I also think the lower torque of the 2.3L engine coupled with the weight of the 5 compounds the problem.

I had a Mazda3 and now a Mazda5 (both with the 2.3L and automatic) and both hesitated for just a second when I floor the throttle at speed. However, the sensation is more pronounce in the 5 than it was in the 3. I attribute that the extra weight of the 5 and the lower torque rating of the 5 vs the 3.

jcottam

I am having that same problem with my Mazda5. I know have 4000km on my car and the clicking has become progressively more bothersome. My car is being checked out early next week. Have you any ideas what is causing the noise?

PF_Flyer

Having a problem with your transmission? Or maybe you just have a question. This is the place to discuss it.

zuzuq2

I have a 2007 Mazda 5, manual transmission. It drives great, but every once in a while, there is a hitch after I shift to either 2nd or 3rd gear. Initially, I thought it was just me, but then my hubbie noticed it as well. It feels like if you took your foot off the clutch too fast - obviously I am not a mechanic and don't know the correct terminology, but I know that it isn't my driving

The dealer couldn't find anything wrong...

marlonchwo

I also have a 06 GT with manual. I like to have manual, b/c I can take charge of when I want to shift gear.

I also encounterd a few times with hitch.
The 1st time is when I am existing fm 401 and shift to 4th gear, but it was not the hitch when u suddenly change gear too aggresive
The 2nd time is even funny when I just start driving on a 40km/h street in gear 2 to 3
Today, it happened again that I use the gear 2 when I am accelerating after a stop sign w/o complete stop.

I do not know how to explain to dealer, and they will always deny.

What is your comment?

zuzuq2

It has happened several times since being at the dealers. They asked me to take note of the rpm's etc, but it happens so suddenly that I have had time to look. I really would like to hear from other Mazda 5 owners with the same problem.

athenasius

Just a thought, not sure if it is related or not. With the automatic and if you are decelerating or coasting(letting the foot off the gas) as if to stop for a red light and then it goes green you press the gas to accelerate there is a pause then a very hard/harsh engagement of the gear. Now I know that the auto transmission is different with the standard. What I am wondering is as the gas is 'drive by wire' and not a direct connection if they did some thing to the programming that has done this. If anyone knows how to get back to the original settings from the factory let me know (the dealer says they do not know how to do this- that they do not have the training to do this :confuse: )This was definitely not an issue before the exhaust 'fix'. I have spoken to the dealership about this and they said it is the "NEW NORMAL". I wish I could get access to the programs.

ghrant

We have a 06 GT auto and my wife used to tell me that the shifting was "funny", but I was never there to experience it. One day we were on a level road, accelerating briskly to 60 (engine was warm) and I felt it for the first time, it was almost like the engine backed off or slipped a shift. You know the sensation, you sort of lean forward in reaction to the loss of momentum.
I brought it up with the dealer, but they just flashed the tranny rom and danced around with excuses.

zuzuq2

That is exactly what I have experienced. It still continues to do it every couple of days, or so.

sam80

We have the 2007 Mazda5 GS since Oct. 2006 and so far I found two issues with it: 1) the brakes squeal under cold temperature. Spoke to the service advisor at the dealership and he said other people had made similar complains. Apparently, there is no solution for it. 2) Engine stalls - it had happened to both myself and my wife at different occasions. The engine would stall after we made a complete stop (for example, at traffic lights). It would take us a few attempts to restart the car.

I definitely won't buy it out at the end of the lease.

luvmazda

Hello all! I am new to the forum. I'm about a week away to get my 2007 Mazda 5. I'm interested on purchasing the Touring Trim, automatic. Can any of you please explain to me on what the M on an automatic is for? I have a 2002 Mazda 626 now and I've noticed that it has OD (also a automatic). I noticed that M - & D +. What does that mean? Thank you
LuvMazda :shades:

mdchachi

If you move the shifter to the left you will be in Manual mode. Move the shifter down (+) to shift up one gear and move it up (-) to shift down one gear. So you can manually shift if you like. I've played with the feature but have no real need for it though perhaps if I lived in a hilly area it might be useful. Also it's good for people who want to pretend they are in a sports car. Enjoy your new car.

luvmazda

So by moving on the manual mode is used when you're on hills to give you more "umph"? :confuse: How about driving it on the freeway? :confuse:

mdchachi

Well it just basically turns the car into a manual shift. So you have to move the gears up and down yourself. Once you're on the freeway, you'll want to keep it in the top gear anyway, so no real point in using it on the freeway.

luvmazda

We found that out last Sunday. It's something that I won't use at all since I'm not familiar using a manual. LOL we went to the dealership and was hoping that we would get the Mazda 5 and drive home with it. Unfortunately, we need to negotiate a different amount for a down payment. Gad, I hope I get this car LOL

w00000t

Mine does this too but VERY rarely. I think in the 3 weeks i've owned my 2006 Mazda5, it has done it 3, maybe 4 times. Once was getting on the highway, the others were from just coasting to slow down, not completely stopping, then pressing on the gas to accelerate again. I looked at my gear numbers though and it did it when between 3 and 4, not 2 and 3....The thing that freaked me out most was the time it did it while getting on the highway...for a couple seconds it felt like my gas pedal wasn't going to do anything and about as soon as I was about to freak out and think something was wrong, out of nowhere it jerked with very hard acceleration. My father says I just need to get used to how touchy the gas pedal is, the acceleration, etc... since I can't really abuse the gas pedal on this thing like I did my Chevy....
I mean that's the first thing I noticed about this car when I test drove it... how the pedals feel so "liquidy", the gas goes up good without much pressing on the pedal but i've accidentally spun my tires quite a few times thinking it could handle a hard hit like my old Chevy haha...maybe it's just the weight of the car and the lack of horsepower for the torque..

castg1

It feels like a slingshot. You have to stretch the rubber first before letting go and it will shoot forward.

w00000t

I noticed something freaky this past weekend when driving it for 4 and a half hours on the highway - I finally used cruise control a lot. I would be doing about 65 then go to pass someone by pressing the "+" key on my cruise control buttons on the steering wheel, the RPMS would shoot up to about 4, and i'd hear the engine rev, i'd get up to about 70-75 then all of a sudden NOTHING. It would just.. drop out. I don't know any other way to describe it. The RPM needle would drop really quick down to like 2 and it was like my car wouldn't get any gas. I kept my finger pressed on the "+" then about 8 seconds later out of nowhere it would eccelerate again. This happened EVERY TIME I would use cruise control while passing someone. My boyfriend drives a 2002 Protege and his cruise control doesn't do that, I don't even remember the cruise control doing that in the old Cutless station wagon I drove 10 years ago so.... Is that normal or something I should have looked at?

schaefm

We purchased a used Mazda 5 about a month ago. I specifically wanted a manual shift and this one was on the lot with about 9000 miles. My wife usually drives the car, so she told me she was having difficulty shifting. I took it out and didn't have a problem. However, I drove it a couple days later and the non-shifting problem occurred. What happened was this...driving through a parking lot and trying to down-shift from 3rd to 2nd, the shift lever just locked between the two. I couldn't move it. After some aggressive "jiggling" of the shift lever it freed itself and I was able to get into first gear. This has happened numerous times since, but of course never when we took it to the dealer. The car has always been difficult to get into first gear. Dealer gave us an 800 number to call to have it towed when this happens again, but you know what'll happen...I'll be trying to shift in the middle of an intersection and the non-shifting will occur. I can't just leave it there while I wait for a tow. So I'll have to "jiggle" it again and get it in gear. Now the non-shift is gone and I am frustrated because I can't show the service guy the problem. My next step is to carry a notebook in the car, write down when these non-shifts occur so I can try to re-create the problem.

zoomfamily

It is possible that you have a broken motor mount- the #3 mount (upper passenger side) is prone to early failure. There is a TSB for this. A broken mount may be causing the engine to shift and is binding your shift linkage, causing the difficult shifting.
Also, you may want to change the transmission fluid to a full synthetic (Redline, etc.), as that has really smoothed the shifting on my manual 3 (same drivetrain) in cold temps. Let us know what happens!

vg33e power

I have an 2006 Touring. Auto obviously. I have this 1-2 second hesitation when the tranmission shifts down from 3rd to 2nd and it is very annoying. It feels sort of like the trans is trying to think before shifting down to 2nd.

Scenario: coming to a red light on 3rd gear and light turns green, accelerate, 1-2 second hesitation then shifts down to 2nd.

I have taken it to the dealership and asked to check if all latest software is up to date and they have even showed me the print out stating "no other updated software found for this vehicle" from the scan tool they use to upload software. Does anyone else experience this hesitation, and if so, has it been taken care of or know what the roots of it. Thanks!

athenasius

the issue came about from the update after the fire issue. you will not get a solution to it. the dealer said it is just the way it is now
he told me they will not fix it ever as they were going to resolve it with going to the 5 speed manual.
and no they will not revert it back to the orginal programming either.

now you know how to make it happen all the 4 speed transmissions do it. I am surprised why more people do not complain about it as it happens on every 4 speed auto box.

The reason is they dumbed down the transmission and added the hesitation. they did not porperly reset the dash numbers and you can see when it should change as it is not in sinc with the actual gear.

vg33e power

WOW! your response is exactly what I experience and see happen, even the uncoordination of the numbers shifting before the actual transmission does. Thanks for your post, at least I know I am not alone and that it what Mazda calls a "normal" operation of the trans.

I just picked up my MZ5 from a third dealer that I wanted a diagnosis from and they too said the same thing. "everything is working to specs, transmission is working normal"

(sigh) oh well, I guess that is the way it will have to stay and I will have to live with it until I decide to trade it in for a newer with the 5sp auto or just dish the autos all together and pick up a manual trans.

Thanks anyway.

sea_munky

Hi. I was wondering if anyone noticed a big difference between the new generation 5 speed automatic and the 4 speed automatic? Has anyone driven both or have information regarding how this affects performance and mileage?

I am debating between a great deal used 2007 and a new 2009. It's just the 5 speed automatic that attracts me to the new model.

Thank you!

billm6

My family has a 2007 with the 4 speed automatic. We love the car but it does seem to need another top gear. I often look down at the number 4 and wish it had 5. I have not driven the 5 speed auto so I cannot speak to the gear ratios.

sea_munky

Thanks for your reply billm6. None of the 2008 reviews seem to make a big deal out of the 5th tranny gear. They mention it but then mostly go over the cosmetic changes.

Any one driven both?

nissmazlover

Yes, I had a 2006 Mazda 5 Touring automatic, and then later upgraded to a 2008 Mazda 5 Grand Touring automatic. The transmission DOES make a difference. It feels smoother and it helps offer better fuel economy. You also notice a change in the revs. Whereas in my 2006 whenever I was travelling say @ 75mph the rpms would be at around 3500, now in my 2008 they're at about 3000.

netmender

Yes I've driven both. My friend bought an '07 with a 4spd and I bought an '08 with a 5. Definitely a difference. I drove his on some back roads in AL and liked the tranny, but I drive mine on the German Autobahn regularly at 100mph and the 5 spd is much better in that range. It get a little squirrely around 115. My max is 118 and probably won't do that again for long. I am not sure the US spec tranny can handle it.

netmender

So I am changing my oil the other day and checking out the undercarriage when I notice that there is an opening in the transmission. I can see gears. Hmmm. That doesn't seem cool. Can't find a cover anywhere, it doesn't look cracked. The opening actually looks machined to be there. Not missing any fluid, no performance issues or noises. Just a hole in the bottom of the case. Any one have a clue about this?

I live in Germany and Mazda won't honour my warranty over here, so I can't go to my local dealer. German dealers are silly expensive. Which, by the way is why I won't buy another Mazda. BMW, they'll honour it, Mercedes, Yep. Audi, VW, Toyota, Hyundai, Honda and GM all honour warranties on both sides of the pond. But not Mazda. It's a shame. I like my 5GT. Too bad they don't know what service means anymore.

athenasius

The reason the Mazda system says everything working to specs is that this is how they changed the transmission programming. In their hope to limit a potential law suit re fire when you leave a transmission in manual they changed the shifting parameters in the following ways. they lowered the shift up rpms from upshift from gear 2 to 3 therefor is they are in manual mode it will hopefully change up a gear sooner. the second is (and this it part that causes most of the damage to the transmission - but of course mazda can just say it is our fault) they changed the down shifting from gear 3 to gear 2. Their reasoning was the once the transmission was into 3 and if they were in manual mode that it would stay longer in 3rd gear. you can see this in two ways. one if you are in manual mode the gears now hesitate longer before up and down shifting (a side affect of the now added 'hold longer' in gear ) and if you are slowing down when in 3rd gear and then when it would be normal to down shift when you press the gas pedal it will hesitate and then slam into 2nd gear (this causes loads of damage to the transmission - which of course mazda will again say it is out fault) when the transmission figures okay time to change but of course by this time the revs are higher than the transmission is expecting.

In summary there is nothing you can to about it because mazda said that they were not concerned about support for the 5 with the 4 speed tranny because they would be a out of warranty by the time the damage gets to the point of repairs and second they already have you money and will just put up with it like we mostly have for the unacceptable suspension issue which will eventually resolve in that the driving will eventually just get to the point of less 'tight' feel and will finally get to the point that you will notice such things as the car will feel kind of out of control when you go over a bump going around a bend. this is caused by the angle of the wheels on the suspension will change when the weight of the car is taken off for a moment when it hits the bump and then will be at the wrong angle when it then recontacts the road. again mazda will just say it is your driving and just in your mind.

robotaz2

The gear you are seeing is not a transmission gear. Gears in the transmission have very finely machined teeth that are angled as you look at them from the side. I am assuming that you are looking in the bell housing at the flywheel, which has teeth all the way around the outside edge. The starter has a solenoid that pushes a gear against those flywheel teeth. As the starter turns, the flywheel, which is connected to the crankshaft, turns. This causes the engine to turn over. The computer provides gas, air, and spark, and the engine starts. Nothing is wrong with being able to see the flywheel.

m5indg

Hello. I just bought a 2009 5 with 5 speed MT. I noticed recently that there is an unusual vibration in the clutch pedal that can be noticed when engaging a gear. I first noticed it after driving in hot weather on the highway with the A/C on and so the engine was hot. It has done this a few more times when the car was hot. It is not the normal feel to the clutch when engaging gears, but a high frequency vibration that is only there when engaging a gear. I brought it to the dealer, and of course they did not notice it. Has anyone else noticed this same issue and would like to comment? Thanks.

rodalsa

We own a 2006 5. It has a 4 speed Auto/Manual trans. It has 57,000 miles on it.

This failure was the last event in a series of troubles that started with my observing that the crankcase oil level was at half mast. Here follows the best remembered sequence of events.

1. I noted that the dipstick reading was at 1/2 quart low.
3. I inadvertently over filled the crankcase by 1/2 quart of synthetic oil on a cold engine.
3. I drove the vehicle 250 feet (76 meters) to my shop where my maintenance tools reside.
4. I drained 1.75 quarts of oil from the vehicle spilling about a half cup.
5. I checked the oil level. It was below the dip stick.
6. I added 1.0 quart of oil back to the crankcase. This should have left the dipstick level at 1 quart low i.e. at the bottom of the hash marks on the dipstick. This was not the case. It was over filled.
7. I used a straw and a shop towel to blow air into the dipstick tube. I heard the air bubbling into the crankcase. The oil level was still in over fill by dipstick measurement.
8. I warmed the engine to operating temperature and shut it down. The oil level was still in overfill.
9. I repeated the bubble test with the straw. Nothing changed.

NOTE: There were no diagnostic / trouble lights on the dash. I said this was indeed weird. I placed the car into service with the understanding that the oil should be low but acceptable and that if anything was severely wrong the computer would let me know.

10. I drove the vehicle 6 miles when the engine light illuminated. One-half mile later I stopped, added a half quart of oil to the transmission. The engine light extinguished. This state of affairs persisted for the next ten or so miles at which time the vehicle was parked again at home.
11. I again checked the oil level. It was still in over fill.

At this point we packed the vehicle for a 850 mile round trip.

12. Three miles into this trip the engine light and the transmission light (AT) illuminated.

We immediately sought a rental for the trip. Failing that we drove the vehicle back home. While driving home ...

13. I noted that the transmission would work smoothly up to 3rd gear by not go into 4th. The manual mode did not work period.
14. The oil level was still in overfill when the vehicle was parked.
15. The transmission fluid level was way low (off the end of the dipstick)

We finished the trip to our daughters funeral in our 1995 Ford E-250.

My diagnosis ... "A blown gasket between the transaxle and the crankcase that emptied the transmission fluid into the crankcase."

My questions... "Does anyone here disagree with my diagnosis?"
"What-- if anything -- did I do to produce this failure?"
"Is it possible for such a failure to occur on this vehicle?"

As soon as I recover from the flu, I am going to do a full diagnostic on the vehicle via the computer port and Auto Enginuity software coupled with complete shop manuals for the vehicle. Till then ...

rodalsa

rodalsa

It took a while for me to get back.

My investigations into the causes of the problem I reported were not fruitful so I took it to my mechanic.

The results of that -- The transmission oil was low. He changed it and that was that. No more over fill in the crank case. No more transmission misbehavior. No more engine lights.

Strange but true.

Rod

muckbulligan

Clutch failure after 31K miles. Experienced the "hitch" others here have described from the moment I bought the car (new). It seemed to get worse over time.

I've read of others having the same problem with the manual transmission - early clutch failure, one with only 75 miles on the car.

This appears to be a design or installation flaw. Those who are experiencing the hitch now would be advised to have the problem corrected by the dealer, if possible.

carankyra

We just purchased an 09' Mazda5. For the past few days it makes a strange noise when put into gear, especially R. It doesn't have any problem going in (normal timing) and drives just fine. I am just concerned about the noise. It seems like a very loud shift, I guess. Has anyone else had this or noticed this? Any ideas what this could be?

pem59

Have other people had problems with premature clutch failure on the Mazda5 manual transmission?

Here are excerpts from two letters we sent to Mazda concerning the issue.

Original letter to Mr. Jim O'Sullivan - President and CEO - Mazda North American Operations

"We bought a 2009 Mazda 5 with a manual transmission new in October 2008. We were very disappointed when the clutch started slipping with only 18,000 miles on the odometer.
We have only owned manual transmission cars for over 28 years. During this time period we have owned 6 other cars from 4 manufacturers. We have always received good life from the clutch in our cars. Until now, The shortest time that a clutch has lasted was 90,000 miles with many lasting over 120,000 miles when we got rid of the car. Our driving habits have not changed during this time period and we have maintained the car.

Based on our experience and normal usage, we consider the life of the clutch on this car to be unacceptable."

From Follow up letter to Takashi Yamanouchi - Mazda - President and CEO

"Attached is a series of correspondence with Mazda USA concerning a problem with premature Clutch replacement with our 2009 Mazda5.

We feel that the response from the Mazda USA is narrow and inadequate. It did not answer the primary question that Mazda needs to deal with: Why did the Mazda clutch fail at 18,000 miles when, with the same drivers and driving style, clutches from other manufacturers have lasted over 90,000 miles?

Note that we did not ask about the details of the warranty; we can read that ourselves. We believe it was caused by a manufacturing problem, either in the Hiroshima factory or with a supplier. It seems as if Mazda USA is trying to avoid responsibility. Quality Control is something that Japanese automakers are known for; it seems that Mazda is losing its reputation, especially with us. Regardless of the particular response of Mazda USA in this case or the costs incurred in this case, this problem needs to be dealt with, or Mazda will suffer because of inadequate quality control or management, as has lead to the fall of some of your American competitors. "

pissedoffmike

So, I'm another victim of this problem and Mazda USA denies that there is a problem. At least that's what the first line Customer Service agent said.

I don't know about y'all, but I'm starting to think class-action lawsuit.

gagnonalex

I also had problems with the clutch on my Mazda 5. It burned after approx. 40,000km. That does not make any sense. Their cars are crap. I had the bushings replaced, the power steering, the brakes that were warped and now the clutch. Of course they don't want to pay since they claim it is my fault. Hey, I just replaced the clutch on my Toyota Tercel 1998 after 12 years and 140,000km!! Mazda make poor cars and they deserve to loose the market because of the way they treat their customers. I'll go back to Toyoto at the first occasion. This was my first mazda and it will be my last.

bobbart

I have a new 2012 with only 4700 miles and when I went to change the oil noticed that it is leaking transmission fluid. Not sure how long it has been doing it. But you can see where it has dripped and coated under the vehicle. got an appointment with the dealer on Tuesday. Not to thrilled, first Mazda I've ever bought and not real impressed so far.