Mazda6 Maintenance and Repair

jjdawson

With the rear seats folded down, I can easily hear the noticeable swishing of gasoline in the tank. Doesn't bother me.

jbah

04 M6s Man: almost 12K miles

I had my 6 now for almost a year. I have been having a clutch issue that only seems to happen in the morning or when the car is bone cold. I get a shrudder or a stagger, sometimes it feels like a slip. I was wondering if this was the problem that prompted your replacement.
I took my car to the dealer, not a great experience, for that and a piece of molding onn the roof that keeps popping up. They said I had a defective lever? I Don't think that they have the problem diagnosed right. IN any case, they said they had to order a new one and the molding. But, they have never called me back. I am about to write a really long letter to the dealer. Now I just got a recall letter for a fan motor replacement. So, at this point, I have to go to anther dealer I think and have everything done,,,but I am really curious about this transient clutch issue.

DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE CLUTCH SHUDDER/SLIP only when the care is cold? It's almost seems as if there is moisture on the clutch like condensation or something. I think it is worse when its humid out.

jbah

I had this problem once when I first got the car,,,I gave it the ol' fonze tap *technical tap:" and it never did it again. I chaulked it up to there being too much grease in the socket.

kaski

I, too, occasionally experience a disconcerting clutch shudder/slip on my '04 Mazda 6i (~10K miles, 8 mos. old). It seems to be worst on cold or damp mornings. (In fact, it shuddered strongly when I first started out this morning, in the wake of Ivan's storms). The problem is less noticeable once the car is warm.

I occasionally sense a slight jerkiness during normal driving as well. Sometimes, when I hold the accelerator steady, the car doesn't feel smooth. It's almost as if the clutch is slipping and catching. (Or, perhaps it's the variable valve timing?) Other times, it seems to run fine.

I've never had a clutch problem with any of my previous cars. I put 220K miles on my Altima's original clutch without a problem. Before that, I had a 626 with 188K miles on its clutch.

I'll see how my dealer responds. I'm also interested to hear if anyone resolved (or experienced) this problem.

ian2

I got lazy and neglected to wash my car for a couple of months (I hasn't rained in San Diego for like half a year). After washing and waxing the car, I found a large number of circular spots etched into the paint. What can do to get them out?

jbah

Thanks for your response Kaski. I hope that other clutch shudder people respond to this thread. It seems from searching other threads about it, that some have had to have all compenants replaced. I hope this isn't the case. Regardless, whatever mazda has to do to fix it, should be done. I would like to know how many 5speed people have had this problem.

It does really seem to be worse when it's humid. If it's just a matter of moisture building up on the clutch, they should be able to seal it better.

By the way, how is your shift lever? Mine was really stiff when I first got the car about a year ago and has since seemed to loosen somewhat. Sometimes, when on a hill or something, I have a little trouble getting into reverse. Have you ever had this problem?

troyben

I too have had the clutch shudder on my 6i recently, about 13.5K miles. I thought it was my shifting. Going to mention it next time at the dealer, but I can see this a problem for the dealer to identify since it only happens once in a while in the mornings.

grahamb

meguiars scratch x will get out the etchings.

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mes58

I have the clutch problem as well. My car is an '03 with 20K miles. I started experiencing the problem at about 12K. I have taken it to the dealership on three different occasions now but as luck would have it, it would not act up on any of those occasions and so dealer can't do anything for me at this time. The latest time, the dealer had me leave the car overnight so we could drive it first thing in the morning but still nothing! The day after I brought it home, it was shuddering again. Very frustrating to say the least .

buck40

Ditto the "cold clutch shutter" in an '03 6s with about 12800 miles. Only happens 1st thing in the morning, and just became noticable in the past month.

lmielniczuk

I just had both front brake rotors replaced on my 2003 mazda6. I've had the car for a little over a year. It seems like this is way too soon for this to happen(the rotors were "warped")I just heard that this may be an ongoing problem with the mazda6's. Has anyone else had this problem?

jbah

Thanks for the responses on the clutch shudder issue! The last thing one needs is to feel crazy...i knew it wasn't me! I would love to know how many of the manuals are doing this.

Anyways, bringing in my car for the recall on the fan control module on friday and Im going to get the clutch shudder thing put on the invoice as a complaint so that its doucumented. It hasnt been nearly as bad now that the weather changed. I am convinced that hot humid weather is the factor that brings on the shudder. We'll have to see if they replace our clutches at some point. The only other thing wrong is the roof molding that they are replacing (wont stay put). I still love the hell out of this car despite the shudder. I just give a little more finesse and increase gas when it feels like doing the clutch shudder boog-a-loo.

But for the record, I have really no other complaints after these first 12,000 very satisfying miles (today actually), except for dealer BS that we can all do without. The dealer actually tried to charge me for the day on the rental the day they looked at the car! One call to the 1800 # had that fixed without much effort. I simply played dumb and asked if I was supposed to be charged. The Mazda rep politely asked me to hold and came back to say it would be covered and the dealer was notified. I think they tried to scam me on that. But Im in NYC so what do you expect?<<<FUGETABOUTIT. I'm not going to forget that.

In sum, after 12K miles in NYC my M6s with all the goodies is holding up pretty well besides the clutch shudder, defective roof molding, and unethical dealer manners. Oh, I can complain about the lack of lower end touque, but you know what? It saves gas. (18/25). Oh, and I dont have '03 issues thank god,,,ie rust,,cpu bugs,,,etc.

Cheers and happy driving,

cheesehead6

Don't know how widespread it is, but it sometimes happens when people go through the carwash after having driven a considerable distance. The brakes get hot and contact with the water warps the rotors. Not saying this is why your rotors warped--maybe it's one of the '03 problems--but this is a frequent cause these days on many brands of cars. Can't remember where I read this, but I'm now careful not to wash my car after my 45 minute commute home.

grahamb

what NYC dealer do you use?
thanks!

jul

anyone having a problem with the wipers on the mazda 6 wagon? I just bought an 04 model and it's been to the dealer 3x, this last time getting the regional rep involved. the dealer's been great, saying "off the record" that we have a problem, but they were told by Mazda that it is "normal" function. The wipers are violent when operating after 10 minutes or so, and skip and jump all over the windshield. So far I seem to be the only one complaining about this problem. I can't believe I am the only one! Anyone else have this problem????

ericzoom

I had the same problem when i got my 6 sedan.It was driving me nuts also.I simply bought new refills for the blades and that took care of it.Even the cheapest refills work better then the OE ones. Don't bother going to the dealer again. I went there first and they supposeibly changed the blades.

jul

yeah, the first "fix" they did was put new blades on the wipers, but the problem persisted. They've cleaned the glass w/Bon Ami, even went so far as to switch out the entire wiper arm/blade/motor with another car, and still had the same problem. Our thought now is maybe this has something to do with the windshield glass...

murray53

Like you I am sick and tired of NYC area car dealers. It seems that they think that having a NYS dealer's license gives them the right to steal your money any way they can. I wish that the NYS Attorney General's office would crack down on them. I put off trading in my old car for years because I hated the thought of having to deal with these crooks. Don't think that this phenomenon is limited to Mazda. I have had bad experiences with Honda, Toyota, and Dodge dealers too.

tccmn1

I was told on the MPV thread that there was talk of rust on the Mazda 6 thread? Does anyone recall this issue and where the rust was coming thru already?
I have an 03 MPV and have rust bubbling thru the bottom inner seam of the passenger door. Took it to the dealer and the regional rep is suppose to contact me "soon". I think this is pretty sad that a car that is 1.5 years old is already rusting like this! I had a DC minivan and they replaced my doors due to a similar situation after FIVE YEARS!

troyben

I was having the same problem a year ago when I bought my 6 sedan. I heavily sprayed the wiper blades themselves with window cleaner & thoroughly cleaned the windshield itself with window cleaner. Problem went away. Over a year later, still have the original blades. Hope this helps.

sepang6

I purchased my Mazda6 S in July 2004; I'm having a problem with the brakes squealing. Is anyone else having this problem. It's been back to the dealer twice; but noise returns within days? Appreciate any comments.

replay

there is a TSB related to what is referred to a brake moan.

Is it happening at low parking lot speeds? If so the tsb is for you. My brake pads and rotors were replaced under this TSB and the noise seems to have been fixed for now. If you go to other Mazda 6 forums you should be able to find a link to the tsb.

jul

Going out to buy replacement wipers to see if this solves the problem....Dealer already thoroughly cleaned blades, glass. Also, dealer replaced wipers on last visit. Still problem occurs. Someone else here suggested replacing them w/non-mazda blades..hopefully this will solve the problem and it's not something more involved. Dealer being great...still researching defect.
Thanks for all the advice!

ericzoom

That's what i did on my 6.I think they were Trico refills,and it solved my wiper problem.

sweetsixteen

Today I had a litte "run in" with my rear bumper. The damage isnt horrible, but bad enough to make me consider purchasing a new bumper. Say if I could install it myself, how much would a bumper run?

mjvchicago

My 6 has just started doing this too. In parking lots when pulling into a spot and the wheels are turned, there's a bit of a squal/groan. Do you know what TSB number it is? Maybe it's on your work order.

mz6greyghost

I saw this mentioned on an earlier post that someone modified the taillights on their 6 so that BOTH sets of taillights activate when the brakes are applied, as compared to just the outer sets.

How do I make this modification? Is is an easy mod?

Thanks

kijjo

I have been having a problem with my 2003 6s. The air conditioning air intake outside the windshield is sucking in leaves, small sticks and other debris. This is clogging the drain for the a/c and water is swishing around inside the dash and leaking into the cabin on the passenger side and sometimes the driver side. The radio was shorting out and my carpets were getting ruined. My dealer had to take out the whole dashboard to fix this and the cost was over $500. (not covered under warranty). Now one month later it is happening all over again. Anyone else have a similar problem??? I am writing a letter to mazda and would like to know if this is a widespread problem. Thank you!!
P.S. Other than this , I love my car!

grahamb

how is that not covered under warranty?!?!?!

replay

04-004/04.

The tsb applies to Mazda 6's built pre October 2003. the dealer gave me new rotors and pads and that has fixed the problem for now.

kijjo

They said it was not covered by warranty because it was not due to mechanical failure- it was due to outside influences and that cleaning out the air conditioning ducts is not a covered repair under Mazda's warranty. That is why I am writing a letter to Mazda. I am requesting a refund for the work done. I called customer service at Mazda and they said to write a cover letter and fax them a copy of the repair bill and they would review it. The guy I spoke with said there is no guarantee they would give a refund, but they would look at it and take it into consideration. If there is anyone else with the same problem, it would help my complaint. I am wondering if there is a design flaw. I do not have a garage and I am not willing to cover the car every time it is not in use. I did not buy an "indoor car". I should be able to leave the car outside and not have to worry about things washing into the a/c unit.

duffer

I have an '04 Mazda 6s and the damn panic button goes of occasionaly when I hit the Trunk Release. I swear I don't hit the Panic Button. Anyway, is it possible to have the damn Panic Button disabled by reprograming? Or is there an aftermarket Key Fob for the Mazda that doesn't have a Panic Button on it?

jul

just wanted to keep you updated on the wiper issue I have with the 04 wagon. The dealer is still "investigating the problem", but in the meantime, I took the advice of someone here, and changed the mazda brand blades with over the counter ones, and it has improved immensely! The wipers still "shutter" across the glass, but it has improved it about 95%, and I wish to thank this board for the advice! Too bad Mazda was no help!

mazdajk

I did it to my Mazda6.
My wife kept yelling at me," I have not even made a payment on that car yet,What the Hell are you doing to it?
The mod is easy and looks great.
You have to splice into the brakelight wire in the body of the car.I think its green+yellow.
Run the wire up and into the trunk lid thru the plastic wire protector on the left side of the car.This was the hardest part.If you can't get it up thru the protector,just run the wire along the outside of it and anchor it with wire ties.You'll have to remove the trunk lid liner.
The taillight in the trunk lid is only utilizing one filament, but has two. Anchor the wire into the open slot on the bulb bracket.Make sure you jam it in there real tight.Test your brakes.If done right both taillights will light.Splice into your wire and run another wire over to the right side and anchor in the open slot. Secure all wires real good.
Good luck if you try it! Took me about an hour and a half.Really lights up the back end when the brakes are on. Other Mazada6'ers take a second look.Hey! How come mine don't do that?
ZOOM ZOOM I love this car!

mz6greyghost

Thanks for the info.

I've got the sport package, so I believe that I've already got the brake light wire located in the trunk (the spoiler has the LED brakelight). So I might be able to save a few steps.

BTW, the plastic rivets that hold the liner to the trunklid, they seem to break easily. Can I buy them at an auto parts store? Any suggestions as to how NOT to break them when I remove them?

I'm sure I'll be hearing the same thing from my wife as well... LOL

mazdajk

The plastic rivots have a center pin that pulls out releasing the tension on the rivot.I used two pointy steak knives to pull the center out.Finger nails worked for awhile.If you did break a few rivots, I have seen similar ones at auto parts stores. Are you a Yankees fan? Game 7 should be good tonight!GO Boston !!!HA. No I'm not a Boston fan either. Being from Milwaukee I was raised to hate the Yankees. Go Brewers??? Yeah right.

mz6greyghost

Off topic for a second... I'm a HUGE BoSox fan, a definite minority in upstate NY! Game was GREAT! Everyone's grumbling this morning but me!

OK, back on topic: What type of wire should I use for the mod? Is there a specific gauge I should use? Can I find it at auto parts stores?

Thanks for the rivot tip, I still need to buy a few from replacing a faulty back-up light two weeks ago. HATE THOSE STUPID RIVOTS...

725gus

Boy I thought I had it rough when I bought my VW Passat and had it in the shop the first month that I owned it.

My wife just took delivery of an '04 Mazda 6 sedan one week ago. Not even 300 miles on it and we get the airbag light on the cluster with a toxic smell of pvc melting in the dash somewhere. On the way to the dealer the seatbelt light comes on and stays on. (all of us were belted in properly)The car is still there after 2 days and now the rental car given to us (an '04 Mazda 6 wagon) just had the seatbelt light come on and stay on. No toxic fumes but I'm seeing a pattern here.

Anyone heard of this problem and if so what was your outcome? I'm having second thoughts about this thing.

1eagle

someone please help me! I'm sooo sick of the head liner rattles! I cannot stand it anymore. I had one fixed already that was combing from one of the screws in the moonroof; another from the rear window and more keep coming. It got to the point where I cannot tell where they are coming from. I had to fight with the dealership and actually called in a Mazda rep that came to the dealer. Any suggestions? I don't want to give my 6 - I love the power, handling, sound system etc - It is the most fun-car i ever had. Can someone help!!!

escortowner

well - not sure about the Mazda6, but I had a ford Probe and it was $650 for just the bumper - and that wasn't painted or anything. hope this helps.

alexc3

I have a similar problem, replaced both rotors as they were warped after about 8 months on my new '04 Mazda 6. The bad news is that after driving for about 3 months with the replacements, i think i have the same problem all over again, and it's not as if i drive like a maniac. Its very frustrating, thinking of asking if I can get better quality rotors elsewhere, but make them replace for free if yor car is under warranty - i did. I think its the quality of the rotors.

sepang6

I posted a message about one month ago, in regards to the brake moan on my new '04 Mazda 6S'. Do you have the brake moan, usually when pulling into a parking space or at low speed when approaching a traffic light?

bluem6i

We had the brake moan on slow speed turns, such as pulling into a parking space. Our dealer replaced the pads, turned the rotors, and installed a new "clip" kit. This was done about 5K miles ago and, so far, it has fixed the problem for us.

likaglov

What sort of range do you get out of your MZ6 key fob? I've tried them both, and they only seem to work from about 10 feet (04-6sAT). This is pretty frustrating considering the fob for our MPV works to about 30 feet.

escortowner

you know....I sure am glad to see the messages that are being posted are for things like the the remote sensor not working farther than 10 feet away etc.

I would hate to think I was about to buy a car with actual problems. nothing bad, just makes me feel at ease that most of the problems are preference related, rather than function related.

rlg

Mine works from well over 10' away (more like 40-50'). It might depend on the battery or interference from other signals.

baggs32

The remotes for our Escape are the same way. Someone on an Escape forum suggested pushing the remote into the bottom of your chin and pressing the buttons.

I tried it and for some reason it works! I don't know if your body turns into a giant amplifier or what but I've done it from inside houses when pointing the remote at the vehicle didn't work. YMMV.

FWIW I have not had a problem with the range of my Mazda6 remote. It seems to work OK from 20-30 ft with no problem.

mjvchicago

Okay, I have about 27,000 on my 2003 6 and am starting to hear a clicking noise. Mostly only when just starting up in the morning and only upon acceleration. The ticking isn't modulating or regular... not like the ticking that you might hear coming from the engine during normal operation. It's very irregular. This is more like the ticking of a cat converter when you shut the car down, but coming from the engine. The ticking seems to go away when the car is warmed up. Anyone have any thoughts on it?

rlg

Could just be the exhaust or something else warming up. Is it more noticable when its cold? I wouldn't sweat it.