Mazda3 Maintenance & Repair

chacobleu

It looks like the picture posted on the nhtsa web site for the Mazda 3 4-door Sedan side impact crash is really that of a Mazda 6? If it really is a Mazda 6, I’m suspicious about the figures as well (though, I checked the Mazda 6 side impact crash results and it doesn’t match, but close).

Hmmmm???

backy

Someone got the URLs mixed up--maybe mis-typed a 6 instead of a 3. Happens all the time on the Web.

chacobleu

Happens all the time??? Hey, when the consumers are relying on these figures for their purchases under concern for their safety and that of their loved ones, they better get it correct, with loads of checks & balances. If the numbers are wrong showing the vehicle in a more favorable light, then it’s a disservice to the consumer, though the mfg. is living in its glory. If the numbers are wrong, reflecting safety concerns, then the disservice is not only to the consumer but also to the mfg.

kyfdx

No one said the numbers were wrong.. Maybe it is just the picture? Happens all the time... I see an ad in the paper for a Cobalt, but the picture is a Corvette.. It doesn't make me assume that I can buy the Vette for $11,995....

backy

Maybe you could send a note to the NHTSA to inform them of this error.

jig

Hi,

I know this question it’s been around somewhere, but so far I couldn’t find the answer.
I have a small scuff/scratch in one of my rim (stock Mazda 3 aluminum wheel, NOT chrome) and I’m going to try to fix it myself thanks to the post of one Axela member:
(http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/wheel-repair/wheel-scuff-repair.htm).

Does somebody know the paint color code/description to touch-up the rim?
The BMW link actually uses a silver paint but this is, of course, only for the BMW (I think). I went to the Mazda dealer and also their body shop but they couldn’t tell me or find out this.

Thanks!

chacobleu

They're government at their best. Incompetence isn't an exception; it's standard protocol. Getting things correct is bucking the trend.

But you're correct (you probably don't work in government). I will send them a note.

backy

It's not just government. I saw a glaring error on a for-profit org's web site yesterday on a car review. Most reviews contain one or more factual errors. I think a lot of it is people forced to work at Web speed, with ever-increasing workloads and thinner staffs. Also too much dependence on computers, which can check spelling for you but not whether you have the right picture on the right page. Think about the "billiums and billiums" of links, pages, words on Web pages and you can see how a few errors can occur with imperfect humans driving the content. It doesn't keep me up at night.

bunk1968

Please help!
I saw your response to one of my posts about a used Mazda 3 price!
Did you get your 16700 price on a hatch and did you use the S-plan?
I want a Mazda 3 with MANUAL TRANS, MOONROOF PKG., AND ABS PKG.
I can get the S-plan if I would benefit from it.
How much should I expect to pay and HOW DO YOU SHOP AROUND WITH LOCATIONS NATION WIDE? Did you have any problems having a dealer near you agree to the price of a dealership out of state?? Oh, also, the last dealership I went to said they are having a $500 rebate until the end of the month, but this is not listed on Edmunds?? Is this a lie??
Thank you!!

dondilio

Hey guys, I currently own a 2003 Mazda6 V6 32k miles and have had a very nice experience with it so far. I have a friend who was in the car market looking for a compact, he was going for the Scion tc. I usually never recommend cars even though Im a car nut and know almost every spec from almost all the cars in the market, mainly because you can recommend a great car and that car could end up being a lemon. Anyway I went against my beliefs and told him that he should test drive the 3 be4 making any decision. He ended up buying the 3 as I knew he would after a test drive. That was about a week ago. A couple of days later he called me and told me that the car was having problems to start, that it usually takes up to 4 tries be4 it starts, plus the car has died down in a couple of stop lights. Since I recommended the car I feel kind of responsible so Im trying to help him. His car is a 2005 Mazda3 2.3, manual, 02/05 built day, do u guys know of any known issues like this, maybe a theres a recall or a TSB??? Any info is greatly appreciated.

z71bill

The TSB number is MT000004287 -
You can see some of the other TSB's at this site. http://web2.iadfw.net/theman/protegefaq/tsb/tsbmenu.html

ENGINE HARD START / LONG CRANK
Applicable Models
Model Starting S/N Ending S/N
2004 MAZDA3 00000000 ZZZZZZZZ

Some vehicles may experience hard starting and long crank times during acold start condition. This may be due to the fuel pump.

Check fuel hold pressure after turning engine OFF for 5 minutes or longer. (Specification is 36.2 psi or more.) If below specification, check fuel line for clogging. Replace fuel pump if needed. Refer to Workshop manual section 01-14 for further detail. *** Published in M-tips newsletter Jan/Feb 2004.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © Mazda North American Operations

dondilio

Sounds like it. I sure hope thats the cause and its a simple quick fix. Tks a lot for the info. :shades:

ivan_99

I just read the all the posts from Jan 2005…I’m no closer to understanding if there are any current issues.

I’m looking at a 2005 3s with sport package, sunroof package & leather.

From what I gather, there were some (or numerous) issues with early 2004 cars that may include:

Rotors wearing out too fast
Weak A/C
Steering noise (whistle)
Odd interior squeaks
Engine light
Front suspension noise
**Poor Mazda service**

The problem I have with some posts is that people do not indicate their model year. The impression I get is that most of these items have been resolved for 05.

Does anybody have these issues with a 2005?

leyzurela

Looking to get a mazda 3 automatic. Test drove it and noticed the Air Conditioning kept turning off and on (it was over 100 degrees outside). To me the air blowing through the vents was hotter than the air blowing in through the window (i rolled it down since the AC wasnt on for at leat 3 minutes) Dealer said it turns off autmatically when you speed up fast (but I wasnt racing the car I was driving normally). Also noticed lots of black residue caked on the exhaust pipe. I find it hard to believe a brand new car will turn off the AC like that. Does anyone know if the dealer is trying to sell a car thats probably a lemon?

chacobleu

This is the last thing I will say about this subject. Obviously, there is an error on the nhtsa web page. But that is my point: the error is ‘obvious’ because the Mazda 6 & 3 are different looking cars (though, with pictures, that may be difficult to distinguish, at times). What if the error was not made on posting the vehicle pics, but instead, the error was made on the data presented for the vehicle? No one would be the wiser.

BTW – Would this type of mistake warrant an internal recall by nhtsa? (Strictly a rhetorical question)

backy

My last word on the subject: perhaps the NHTSA has different quality control checks on the crash test data they post vs. other information. Maybe they are even checked by different people. In any event, the data was not faulty, the picture was. No harm done, and easily fixed, after you notify them of the error (if you haven't already). A few years ago I noticed that they listed a couple of cars in the wrong class. The data was correct, but the classification of the cars was not. I told them about it, they thanked me and promptly corrected the error. Life goes on.

z71bill

Was the Mazda3 you tested a 2004 or 2005 model?

Mazda will not fix this defect - so if I were you I would not buy this car - if you are set on a Mazda3 keep looking until you find one with a good AC.

mdaffron

Bill ...

Since we only have a very limited description of the "problem" (if there is indeed a problem at all), I think you're jumping wayyyyy to far ahead to your conclusion there.

Meade

z71bill

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck & sounds like a duck then maybe it's a duck!

If you find a KNOWN MAJOR DEFECT in a new car during the test drive - IMO it would be sound advise to NOT BUY THIS CAR. Even if Mazda stood behind their cars (which they don't) and would fix major defects (which they won't) I would still pass on buying a new car that already has a problem. Why buy a new car that will go from the show room to the service department?

Maybe you should go back and re-read the 10,000 or so messages I have posted about the DEFECTIVE AC SYSTEM in the MAZDA3!

I would still like to know if the AC defect is starting to show up in the 2005 models - I bet it will once the temperature turns hot. Sure some (maybe even many) 2005 owners will say that their AC is ICE cold - even if the temp is 110 degrees - but I also do not think Mazda has done anything to really solve this defect - so it will start to show up more as the summer turns hot. Time will tell.

leyzurela

the exact car I test drove was a 2005 mazda 3 automatic. I felt strange about the whole deal and thankfully said no. They offered a good deal though(which is what made me skeptical about the car). Thats pretty shady to tell a customer that the car is supposed to turn off the air conditioning though if you accelerate fast. He basically said that because the air conditioning takes power away from acceleration the car has a feature that automatically turns off the AC so that the power isnt taken away from acceleration. This would mean once your driving at a fixed rate the ac should turn back on, but the ac never went back on when I drove it (until i manually messed with the controls). Outside temperature that day was 100 and inside the car i'm sure it was hotter. Also the air blowing with the AC turned on was hotter than the air outside. What I am really trying to figure out is if a car has the function to turn off the AC when accelerating(which would be a stupid thing to do). The dealer seemed like a very nice person but from the previous posts about AC defects I'm pretty convinced he was lying to try and get a sale!!

leyzurela

Also, with the AC after i messed with the controls the AC got cooler for about a minute. after a minute the AC light was still lit but with my hand against the vent I could feel only extremely hot air flowing (it reminded me of what happens to a car low on freon). I then rolled down the window and put my other hand out (my husband was driving) and I could tell that something was strange. I didnt mess with the controls from that point and waited for the AC to come back on which it did not. My husband did accelerate using the m+ m- feature the automatics have so you can switch gears yourself and I notice the AC turn off at that point.

z71bill

The AC in the Mazda3 (as in many cars manufactured today) is designed to shut off the compressor when you push the gas pedal down hard.

The AC should come back on - after a few seconds - and start to blow cold air.

The main reason is - if the driver hits the gas real hard - there is a good chance they want the car to take off as fast as possible - like to get out of the way of a train. Would you rather have warm air coming out of the vent for 5 seconds or get hit by a train?

It sounds to me like the 2005 Mazda3 you tested has a defective AC system. The only thing I can say for sure - Mazda will not fix this problem - run away while you can before you get stuck with a car that has no AC.

leyzurela

I understand, I see that it would be good for getting out of the way of a train. That is if it kicks back up after a few seconds. Thanks for you information!!

mdaffron

My 2005 Mazda3s (build date of late February) has icy cold a/c that stays cold. And I'm 6-1 and 280 pounds, and my "big and tall" size means I'm a hard a/c customer to please. So far the hottest day I've been able to test it here in Richmond has been 92 with very high humidity -- I'd say that's hot enough. Of course, at first the a/c naysayers said the day had to be at least 80, but they keep raising the bar as their hopes that the '05s are defective are disproven.

Oh -- and leyzurela? Many, if not most, cars have that compressor stand-by feature. Not only is it designed for acceleration; it's also designed to save the compressor from high engine rpms.

Tell me one thing -- where was the recirculate switch while all this was going on? And at what settings were the other controls? Let's try to get to the root of this problem before simply passing the car off as a lemon, OK boys and girls?

Meade

mdaffron

The 2005 Mazda3 has tied the Ford Focus and Hyundai Accent for best small car in a recent survey of vehicle owners by a California automotive marketing and consulting firm.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/yhoo/story.asp?source=blq/yhoo&siteid=yhoo&dist=yhoo&guid=- - %7B00178C7C%2D598B%2D4102%2D90B8%2D355AA22B99F7%7D

I guess many owners think the a/c is fine!

Meade

z71bill

I have a hard time understanding your position sometimes - maybe this will help.

To me the DEFECTIVE AC system in my Mazda3 is just as obvious as having a flat tire. Now I don't claim to have any special powers - in fact I would bet most people can tell the difference between being hot and being cold.

So I have a flat tire - you claim that your car does not have a flat tire - so using your logic - my tires must be fine too. You could even add something like I weigh 500 pounds - so my tires really get a workout to add some credibility to your position. But it does not change the fact that my tire is flat.

kagedude

Just an update. Took my 3i today for its 5K mile oil change. Also had them take a look at the door rattle. Surprised to say the dealer actually fixed it. The notes said it was a loose regulator on the door. When I now close the door, there is no reverberating sound and I don't hear any rattles when going over bumps or rough roads.

ivan_99

Agree, 85 today (black leather) and it worked good for me (2005).

I had it on number 3 with the re-circ on, then turned down to 2 after about 15 minutes.

The car comes with no factory tint, so I think I’ll get a dark tint added.

Almost 50 miles on it...

z71bill

Glad to hear you are happy - that is the important thing - but - 15 minutes is a long time to cool off a car if the temp is only 85 degrees.

I could see taking this long if it was 100 degrees AND the car had been in the sun for a few hours. But when it is only 85 you should be turning the fan speed down (because the car should be cool) in 4-5 minutes.

Sounds to me like your AC system is weak (but still better than mine).

kagedude

The AC on my 3i is weak too. Its been hot here in NYC and just in the 70's and on first start up, it feels like a 5000 btu a/c trying to cool a 20x15 room. I have to put it on level 4 to feel the air. From my observations, it takes about 8 minutes to cool the car before I turn it down to 2. Level 1 is just too low. The temp gauge is also at its max. From there, its pretty okay.

Now compare that to my 1994 Mazda Protege DX, its original a/c (no refills yet) kicks in the moment you start it and only has to be put on fan level 2 for 1 minute before it gets "icy" cold. I then increase the temp control to the middle cold/hot or else I will freeze.

ivan_99

It was 15 minutes until it got too cold for level 3 so I went to level 2...this was with the recic on too...

I'm kinda tall 6'3" so my head is near the top of the car. The air that circulates at the top always cools my head down (brain freeze).

Have you tried one of those tints that are supposed to block all the sun rays...I keep thinking that this is one of the cars cooling "problems"

waygrabow

I can put the A/C on its coldest setting, drive for hours on a 70 degree day, and still not ever feel cold in my Mazda3. I just took the car in for service and an A/C check. They said that the A/C outlet temperature was 38 degrees; since the ambient temperature was in the low 40s that doesn't mean much to me. So, I'll have to take it back to the dealer on a warmer day. Otherwise, it is a great car.

ivan_99

wow...that sounds like a definite problem to me...model year?

Let us know what happens…and how the Mazda service is.

I must admit I wasn’t too impressed with the Mazda sales process. My salesman was really nice and competent, but the financing part…and waiting left much to be desired.

z71bill

Sounds like you are low on refrigerant - which is an easy fix.

If you read the fine print in the Mazda warranty - adding refrigerant is only covered under warranty for 1 year - unless it is part of another repair that is covered under warranty.

In other words - if you have a very slow leak so that over a 5 month period your refrigerant is low - but no leak can be found - then you pay for both the labor and refrigerant.

I thought this was strange when my sales rep pointed it out to me at closing - R-134-a is cheap - compared to R-12 anyway - so I though that sounded like kind of a nickel and dime the customer way of doing business. IMO refrigerant is like engine coolant - you should not have to add it every so often. These are closed systems. Not like engine oil - where some usage is normal.

But now that I see first hand how poorly designed the AC system is I can understand why they excluded this.

Try this - with the engine OFF open the hood and on the refrigerant line you will see a little blue cap with an "L" on it. This is the low side of the system. Slowly unscrew this cap - if you listen you will hear a small "PSSST" sound - that is refrigerant leaking. The cap on most AC systems is there to keep dirt out of the valve stem - not to keep refrigerant in the system.

cti

I live in Georgia (hot and humid) and I haven't had to put the AC above setting "1" yet after 3 months of ownership.

I will take a probe thermometer and measure the AC later today in my Mazda, my roommates Accord, and my previous car which I still own, a Kia Sephia. This way I won't be using vague terms like "cold" or "warm".

Jason

cti

Whee!! Replying to my own message. Just got back from testing my two cars.

Ambient temperature: 86F - Mostly sunny w/ a slight breeze

I tested the Kia first.

Interior temperature: 98F - This surprised me as it had been only 20 minutes since I had driven the car back from the grocery and I expected the car to be cooler.

Temperature after 10 minutes with the windows rolled down: 95F - Not much change but there wasn't much breeze.

AC temperature through top vents on coldest setting and fan speed "1": 46F - I've tested it at 42F last summer but maybe the ambient temperature was lower.

Mazda 3 hatch:
Interior temperature: 102F - Leather seats, no sunshade up (forgot), and the sunroof was completely closed because it rained yesterday. Usually it doesn't feel awful if I have the sunshade on the windshield and the sunroof cracked.

Temperature after 10 minutes w/ windows rolled down and sunroof open: 91F - Guess that shows the usefulness of a sunroof. The temp went down 6F in the first 2 minutes.

AC temperature through top vents on coldest setting and fan speed "1": 46F - The temp shot down to 41F before the compressor went off and ended up stabilizing around 46F.

Conclusion: I find nothing wrong with my AC.

Jason

z71bill

Why test at the lowest fan setting?

I did the same test last summer - I don't recall the exact temps I got but I do remember getting a large change in vent air temp when I went from fan speed 1 up to 4. Think it was 10 - 12 degree change. Compared to my 99 Silverado that only changed a few (3-4) degrees from fan speed 1 to 5.

This gives the the impression that the Mazda3 system does not have any extra capacity. Although every system will have an increase in air temp when you increase fan speed.

The best test of all - get in a hot car - crank the AC on high - how long until you feel cool.

guest

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jbollt

My son bought a Mazda3 Hatch (Platinum ? color) about 2 months ago. Due to comments we read here, we were very concerned about A/C performance, as we live in Southern Arizona. During the test drive, we noticed that the A/C would cycle more often than we thought other cars' A/C cycled, but it kept the car comfortable...the outside temps were in the 70's. My evaluation at the time, was that the A/C was adequate for the car, and my son agreeed...it was his only "negative" on a very long list of positives about the car. But he is warm blooded, and often drives with his windows down, when I am using A/C in my car. Ok by me! It's a personal thing.

I have been following this issue with interest, as the temps warm up, both in this forum, and by word of mouth from my son. Son tells me that yes, his new car cools as well as his traded-in dark blue 2001 Civic did. I was skeptical, due to posts I have read here, and the fact that we live in a very difficult place for car air conditioners.

Ah! An oportunity arises for a real test in my book....Yesterday, I had to meet my son mid-day, after his M3 had been sitting in the sun for 4 hours, the outdside temp was in the mid 90's. I left my 05 Highlander where his car was parked, and we spent 3 hours together, running errands in his car.

We drove a few minutes with the fan on high (fresh air intake), and the back windows open to exhaust the over-heated air inside the car, then closed the windows and switched to recirc. After 10 minutes of city driving, traffic lights at about 1-1.5 miles, speeds of 30-35mph, we were comfortable...altho the fan remained on High. Not bad, I thought, but my car would certainly be cooler.

Here's the interesting part. On returning to my parked Highlander, I expected the A/C to cool much faster.. My surprise...It also took 10 minutes before I felt comfortable in the car.

My point? The AC works, it may just barely have the capacity for the extreme temps in the desert, if one is over sensitive to heat. And short trips would make this a bigger issue...But it does work. Use of a windshield sun shield while parked in the sun would be a big help, as the large black dash is a hugh heat sink, and he plans to have his windows tinted at next pay check.

IMHO, overall, an extremely nice car for the bucks...way more than is expected in this category.

Sorry for long post

cti

Why test at the lowest fan setting?

Because I rarely use anything other than the lowest setting. I wanted to test the car's AC in the same manner that I actually use it.

The best test of all - get in a hot car - crank the AC on high - how long until you feel cool.

The way I tested is how I usually use the AC anyway. I always roll the windows down for a few minutes to let heat vent out, although I am driving the car and not letting it sit in the parking lot.

I have never turned the AC up to high unless there are people in the back seat. I feel cool in about 15 seconds after turning on the AC even in a 100F car. I direct the vents towards my hands and head and that gives quick relief.

Anyone else have any temperature tests of their car's AC?

The huge black dash really is a huge heat sink. Combined with leather seats it can be awful inside the car. Putting up a sunshade and cracking the sunroof makes a HUGE difference. The interior is cooler than my Kia, and they are parked next to each other. As long as direct sunlight stays off the leather seats, they are not hot.

One note about AC cycling. The engine in the Kia is loud so if it was doing any cycling I wouldn't hear it anyway. The very quiet Mazda engine made it possible to hear the AC going on and off. Having said that, I don't think the Kia AC ever went off as the temp never bounced around. Still, the temperatures of both cars' AC were identical anyway.

jbollt

"I always roll the windows down for a few minutes to let heat vent out, although I am driving the car and not letting it sit in the parking lot."

I'm not sure if this comment is directed to my post, but just for clarification, we also drive with the wndows open for a few minutes to vent out the extreme heat.

z71bill

I agree - the black dash really does make a difference - but - as usual I look at things a little different than most - IMO Mazda made the decision to sell the Mazda3 with black interior - so they should have spent the extra $3.50 on an AC system that really kicks butt. (Since my car has a black exterior that does not help either!)

I considered getting one of those dash covers - made out of carpet like material - I had one on an old beater PU I used to own because it had a large crack in the dash - but my wife doesn't like them much - plus any color (other than black) would look strange - Would a dash cover - even a black one - be less of a heat sink? - I know the smooth part of the dash gets much hotter than the "carbon fiber" part.

Maybe I should just keep a bag of ice on the dash.

CTI - the only time I use level one fan speed is at night (or real cloudy day) & if the temps are in the mid to low 60's. May be related to the black color.

When the temps are in the 60's I don't even turn the AC on in my other vehicles.

leyzurela

the car was not on recirculation. Reason being it was the middle of the day around 1pm at over 100 degrees outside (arizona). Here we are told to open the windows and dont use recirc until the in-car tempurature cools down some (at least I saw i on the news and was told this by my parents when I first began to drive in Arizona heat). We do this because if the car is sitting out in the sun all day with no tint or sunshade the inside of the car is more than 100 degrees (in fact sometimes its too hot to hold onto the steering wheel without getting pink marks on your palms which feel like burns). We had all windows down which gets rid of the trapped hot air and no recirc so the car isnt trying to cool the already hot air in the car (this takes longer if you leave the hot air trapped in the car). Other than that we had the ac on at full blast. I did talk to someone at the dealership about the issue we were having and he said that they would check out the vehicle.

ivan_99

I assume to be a true “problem and solution” board we, including myself, should offer a solution to the AC problem other than stating “mine is ok”.

Windshield sunscreen (just received mine from MazdaStuff.com)
Tinted windows

These solutions seem to only help with the speed of initial cooling, but from my impression people are having trouble with any cooling at all.

Since I do not have this problem, I do believe that others do. As with any automotive problem I would keep detailed records. I would thoroughly read the lemon law booklet for your appropriate state. After a few attempts at fixing the AC I would inform the dealership (politely) that I really enjoy the car but intend to pursue the lemon law avenue if my vehicle is not fixed.

I see the AC NOT working as making the car inoperable. I too like to leave the windows open; but depending on your situation: going for an interview, driving in a suite and tie, meeting clients, going out to diner would all necessitate the AC keeping you from smelling like you’ve just worked on the farm all day. It was low 90’s today, and with the flu, I would have passed out with out the AC.

I would not let the item drop. If it meant them pulling out an AC from a 2005, or taking a loss and buying my (theoretical) 2004 in-trade for a 2005. If it came to it, I’d even call the local news “problem solvers”; when push comes to shove…squeaky wheel.

Eventually you’ll need to sell the car, just like nobody wants a new car with no AC, nobody wants a used car with no AC.

mdaffron

That's exactly what I do, and that's the ONLY time it's not in recirculate with the a/c on -- when I'm first starting out with the windows open. After the hot air is exhausted and I've put the windows up, the recirculate switch gets turned on. You'll notice a much better fan response in recirculate too.

I'm just wondering (calm down Bill, this isn't aimed at anyone in particular) how many Mazda3 owners are first-time car owners or first-time Japanese car owners, who don't understand how to use these systems effectively or (worse) didn't read the easy instructions in the owner's manual. Hey, my own wife didn't understand the function of the recirculate switch on her Protege5 when she bought it three years ago, coming from a Cavalier with only "A/C and MAX A/C" positions on the dial. She just assumed it was a convenience feature and something to help you avoid skunk smells (hey, it DOES work for that!) and had no idea what HUGE effect is has on the efficiency of the air conditioning.

I think most of us will agree that a lot of "dumb" questions get asked on Edmunds from people who could've opened their owner's manuals to find the answer they're looking for. I've been hanging out at Edmunds since April 2000, and this is the start of the sixth summer I've been here. Let me tell you, this "My Air Conditioning Sucks!!!" thread occurs every stinkin' summer in a number of new car discussions, and it makes you wonder how many complaints are real (like yours, Bill) and how many are the result of owner ignorance.

Meade

anon70

Build date 10/04.

i'm barely comfortable when temp outside = upper 70's.

took it to 2 dealerships. both said before starting the check that if the temp out of the vents is 45 degrees or less, then it's within specs.

Both said it was 42 degrees at the vents and there's nothing they can do.

Both also said they checked the pressure, and it was fine.

i can just imagine what it's going to be like when it's 90 degrees outside

I called up MazdaUSA and complained. they said they'll relay the msg to some dept (forgot name- TSB dept??)

z71bill

I looked into the lemon law - but there are a few things that make it - to me anyway - not worth it.

Mazda - unlike this list of car companies - does not participate in the BBB lemon law program.
Acura
AM General
Audi
Buick
Cadillac
Chevrolet
Ford
GMC Truck
Oldsmobile
Pontiac
Honda
Hyundai
IMS
Infiniti *
Isuzu
Lincoln
Kia
Land Rover
Mercury
Nissan *
Saturn
Volkswagen
* excludes Hawaii

What this means is - if you try and get a lemon law buy back the first thing you need to do is go get a lawyer. (Although when I first started having problems the Mazda customer service rep told me to go see the states attorney general - in other words - screw you if you don't like it sue us - I still have the E-mail)

The BBB acts as an arbitrator - so you don't need an attorney - it is really just a frame work to get the manufacturer and unhappy car owner together - the BBB looks the situation over - even takes a test drive - and gives an opinion on the situation. Although not binding - if you don't get your way you can still get a lawyer - in many cases it gets the car company to either fix the issue - or buy back the car. Your cost for this program is ZERO.

The cost of a lawyer - even if you win will be THOUSANDS of dollars and it will take many MONTHS - if not YEARS to get resolved.

Even if you have a real issue - you could still lose at trial. The AC defect is tricky - cool air does come out of the vent - on a 80 degree day it actually cools the car. So after waiting 16 months for your day in court & paying a few thousand dollars in legal fees - the judge says - show me the car - and it is a rainy 68 degree day.

Finally - how much mental stress is it worth - should I spend the next year worrying about going to trial? Again - its just not worth it - IMO that is why Mazda is NOT part of the BBB program - they know that only a few people will take the situation this far - and it allows they to save a few $.

mdaffron

Oh well. One other thing you need to keep in mind (after my own Lemon Law experience 10 years ago) ... in many, if not most states, the problem that has not been corrected has to be one that "significantly impairs the use, market value, or safety of the motor vehicle" (to quote my own state's Lemon Law).

There's a lot of legal wiggle-room in that phrase. If Mazda's reps can prove that the air conditioning performs within specs, then there's no case. It then becomes a subjective case of what you think "cool enough" is.

BTW, any automotive air-conditioning guide will tell you that 42 degrees is quite normal -- in fact, good -- for a car air-conditioning system. So ... if your car is blowing that temperature, and there's nothing wrong with the fan, what's the problem?

Meade

kyfdx

I don't have an MZ3....

But, it seems to me that the problem is the cycling of the compressor.. 42 degrees would certainly be enough to cool any car, if it is constant...

Too many complaints for it to not be a real problem..

regards,
kyfdx

z71bill

WOW - I think we actually agree on something!

This proves that there is hope for peace between Isrial and Palistine!