Mazda3 Maintenance & Repair

lavaorange3

I was wondering how much the EBFD takes the load off the front and puts it on the back... Though I have the EBFD, and it indeed prevents nose dive, it sounds like all the models, with and without, are seeing the rear dust "problem..." Mentioned it to my service people today when I did first oil change, and they shrugged. I said cool, keep an eye out for the service bulletin, cause it's coming' soon... Also found this link:

http://www.finishlineperformance.com/mazda3/docs/index.html

Don't know how up to date they plan to be, but it has potential...since most dealers seem to want to keep the service bulletins a secret...

barlo

barlo

Thanks lavaorange3 for the service bulletin web site. I am looking to buy in the fall. I also use AllData web site to look up all recalls and sbs but this is a lot quicker. Thanks again

Barlo

roger341

Thanks for the link, that's where I bought my Mz3! Like most dealers, they claim the brake dust and rotor grooves are normal.

I wrote to Mazda (see post 130) which was a waste of time.

I guess the only thing to do, short of paying for aftermarket pads and rotors, is to wait till there's a TSB on this. I see the Mz6 owners report the same problem.

mbennett674

If the EBFD is preventing nose dive, then it makes sense that it's working like crazy to apply brakes to the rear wheels to counter the natural momentum of the car. Maybe the rotors/pads needed to be bigger or it really is working as designed. Is anyone noticing any perfomance impact - or are you all just concerned about the longevity of your pads?

lavaorange3

It's not so much the longevity of (modern) pads. More the idea that the backs are working harder than normal. Is EVERYBODY having rear dust, regardless of EBFD?

z71bill

Although keeping the rear wheels clean is a pain - I don't see this amount of brake dust as a real problem. The first 500 or so miles the rear brakes made the scrapping noise and generated a lot of dust. But now - at just over 1,000 miles - the brakes are quiet (except for the first stop in the morning). I also think the amount of dust is less. The rear does still generate more dust than the front - maybe 2 X as much - before it was more like 5 X more.

We will be able to tell for sure if this is a problem or not - if many of these cars need new pads before 10-15K miles that is a big problem - I lived with this on my last Toyota car - it ate brake pads both front and rear every 10-15K. Toyota claimed it was normal.

IMO anything much less than 25K between brake pad replacement is a problem - once you go over 30K it is normal maintenance. But most of my miles are city stop and go driving.

wilecoyote

But thankfully, No Problems and I'm one of those Drive off the lot with a New Car having First day problems - which believe me, were always a sign of BIG things to come. Yes, the Oldsmobile, Dodge and Lincoln service departments all knew me on sight by name as I was there so often.

This forum is great, and I'll keep an eye on any problems or solutions, such as with the brakes and report back.

bluong1

Is EVERYBODY having rear dust, regardless of EBFD?

This is an interesting question. I keep asking to those who observes more dust in the back if they have ABS. All answer I get is "I have ABS". So I conclude the EBD is the cause.

If someone do not have ABS and see more dust in the back, please step up and let us know. Thanks.

z71bill

Just a theory -

Maybe there is a difference between the front and rear brake pads. The front pads could be higher quality - since in most cases the front brakes do more work Mazda could have used a material that does not wear out as fast. Then they decided to save a dollar (yen)and use cheaper pads on the rear.

They already did this to some extent by using vented discs up front / but not on the rear. It is not that much of a stretch to think they did the same thing with the pads.

All I know is my brakes work great - stopping the car quickly and straight -with minimal noise dive.

roger341

I think it's the rear brakes that do most of the work. I realize logic would say it's the front that do the work, but every time I check the brake rotors after getting home, the rear ones are very hot to the touch while the fronts are just warm. And most of the brake dust is on the rear wheels.

Yeah I have ABS.

waiting4thebus

Your Theory sounds correct (but what do I know = ). I took my Mazda3 HB (3000km) into the shop last week to get the airbag sensor and rear breaks looked at. To summarize my visit, the airbag sensor was malfunctioning and my dealer is already aware of this and has ordered the part.

As for the rear brakes, they did a full inspection and said they were wearing normal. I spoke to the service manager and he did say that the rear brake pads were probably softer. Also there is less venting in the rear wheel so dust seems to accumulate a lot faster with no place to go.

It does seem that a lot of brake force is placed on the rear wheels when stopping. After coming to a complete stop I place the shifter into Neutral, then take my foot off the brake. I notice that the back end of the HB will raise up ever so slightly. This makes me believe that a lot more emphasis is placed on the rear brakes for stopping, but if this is normal for cars with rear disk brakes please let me know.

In any case I planned to replace the all the rotors and pads with after market parts this summer. But in the meantime I will have to make due with a garden hose and acid-free tire/wheel cleaner.

Still love the car!

z71bill

The rear disc is not vented - front is - the venting is designed to help keep the rotor cooler.

If someone wants to test which brakes do most of the work - just find a nice slippery road and slam on the brakes - does the front ABS kick in before the rear ABS? If they do I think we can say the fronts do more of the stopping. Anyone had the ABS kick in yet?

bluong1

Observing wheel locking during panic stop is not an accurate method to gauge the brake force.

1) Assuming both front and back are subjected to the same brake force, due to the weight transfer, the front tire would be less likely to lock than the rear.

2) EBD distributes the brake force depending on many conditions. For example, if the car is loaded with extra weight then EBD will put more force on the back. If the EBD closed-loop algorithm is well designed, then both front and rear wheels should be reach the locking limit substantially at the same time during the panic stop. Panic and non panic would have different front/back distribution.

http://world.honda.com/news/1997/c970919d.html

z71bill

You are probably right - but I would still bet that the front wheels lock up (kick on the ABS) before the rear -

Anyone drive on any ice lately?

maximum_zoom

Mazda is being so slack about updating their website to include accessories for Mazda3. Dealers began selling the car since mid November, but accessories for Mazda3 is missing from the Mazda USA website. I tried to send them an e-mail about it, but "e-mai us" function in their website also doesn't work.

maximum_zoom

Mazda is being so slack about updating their website to include accessories for Mazda3. Dealers began selling the car since mid November, but accessories for Mazda3 is missing from the Mazda USA website. I tried to send them an e-mail about it, but "e-mai us" function in their website also doesn't work.

everfeb

If your airbag w/seatbelt warning light (on the instrument cluster) has come on...and if you've taken it to a dealer for diagnosis...could you post what the problem was???

   THANKS very much!!!

 everfeb

audia8q

It has only been the past couple weeks that we have been able to order accessories on the MZ3 from the factory. Mazda accessories are always a few months behind on a new intro car.

x_typer_pilot

Airbag sensor...Still waiting for the part to come in

mazda6s

Ya, the Mazda6 5-doors are about to hit the ground (if they haven't already) and there's no Build or Inventory info there on those either. I guess that's what happens when you "offshore" your web site work.

wongpres

The Mazda3 accessory brochure for MazdaUSA is available:

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/pdf/brochures/2004_mazda3_brochur- e_acc.pdf

misterm

I just purchased a Mazda 3S 4 door last week. It has the Sports package (17 inch wheels) and ABS.

When braking I often feel a heavy vibration and a roughness almost like you get when your brake pads are completely worn down and the calipers are starting to scrape against the rotors. I can actually feel the roughness of the road under the car through the brake pedal. I also feel that the brakes aren't very powerful.

Is this normal? I've owned other new cars (Toyota and Honda) and never experienced anything remotely like this.

Has anyone else been experiencing these symptoms?

brendan

Give the brakes a good 1-2K break-in before you begin to worry.

As for the dust, I DO NOT have ABS and I still get a lot of rear dust break. But this is not necessarily anything to worry about- all depends how the air is vented- maybe the front brakes have better venting and the dust goes away from the rims vs. the backs that will shed it's brake dust around the rims area.

I have just over 10K now and I still have over half my front & rear pads left!!

dioworld

today when i shutdown the engine and pull the key out, i notice the security indicator light keep flashing non stop. Does anyone know if this is normal or how to turn that thing off? thanks

bodble2

Hmm...I was just asking about the security system on one of the other threads. Sounds like there is some sort of passive arming feature. The dealer should be able to program that feature off. But why would you want the indicator light to not flash? Isn't that supposed to warn intruders that the car is armed?

lavaorange3

It indicates the ignition cut-off is working. Not sure if it'll scare off a bad guy, but if you shut it off, you'll never find out...

dioworld

so it's normal for it to flash? cuz when i bought the car , first few days that light never flashes, i just wonder why all the sudden it flashes, that's what i concern, if that's normal , that's good. thanks

lavaorange3

Yes, it's normal for it to flash once you've turned off the engine.

gandrigo

Anyone else experiencing slight hesitation when accelerating hard? It doesn't seem to happen all the time, but has occured on several different tanks of gas. I'm wondering if this could be part of the fuel pump issue. M3 Sport GT manual

wongpres

I have a couple of questions about the 16-inch rims you purchased. Do you know if they're from the base Mazda6, and most importantly, do you have their part number? The reason I ask is that my dealership is not sure about the fitment and therefore not sure about pricing (they said probably around $120cdn per rim). Ideally, I'd like to get it along with the car, but it sounds like a lot more than you (you got it for $45cdn each right?).

Thanks.

roger341

Well after 500 miles the scraping noises when putting on the brakes seem to have finally stopped.

But there is still lots of brake dust. At least there are no grooves yet on the rotors.

We don't have a problem with road salt in this part of Virginia and the temps are not that bad. It will be interesting to see how the rotors are after 1,000 miles.

I definitely think this is a problem that Mazda will have to address, sooner or later. My 01 Pro never had any problems with the brakes, front or rear.

misterm

I've been having problems with the brakes on the new M 3S that I just bought (see my posting above).

I went to the dealer today. It turns out that there is a defect with these brakes and Mazda IS aware of it.

Here is what is going on....

Whoever manufactured the rotors for Mazda stamped a part number on them that is raised. This part number rubs against the pads and causes the loud scraping noise, vibration felt through the brake pedal, and excessive wear on the brake pads.

If you are experiencing these problems and your dealer isn't helpful contact Mazda directly or tell your dealer that this is a known "issue" and that you want them to contact Mazda.

My dealer has ordered replacement rotors and pads for me that do not have the stamped part code on them. If I where you I would demand the same especially considering how expensive replacing the rotors will be down the road if no longer covered under warranty

waiting4thebus

Pretty quick turn around to get the Airbag sensor light. Well the issue was diagnosed last week and had the part replaced this week. They said a couple other Mazda 3's came in already so they pre-ordered some extra parts. The light no longer lights up, my airbag will deploy and all is well again!

z71bill

I don't see anything stamped on my rotor at least not the part I can see - is it stamped on the inside?

Do you know what the TSB number is?

wilecoyote

Hi
Anyone know the specifics for Waxing, etc. the Mazda 3? Should I polish it before hand Waxing?
I purchased a bunch of meguiar's new Next Gen tech wax and various other cleaning essentials. Are the "Wheel" and "Tire" cleaning solutions necessary or will they harm the wheels? Are they better to clean with? Any advice is appreciated.

mason12

Everfeb, I was told that the problem was the metal socket that the sensor plugs into - it is about 2mm too short, and thus the contact was shorting out after getting wet. The fix is to replace this metal socket with one the correct size.

gandrigo

Sorry all for interrupting the thread.
Wongpres, the rims I bought were generic from the local Bridgestone/Firestone dealer. when i bought my car in late Dec, the various dealers I checked were unable to get rims or unsure of the correct sizes. I think someone else on this board did manage to get dealer installed steel rims. sorry

gandrigo

Does anyone know if there is a TSB number for the airbag issue, as well as a new part number for the replacement module or sensor. My light came on on Friday, but my dealer seems unaware of the issue. Also, does the sensor affect the seatbelt pre-tensioner? I'm not overly worried about no airbags, but the seatbelt thing is vital.

everfeb

...can you tell us what part(s) were replaced regarding air bag sensor light? Thanks!!

everfeb

everfeb

Same here...my dealer also unaware of issue. Unbelievable. Airbag sensor problem seems to be happening to lots of us. You'd think Mazda Canada would give their dealers a heads up on what to watch out for when there is a specific problem with the cars they manufacture. I mean come on...lots of us are now driving around apparently without airbag protection and my dealer knows nothing about this little problem.
everfeb

edgarem

Apparently not all dealers are equal! When we picked up car yesterday here in Niagara, dealer cautioned us to watch for problem since not happening to all of their vehicles - bring it in promptly - will shuttle us or give us a loaner. Really could not fault them. Agree maybe Mazda Canada might put out a TSB heads up.

mason12

Everfeb, sorry, I do not know what the actual part is.

Gandrigo - Don't think or know whether there is a TSB for it, my dealer was aware of the problem and ordered the correct part. One week later, problem solved.

- Bill

mason12

Are there any other dealers nearby that you can call? It sounds like your dealer in MB doesn't know his rear end from a hole in the ground. Just thinking, you could call the one in SS Marie, or even Sudbury, and ask them for the name of the part and the TSB, then provide your dealer with this, since they seem unwilling to do their own homework.

zoomzoom

Got the airbag fixed...everything seemed to be fine. Then, whilst I was driving, the car completely turned itself off!! Full tank of gas, car in drive, ignition key on...no warning...turned off in the middle of an intersection. Wow. Brand new car, non stop probs. Lucky for me I was on a residential road and not the highway. Scary. Has anyone else got this problem? I can't drive my car now until I know whats going on with the power system. Once again, back to the shop.

waiting4thebus

As per the Airbag light sensor issue (Straight from my bill of work:

Replace air bag crash sensor
- FP Number: BP4K-57-K1X
- Description: Sensor, Air

Can't believe that dealers don't know about this issue as it seems that my dealer was well aware. In fact when i was waiting at the dealership i ever heard some one call in about the CEL issue. LOL

Luckily my dealer service dept. has a lot of traffic go through its doors because of its location.

Hope this helps!

bodble2

Wow! Shades of Tribute/Escape's early years! This is one reason why Ford/Mazda has never given me complete confidence of reliability with their products.

mazda6s

I'm sure this has NEVER happened to a Honda or Toyota!

bcn

Anyone else's car sound like metal on metal upon startup. This is my first new car and don't know if this is normal or if it's an idication that there may not be enough oil or what. Any advice would be appreciated.

bodble2

Toyota, yes. Honda, never!