Mazda3 Maintenance & Repair

jbollt

:...I wish that I knew the difference what you did to yours to make it work. ..."

If I remeber correctly, it had to do with how long a button was held during the programming...press and hold (longer) in the Homelink directions, vs "press" in the Toyota instructions.

You may in fact have a defetive unit, or perhaps it wasn't hooked up properly by the dealer? You did say it was a dealer added item?

z71bill

Sounds like a "can of worms" -

How old is the garage door opener?

I would do it from outside the car -

Its been a while - but you only have a short time between pushing the reset button on the garage door unit - pushing the buttons in the car.

If the home link will not even clear (lights blink) then it does sound like a defective unit.

Technology is great when it works - sucks when it doesn't.

stallionre

Thanks for both of your replies.

I think I got a bad unit. I just called the dealer and they will change it out for me next week. Free if course~~ and they will give me a rental car. COOL!!! Vegas baby, JK.

My garage door is a 2004 Genie, Steel belt driven with Intelligent rolling code, over 3 billion codes. The codes change each time you click the remote, which is awesome for safety. My other cars work with this Homelink and remotes.

I can't even get to the programming part because the Homelink won't clear. I will try to hold the buttons down for a minute or so. The instructions said for 20 seconds and no more than 30. Now why would they said no mare than 30? Does anyone know? The dealer told me that he has to hold them down for 40 seconds before they take effect. Now I am more confused then ever, if the manual says no more than 30. :confuse:

I will try one more time tonight, if not, then I will get a new unit. The dealer told me that he never had one go bad. YEAH RIGHT, LIKE I BELIEVE THAT!!!

Your right about technology, it is great when it works, but sucks when it doesn't.

JBaumgart

I would take the dealer up on their offer to put in a new unit. You've spent too much time already with the one they gave you the first time. Again, make sure they give you the right one for your model after checking their parts catalog very carefully.

Good luck!

stallionre

Thanks. I will get the right one for sure. They have the part number listed on the service invoice and it looks correct from the book. I will post my findings.

jabado

Does that dent theft technique apply to 2007 Mazda3's? I just bought mine in March, and the dealer never said anything about it...of course.

Also has anyone ever had problems with the alignment? As soon as I took mine on the highway I noticed that the car pulls to the right, no matter what lane I'm in.

I'm also kind of worried about brake dust...I live on a gravel road. Has everybody had this problem?

stallionre

First off, the dent thing was suppose to be resolved in the production of these cars from Japan in January 2007. In 2006, Mazda was aware of this problem and I read online in another forum that Mazda was going to fix this problem in Jan, 2007. Did that ever get done? Who knows. Is it a huge problem, Yes? I garage my car, therefore, I am not worried about it.

I have no problems with the alignment at all. On the highway, my car is smooth sailing and does not drift.

Brake dust, I have none so far.

I think your car needs to be aligned. :sick:

stallionre

Everyone, I tried my homelink device last again for the 10th time and no luck. THE UNIT IS CONFIRMED BROKEN. The dealer will replace it next week.

jabado

I called the dealer earlier today. I was told that I should wait until I had at least 1000 miles on it before I brought it in for a check up, because the problem could "resolve itself." (I'm currently at 700ish) Hrumph! What a load. Its had this problem from day one and it's just getting more pronounced.

stallionre

What? Are you talking about the alignment? I am no expert, but the alignment is either good or bad from the beginning. I never heard of a break in period for an alignment. By then, your could have ruin your tires.

Or is this about the homelink unit. Either one, they both should work right away, with any break in period.

jabado

Sorry, it's about the alignment.

stallionre

No need to be sorry. That is what we are all here for to help, get ideas and learn from others.

bigfur

Have you tried calling a differant dealer in the area? See if they will look at it if your dealership wont.

stallionre

My dealer is installing a brand new homelink next week. No worries. It is under warranty. I would never change dealers, because I get free starbucks.

jabado

I haven't had the time to find another dealer. The place where I bought it is supposedly the best around St. Louis. My manager bought his CX-7 there and has given their service rave reviews. I'm thinking that the next time I'm in that area, I'll just stop in and talk to someone face to face.

stallionre

I got the homelink mirror fixed. It was a ground wire that was not installed properly. Now the homelink mirror works. Thanks for everyone's help.

nextmoon

Can anyone suggest where I can get a replacement for the rear wipers? It looks like it's somewhat specialized for the rear meaning the arm doesn't seem to accept most blades. The arm connects to blades but seems to require a notch out in the arm for both to sit flat against the rear hatch glass.

ex_tdier

I have a sedan, I would like to know what aftermarket brands/models people are using in their 3 without having to bend the blade into shape to avoid chattering and poor coverage (something that reflex blades do).

zzoomp09

I have an '07 Mazda 3S 5dr and had the same problem when I got it 2 months ago. February was a rather cold month here in NY with temps constantly 5-10 F degrees lower than the average. I have the cracking noise when I first drive the vehicle in the morning. As the day progresses and after turning the heat on, the cracking or rattling noise goes out. It's April now and we had a share of mild to warm weather and I never had that noise anymore.

I had the same problem with my '00 Toyota Corolla when I got it. The similarity between the 2 was the dashboard being made of hard plastic rather than vinyl. I brought my Corolla several times to the dealer because of that noise and they found out that it's because of the cold weather. In cold weather, plastics tend to compress. So even though the connection between the plastics are well-done and well-engineered, during extreme cold temps, the plastic might compress too much that will leave some space for the plastics to rub each other, and cause the cracking or rattling noise. For some reason, I never had the problem after a couple of years.

I never had that problem with my '97 Corolla as it had a vinyl dashboard. They can compress and expand all they want, and even though ends will rub each other, it won't cause any cracking or rattling noise because vinyl is not that hard compared to what they have on the 3 and the Corolla.

Also, on my '07 3, I had the whining noise the very first day I got (Of course, after logging in 600 miles in a 24 hour span!).

I've also noticed that the AC is somewhat on the low side compared to the Corolla or Civic. It cools, but it'll take a while. I'll install window tints this week and we'll see what happens.

One more thing, my FM/AM radio just turned off one night. Can't receive any stations, tried to remove and re-install the antenna mast, still nothing. Woke up next day, turned the radio on, got the stations back. I hope I would never experience the same problem again in the future. It's those kind of small things that really tick me off.

JBaumgart

Had the same cracking/rattle problem exactly as you describe after purchasing an '07 GT Sedan when the weather was still very cold here in Minnesota. I was going to have them look at it when taking it in for the first oil change but by then the weather had warmed and the problem had disappeared. I was a little hesitant anyway because I was concerned that if they took the dash apart trying to find where it was coming from they might introdue a new rattle or two after they put it back together.

Have not had any other issues with this car, and am very satisfied with this purchase.

mazdrvr

I have a 07' S sedan that I had for 3 months now (have about 4020 mi on it). Last night & today, I noticed a "burning/rubber" smell after driving; last night just a short distance drive and today drove to & from work (35 mi total). Does anyone know what this might be? Is it something I need to have the service dept check out? The smell is a little stronger than the normal you get when you first get the car... Please advise. Thanks in advance!!

mazdrvr

On the second day of noticing the smell, I did more driving (freeway speeds) as well as use my a/c, but I started using my a/c from couple of weeks ago so I don't think that could be it. The smell seemed more like "overheat" not as much burning rubber smell as the other night (lower speed less distance drive).

Anyone? :confuse:

JBaumgart

Any chance a mouse or small rodent might have gotten in the engine compartment? Also make sure your emergency brake is disengaged all the way? When car is idling with the hood open, can you smell where it might be coming from? If none of the above I would have dealer look at it.

mazdrvr

I'm not sure about the mouse or small rodent :surprise: ; hope not... thats kind of gross to think about. Also I always make sure the parking brake is completely disengaged. its about time for my 1st oil change so i'll have dealer check it out... Thanks!!

nascar_dog

I would stay away from triangle tires and stick with circle tires - much smoother ride.

JBaumgart

Never heard of them, but check www.Tirerack.com for user reviews.

greendog

Here's two curves... How easy would it be to de-tune the 3 for a beginner , first car driver ? Would need a little less Zoom for my daughter . And , thinking of buying a "salvage title" - the car had about 5-k of damage - no damage to airbags and it looks like quality bodywork . Currently discounted 3,ooo off regular retail price . How much do you think you discount for that off retail ? ">

moon5

l. Any simple way of disabling the tire pressure monitoring system?
2. Is there a gasoline filter? Where located?
3. The cabin air is supposed to have its own air filter; Where is it at?

Thanks to all

autonomous

2. Is there a gasoline filter? Where located?
Do you mean the oil filter?

bigfur

Im guessing they are refering to the fuel filter.

mazdazoom

I have a 2004 but I doubt a new model 3 is much different.

The fuel filter is not like an inline filter, there is basically a mesh screen inside the tank, it should never have to be replaced. I think in one of the scheduled service appointments they take it out and clean it, but there is nothing for an owner to change.

The cabin filter is located in the dash behind the glove box. It is a pain to get to, and if you are not comfortable with working around air bags and the plastic material then I would let the dealer change it.

zzoomp09

Forgive me if this has been discussed here, but I've noticed a big difference with using regular vs sythetic oil. My 1st 2 oil changes when I got my 3S GT 5dr 5M, I've used regular oil and I've noticed on the 2nd oil change that there's not much change anymore. Decided to use sythetic for the 3rd oil change, and oh boy, it's been great ever since, even after 3500 miles. The engine sounds better and pulls with much ease compared to using just regular oil.

My mechanic friend told me to do that and suggested that once you use synthetic oil, you have to use it on every oil change after that.

Just wondering if anyone has the same experience.

nifty56

Having to use synthetic oil on every oil change is not true, but I could be wrong. You might have switched to synthetic oil to soon, at what mileage did you switch? For more info search "boy is the oil guy"

igozoomzoom

My personal experience with synthetic oil is also very positive. I bought an '93 Civic brand new and drove it for four years in college. I put 170k miles on it driving to school, working and delivering pizza at night. I sold it to a friend who drove it a few years, then he sold it to my dad in 2001. My dad drives it about 80 miles round trip to work every day and it has 340k miles on it now. It's had synthetic oil from the first oil change and never had any engine wear-related repairs.

I started my '06 Mazda3 on synthetic at 5000 miles. I change the oil every 7500-8000 miles just as I did on the previous ones. In truth, I could probably stretch it to every 10k.

There is no mechanical reason that would prevent you from switching from synthetic back to conventional oil. But why would you want to? Synthetic retains its lubricating properties much longer than regular oil, so oil changes are less frequent. I change mine about half as often as I would if not using synthetic. It may seem expensive, but the much less frequent oil changes goes a long way in mitigating the cost difference.

If you plan to own the car for more than 125k miles, I'd strongly suggest synthetic.

yu203964

Mine is a 2004 Mazda 3 sedan with about 40,000 miles. When the steering wheel was turned, I heard a grinding noise from the front, liked quack-quack-quack. A non-Mazda mechanic said it's the strut bearing dried out. He put some grease in them. It seems to stop the noise. Can someone explain to me why the bearing dried out so early? Why is there no rubber cover to seal the top of strut on Mazda 3? Can the grease cure the problem or do I have to replace the bearings? If I have extended warranty with Mazda, will the replacement be covered? :confuse:

mazdrvr

Hi, does anyone have a galaxy grey mica 3 & purchased touch up paint yet? Unfortunately i had to & the color seems to be just metallic than mica; in certain lighting (like at the gas station), the touched up part really stands out & doesn't seem to match the paint.
I got #32 from the dealership but on the Mazda site it says 32S.

ex_tdier

When do you folks replace your brake, antifreeze, and tranny fluid? The manual makes no mention of any of these except the engine coolant (every 4 years then 2 years), yet the dealer wants you to replace them every 2 years.

roadburner

When do you folks replace your brake, antifreeze, and tranny fluid?

I change the brake fluid every two years unless the car sees a bit of track use- in which case I change it every six months. I like ATE Super Blue Racing fluid, though Castrol LMA would be an acceptable substitute.
Changing the antifreeze every two years can't hurt. I'd use Mazda's house brand.
I'd change the transaxle oil every two years or 30K miles- manual or slushbox.

robl1

The display above the radio/cd player on my 2006 Mazda 3 went kablooey and is flashing every number and letter in its display. The radio and CD player work but you obviously you cannot read out any display info. I'm about to call the dealer but has anyone seeen this before?

mrblonde49

No,haven't heard of it on the forums I look at. I would just take it in - you should be able to get set up with a free loaner car

zante64

Actually Triangle Tires represent a huge technological leap over Square tires... it eliminates one bump!

mazdaburgh

I currently drive an '04 MAZDA3s/HB with almost 36K miles. Several weeks ago I had a fuel pump replaced and had a bizarre incident happen to me last weekend..I ran out of gas. Partially my fault, but I noticed the gas guage was reading just a couple of notches able 1/2 but in reality the tank was empty. :confuse: I wrote down the trip mileage from my last fill up...366.6 miles driven before empty. I'm turning the car in when lease is up in a few months but I'm still planning seeking to repair...Thoughts anyone???

bellamusica

I had the same issue happen to my 2006 Mazda 3. It is a known issue. They will replace it under warranty, no questions asked.

eldaino

i was looking at the true cost to own section on edmunds to discover that the 3 has an unusually high one.

I went to the local mazda dealer to take a 3 for a spin(it was very fun actually and i hadn't driven one in awhile. It was a S-Touring auto hatch in sunlight silver. they were selling it for 18k.) I noticed a sign up on the dealer's post it board and saw the 30k 'special'. The total amount was 799.00!

is service this bad on the 3? anyone else able to post their costs for dealer services throughout the life of their car? Do you ask for the 'service' or just an oil change and tire rotaion, you know, a la carte, to save some dough?

I have a vw rabbit and remembered conversing with the sales guy about the expensive costs of service for it (he said i had to expect that from a german car, and went on to say that an oil change would cost about 20 bucks for the 3), and the last time i checked, the big 40k service that even the vw dealer warned me about for my rabbit was 500 bucks; less than the more 'reliable' and economical japanese hatchback in question. What gives?!

any input would be great!

eldaino

roadburner

I noticed a sign up on the dealer's post it board and saw the 30k 'special'. The total amount was 799.00!
is service this bad on the 3?

Sounds like a padded bill, with lots of unnecessary "recommended" services such as injector cleanings, engine flush, etc. No way should the 30K service cost anywhere close to that- at least if the dealer is following the Mazda service schedule.

eldaino

yeah, i cant see why a car would need a whole engine flush just 30k into its life! but it did include lots of stuff like that.

the prices were posted next to each item, stuff like the engine flush was almost 300 bucks in itself. (tire rotation and regular oil change plus air filter would have come out ot around 50 bucks, which isn't bad.

mrblonde49

I justy hit 30K and just did the normal I had been doing - oil & tires (replacements). I don't think anything else is really necessary until 60K

roadburner

Those flushes and treatments are big profit centers for some service departments. For comparison purposes, I just had my local independent BMW tech perform the Inspection II(major) service on my 111K 1995 3-Series.
It included:
Engine oil change(Mobil 1 0W-40)
MT oil change(Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF
Final Drive oil change(Royal Purple Max-Gear Synthetic 75W-140)
Plugs(NGK)
Air Filter(Mann)
In addition, I had the shop change the coolant, rotate the tires, and check the front end alignment. Total cost? $510. And -aside from oil changes(DIY w/@$35 in parts)- I'm good for @35K more miles. I expect my MS3 to cost somewhat less to run, especially since my Mazda dealer gives me free 5K mile oil changes for as long as I own the car.

ecofun

Hi All,

I have a new 3GT and was trying to figure out how to turn off the backlight on the ventilation mode center dial. It seemed logical that if I turn off the ventillation system that the light identifying the active mode should go off. I called a Mazda service department and he thought it stays on but would have to check it out to confirm.

Does the backlight for the various modes stay on all the time or can this be turned off? Thanks.

jt120

Mine stays on all the time.