Mazda6 Maintenance and Repair

bluem6i · December 2003

Our Lapis Blue 6 does not look like it has a bad paint job, but does now have rust/bubbling paint at the end of the weatherstrip channels and in all of the weep holes along the channels. This is in addition to the rust stains all along the weatherstrip channel and the vertical door seams.

careerbroker · December 2003

Thank you for the information you have provided in this forum and others in regards to the rust and other problems associated with this vehicle. I am in no hurry to buy but have been exploring and the 6 and RX8 models. They had made it to the top of my list. From what I have read however it does not seem like either Mazda model is a quality product(currently). Also on the 6 that Mazda (the manufacturer) could possibly not be owning up to their mistakes not only shows disrespect to their current and potential buyers but also to their dealers and sales people. I can not imagine trying to sell a product that rusts in less than a year then having to save face on faulty manufacturing/assembly.

I will continue to monitor the posts for awhile to see if there is any further resolution or positive outcome on the 6 or RX8. However, I want Mazda to know not just the current owners "stuck" with this car are reading. Myself and another friend put any kind of purchase with Mazda on hold until we are completely satisfied that this has been corrected along with the others problems listed here.

Thank you from all of the internet car researchers out here.

Regards,

-C

liquid0715 · December 2003

I just found out tonight that Chevrolet is calling back about 155,000 SUVs and Trucks for early wearing emergency brake problem...this seems such a small malfunction compared to our rust/stain problem in our Mazdas...Chevrolet can easily fix this problem and i dont even understand why they called them back, this problem could of been ignored or overlooked much easier than what mazda is doing....
however, interestingly i still love the mazda as much as i hate it...i dont seem to be experiencing the staining issue like others, and even if i am, i am unaware of it at this point....i have read every post in this forum and i still cant make up my mind whether it is rust or stain....and i wont believe in anything till there is hard proof( scientific evidence)I apologize if that upsets some people.....but i think we are all forgetting why we bought our cars...the steering feels freakin awesome, the car has power to move its passengers, the car feels luxuries and looks sporty and makes the driver feel in control....everyone has to admit that if it wasnt for this controversial issue the car would be more than satisfactory for the owners....the car makes my dad feel ten years younger...something that Honda and Toyota could never get right....
another point i want to make is that it seems like there isnt as many people out there experiencing this problem or care about this problem....the reason i say that is because there is so many different subjects about this car besides problems and thos people in other topics havent left any remarks on this topic for some reason...either they dont know yet or they dont care about this problem and they just like driving their car...

mazda6s · December 2003

Recalls happen much faster when the issue is related to safety.

audia8q · December 2003

safety related recalls are usually forced upon the MFG by the government....Chevy didnt do it because they wanted to.

At our stores, people are coming it to get the fix and they are treating it like any other service related problem, no big deal...If the fix turns out to be wrong, then I suspect we will see some angry people.

bluem6i · December 2003

"....i have read every post in this forum and i still cant make up my mind whether it is rust or stain....and i wont believe in anything till there is hard proof( scientific evidence)I apologize if that upsets some people....."

Have you ever seen rust on a car before? Did you need proof to confirm it was rust? It's kind of like seeing a pile of dog crap. You know what it is when you see it, or do you need proof?

I really do like the car, it's probably the best handling car I've ever had, but that fact has nothing to do with the rust. Mazda will have to come up with a satisfactory solution for me or I will respond with my check book when it comes time to make my next purchase. With the relatively few Mazda buyers (compared to Honda/Toyota) out there, you would expect them to care about preserving their customer base and the good (or bad) word of mouth advertising that accompanies them.

ian2 · December 2003

Yes, the car does make me feel younger... I drive it like a maniac as though I was still a teenager

mes58 · December 2003

Well, I finally got my car back yesterday. When I took it in for the rust fix and showed the service technician what the car looked like, he agreed readily that it was rust. He had a copy of the famous TSB and looked it over but he decided the car needed to go to the body shop instead. Given what I had learnt at this site and the other place, I suggested that at a minimum, they needed to sand away the rust and reprime and repaint the affected areas and he was of the same mind.

Anyway, my car must have been worse than even I realised. I guess since it is black, the damage was not as readily visible. The Tech tells me that once in the body shop, they found that all four doors needed work. The local Mazda rep got involved and they approved $1300 worth of work by the body shop! So that $250 mentioned in the TSB was woefully inadequate at least in my case. Well the car is back now and from my initial inspection, they seem to have done a pretty good job. No signs of rust that I can see anywhere and color matching appears to be fine. Of course I am no expert so I will continue to watch the car carefully and hope that the dreaded rust does not return.

Getting out of the rental they gave me and back into my 6 was at least enough to bring a smile back to my face

.

mazda6s · December 2003

1300 bucks? It's just a stain from the "soapy solution"!

moose54 · December 2003

Has anyone had problems with paint chipping or the clock losing time? Has anyone received information regarding the clunking/snapping sound when turning the steering wheel at very slow speed?

jbhogen · December 2003

#414 of 819 Mazda of Europe fix... by jstandefer Sep 09, 2003 (12:52 pm)

I just read about a "fix" someone had with their steering clunk in Europe. There is a problem with the design of the steering wheel shaft assembly. It appears it is not maintaining a good coating of lubricant, resulting in the clunks and other noises. A quick fix is to occasionally release your steering tilt/telescoping lever and move the wheel in/out and up/down to spread the lubricant. European Mazda dealers will now recommend this to all owners with these complaints while Mazda redesigns and produces some of parts for later replacement.

1wiseguy · December 2003

...apparently doesn't exist. I went to get my new Nokian Hakka 2 winter tires yesterday (excellent I may add) and had the 16,000 km oil change/maintenance done at the same time. I had also asked for "the Fix" to be done and even included the 17 page TSB for their reference. I got the car back and all was done except the Fix. I was told and it was printed on my invoice that this only applies to the USA and that a solution for Canada is still "in process".

Since the US and CDN cars came off the same assembly line and since there are a few in Canada with serious "staining" issues (i.e Aromas), this "still in process" statement really surprises me. My car only has a bit of the "staining" showing but as Mr. Neil Young once sang, Rust Never Sleeps. I want to have any problems stopped before they get worse.

Anyone else in Canada met the same reaction?

jstandefer · December 2003

You're not the first I've heard with the same problem. Interesting, though... You would figure the fix would be the same.

What is the anti-perforation warranty in Canada? Here in the U.S., it is 5 years/unlimited miles. There is also a sentence in our anti-perforation warranty that states, "Corrosion other than perforation (hole through the body panel), due to defects in material or workmanship, is covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty."

The anti-perforation warranty only covers rust that has eaten a hole through a body panel. However, that sentence shows that surface rust caused by a defect is covered under the bumper-to-bumper warranty. It was debated before whether Mazda is responsible for surface rust.

mazda6s · December 2003

"You would figure the fix would be the same."

Probably, but consumer protection laws probably are not.

tnjrobi1 · December 2003

I've had a couple of minor electrical problems in my 2004 6s (all options except auto mirror.)

1st - Every now & then while playing a CD the right channel goes dead. If I change back to FM or AM all channels work fine. But as soon as I switch back to CD the left channel is still dead. The only thing that fixes the problem is shuting off the car for 20 seconds or so then cutting it back on. After that the CD player plays all channels again.

2nd - Every now & then the right front blinker light stops working. It requires the same fix as the CD player. I have to shut off the car for 20 seconds or so then re-start.

Anyone else experience these problems or know what might be the cause of them?

moose54 · December 2003

For those with the staining/rust problem you can report this to the Center for Auto Safety. As for signing waivers before the dealer attempts working on the rust problem consult your state attorney general's office.

moose54 · December 2003

I e-mailed Mazda about using synthetic motor oil and if that would void the warranty, the reply was yes.

mazda6s · December 2003

Trust me, you paid for it, whatever it is. Dealers don't give anything away for free.

cop414 · December 2003

jstandefer
You had mentioned a while back about a TSB on the clutch on the 6. I checked the "other board", but it must not have been the one that you were speaking about. My problem seems to be getting worse.
Could you let me know if you've heard any more on this issue, or email me what board you were talking about. (cop414@hotmail.com)
Also for any opinion out there. What my car is doing I would describe as "tire hop". The front wheels actually feel like they are hopping up and down as I leave out the clutch. It is always intermittant, but it seems to be happening more lately. I'm not sure if the cold weather is affecting it or not. I originally thought that it was a tire problem, but I had all four re balanced, and rotated several times but the problem remains. The car tracks, turns and brakes normally.
I know about the TSB for the protoge for what Mazda calls a "judder"-does anyone know if they share the same clutch components. My service manager says no, but I think I remember others on this board saying that they do. (I have the 6i)
If they share the same clutch parts and there is a TSB for the pro, I don't understand why, if some people who have the 6 are having the same problem that the TSB wouldn't cover both.

PS-Kevlar/metallic pads started squeaking a bit. Not near as bad as the oem, but I did pull them off and spray CRC disc brake quite on them. That was last week and so far so good.

moose54 · December 2003

Jstandefer,

How did you get access to the TSB link regarding the staining/rust problem on the 6. I would like to get the same access to all of the TSB's.

cop414 · December 2003

jstandefer-ditto for me. Some boards seem to be running months behind on the TSB's. There's no better feeling than telling the service mngr about a TSB, to have him call weeks later to say that he finally got it.

tnjrobi1 · December 2003

I've had a couple of minor electrical problems in my 2004 6s (all options except auto mirror.)

1st - Every now & then while playing a CD the right channel goes dead. If I change back to FM or AM all channels work fine. But as soon as I switch back to CD the left channel is still dead. The only thing that fixes the problem is shuting off the car for 20 seconds or so then cutting it back on. After that the CD player plays all channels again.

2nd - Every now & then the right front blinker light stops working. It requires the same fix as the CD player. I have to shut off the car for 20 seconds or so then re-start.

Anyone else experience these problems or know what might be the cause of them?

chikoo · December 2003

you got to be kidding.
why on earth would using a synthetic void a warranty? IF anything , synthetics not only meet but exceed the specifications of Dino oil.

glideslopes · December 2003

Mazda was referring to the RX8. Using Synthetic in a Rotary will void the warranty. It will tell you in the owners manual.

Your warranty will not be void with synthetic in a piston engine. Provided of course you use the correct weight, and change intervals.

Mark.

glideslopes · December 2003

I can't believe someone brought this up. I thought it was me. The clock in my 6s looses around 5 min every 6 weeks?

Is it us?

Mark.

ian2 · December 2003

5/(24*60*7*6) = 0.008%

Not bad for a non-temperature-compensated crystal.

ian2 · December 2003

Okay, I was wrong. 0.008% is pretty bad according to the spec. 15ppm is the max acceptable error.

moose54 · December 2003

Glideslopes,

In the "FAQ" section on the Mazda.com web site states that synthetic motor oil is not recommended. I believe this is for all of their vehicles. I e-mailed Mazda and the reply from Lisa Laskey was that Mazda does not test any of their vehicles using synthetic oil, therefore, do not recommend its' use.

mazdafun · December 2003

I've been using synthetic in all my Mazda vehicles since 1995 without any issues. That includes my '89 323LX, '99 Pro LX and my wife's '03 P5. I use 5W30 or 10W30, depending on what temps I think the engine will be experiencing after the oil change, speaking of which, I'll be switching to 5W30 this weekend in my '99 Pro LX. Good thing I've got a long weekend, as changing oil and rotating tires is a real pain when it's cold; I have to go back "inside" to warm up my fingers at least once.

Seriously, when synthetic oils first came out, some components damaged some synthetic rubber seals and gaskets, creating leaks galore. But that was well over ten years ago. Both seal designers and oil formulators have solved their compatibility issues. Of course, there's no saying some new component supplier won't make any mistakes in material selection because they have little to no prior experience or knowledge.

jstandefer · December 2003

I changed my oil last Friday night. What a pain it was with that cartridge filter! Anyways, while I was under there, I noticed that there is an access hole in the flywheel housing. Through this hole you can see the flywheel and torque converter. There was no plug or cover. Here are the pics:

Shot of the access hole

Close-up shot of the access hole

As you can see, the open exposure has allowed surface rust to build up on the flywheel and torque converter, although it is just a cosmetic problem. My dealer has confirmed that no plug or cover is supposed to be there. I just wanted to point out the following:

Don't drive around with the plastic engine under cover removed. It's bad enough that there isn't a plug or cover, but driving around with that cover removed will allow a lot more water and debris to get into the flywheel housing. This is not something that your flywheel, torque converter, starter pinion gear, crankshaft seal, and power-shaft seal will enjoy!

In the meantime, my car is at the dealership waiting for a new alternator, blower motor, driver's door window motor, and driver's door window carrier to come in. The blower motor and window carrier have already been replaced once.

gee35coupe · December 2003

Weird.

buggywhip · December 2003

another good reason to get a stick......

newcar31 · December 2003

I don't why they do that, but when I worked at the oil change place, I saw the same thing on other cars. I think it's there so you can drain the torque converter's fluid. We never did it that way, we always used a machine and tapped into the transmission fluid lines to the radiator.

jstandefer · December 2003

I assumed it was there as an access, but it is pretty small. I think I could barely get two fingers in there. Regardless, I really think there should be some type of cover... at least a rubber plug. I just don't like the idea of water and debris being able to get in there so freely. It's right at the bottom, less than a foot off the ground.

I ran a quick search in Google and read a dozen or so instructions on draining a torque converter on various vehicles. In every single one, it says to remove the inspection cover, shield, or rubber plug from the bell/flywheel housing to access the torque converter drain plug. In several of them, there is a note to make sure the cover/shield/plug is replaced to prevent debris from getting into the bell/flywheel housing.

moose54 · December 2003

I have the gray colored 6 and to help detect rust in the seem I used a magnifying glass with a mag-lite to illuminate the area in question. This makes a difference on a dark colored vehicle. A consumer not satisfied with the proposed fix could also take a manufacturer to small claims court without getting a lawyer involved.

newcar31 · December 2003

Then I guess the ones I saw were missing a cover. I agree, it should have a cover on it, and it would bother me if I had an automatic.

jstandefer · December 2003

I got the car back yesterday. Sure enough, right there in the paperwork it clearly states "compared to new vehicle, no cover belongs at inspection hole."

The car also got a new alternator. The whole car now seems to be better and more responsive... even the transmission shifts quicker and smoother. The replacement window motor and carrier arm has finally gotten rid of the window ticking, again. And the new HVAC blower fan has gotten rid of the ticking there, again. Let's see how long they last this time around.

Interestingly, the service advisor said that the alternator has an "inner cooler" that continues to spin after the engine shuts off, and that is what was causing the scraping noise. He said he learned of this after the fact and would not have authorized the replacement or any type of repair if he would have known this in the beginning. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

rodlcw · December 2003

I did the move steering column in and out and up and down, no change. Like I said, I have a hearing problem, but I think I hear my sound from behind me and once in awhile I thought I heard it down by the steering column. Scheduled to take it in jan 6th, and maybe they can better isolate noise. Also hope they can fix the dang squealing brakes when turning. Also the automatic gear shift squeake when moving it from drive to park or back. And i hear there is some recall regarding something with the fuel ???

polyester1970 · December 2003

When I use the turning signal lights on the right side I get a rapid tick which means one of the turning lights are going out, right? I checked the front turning signal and it didn't work. The weird thing is, this is intermitten. If I turn right, it has the rapid tick for a few seconds and goes normal. And sometimes, it doesn't do it at all and works fine. The other weird thing is, there's only 1100 miles on it. I just got it about 6 weeks ago.

You think there's a loose in the electrical system to the turning signal? Anyways, I guess I'll have to take it in to get it looked at.

jstandefer · December 2003

I posted several details about the recall in the Mazda6 topic. Many owners have complained of a fuel odor inside the vehicle. The recall is to inspect all 2003 Mazda6's (all 2004's in Canada) for incorrectly installed seals above the fuel tank, just below the rear seat. Mazda has found that some of the seals were installed incorrectly and could allow gasoline fumes to exit the fuel tank and enter the passenger compartment. In the recall text, Mazda does state that there is the possibility of a fire, but thankfully nobody has experienced that. The recall notices are being mailed out on January 15th. Most dealers will not perform the recall until you have the notice in hand. If the car requires repairs, dealers have to order the part(s) and should receive them overnight if ordered early enough.

gobleb · January 2004

I have had the same problem with my turn signal. Turning right the signal would blink really fast. It was cold outside and the car was just started. After signaling left the turn signal blinked correctly in both directions. My Mazda 6s only has 200 miles on it. Anyone else with this problem?

mazda6s · January 2004

I noticed that exact problem on a Mazda6 I test drove, but it was the left one that blinked fast at first.

ramped1 · January 2004

Test drove a 6s on Wednesday, white, with pretty severe stain on driver's door and also on rear doors. Build date was last February. Salesman and sales manager denied any knowledge of the staining issue.

Between the stain and fuel issues, me thinks I will look elsewhere for transportation.

replay · January 2004

Went to the Washington DC auto show on wednesday and there was a couple little spots of discoloration on the driver's side doorof one of the 6's on display. I told one of the salesmen who was very surprised when he saw it, especially sine he owns a 6.

I find it comical that they wouldn't check the cars they are displaying at an auto show. There were a whole bunch of people around when I was showing the rusting to the salesmen.

rodlcw · January 2004

Think I am on to it. If I use the turn signal then I generally here a CLICK sound above the normal turning signal sound. If I do not use the turn signal, I was able to make a lot of turns and have not heard the sound.
I know, just don't signal.

Well, I am taking it in Thursday for a few things, this and the brakes sqaual and the automatic shift nob squakes when moving it from drive to park like it is rubbing. And paneling on passenger side in rear is popped out out just a bit. Sounds like body shop.

merlin22 · January 2004

new car with 200 miles on it.
Drove home with right directional signal problem. Acts as if right front is burned out but starts working correctly after using left turn
signal. After car is shutoff and restarted
problem starts all over again
Evidently is a new problem that is just now
starting to show up. build date of car is
september.

mazda6s · January 2004

I saw the same thing on a car I test drove, but it was the left side.

Is there an echo in here?

jstandefer · January 2004

Take them back to the dealership and get them into service. If they can't replicate the problem (they never can), make sure it is recorded in the car's history. Take it back the next day. If they still can't replicate it, call Mazda's 1-800 number. Take it back in. If they still can't replicate the problem, start talking Lemon Law and perhaps consult with a Lemon Law attorney. This is a safety related issue and most states only require two attempts to repair before it qualifies as a lemon. If they still can't repair, start lemon law proceedings. Mazda is certainly not new to the process, especially with the 6.

pekopeko · January 2004

I had somewhat known about the rust issue. On ZoomZoom website there was some bulletin issued to the dealers that it only affected certain VINs. In the bulletin, it claimed that it is due to some soapy solution, and the issue had been since addressed, and it affects cars within a specified vin range.

My car is not within this VIN range. (Built 05/2003), but it is till has the rust/stain problem. In addition, my steering wheel seems to drift to the right. It only has 200+ miles in the odometer. Very frustrating.

jstandefer · January 2004

It is fairly well known that VINs outside of Mazda's range are still affected. There is question as to the validity of Mazda's claim that the assembly lubricant was the cause of the staining. I don't know how Mazda will treat vehicles that fall outside of the VIN, but your's probably falls pretty close to the end of the VIN range. Mazda had originally claimed that vehicles with build dates up to 7/22/03 were affected, but that does not coincide with the VIN range in the TSB. There have also been reports of 2004 U.S. models having staining/rust on them.

Bring your car into the dealership and demand that your vehicle be fixed under the TSB. If they refuse, call Mazda's 1-800 number and complain. An owner in Florida had his 6 bought back under the Lemon Law primarily because of the staining/rust.

As for the steering drift, have the dealership take a look at that. Alignments are covered for the first year or 12,000 miles. If that doesn't fix it, your dealership should check the torque on the bolts holding the front subframe onto the main unibody. There has been issues with front subframes not being torqued to factory specs, and that is causing constant pulling.

Otherwise, congratulations on your 6 purchase. Hopefully, your's will be a good car.

Mazda6 Maintenance and Repair

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