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Comments
What year is your 6?
Glacier Silver Metallic
I LOVE the car so far; the engine is so smooth and responsive, as well as the 6-speed automatic. It's my second 6...my first was an 04 i sedan with the 2.3 4 banger. I thought it was nice until I upgraded to the s model!!!
My 1-year old Mazda-6 GT/V6 Sport (6-speed auto) has brake problems that Mazda won't fix. The brake pedal sinks too far upon constant and light application or repeated application. Taking my foot off the pedal causes the pressure to return until the next application.
The dealer was going to replace the master cylinder until they noticed that the brake fluid was bright green. When they began to bleed the system, the fluid came out clear in the back and green in the front. The fluid in the reservoir is green also.
Because the brake fluid is apparently contaminated, though it isn't understood what it is contaminated with (one service mgr suspected antifreeze because of the color), the dealer says that he is unable to make a warranty claim. Any brake components found to have failed will be assumed to be due to the contaminated fluid. They are now also stating that most of the brake system (ABS sensor modules etc.) will need to be replaced -- any portion of the system that might have a rubber-seal degradation due to the contaminated fluid. Hence the potential repair costs have gone from $500 to potentially thousands.
I have gotten the same response from two different dealers, and Mazda corporate is saying the same thing.
So, I'm stuck. I have a vehicle classed as not-safe-to-drive, under a comprehensive warranty that isn't helping me one bit, and green brake fluid that is a mystery to me.
I'm a sixth-time Mazda-only customer, and I'm not happy.
Anyone got any thoughts to offer?
Has anyone else experienced the green brake fluid as mentioned in the other forum posting (referenced above)?
Any help or direction is appreciated.
Gavin.
We had a Mazda a year or so ago that had brake issues similar to yours....turned out that a local shade tree mechanic put the wrong fluid in the brake fluid reservoir and it created all kinds of problems.
Also, I'm meticulous about my Mazdas. The level of skill present in lube shops clearly isn't very high. But I always refuse their upselling ("Would you like an engine flush today sir?"), I insist that they use a genuine Mazda oil filter rather than an aftermarket filter (even though legally I'm not required to, and the filters may in fact be produced by the same supplier), and I oversee their service of the vehicle ensuring that they don't venture beyond just changing the oil and filter.
But, again, it turns out that it wouldn't help me.
I have heard reports from other Mazda-6 owners that they too have green brake fluid and that possibly some portion of Mazda-6 production have dyed fluid rather than clear. I know that you can buy aftermarket brake fluid that is colored to aid in the process of bleeding the system.
I may have to resort to sending out the fluid to a petrochemical analysis/testing laboratory in Toronto who could determine whether a sample of the fluid is, in fact, brake fluid or whether it is contaminated with something else.
But, I dearly wish I didn't have to be going through all of this.
Gavin.
the dealership would have specific records of any fluids that went into your car and the tech involved. The local garage doesn't keep such detailed information. So there wouldnt be any mystery if the car had been dealer serviced. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against local mechanics, many are great, but this is when you need somebody to go to bat for you against the manufacturer. Your lack of dealership loyalty might not help your case though...
anytime there is something suspect on a warranty claim the mfg will ask the dealership if routine maintance was done at the dealership....if yes, most mfg will bend bend over backwards to help but if no routine maintance history is found they rarely go the extra mile...
The closest info I've come is to apply clear nail polish to keep out the dirt and moisture.
I'll try posting in the generic forums too. Tx for any leads.
The real reason for my post was to comment on the green brake fluid. I was quite curious after I read this post and went and checked mine. Lo and behold mine was also a dark antifreeze green. I could not believe it! No one has done any maintenance on this car but me, so there is no chance of contamination. I immediately bled the brakes and changed the fluid. Since I have changed out the fluid the brakes have their once familiar linearity and grip, whether real or placebo effect. They had started to be not quite as good as they once were, but I attributed that to wear.
I also have a Ford E-150 and my curiosity got to me and decided I would check the Brake fluid on it. Well guess what........GREEN. This either must be an issue with the fluid Ford puts in their vehicles or the color their fluid is or turns to after some use. I would suggest to all to check theirs and post to help out this persons cause.
I never noticed any noise, they must have caught it before it started sqeaking.
My 6 had 25,800 mls at the time. If you have a factory's warranty, USE IT!
I heard somewhere that Taxi drivers in San Francisco have to replace brakes every 10,000 miles. My friend who drives like a senior citizen still has 20% left on his original pads on a Toyota Celica at over 75,000 miles.
In other words, brake life is directly related to how often and how hard you use the brakes.
Anyway, the car is still under warranty and if it is the master cylinder I was curious if the dealership finally acquiesced and fixed the problem with your Mazda?
Thank you.
After more digging, the theory passed down from the tech-line is that Japanese-built 6's have clear fluid, and Michigan-built 6's have green fluid. I suspect it isn't that straightforward because I've heard North-American owners claim that their fluid is clear. Regardless, after enough Mazda corporate people were convinced that green fluid wasn't abnormal, they started diagnosing the problem back at square one. In the end, they only had to replace the master cylinder and the brakes worked great.
The service manager was highly apologetic, and embarassed, about how much I had been put through on this issue. I intend to visit the first dealership's general manager and service manager (the dealership that wouldn't keep an open mind and told me that I was going to have to pay out of pocket) and have a little chat with them, as well as write a letter to corporate about the way the first dealership handled the problem.
I owe a big thank you to everyone who sent me responses to my web postings on this subject -- it made all the difference.
Gavin.
I will let you know how it turns out.
The cloth interiors on the 03-05s are known to wear down very quickly, with many owners getting new front seats due to the terrible wear of the cloth seats. Stay on your dealer and Mazda about this, and they'll take care of it under warranty.
Thank you very much.
Follow the advice in this article for more ideas.
Finally, I took it to my neighborhood mechanic and he replaced my pads and ROTORS (which were already too thin) for the same amount. The rotors had been machined only once at 17,000 when I was feeling strong vibration in the brake pedal (which the service bulletin also covers). I drive 15/85 city/highway but park on the lower three levels of a parking garage which may or may not have contributed to the brake wear. I LOVE the confident way this car handles but don't like the Mazda dealers. They have lessons to learn in good customer service.
The '06 models had slightly redesigned seats with different (and better, IMO) cloth material used. The problem could very well be fixed, but only time and miles driven on '06 models will tell us for sure.
First of all, 37K miles on brakes isn't bad at all, considering I averaged 20K MILES on my pads for my Grand Am. Normal wear applies in this case, and the TSB won't, so Mazda was correct in this case.
The TSB may or may not have been issued prior to when your rotors were machined, but I don't see any problem with Mazda's "customer service" in this case, besides the pricing. My dealer has been nothing but stellar with me, in terms of maintenance and for one issue I had (a faulty gas cap).
New (R) Rotors and Pads at 50,000.
Still love the car.
IIRC, the ONLY thing that's required by Mazda at the 30K service besides the oil change is the air filter change (and only in Puerto Rico). The rest is just checking fluid levels and inspections (of brakes, etc). The plugs don't get changed, the radiator doesn't require a flush.
From the Mazdausa website:
Inspect:
Exhaust system heat shields, Idle speed, Front and rear suspension and ball joints, Function of all lights, Power steering fluid level, Steering operation & linkages, Tire inflation pressure and tire wear, Fuel lines, hoses & connections, Engine coolant level, Driveshaft dust boots, Cooling system, Drive Belts (tension), Bolts & nuts on chassis & body, Brake & clutch fluid level, Disk brakes
Replace:
Engine oil filter, Engine oil, Air filter - Puerto Rico ONLY
Lubricate:
All locks & hinges
I'd replace the air filter myself, but it costs $20 at some parts websites and it's a 5 minute job yourself.
The only thing I'm not sure about is the auto transmission fluid change, since I have a manual.
I'd still like a recommendation for a good independent mechanic if somebody knows a good one.
My dad said that by the tread of the 18" tires, I maybe lucky to see 25,000 miles on the tires.
Has anyone else experienced this issue or problem?
Hope you are able to get that fixed, Good luck!
As to the tires, I have almost 20,000 miles on my wagon and so far the tires are fine.
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
Have you regularly rotated the wheels?
I was looking for feedback because my dad said he's had a few Mazda6's in and the owners weren't getting very good mileage out of the stock tires. I just hope that is not my case!
I am planning on buying a 2003 Mazda6S with 29,000 miles on it. The only problem I can find with it is a scratch on the front right bumper and on the right rear tire rim.
Are there any problems that I should know about with this vehicle? Would it still be under the standard warranty?
I'm looking at either this or the 2003 Accord EX V6 but I like the styling of this vehicle.
The sales price they are providing is 16,991. It has leather seats, moonroof, an aftermarket navigation system, spoiler, chrome exhaust, and chrome gas tank cover, and is in good condition other than the scratches I mentioned. Good deal?
Thanks for your help! I hope to make a decision by end of day tomorrow at the latest!