Mazda6 Maintenance and Repair

seaf · July 2003

for aerodynamics? to protect the underside from rock chips? Or to hide any bolts and nuts that might fall loose?

mazda6s · July 2003

improves aerodynamics slightly which improves fuel mileage

ashutoshsm · July 2003

- protection from the elements - splashing water, dust, oil etc (I'd vouch the interior of the engine bay on this car stays cleaner than most!)
- aerodynamics and air flow improvements - reduces drag. I'm amazed they did this, and then went with a dual outlet exhaust (which messes up airflow).

chrisbuckley · July 2003

Perhaps to do with cooling air flow

chrisbuckley · July 2003

How much noise should this give out? Mine seems to only vibrate slightly with the music.

edehate · July 2003

I have a 6s AT, no sport package. Since about 100 miles, I've intermittently heard a clunk / pop coming from the steering/front suspension when I do low speed, tight turns (like in parking lot, driveway, etc.). It sounds like a metal-on-metal thing - not a tire rubbing inner fender or anything simple like that. Just this week it has become repeatable.

Just got my recall notice for the brake fluid float...going to take it to the dealer next week.

Has anybody else had a steering clunk? I'd like to have an idea of what's wrong before I go to the dealer.

My guess is a defective bushing in one of the steering components, or the rack was not installed properly at the factory.

zmzmzm · July 2003

I'm noticing a squeaking sound from the steering wheel, most noticeably when turning at low speeds. Anybody out there know what might be causing this? I've had absolutely TERRIBLE service from my local Mazda dealer, and if possible I'd rather fix it myself. (or better yet, does anyone out there recommend a good Mazda service center in So. California?)

newcar31 · July 2003

I have the driver's side speaker rattle that I've heard people post about. I tried to go back and find a solution, but I couldn't find it.

Stretch, I read that you had the same problem. It sounds like the speaker is blown or there is something loose in there. Did you ever get it fixed, or did you just put a new audio system in? Thanks..

lapis_blue · July 2003

I have a fully loaded Mazda 6s M/T. When i took delivery of the car the heated seats did not work. By the time the dealership got the problem fixed winter was over and sun was warming up those black leather seats just fine! The CEL light has come on twice, both times after dealer performed oil changes (but we all got recall notices about that). Most recently, the CD changer decided to Jam while switching between discs and i have to wait until i can make it over to the dealership (250 miles away) to get that worked out.

With everything said and done, I would still buy another one in a heartbeat. Nothing takes away from the driving experience and the raw aesthetic appeal of my lapis blue rocket!

ashutoshsm · July 2003

... any (local) Mazda dealer could do warranty repair work (such as your jammed CD changer). Since Mazda pays for it. And you should still get a loaner too - again, since Mazda covers that.

lapis_blue · July 2003

Bhai, go to the mazda dealer locater and type in the zipcode 81401. Let me know if you find anyone closer than 200 miles to me.

corvette · July 2003

Just a note to those who are concerned that the 6 has "soft" pads: Just because they produce a lot of dust does not mean they are soft or short-lived. High-performance brake pads typically produce a lot of dust. It's the price of short stopping distances. The dusty brakes on my Jetta have lasted 83,000 miles and counting!

txe · July 2003

I am considering buying a 2003 6i w/ AT and have been lurking on this board. I love the way the car looks and drives, but I have a few concerns.

1) the AC. I live near Houston, and good AC is a must. Anyone found any solutions yet to the problem of windshield moisture? Also, how well/fast does the AC cool the car? In the one I test drove, which had been sitting in the lot in 100 degree heat, there was no appreciable cooling until at least 15 minutes.

2) On a few review boards, I have come across mentions of rotten transmissions in brand new cars--one such that the car qualified as a lemon. Everyone here seems pretty positive...any info on whether this is more common in the i or s, AT or MT, if this is a Ford problem, or if this is mostly a first-year build issue?

While the car is terrific, I don't have the time or inclination to have to take a brand new car back to the dealer repeatedly.

Thanks.

kmaurer · July 2003

I have a Redfire Metallic 6i AT with 3,500 miles. The air conditioner sucks compared to other vehicles in the class. I live in Utah, so I can't comment on the windshield moisture problem (we have hot, dry summers). It takes about 10-15 minutes to get the air conditioner cold when the temperature is 100+ outside and the car has been sitting for a few hours. I have tried everything--rolling down the windows to let the hot air escape, leaving the windows rolled up & put the A/C on recirculate, etc., etc., etc.

I haven't had any problems with the transmission, but the car is VERY lethargic from a complete stop with the A/C on. The problem did improve somewhat after the PCM was reflashed (under recall). The transmission isn't as smooth-shifting as the Altima or Camry, but it does shift at the appropriate points and is fairly responsive on downsifts.

The positive points of the car--the handling is excellent, the engine has a pleasing exhaust tone, fit and finish are top-nouch, and the paint is VERY durable (a strong selling point on Utah's crappy roads). Make sure to take a LONG test drive--the lack of low-end torque didn't bother me until I had driven the car for a few days.

Overall, I wouldn't hesitate buying another 6 (although I would seriously consider the 6s and buy my vehicle from another dealer!).

Good luck on your decision.

dinu01 · July 2003

Tint your windows and it will help a lot!

As for the AT I can't comment for the M6, but the one in my 01 Protege is great! Shifts very well and holds gears downhill - I'm kind of impressed.

Dinu

flypaper · July 2003

I just got a new 6s with the auto climate control system and am wondering if there's any way to NOT have air blowing out of the vents (other than closing all the vents!). It seems to me that when you hit the 'off' button, it would stop all air flow through the vents, but it doesn't. Am I missing something here?? I really don't want to stoop to reading the manual.

BTW -- been 90+ here the last few days and my A/C is working great. It blows cold within a few seconds, even if my car has been baking outside in the sun.

ashutoshsm · July 2003

... at the Mazda RevItUp event in DC (which was awesome!), I think there is a separate fan-speed control/knob (the rightmost of the 3) - turn that to 0 or off. In addition, switch from the 'venting air' to the 'recirculate' position (the arrows make it obvious which is which).

Should prevent the flow of air from the evnts.

Also, seeing as a number of posts in the "Problems and Solutions" section sometimes end up being things like "How do I", may I request that we minimize and restrict the use of this particular discussion to real "Problems" and relegate the "How" questions to the main mazda 6 boards?

A lot of (immature? simple-minded?) car-buyers assume a high post count in the problems section implies a more problematic car!

Karen_S · July 2003

OR, we could have a new discussion in Mazda6 owners titled "How do I...?"

Let me know if this would be useful.

glideslopes · July 2003

I have 5K on my 6s. The 5-Speed AT has been flawless. The 4-Speed AT in the 6i is lethargic. If going with a AT I can only recommend the 6s. It has more power than I can use in most situations. I also get 22mpg in 60/40 Hwy/City with a heavy foot. My best Hwy MPG at a constant 65 was 28.

I find the AC on my 6s to be very powerful. While it does take a few minutes to cool down in 100 degree weather, what system does not? I have never had the fogging issue. I find the Auto Climate Control very effective, quick to respond, and easy to manipulate.

Mark. : )

flypaper · July 2003

Thanks for the reply ashutoshsm. The auto climate control has two main dial controls, one that controls the auto climate control (hotter/colder) and one dial that manually controls fan speed. The 'off' button on the fan speed dial turns off either the automatic or manual settings the driver has selected. It does not prevent airflow from the vents, as is my experience with other cars I've owned.

Hitting the separate recirc button will only continue to blow (stale) air and won't prevent air from coming in the vents.

I posted this message here because I believe it is a 'problem' and was wondering if it annoyed anyone else. That's about my only complaint though -- love the car. Who cares if some idiot doesn't buy a 6 because he sees a few messages here? Unless you're a dealer??

mikest2 · July 2003

I bought a 2003 6i yesterday and I didn't notice until I got it home that the clutch pedal is irritatingly high. Is this common, or should I simply have the dealer make a clutch adjustment? Never had a similar issue with our 1993 MX-3 which is still going strong after 165k.

Thanks.

glideslopes · July 2003

Test drive?

mazdamarla · July 2003

With 675 miles on it, and 3 weeks of ownership, the dreaded "check engine" light came on this morning on my way to work. Filled the car up on Saturday, and there's still 3/4 tank of gas, so it's not due to an almost-empty gas tank. I pulled over, turned the car off and removed/retightened the gas cap, and the light came back on when I started it again. So when I got to work I called my dealer and the Mazda service guy called me back and I'm taking it in tomorrow first thing in the morning for them to check.

So what causes these, if there's nothing wrong in the end? What a pain in the you-know-what.

mikest2 · July 2003

To follow up on my previous msg, I've only had experience w/ 1 clutch pedal for the past 10 yrs, so maybe a clutch pedal gets lower as the car gets older and I got used to it? Maybe this is why my 6 pedal seems high. I had a long test drive with another 6 before my wife decided she didn't like the color so I took a shorter drive with the one we bought and didn't notice anything.

Is there a standard height that a clutch pedal should be (relative to the brake pedal)? Has anyone had theirs adjusted - it doesn't seem like it would be complicated.

Any helpful comments would be much appreciated. Thanks.

ashutoshsm · July 2003

... and one that has been echoed with various degrees of agreement to your view across various boards.

IMHO, the clutch and brake pedals are at a certain height, and it is the accelerator that is lower (by over half an inch). It does feel a little high (the gap/difference) but somethign I got used to quickly. I can now feather the accelerator on uphill stop signs and red lights, although heel-and-toe may be out of the question!

Some people have had great luck and like the result when adding on a set of pedals (addons or inserts), with a thicker accelerator. Inf act, one person (maybe stretch?) bought a whole set, but merely added the accelerator pedal (removed the other 2) and likes the overall feel much better now. The seat and steering wheel adjustment can be used to compensate quite well now, and he can heel-and-toe!

heyjoe11 · July 2003

I hear a very noticeable, moderately high-pitched, whine(almost a whistle)coming from my Mazda while cruising in fourth or fifth gear. The vehicle is a Mazda 6s with the manual transmission. If I take my foot off the gas the noise *disappears*. Touch the gas pedal every so slightly: the noise comes back. Pushing down on the clutch also makes the noise *disappear*, even while stepping on the gas pedal to keep the engine at cruising RPM.

I started hearing the noise after I put 900 miles on the car. At that time it also became somewhat more difficult to put the car into 2nd gear. I don't get a grinding noise but there is more resistance to entering the gear than when the car was new. I was actually expecting the shifting to get smoother with more miles on the odometer. The car now has over 1,600 miles and the noise is still there. I haven't taken it to my local dealer yet because I don't expect them to hear anything this subtle. Most dealers won't acknowledge a transmission problem until after you have the car towed in. I'm looking for any insight, suggestions, comments or questions about this problem. I would also like to know if other 6s or 6i owners with the manual transmission have noticed a similar whine. The more I learn prior to approaching the dealer the greater the chance I can get them to fix this problem.

I appreciate any and all help from the wonderful members of these Edmunds message boards. I have been following the Protege and Mazda6 boards for over two years. The community of people sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for Mazda vehicles played a great part in my decision to buy a Mazda.

Thanks for your help

seaf · July 2003

I think you should take it into the dealer, even if they refuse to do anything right now, it'll be documented when you tried to resolve it. And if by chance later you have a major problem, you can go back and say that you noticed it ahead of time and it wasn't something you did to cause the problem.

sry110 · July 2003

I think I have experienced a similar sound in my 6s M/T. I have to have the music off and the windows up to notice it, but it's a very high-pitched 'whistle' when I am applying gas to the engine. The sound I am hearing rises and falls right along with engine RPM. For some reason I seem to think it becomes exaggerated when the air conditioning is on, but I am not sure so I will check that out tonight. It might be worth getting checked out though.

As far as shifting into 2nd is concerned, I have noticed that the gearbox does become very 'notchy' (to quote from every Mazda6 review ever published) above 3500-4000 RPM. Sometimes it catches me off guard and I come close to letting off the clutch before I manage to get it into 2nd. I'm just now getting used to the fact that i need to allow more time forthe shifting process at higher RPMs.

Anyway, I'll let you know what I notice when I drive around tonight.

rmgpsu · July 2003

I'm assuming you're referring to the actual clutch pedal location, and not the "engage point" of the clutch. I took a crude measurement in my 6s manual and found the clutch pedal to be about 1" or so closer to the steering wheel than the brake pedal. Visually, it looks like less, but that's what I came up with. Not sure if that's an industry standard or not, or if adjustment is possible.

glideslopes · July 2003

I would have the dealer look at it. As was stated before, even if they send you away and you have problems after the warranty the documentation of your visits will greatly enhance your position in a claim. You might also request they check the level of gear lube in the MT, and replace it. Not enough gear lube can produce a whine.

Mark.

heyjoe11 · July 2003

heyjoe11 · July 2003

Wow, I hit the enter key instead of the left shift by accident and suddenly a mysterious post appears in the forum.

Thanks for all the replies so far. Please keep them coming. After this has been discussed to death I will be taking the car to the dealer. I definitely want to get my issue logged in their database. I too was thinking that the problem could be low fluid and that I should ask for them to check the level of the fluid. I especially like to hear comments from other 6s owners with the manual trans because our unit is different from the one in the 6i. Please, anyone with a perspective on the issue chime in.

ian2 · July 2003

Has anyone hit the panic button by accident? It's kind of annoying at 7:30 in the morning. On Honda's remote, the button is smaller and more recessed.

apriln · July 2003

My husband hit it by accident while we were in the car. Very exciting.

Otherwise, I've been able to avoid it, but since this is my first car remote, I've been a little extra careful with it.

rmgpsu · July 2003

I try not to hit the panic button until at least 8:30 am.

toolman02 · July 2003

heyjoe11,

I get this from my MT too. It's pretty quiet and I only hear it if the radio is off. Not sure if it's actually a problem or just a design flaw.

gkramer61 · July 2003

FYI On my 6 the rattle in the drivers door was caused by the door latch cable and the door lock cable inside the door. The two cables were vibrating against each other. A little electrical tape and every thing is A-OK.

mikest2 · August 2003

Thanks guys, my mind is now at ease. I agree re: the accelerator height, ashutoshsm. And thanks for the measurement, rmgpsu. Clutch feels fine now, maybe a little pinch of "buyer's remorse" crept in for a bit.

Good luck with your 6's & hopefully I can be of some help someday (although I wouldn't count on it!)...

maltb · August 2003

Mine had it....until I moved the CDs and the tire gauge that were in the door pocket.

Getting some audio equip later this week...I hope for a few more rattles like that.

stuemo1 · August 2003

Anyone have engine problems with the 4 cyl? Looking at buying one but the cast iron sleeved aluminum block kind of gives me the creeps. Who makes the 4? I know the 6 is Fords... Thanks.

glideslopes · August 2003

I have not seen any issues with the I4. It's a Mazda Design.
Not as refined as a K24, but close enough. Mazda's current engines are well designed and manufactured. The 4-speed AT in the 6i is a Mazda unit. Not to be confused with the troublesome Ford AT in the 626. Completely different unit. The MT is a Mazda unit.

The V6 is a Duratec block with Mazda VVT Heads and Intake. The Duratec is one of the most reliable V6's ever manufactured. Designed for Ford by Porsche. It is bullet proof when maintained correctly. People confuse it with the Vulcan V6 in the base Taurus and Windstar. That engine is a Ford design. The AT in the 6s is a JATCO unit. Very reliable Japanese transmissions. The MT is a Mazda unit.

Mark. : )

ca2003 · August 2003

anybody here has a mazda6 with after market moon roof? Do you have problem? does it leaks?

I took my 2 week old 6i which has a dealer installed moon roof to a automated car wash. I was shocked to find that water seeps through the edge of the moonroof and collects in the tray that house the moonroof. There's enough water to fill half a cup!! The dealer tested it and agrees that it does leaks. They sent it back for service. However, when I collect the car, they says that no work was done as there's no problem. The tray is SUPPOSE to collect water and moisture. That is the design!! I got the feeling that it sounds like BS. They assure me the tray will not overflow unless I'm in a monsoon...

any advice is greatly appreciated.

mazda6s · August 2003

Aluminum engines with cast iron cylinder liners are very common.

seaf · August 2003

I have a new 6i AT with less than 400 miles on it, has anyone experienced this. When I first drive my car after it's been parked in the garage all night or after work after it's parked in the parking lot all day. When I accelerate it hiccups and lurches slightly when shifting from 1st to 2nd at around 2.6k RPM @ 15 mph. I'm just gently accelerating, not flooring it or anything. Then afterwards it's smooth shifting all throughout the gears, I even tried pulling into a driveway and reversing out and then doing it again, smooth shifts still.

So I was wondering if this is due to the AT's 'learning' feature? I've noticed this consistently for the past 2 days (4 occurences total). I'll probably get it checked out if it continues to happen. Just wondering if this is something wrong or just the way a new transmission behaves. My other theory is that when it's been parked for a while, all the fluids take a while to reach all parts of the transmission, so the first shift is rough. So has anyone else noticed this?

mazdamarla · August 2003

Hmmmm....we took my car thru a touchless carwash last weekend, and we both got sprayed with a very light mist of water when the sprays were going over the roof. Not much, though - certainly not as much as you say you had! Is this normal? I would think it should not let ANY water in at all, no matter how minimal.

ian2 · August 2003

without cast-iron liners would worry me more. You know how soft Al is. The engine is defintely a different breed than the K24. Whereas K24 is smooth in all rev range, the 2.3 surges at 3000rpm, and then at 4000 the exhaust note changes. It's such a thrill to rev it, even though I only have less than 400 miles on it and I really shouldn't be doing that. ;-)

stuemo1 · August 2003

Thanks for the help. Talking w/ a couple of service depts, they tell me that the i and s are too new and they haven't had any recalls or problems w/ either xcept scheduled maintenance. Mostly what I've seen on chat are "engine light" problems.
Has the Duratec block always been 100% AL or is that Mazda's design? Do either the 4 or 6 have timing belts or are they chains? If belts, what's the interval?
Stu

ashutoshsm · August 2003

They aren't being entirely honest with you - the Mazda 6, over its short life, has had a few recalls, almost all minor. I can't remember them all, but the NHTSA website should help. Stuff like Brake Fluid Reservoir under-level warning potential failure, and fog light wiring issues. About par for a first-year model, and I (and so many others) bought it knowing about all that

I'm positive (since so many people ask and reply) that both engines have metallic timing chains. As for the engine, AFAIK, yes, its always been Aluminium, the way Porsche developed it for Ford. Correct me if I'm wrong, someone.

Also, since you aren't really discussing problems, but questions/concerns any more, may I respecfully suggest we move the continuation of this discussion to the main Mazda 6 forum?

kmaurer · August 2003

I also own a 6i-AT. I experience the EXACT same problem in the morning. I have 4,200 miles on my vehicle--the problem still exists.

The service consultant at my dealer went on a ride with me and says it is "normal." He also took me on a test drive of another Mazda6 on the lot which did the exact same thing.

Luckily, the warranty is for 4yr/50K...

ca2003 · August 2003

thanks for the response. the dealer says the water will be drained away... I'll have to test it out.

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