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Mazda5 Owners: Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • flyonthewallflyonthewall Member Posts: 41
    When I picked up my 5 the service guy told me to expect to smell an oder from the new exhaust parts... It's normal.
  • mtgapmtgap Member Posts: 3
    I have the same problem...

    http://search.ebay.com/mazda5_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8
  • pagetunerpagetuner Member Posts: 41
    Funny you should mention that. Pretty much the ONLY thing available for Mazda5 on ebay is short antennas.

    pagetuner
    http://pagetuner.com/mazda5/
  • mazda5lovermazda5lover Member Posts: 29
    Hello,
    This is my first ever new car... I would like to know.. is it ok to just swing it in to my local auto car wash or should I hand wash it at the car wash's bays? Help.. I don't want to mess it up already..

    David
  • isda65isda65 Member Posts: 74
    I handwash my 5 all the time. No problems so far. I would do a full wash once a week and then wipe it clean everyday when I come home in the evening with a wet but squeezed-dry very clean and lint-free cloth. Just make sure that you always wash the rag when you have gone over dirty spots to avoid possible scratches.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    You wipe your car clean every day? Wow!
  • isda65isda65 Member Posts: 74
    Takes only at most 30 minutes. If you do it everyday, the it wouldn't take long the next time. I make it my goal to "wash" the car at least once a week but at times I can't which is ok because basically the car is clean anyway. So in reality it can save me some time and effort to do the wash. Also I like wiping it down because it's less messier and I don't waste water.
  • bypasskidbypasskid Member Posts: 57
    you know, I don't want to infringe on anyone's right to wash their cars. but from the environmental point of view that's disgusting! people have not water in some countries and we waste it on carwash?
  • dashdogdashdog Member Posts: 6
    I'd hate to see your car...

    Most modern car washes recycle their water. As for those of us who wash our own (that would be those of us that actually want a clean car), if done carefully, washing the car can be done with less water than it takes to wash a load of clothes. What's disgusting is those who buy something as expensive as a car and then treat it as though it were disposable. Would you buy $20,000 worth of furniture and not clean it when it got dirty? When a young car looks like an old car, it will end up at the junkyard sooner, and that truly is bad for the environment.
  • isda65isda65 Member Posts: 74
    Are you saying we should not wash our cars anymore?
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    I've never known anyone that spends 30 minutes every day cleaning their car. Pretty impressive! I have a 7 year old Cougar with 120K miles that I bought new and gets washed only when it's really dirty. It lives outside, so the rain washes it most of the time. I wash it probably 5 times a year, and I've never waxed it, and it still looks good sitting next to new cars. Maybe the silver color helps. Plus I think the continuous waxing, washing and rubbing does damages the paint and clearcoat more then protecting it. But if people want to spend several hours each week or even each day washing their car, more power to them. I wonder if those same people hose down their house every day or week...after all, that's much larger than a $20,000 car investment.

    Of course there's no "right" answer to this topic. I'm just adding my opinion. And since this is a car forum, I'm probably in the minority but that's okay.
  • isda65isda65 Member Posts: 74
    I've never known anyone that spends 30 minutes every day cleaning their car

    That should tell you that there is a far bigger world out there than what you are currently exposed to.

    A lot of the energies expended in this forum is primarily because some people don't seem to have the time and wherewithal to read the posts carefully before they make judgements.
  • hifivehifive Member Posts: 72
    But if you are washing your car thirty minutes a day are you really experiencing the world? :P

    I don't wash my own car, never had, and I have never owned a used car. They do just fine in car washes. Recently I went somewhere extremely dusty, and my entry remote stopped working. I thought the battery had died, but when I got the car washed it worked again. Also, my remote has a very limited range, I tried it yesterday in a straight line of sight, from about 20, then 10 feet, and it didn't work until I was about 5 feet from the vehicle. Has anyone else had this issue?

    HiFive

    p.s. still waiting for the fix!
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    My last comment on this subject...I'm not judging, as people can do what they like with their time (washing car, reading a book, posting a reply, etc.). Just giving another opinion completely off topic! I just think it's a waste of MY time to spend 1/2 hour each day wiping down a car. Everyone can judge for themselves how they use their time. My opinion is that people can spend the time on the car washing, but it's not necessary to do so and for those that don't, they're not damaging their car. Sort of the same point I made about those who change their oil more often than the manufacturer recommendations (usually 5K miles)...it's not necessary, but if people want to do it then they can go right ahead. People do lots of unnecessary things...and that's their choice. But when they try to convince others to do the same, that's when I add my opinion.
  • skeltonskelton Member Posts: 13
    When a young car looks like an old car, it will end up at the junkyard sooner, and that truly is bad for the environment.

    My car always runs better after I wash it:)
  • fiveykinsfiveykins Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone change their own oil? Someone mentioned earlier about a cartridge replacing the oil filter. Is it easily accessible? How much for a tool?
  • bypasskidbypasskid Member Posts: 57
    I am with you, I do not see not washing my car as a poor treatment of my investement. I do wash them but like once a year or something.
  • nym5nym5 Member Posts: 20
    same filter cartridge as the 3: http://www.mazdastuff.com/directory.cfm?CategoryID=240
  • ffunffun Member Posts: 29
    I don't really care how much people wash their car but let's just remember that we are all from different parts of the world. Someone in southern California won't need to wash their car as much as someone in Canada.

    In Canada, they put tons of salt and sand on the roads in the winter and therefore it is not that unreasonable to wash your car every day. Your car not only get's dirty but the salt can accelerate the corrosion rate of the steel.

    In SoCal it hardly rains so dusting you car is probably more effective than washing it.

    Now that I've said that, let's never speak of this subject again.
  • hifivehifive Member Posts: 72
    Call me a dumb girl, but I can't understand the manual. Does the car need an oil change at 3K or 5K? I have an automatic.

    HiFive :D
  • vinnyfastvinnyfast Member Posts: 33
    You're exactly right about the brake calipers. They need to replace one of the them on the rear, as soon as the parts come in from some warehouse in the US. Dealer said it would take a couple of days to get them in, well, it's been a week so far and still nothing. Other than that, the car is now running fine....knock on wood!
  • mazda5lovermazda5lover Member Posts: 29
    I have read and it says to do it every 7500 or 5000 depending on usage. My dealer prepares their service schedule pamphlet and they are very good.. For the New England area, due to heavy winters and stuff.. they recommend every 4000. I would say this to be safe...

    I can scan this pamphlet and email to you if you are interested. Just email me directly. david_diaz_jr@hotmail.com :P
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    I have never owned a used car...

    Everyone drives a used car. ;)
  • hifivehifive Member Posts: 72
    OK, I have never BOUGHT a used car! :P

    HiFive
  • isda65isda65 Member Posts: 74
    Funny, I haven't heard of any clicking lately in mine. Could it be the temperature change (it's been raining for more than two weeks now)? But I also noted that I haven't had a chance to brake hard too so... I'll keep listening though.

    At any rate for those who have the "shaking when starting" issue I have noticed that if the engine is cold, as in the morning, it doesn't shake at all but when it's warm it does. Could anybody offer any inputs to explain this behaviour?
  • pibracpibrac Member Posts: 1
    Hi everyone

    Here in Québec City we got our first snow fall last evening.
    We had received about 3 or 4cm (more or less 1 in) of wet and heavy snow when I used my car.

    Being the first snow fall, I hadn’t in my car anything to clean the windows.
    So I just used the wipers…

    I had to stop 3 times to try to clean the blade of the driver side with no success at all. There was always a big stripe of excess water after the blade had passed. It was like looking through a full bear bottle. I had to wait until the windshield got warmer (few kilometers late) before the wiper blade was doing an OK job.

    My suggestions if you live with the joy of winter, change those blades as soon as you can!

    For those of you living in Canada, Canadian Tire has wipers that are only the robber blade (no hinges or springs) I found those really good on my Protege.

    Except for that, the M5 handles the now as well as my Protege was. But I will have to get use to drive an automatic transmition in the snow instead of a stick.
    I had a Grand caravan durring the recall... god I love my 5 it was worth the wait
  • rob1morerob1more Member Posts: 3
    Still do not have my 5 back - dealer short one kit - Mine!

    I received a nice reply to an earlier post (#733)about motor noise inside the car. I still see postings of how quiet other Mazda5s are, but is that from outside?? Mine is quiet when at an idle from outside, but when driving it it sounds like I am about to blow the motor!! (5-Speed Manual)
    I checked and the under hood area is sound padded.

    Anyone else have this experience - I couldn't hear the motor in my previous cars, unless I raced it!

    Thanks again :confuse:
  • sbengumbysbengumby Member Posts: 1
    The dealer should have given you a better loaner since they are getting reimbursed for it. Hope you have your 5 by now. If not, I would call Mazda 800-222-5500.
  • coolmazda5coolmazda5 Member Posts: 525
    Hi rob1more,

    Should we take into account that the M5 has a 2.3L engine? My other car (also a 5-Speed Manual) has a 1.7L engine and when the windows are rolled down (in both) I can tell the M5 engine is louder, but also feels more powerful. As for driving styles, I usually upshift around 3,000 RPM or so...
  • ajpendoajpendo Member Posts: 19
    We have the mazda5 GPS navigation computer. However, at certain times when trying to enter destination data the text freezes. It will go back with the return key but may not advance. Any ideas anyone?
  • whipped95whipped95 Member Posts: 46
    You mention it freezes at certain time, that wouldn't happen to be while the vehicle is moving is it? To input any destination info you have to stop the car, even if you've nearly completed entering the data then start moving again it won't continue.
  • ajpendoajpendo Member Posts: 19
    aha!!

    There may well be a relationship between data entry and lack of movement.

    I presume this is a safety feature so my wife in the passenger seat won't get distracted with data entry while not driving??

    I guess if folks can drive at 65 miles an hour in second gear and set the exhaust afire we need to be protected from ourselves...

    Thanks!!
  • garandmangarandman Member Posts: 524
    I'M ASKING ALL OTHER OWNERS TO PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR,

    Umm, this is always true......
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    you guys are very amusing this morning
  • whipped95whipped95 Member Posts: 46
    I know, it's a bit frustrating when the passenger COULD be inputing data while you drive. Sometimes I feel it's more of a safety risk stopping somewhere just to input data, rather than just typing in as you go. When will they make the voice recognition software so we can eliminate the typing all together :)

    Oh yea, my recall maintenance was done this morning within 5 hours of dropping it off. The chrome exhaust tip adds a nice touch, and for those wondering, I haven't noticed any funny smell from the new exhaust. The forum seems kinda slow this week, figure everyone must be out driving :shades: FINALLY.
  • hifivehifive Member Posts: 72
    Mine still isn't fixed, but I have been driving it for the duration of the recall. I called Mazda USA to see what the hold up is, and they said the dealer should get the parts in a couple weeks. This is a little ridiculous considering vehicles have been fixed in other parts of the country. I even heard another dealer in Minnesota had already fixed some cars. Oh well. Mazda is sending me a service coupon since I complained. I don't suppose anyone has received their $500 check yet? I guess I won't be getting it in time for Christmas!

    HiFive :)
  • mgopalmgopal Member Posts: 1
    Hi,
    Just picked up our new Mazda 5 and found out that ours was the last one received in Ontario until at least January 2006.
    The car is great!!! I just have one pet peeve. When I have my temperature set at 22-25 degrees Celsius, the A/C light turns on. I have the mode set at feet and/or face or even defrost and it still remains on. When I press the A/C button to turn it off, then the automatic climate control shuts off.
    Has anyone had any experience like this. In cold weather, I do not need the A/C on, I need heat and there is no need for the A/C light to come on.

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
  • ffunffun Member Posts: 29
    I have also noticed this problem with the A/C being on when I need heat. My only explanation is that it is probably on to keep the car from fogging/frosting up in the cold weather. In my old civic the A/C would come on whenever I turned on the front window defrost.
  • bjerrybjerry Member Posts: 59
    When I press the A/C button to turn it off, then the automatic climate control shuts off.
    Has anyone had any experience like this. In cold weather, I do not need the A/C on, I need heat and there is no need for the A/C light to come on.

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

    Ah, I've just started experiencing this same frustration. Here's what I came up with as a work around.

    Auto Climate control (ACC) seems to want to turn on the ac and split between the defroster and pushing heat out of the floor vents with the AC on.

    Set the tempurature first with the ACC button (the range in the US is 60F to 90F, I don't know what the C equivalent is), then turn the ACC off, by turning off the fan or the AC. Then control the fan speed, and use the Front/Mode buttons to select where you want the air to flow.

    Often, on very cold days/wet days, I turn the defroster on with the AC to clear the windshield, and after that I turn the AC off. The manual talks about AC Econ mode, but I don't know what that is and I wonder if turning the AC off will boost my mpg a bit.

    Jerry
  • doral3rddoral3rd Member Posts: 2
    There is no problem...READ your MANUAL :)
  • c3poc3po Member Posts: 26
    I have the same problem, whereby the A/C light comes on when I turn on the auto climate control. I think this maybe normal as long as the ac compressor does not turn on.Its getting cccccold, especially in Canada. Does anybody know if the Mazda5 comes with a block heater.
  • raceymomraceymom Member Posts: 18
    Just in case things were getting a bit boring on this site, I want to report a new problem with my Mazda 5. I got in mine yesterday and the driver side power window wouldn't work. When I parked the car and closed the door there was a loud "thunk" - I bet you can guess, the window fell off the track inside the door. Off to the dealer I went again - this time waiting for the repair to be done. The dealer was very nice and took my car in right away and said he would report it to Mazda. Hopefully this doesn't happen to anyone else - my car only has 800 miles on it and has spent more time in the shop than home. :mad:
  • bob_welshbob_welsh Member Posts: 16
    Last night my wife and I went shopping and when we left the mall she couldn't get the passager side sliding door to close. Its like if she held the handle open while closing it, it took 6 times when she finally pushed the end of the door towards the car for it to close. Anyone else experience this?

    On a more serious note. I start the car and drive like 200 feet. I slow down for the stop sign and then accelerate. The car first responds and goes forward for like a second and then drops dead like if it stalls and then goes forward again. Your whole body goes forward rapidly and backward when the car accelerates again. I don't know how to call this? My car is an automatic and I was driving in D. This has happenened 3 times so for. Twice when the engine was cold and once when it was hot. But it was alot worse when it was cold.
    Anyone else experience this?

    I can say than I'm worried that this mazda 5 is getting to look more and more like a :lemon: . I find that frustrating because its the first time in my life that I'm getting attached to a car. I love my 5.

    Bob Welsh
  • hifivehifive Member Posts: 72
    I have never had any problems with the doors, but I have had similar experiences when the car is cold. I have never had it happen when it was warm.

    HiFive :)
  • raceymomraceymom Member Posts: 18
    I have had similar experiences myself but can't pinpoint. It seems to happen to me when I am getting on the freeway and stop suddenly and then need to accelerate quickly. It seems to delay and then "clunk" into gear and accelerate quickly. It is really strange.
  • bob_welshbob_welsh Member Posts: 16
    By a "clunk" sound do you mean you hear a hard noise? Mine doesn't do that. And it does it beetween 1st and 2nd gear only. When you say stop do you have to completely stop or just slow down for it to do it?
    I guess we may be heading for another recall!

    Bob
  • jukkajukka Member Posts: 3
    I experienced the same sliding door problem.
    The locking mechanism on the back of the sliding door has this white part that is in a position that is not locked or open.
    I had to manually turn it to the locked position and then I opened it with the remote. After that, I have been able to shut the sliding door without problems.
  • whipped95whipped95 Member Posts: 46
    Just received my $500 recall check :), just in time for holiday shopping :cry: . Thought you'd all like to know.
  • bjerrybjerry Member Posts: 59
    Just received my $500 recall check , just in time for holiday shopping . Thought you'd all like to know.

    Try, try not to spend it all in one place.
  • qnyqny Member Posts: 3
    It happened to me too. "Clunk" then gear up and accelerate. I also noticed squeeking noise in the suspension whenever I hit a bump and pothole.
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