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i'm thinking of taking it to a mazda dealer and handing the bill to the place o bought the car.
the struts don't look new. unless there's a sleeve or something they fit into.
i really appreciate all the help i get here.
can you check the strut mounts w/o going to a shop? i had this problem with my 94 camry and it was the strut mounts. just want to narrow it down a bit i guess befor i go screaming at someone. this will be the 3rd time with this problem
If you should happen to find a plug that is bad, you will need to change the wire as well since it has the same track of carbon where it meets the plug.
After reading some of the postings, I feel I must have been incredibly lucky. I sold my 82 in 1988 with 123k and it is still cruising around town with 200k+miles. The 88 was sold 1998 with 130k miles. Both cars were relatively trouble free and didn't require much beyond usual maintenance. With the 98 I am also having the hesitation problem and need to get new plug wires to see if that helps, Just replaced the O2 sensor last week. It is more peppy, but still hesitates. There is also a squeaking in the steering wheel as it turns when the weather is warm. Anyone else have that? The most bizarre problem with this car was overheating. After replacing a cracked reservoir, I still had overheating, just not as quickly. After pulling the radiator to get it cleaned out, discovered it was coated with a build-up of cat hair. Now I have to have the garage blow off the radiator when I get it serviced. Our cats sleep in the garage, and I guess hair gets sucked up there when we start the car.
Thanks for any info.
I will list some problems/headaches with this 99 Mazda 626 ES V6:
1. Occassional hood shake because the hood reinforcement is not bonded to the hood metal properly.
2. Consistently rough ride - this car rides rough no matter what I do, no matter what tires I put on it. By rough I do not mean vibration in the steering wheel or in the seat - just rough feeling as if the axle CV joints were sloppy and the struts too stiff.
3. Axles/CV joints replaced under warranty due to annoying vibration upon hard acceleration at high RPM.
4. Front wheel hub/knuckle assembly replaced under warranty due to misaligned studs relative to the center hub . I could not get a wheel on without forcing it on and gouging it. And the brake rotor was jammed on so tight that it could not be removed.
5. Radiator overflow tank replaced due to leaks.
A/C quit working because coolant leaked into compressor clutch connector which is directly below the overflow tank. Cleaning the connector fixed the A/C.
6. Keyless entry remote key ring loop is thin, it broke off, and the remote was replaced under warranty
I am not impressed with this vehicle at all and I regret that I bought it. The resale value is terrible. Fuel economy is only mediocre considering the performance (or lack of). And considering many other vehicles with 100K plus mile tune up interval, maintenance requirements and prices associated for this car are intensive and high. I had to fight hard to get the axles and the hub replaced under warranty and they did it only because a local Mazda mechanic had the same car and had a terrible vibration problem and he was ready to start a litigation against Mazda under the lemon law. They finally figured out what it was and replaced the axles and CV joints under warranty. After this discovery, they replaced my axles without any further arguments. This, and replacing the hub/knuckle assembly fixed the problem. I believe this will be the last Mazda I will ever own. This vehicle has been reduced to Ford level in both performance and quality.
I just found out that the 99 V6 needs valve adjustment every 60K miles. They use shims for this purpose so you need special tools and a selection of shims for the job. And if you do not have special feeler gauges you must remove the cams. And to remove the cams you must remove to intake manifold to get off the rear valve cover.
My keyless remote entry (both of them) broke after the warranty. They wanted about $150 to get a new one and to program it. Maybe I can SuperGlue a loop to it on the back.
The '98 and '99 have softer suspensions than previous models, and were slammed in the press for comparatively sloppier handling. The 2000, accordingly, received a substantial stiffening (along with a facelift I consider retrograde).
The maintenance schedule calls for an inspection of valve clearance at 60k. This does mean that the valve cover comes off; it does not necessarily mean that you're going to have to have a lot of work done. And, like anything else, it's a tradeoff; '97 and before used hydraulic lifters that could not be adjusted and occasionally went into serious ticking mode due to oil starvation, which is also not fun.
Thanks
I prefer two man manual bleeding technique. I usually attach a piece of plastic tubing to a caliper bleeder valve and insert it into a bottle partially filled with brake fluid. Have someone in the car push down on the brake pedal and hold it while you open the bleed screw until the brake pedal sinks to the floor (tell them not to pump the pedal) and then close the bleed screw. I generally start with the caliper farthest away from the master cylinder. As you bleed, check the level in the master cylinder often and add fresh fluid as necessary. Repeat this process with the other calipers until you have purged the old fluid out and replaced it with fresh brake fluid. Brake fluid attacks car finish - make sure you wipe it off immediately if it gets on your car paint.
they both heard the rattle in the back. the mechanic was puzzled since he replace the struts and checked the strut mounts, replaces the sway bar and checked the bushings and also checked the exhaust. the trunk was emptied and still the rattle persists. the manager is going to call a mazda rep t come look at the car if they can't find it they'll have to give me another car.
thanks again for your help.
My '00 LX-V6 also has some squeaking in the steering column while turning the wheel, but only when the interior is hot. Haven't challenged the dealer with it yet, but it's nice to know I'm not the only one experiencing it...
Somebody asked this question before and I remember reading the response that these belts are the same for all cars.
How do you inspect timing belt on V6?
Mazda is not the only company with confusing timing belt replacement guidance. My 95 Nissan V6 pickup also uses a timing belt and the replacement interval is 105,000 miles according to the owner's manual. However, local Nissan service manager I talked to recommended replacement of the belt at 60K. (The belt replacement interval for older V6 models is 60K.) He stated that these belts are all the same. I asked if Nissan would repair my engine for free if the belt broke before 105 K miles. The answer was no because the vehicle was out of warranty. This is an interference engine and if the belt breaks, it will cause about $ 3000 worth of damage to the pistons and the valves. How do you like this response? I have about 76K miles on my truck and I am getting nervous about the timing belt.
The Mazda 626 V6 is a noninterference engine so there should be no engine damage if the belt breaks. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the four cylinder engine, which is an interference engine.
Due to the fact that my engine is non interference I think I will try to run beyond 60K. I do have one question: What are the things I should pay attention when inspecting timing belt? In other word what are indicators that is should be replaced?
dryrot, cracks, tears, fraying, excessive wear, or any other signs of belt deterioration.
1. Sit in the driver's seat, driver's door open, all others closed.
2. Do this three times: insert key, turn to "on" position, turn to "off" position, remove key.
3. Push the driver's door ajar switch three times. Car will chime.
4. Push any button on the 1st remote twice. Car will chime.
5. Push any button on 2nd remote twice. Car will chime.
6. Wait three seconds. Press door ajar switch one time. Car will chime.
7. Remotes are now programmed.
Note: Any previous remotes will no longer operate on this vehicle.
I hope this helps.
Thanks for the instructions, I saw them when checking board after being away for a few days. I think I may have found some on ebay, they are cheap, so I will give them a try.
slickdog
My steering noise also happens only when it is warm in the interior. My son says it sounds like a litter of mewling kittens. It is quite annoying, but with the temperature in the 60's now it has been kind of quiet. My warranty is long gone, so I haven't had a dealer check it. There was a post in the problems section, but there didn't seem to be any resolution.
I've got some time left on my warranty, so I'm planning to get the car into the dealership so they can fix the aforementioned "rear-end tapping" sound which is getting worse for me as of late. Perhaps I'll ask them about the steering noise as well.
I'm also seeing tears in my *third* set of vinyl shift lever/parking brake boots, so I think the dealer and I are going to have words about that too. Those should not be tearing every winter simply because I drive my car in sub-freezing temperatures (I'm now nearly convinced that's the cause). They're either going to give me leather boots or find a way to stop the vinyl ones from tearing, else I'm going to call the regional service rep. looking for a solution. The dealer keeps telling me that he isn't seeing this problem on anyone else's 626, but that's not going to make me go away and stop complaining.
Doubleought 5spd boots have failed in several places.
So I can lend credibility to that statement.I'll have
to look into some leather replacements.Would that ES
wheel fit our LX?
My dealer already spilled the beans on the fact that ES (leather) shift/park brake boots can be used on an LX w/vinyl (I think you can also order leather for an LX, no?), so I'd bet that the steering wheels are interchangeable as well. I've removed steering wheels on other vehicles before, and not only are they usually interchangeable between different trim levels of the same model, but many are also compatible with (or even the same as) different models of the same make.
bag and explosive charge ?!?