Mazda Millenia

kcm8419 · November 2003

Didn't Ford already have their hands into Mazda before the Millenia came about in '95?

heybrady · November 2003

With the 6 being the most expensive model in the lineup, it doesnt have a luxury feel at all. Reminds me of an Alero or Grand Am in style. Too many angles and ground effects, etc. If they come out with a car that has clean lines and has a luxury/performance feel to it, similar to new Maxima (even though it is ugly) or TL or G35 they may have a shot. Market is pretty full for low $30's cars though. MM could have stayed around longer if it was redesigned with bigger engine and bigger size interior.

kcm8419 · November 2003

I agree with you that the low $30 and even the mid $30 market is jammed with vehicles now. I also think the MM could have stayed around longer especially if they made the car bigger. For what ever reason Mazda comes out with good cars but they then let them just sit there and die. They do not try and do any real improvements on them to keep up with the competition. I hate to say it but that is sad to say. They would rather come out with a design and then leave it there for 10 years or less without making any real improvements to it and then scrap it for a new model. Then they can't figure out why their sales figures are dropping like a lead ballon on the vehicle.

jlowery · November 2003

Does anyone know where I can order on the internet carpeted (beige) Millenia floor mats for 1999 model?

kcm8419 · November 2003

The obvious place would be a dealer. If you did not want to go there then try a salvage yard. You can always try ebay, but I did a quick look and did not find anything there.

rbrubaker · December 2003

It has been a long time since I posted here, so I thought I would give an update on my 99 Millenia S.

42K miles, and I am already on my third set of tires. I went to H rated tires hoping they will last longer. Absolutely no problems, and maintenance has pretty much been a battery, and oil changes that the Dealer does for free.

This car has been very good to me and my pocket book (except for the tires, which is probably due to how I drive). Only two more payments!

Bob

mmerchant · December 2003

I am surprised you are already on your 3rd set of tires with 42,000 miles (67,200 kms). I managed to squeeze a good 54,000 KMS out of the OEM Dunlop SP5000 - having rotated them diligently every 10,000 Kms. I was at one time considering switching to an H rated but then decided to go for the Toyo Proxes TPT V rated which has a treadwear rating of 100,000 km - well this is to be seen. You are lucky though that you haven't encountered any major issues with your car. My 2001 S has undergone all sorts of warranty repairs, including the replacement of the Lysholm supercharger.

However, it is a delightful car to drive, which all Mazda's are. In my opinion - having owned various models of Mazda as well as Hondas and Nissans - nothing reaches the height of Mazdas when the vehicle is behaving well!

tig2002 · December 2003

This is a question that always bothered me. When I press Auto of climate control, the A/C kicks in no matter what the outside temperature is. This happens on all cars with climate control, at least on cars that I had (Nissan Maxima, Nissan Altima) and currently have (Isuzu Axiom, Mazda Millennia). Why?! I do not need A/C when I need to heat up the interior to certain temperature level. The problem is that when you press A/C while Auto is ON to turn off the air compressor, it disengages the Auto mode. You try to change the mode of air flow - it also disengages the Auto. Anything you try to change while in Auto - the Auto goes off. I don't want climate control to decide how and where to blow the air! I want it to do its main job - keep the temperature at certain level!

heybrady · December 2003

Tig, the a/c is on simply to remove moisture from the air that it blows out. this helps to keep the windows defrosted. now, as far as extra wear-and-tear on the a/c system, i have no idea. i do agree that the driver should be able to change what vents the air goes thru without turning off the system. it took me 5 months to get used to the auto feature, and finally i just learned to deal with it. it works better in the winter than the summer, imho.

erinsquared · December 2003

Send me an email and I'll provide you the mats info.

I have a 98 Millenia S model with 75K miles which has provided good service. Here are the repairs that we've done since owning it:
- new tires at 45k miles
- replaced tilt wheel motor
- 2 new O2 sensors and catalytic converter @ 60k miles (dealer paid for catalytic converter, we paid for O2).
- new front end link
- replaced serpentine belts and heater hose
- misc park/tail light bulbs

In all, I am pleased with the vehicle service over the time we have owned it (2nd owner, 1999 @ 11k miles). I think these are great cars and still get complements, although the platform is now showing its age compared to competitive offerings.

soloflight98 · December 2003

I have a 2000 S The drivers side heated seat doesn't work, the passenger side works great. The switch where you turn on the heat lights up, so what is the chances that the relay could be bad. Any ideals on where the relay is and how much this could cost? thanks

kcm8419 · December 2003

Some of the relays were under the seat and some are in the back of the seat. I do not know what year the switch was made from under to the back. If I had to guess I think that the 2000 will most likely be in the back of the seat.

heybrady · December 2003

solo, i too have the same issue with my 99. the drivers seat worked fine in april, but in november when i tried again, no go. the passenger works fine. i tried unpluggin and replugging the connectors under the seat. it has a white end on it. still doesnt work. the connections are in the back of the seat. a previous post said to try and unclip the back of the seat and test for connectivity back there. i tried but the cover didnt want to come off very easily and i didnt want to break any of the clips. i belive fairwood posted something about this not long ago and said the dealer quoted him 280-some bucks to fix. if you go get an estimate, please post it. i am curious to see what it is.

kcm8419 · December 2003

Fairwood's problem was determined to be a broken coil in his seat warmers. If you want to read that whole discussion you will have to go back about 4 pages or more. Fairwood also had a problem with a CEL coming on, which was a misfire.

01_milly_s · December 2003

I've been reading up a little bit regarding the quality of the stock tires on the Mill. Anyways, I could've sworn at least the S models came with a full size spare. I still have the stock Dunlops on Mine, but the rear passenger seems to have been slashed on the sidewall or is the tire just no good? It's still under warranty. If I took it in, would they replace it with the same Dunlops or would I have a choice?
Thanks in advance.

01_milly_s · December 2003

The 6 isn't the most expensive car in the current Mazda lineup. It's actually the RX-8. There is no longer a "flagship". It's obvious that Mazda is now more towards sport and performance (i.e. MazdaSpeed), which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but cars like the Milly and 929 which represented Mazda's solid luxo efforts won't be forgotten.

kcm8419 · December 2003

The Mill does not come with a full size spare tire. The full size spare tire has been gone for a long time on all vehicles.

They probable will not even replace that tire for you. First of all they will pro rate the tire, but I think they won't even do that because it has to be a manufacture defect for them to replace it. They will most likely say you hit a curb and damaged it yourself therefore it is your problem.

soloflight98 · December 2003

I checked the switch with a volt meter, they are working fine. I took the front seat back cover off, it just snaps off easy just a little tricky putting back on the connections were also good. The mazda tech told me over the phone that the relay is in the back seat, he also said that it works both seat warmers. I believe the coil is bad, but how can I find out without taking it to a tech.

fwatson · December 2003

If you're talking about the heating coil in the seat, just set your VOM to Ohms instead of Volts and on X1000. Unplug the connector in the seat and put one probe on each end of the coil. If you get no reading it is open. Don't do that with power to the seats or you will blow your meter.

But I would think the seats each have their own coil, and they would probably be in parallel. If neither one is working the problem is not likely to be the seat coils. It is unlikely they would go bad at the same time.

You might get information on heated seats by googling for it.

Maybe your answer is in one of these links.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UT- - - F-8&q=repair+seat-heater&btnG=Google+Search

heybrady · December 2003

Anyone out there by any chance have a Millenia Repair Manual? I would like to get my hands on one of those and see what it says about troubleshooting the seat heaters.

01_milly_s · December 2003

That's what I suspected kcm8419. I got a quote for 1 Dunlop SP5000 from Discount Tire (who also mentioned that they no longer make this tire so it had to be ordered from Dunlop) and it was for $209 (US) so I decided to go with a Yokohama YK420, which is a better tire according to the guy at the shop. Total cost including free replacement was about $165. The only other tire they had that would fit the the stock rim was a Goodyear Eagle RSA, but it was around $20 more. Looks like I'm ready to zoom-zoom again.

By the way, the OEM Dunlop wasn't slashed. It had a nail embedded in it that we didn't notice. And all the continuous driving caused the low profile tire to burst out of the sidewall. So, all My fellow Milly S drivers should carefully check for embedded nails in your low profile tires.

kcm8419 · December 2003

For your seat heater instructions look at posts 2681-2683. If you need more info let me know and I will see if I can find it.

Soloflight98 did you also check the seat warmer relay in the back of the seat to see if that was good?

bakersblock · December 2003

I have an opportunity to purchase a 2002 Millenia with 26k miles and I am looking for input on this vehicle. I totaled my 95 Millenia last week and it saved my life. I had numerous problems, including axle boots and major transmission problems with my 95, but I loved to drive that car, I am sorry Mazda discontinued this model. Please let me hear from people on merits or detriments to the 2002 model.

tig2002 · December 2003

Glad to hear that you survived the accident, and Millenia saved your life. My wife totaled our 2000 Maxima last year, and that car saved her life too, after hitting concrete wall at 65MPH on freeway. I was looking for Maxima's replacement and purchased 2002 Millenia with 17K miles. The Millenia is a great car with no doubt. I just love the outside look (pearl white), interior layout and color (beige leather), and it is cheaper than Maxima. Most standard features of Millenia can be compared to Maxima's GLE model only. I miss my Maxima only when I try to quickly accelerate Millenia, but... now I realize how dangerous it is to have too many horses under the hood. That was the main reason of my wife's accident - the car accelerated so quickly that it went out of control.

To be short in answering on your question: in my opinion 2.5L Millenia's engine has the most comfortable power - not powerful and not weak. So far it is reliable (23K on odometer), handles very well at high speeds, looks fantastic (comparing to new ugly looking Maxima's, Camry's and even Lexus'). It turns heads because you don't see them often at Wal-Mart's parking lot. If I would want to replace my Millenia, I would go with Millenia again. Too bad Mazda stopped shipping them.

kcm8419 · December 2003

Bakersblock I am glad to hear that you were able to walk away from your accident. Now on to your question. I love my '02, and I have had no problems with it. I have the 2.3 S model. Don't forget the '95 was the first year for the Mill so I am not too surprised about problems with it. Though I am surprised about the number and type of problems that you had with it. I think that as you read some of these post most of the people here have minor problems compared to the ones you had with your '95. I am not just talking about the '02 here. I think that if you loved your '95 you will definitely love the '02 just as much, if not more, due to some refinements that Mazda made to the car since the '95.
Good luck on your decision, and again glad to hear that you are ok.

tuckerdog1 · December 2003

Bakersblock,
We got our 02 "S' model a little over a year ago. Have about 20K miles on it. Have taken a couple long trips & love the car. The only complaint I have probably has nothing to do with the car itself. From the start, the car pulled slightly to the right. The alignment was checked twice & the dealer claimed it was dead on. I've read earlier posts here that others had the same problem & the tires may be to blame. I had a balance & rotation done prior to our last trip & the problem disappeared. So I suspect it could be the tires. But other than that, love this car.

Tuckerdog

kcm8419 · December 2003

Just like to wish everybody a safe and happy holiday.

tuckerdog1 · December 2003

Hello All,

This question is not car specific. But does anybody have any experience with the California Duster? I'm a little leary about dragging some mop looking thing across a dusty finish. But it seems like a wash/dry & wax is hardly good for 24hrs before the dust starts to rob the shine.

A safe and happy Holiday season to all,
Tuckerdog

mlincoln1 · December 2003

my girlfriend took her millenia in beccause of a c.e.l turned out to be leaking valve guides. This car is a99 Millenia s with the miller cycle engine this oil leak apparently shorted out the coil and caused the plug to misfire I wont even mention the cost,but Im highly dissapointed with this car it only has 69000 miles and she has keeped up with all regular oil changes etc.

mlincoln1 · December 2003

is a standard problem. Im suprised there hasnt been a recall. Well I will break the news to my girlfriend Im almost positive she will be a regular on this board from now on. Fairwood your cars biography has come in more than helpfull Thanks

aperry1 · December 2003

In October, I purchased a 2003 Mazda 6 fully loaded. The dealer where I purchased the car has a new owners dinner. At the new owner dinner, I asked one of the auto techs there why they offered a navigational system in the 3, but not the 6. He told me they will eventually when Mazda releases the Mazda 9. He didn't know exactly when it will be released, but it will be the actualy replacement for the Millenia. Don't worry guys, Mazda hasn't given up on the luxury sedan yet. I think the 6 is really cool, but more sporty than luxury. You guys are welcomed in advance.

kcm8419 · December 2003

Aperry1, that is interesting to hear about the Mazda 9. You are the first, that I have heard of, to mention a new luxury car coming on line for Mazda. This could be a pleasant surprise. Thanks for the information. By the way did they say when the 9 is going to be coming out?

01_milly_s · December 2003

Mazda sure likes using 3's, 6's, and 9's...e.g. 323/3, 616/626/6, 919/929/upcoming 9. They even had a 121 model somewhere. Anyhow, I just hope it won't have any Ford components in it. Maybe Mazda will once again captivate My interest with this model..hopefully..we'll see.

aperry1 · December 2003

No, the guy at the dealer did not say when the 9 will be released. At first, a lot of things used to say the 6 was replacing the 626 and the Millenia, but now I know it only replaced the 626. Hopefully sometime soon, we will see the concept in a C/D or maybe at a car show.

veestar · December 2003

Can anyone tell me if there's a repair manual available from a source other than the Mazda dealer?(real salty price) Thanks

kcm8419 · December 2003

If you did not want the "Mazda" manual you can always try an auto parts store. They normally sell Haynes manuals or some others like that. If they do not have it in stock I am sure they will special order one for you.

kennyg5 · December 2003

I recall that the 9 and MM were made in Japan. Does anyone know if the rumored upscale Mazda will be made in Japan?

fwatson · December 2003

http://thehollywoodextra.com/mazda/mazda9.jpg

" The Mazda 9 is based on the new 6 platform, and use a version of the same V6 engine "

I wouldn't buy that as a replacement for my '01 MMP. Not the same type of car at all.

pat · December 2003

Just a word here ... that particular site is not held in the highest esteem for truthfulness and reliability around the Town Hall.

:-)

fwatson · December 2003

He can be flakey at times, but he does frequently get good pictures or renditions in advance.

The text is from another forum, and I would get nasty email if I posted a link to it. ;-(

crowbarred · January 2004

it is almost certainly tires.

I has Dunlop Sport 4000 AS's (two sets) on my wifes' 99 S. The car suddenly began pulling to the side during neighborhood street rebuilding. I assumed alignment had been screwed up from pot-holes and such. Wrong.
It was the tires.
New Bridgestone Potenzas and the care is like new.
Had the alignment checked and adjusted. It was still in spec. Now it is exactly on.
I confirmed all this with my mechanic of 20 years. He said her forgot the last time he saw a new car where alignment was a primary problem. Secondary, yes.
Diagnosing this is simple but a pain. Swap the tires and see if the symptom changes. BTW, a tire with a broken belt on the rear can still cause drift in the front. If you have a flat driveway, roll tires down it and look for severe wobble at a specific place. All tires wobble a bit. If you have a problem, it will look like a drunk missing a step. Hope that saves someone some money. And one last comment, if your roadways are not smooth, Dunlops (at least the 4000's) are terrible tires. Of the last four I checked, two were severely damaged and two were noticeably damaged. The Bridgestones are not as quiet, but they are (so far) impervious to bad roadways.

steevo2 · January 2004

Yes this is a strange problem with my 97 Mil S. Usually after the tires are rotated, it tracks dead-on straight. Then after a couple of weeks, it might pull to the right. A few days later, straight again. This is on the same stretch of roadway. It's like all the tires line up a certain way for a while, and then drift back out. However, I have noticed that the problem is compounded by VERY slight imbalances in air pressure on the front tires. I'm currently running Michelin MXV4's.

nmgridl · January 2004

I have a '98 S. At 40k miles I had to replace both catalytic converters (thankfully under warranty). I am now at 65k miles and worry if I will have to replace the converters again at 80k. The exhaust has always had a sulfur smell. The dealer has checked the car for the sulfur smell twice, plus doing the catalytic work. They have never found anything. A guess would be that there is an O2 sensor problem, but as the O2 sensors would run $500, I hate to just replace them blindly.

steevo2 · January 2004

I always thought that a sulfur type smell was normal for a catalytic converter. Sometimes it is more noticeable than others, but whenever I do notice it, I don't think about something being wrong. Anyone else?

julizio · January 2004

I had my CC replaced a few months ago @ 53k mile, like yours, it was under warranty. My check engine light was on, that's what alerted me to the problem.

Never noticed a sulfur smell.

I did notice that the gas mileage went up after it was replaced, not sure why.

clayuofm · January 2004

First I would like to thank you all, I have found this board very helpful in learning about the millenia.
My question is I currently have a 2001 Prizm LSI and I am thing about geting a new, for me, car and i would like to know if you would recomend the millenia and if so the S or not, and a year 98-2001 that you think in good. I wnat a car that will be fun to drive and very reliable. Also would you recomend any opptions to look for.
Than you so much for your help.

kcm8419 · January 2004

I think that most people here would recommend the Mill. My questions are why not also look at the '02? What are you looking for in a car? How much are you looking at spending? I think that the 2.5L is a fine car. There are some differences between that and the S, I think that you will have to drive both and decide for yourself. If you have trouble with the Mill the S by far is going to be more expensive to fix. I guess the options are going to depend on what you deem as being important in a car. Since everybody has a difference of opinion on there likes and dislikes in a car.

clayuofm · January 2004

Good to hear that you all still like your Mills, even if some have had a few problems, I will be going to drive both the Mill and the S on Mon. The only thing with the 02 is the $, they tend to be a bit more then I want to spend. I am looking in the 10-12000 area. I am a bit intimidated by the S's tendency for more problems and at a higher cost. I am looking to keep the repair bill down to a minimum. I have had no problems on my current car and am looking for a bit nicer car that will last me for about 5 years or more. As for speed I like it, but not at the cost of more repairs and more expensive ones, any way I think the 2.5 will be a bit faster then my car now so it should be fine. I will let you know what I think after my test drives. Thanks again kcm8419.
I hope to hear the input from more of you.
Thanks to all that reply.

fwatson · January 2004

I'll pretty much ditto kcm's post. My '01 P has performed flawlessly on 87 octane gasoline for 2 years and 13000 miles, and Mazda has a TSB saying not to run 93 octane in the 2.5 engine now. I did have a check engine light caused by the knock sensor apparently getting moisture in it. That caused no problem and was replaced under warranty. Expect some unusual shifting of the automatic transmission expecially when accelerating from a near stop. It is not a malfunction, but you have to get used to it.

MM's have an excellent reliability record, but the S is more complicated by the supercharger and variable valve timing. That adds up to more maintenance and potentially more chance for failure. Also the 17 inch tires tend to be more expensive to replace than the 16's on the P model.

S owners do seem to love their cars, but you don't seem willing to accept the extra care they need, so I'd stick with the P model. There are very few options because all Millenia's come basically loaded. Seat warmers are a part of a winter package you might want if you are up north.

To put it simply, my MMP is by far the best assembled and finished of all 20 plus cars I have owned. Add a very nice driving experience and reliability, and I don't see how you can go wrong unless you get ahold of a mistreated car. I would have one checked by a trusted mechanic before buying to avoid that possibility.

Good luck with your test driving, and enjoy your "new" MM.

nmgridl · January 2004

My experience with the catalytic converters was exactly the same as "julizio". I knew about my converter problem because the check engine light went on. After the converters were replaced, my MPG went up too. Sometimes my sulfur smell is really noticeable, even when driving (in slow traffic).

To " clayuofm", to help decide which Millennia to choose, look at the mileage. The car has a pretty pricy tune-up at 60K. So you don't want a car that has 50K on it. The 60K tune up cost me about $800. If the car has over 60K, check to make sure the 60K work was done.

Mazda Millenia

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