Mazda Millenia

fwatson · May 2005

My '01 MM"P" had to have the knock sensor replaced at about 10000 miles and that cleared the CEL. There was no actual problem with the engine, fuel or ignition systems. It acted similar to your description before replacement. The light has never returned since, and I run 87 octane gas from any filling station that has a good turnover of gas. I wouldn't buy gas for any car from a station that has little business, to avoid water etc in the fuel.

I have to say that I don't recognize your designation of "L" for your car. I thought they were either "S" for supercharged or "P". I think there was an "L" for luxury a few years back though.

claudia2 · May 2005

I will get codes today(Tuesday) and post this evening am going to local mechanic who is willing to do Free compression test. thanks for your response, later, Claudia

j30 · May 2005

I too have an 02P and since new about twice a year my CEL would come on and about 6 months ago I happened to be out and going past the dealer when the light was on and it ended up being a knock sensor, so if your car is still under warranty, go in and have them fix it...
I now have 39000 on mine so I am almost out of warranty, I'm not real worried, the car has always run fine, and the sensor was the only thing to be repaired.
I'll probably need tires in another 10000 or so, the OEM Michelin are great and plan on sticking with them.

digeratti · May 2005

Me and my girlfriend are looking at a 1998 Milli S.........it has 89,000 kilometres on it. It's priced at $8,950 Canadian with an optional $1900 3 year 60,000 km warranty. I'm going to take it to my mechanic later today and if it checks out I'm most likely going to buy it. Our only concern is that you need the premium fuel because of the supercharger and all. We're both students, me in college and her in uni, so we don't exactly have a pile of money. So if anyone has any advice on the car or knows of a good Milli mechanic in the Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo area I would really appreciate the help.

cbass2 · May 2005

Hello Edmunds Family,
I'm hoping that some of the car educated members here can help me make a choice about a car.
I'm currently trying to make my mind up between the following vehicles:

2001 Mazda Millenia P, 27K miles, dealer asking $ 14,500

2003-04 Mazda 6i 2.3L Automatic, $ 14000-$15000

2001-2002 Acura TL-S, 45-50K miles, $ 16000-$ 17000

My concerns are: The Mazda Mill P, I've read some concerning posts on Edmunds with the Mill.I'd like stick with the P, because it's non supercharged and possible problems in the future with the supercharger. I'd like to have the extra power, but I'd like to hear from owners if the 170 2.5L P is really underpowered in day to day driving? Would this car be a safe purchase also considering it's a 2001 model and is the asking price right?

I like the handling of the Mazda 6i, I just wished it had more power from the 4cyl automatic. From what I've read, the 6s, with the 3.0L V6 is not a major upgrade over the 4i, due to both engines do not have a lot of low end grunt.

My concerns with the Acura is, higher miles, asking price, and 2001-02 having transmission problems. Many were replaced during 2001-02 years.

Please post your thoughts. I'm looking to purchase a car this weekend or within the next week.

Thanks

Ben

j30 · May 2005

All I can tell you is we are very happy we bought our 02P, as far as it being underpowered, mine is fine although I live in flat Florida. I never have to floor it, the power is just fine and I average 26MPG, I hope to have this car for another 7 years...

heybrady · May 2005

Being partially biased, I think your best bet is the 01 Mill P.

Reasons: Mazda6 have shown poor reliability from Consumer Reports and is off their Recommended List (First Mazda Mill/626 in a long time not to make it). Most likely due to being the first model year on a complete redesign.

Acura is a little expensive for a car with 50k on it. Plus you already mentioned tranny problems and you would be outside warranty already.

I have a 99P, which I bought 2 years ago with 34k, and now have 88k. It is exactly the same car, save some interior and headlight/taillight changes. If I am not mistaken, it is 180/85hp on the P. Either way, yes, it is not a racecar from a dead stop. With that being said, going from 55-85 is a breeze, and very fun to do. This car feels right at home doing 80mph cruising on the highway. No shakes, rattles, etc. I have also had no problems other than replacing front wheel bearings, which was very inexpensive. Very satisfied with the fit and finish of this car. Not to mention, you wont be driving the same car as 99% those in the parking lot with you.

mnoghost · May 2005

i paid $15,400 for my 02 L in may of 04, the car had 13,400 miles on it when i bought it, guess i got lucky

fwatson · May 2005

My '01 MMP has just under 16000 miles, and has a flawless reliability record other than having to replace the Knock Sensor at about 10000 miles. If it continues to be the outstanding car it has been to this point, I will drive it until it dies of old age. I really do enjoy it that much. As far as being a dog, that is subjective. It is no Viper or 'Vette and I wouldn't try to drag race a Maxima. But not being a member of the Stop Light Gran Prix Association I find the power far more than adequate for normal use and the car is a joy to own and drive. Having had at least 20 cars in my life I find my MM by far the most pleasant of the bunch which includes American, French and other Japanese brands.

I believe you will enjoy it as much as I do. And the 9.2 (out of 10) "Consumer Rating" above this column, as well as the Consumer Reports reliabillity rating in their April issue should give you a good idea of what others think about their MM's as well as their outstanding reliability. Click that link at the top and you can read a lot about Millenias.

loukymazmil · May 2005

New to this for this reason, I have an 01 MM, the airbag light started blinking about a month ago, blink for a week quit for 2 days etc., yesterday, it went of the check engine light then came on, 2 minuts later the tcsoff light, then the hold ligh, and then the TCS. I pulled the battery and everything went back to normal for about 15 minutes, now the hold light is the only thing blinking. The car has been well taken care of and has 78K on it, any ideas????

loukymazmil · May 2005

I have an 01 MM with 78K miles, well taken care of. About a month ago the airbag light started blinking go for a few days then stop, then start again. Yesterday, I started the car the airbag light went of and the CEL came on, then the TCS OFF light, THen the HOLD light, and then the TCS. I can not tell any drive differences. I pulled the battery and reattached it and everything was normal, for about 15 min until the hold light has come back on. Any Ideas would be great, I do not want to pay 85 bucks an hour to have a 19 year old investigate for a day and a half before he says IDUNNAKNOW.
Thanks

heybrady · May 2005

I'm no mechanic, but I would go to Auto Zone and have them read the code from the CEL. They will do it for free and give you the code that is output. Once you have the code, it isn't too hard to find the description using google. There may even be a link in past posts. That will at least point you in the right direction, rather than that 19year old paying for the dealship's kids to go to college.

mmerchant · May 2005

There have been a number of concerns about the blinking air bag light and I just wish to address this. The fact is that the air bag or the module needs to be replaced. When the blinking light first appeared in my 01 Millenia S the air bag control module for the passenger side was replaced. The blinking continued and then the air bag on the same side was replaced. The blinking returned after several months, but this was related to the air bag on the passenger seat. Once this was replaced the blinking went away. I am surprised that the dealers in many cases have been resetting the battery. In my case, the air bags were replaced under warranty

loukymazmil · May 2005

All of the other lights have stopped as soon as I hooked a computer up to the car... all except the air bag light. I have seen this complaint all over the place with the MM, really the only complaint. You would think Mazda would recall it for that reason. Can you explain in a little more detail what you did to fix the problem?
Thanks

edward780 · May 2005

hi a am having a problem with tcs off light. car will run great for about 15 minutes then tcs off light comes on and tcs problem light comes on. if i turn key off then on it will reset only to happen again in about 15 minutes. after doing this for several times the cel comes on. i checked and rechecked all vacuum hoses but could not find anythig. also checked the soloniods. one thing i found is that the solinoid for abv vac and abv vent seam to be energized all the time when engine is running. any help would be great as i am going crazy with this problem

pat · May 2005

Hi edward780, welcome!

You might want to try the Got a Quick, Technical Question? discussion also ... good luck!

rmexkc · May 2005

I've got a '98 Millenia S w/ 109,000 miles, it's been a great car, no problems until recently. The check engine light use to turn on and off, now it just stays on - my dealer charged me $85 to tell me it was an O2 sensor that would cost $400 to replace. My airbag light has been blinking for about 30,000 miles, ever since I got a new battery. My friend had a '92 MX6 that did the same thing...What bothers me the most is the clicking sound from my suspension/wheel area when I'm turning. There's also a slight knocking noise coming from the suspension even if I'm driving on smooth road. Any thoughts and ideas of what this could be, any ballpark estimates of what this could cost? I live in the Kansas City area, any of you out there know a good mazda mechanic in this area? Any input would be appreciated, thanks.

mmerchant · May 2005

When the air bag light is blinking there is an associated code specifying which air bag is malfunctioning. The Mazda dealer has replaced 2 air bags (passenger dashboard, passenger seat) and a control unit over the past 12-18 months. The problem has gone.

mmerchant · May 2005

I can mention about the clicking noise which is more apparent during warmer days. In my case it is on the left front suspension and occurs at low speeds or while car is still and the steering is turned (nothing to do with CV joints). The replacement of the suspected bushings on the upper left control arm did not help. This morning the left suspension link was replaced. I'll find out later today if this has resolved the problem and will specify the part number if the problem has been eliminated. We might have a similar problem here but the technician at my Mazda dealership has said he will get to the bottom of this issue if the problem is still present after today's work.

ohmygosh · May 2005

I am contemplating selling my '99 Millenia S and would like any feedback on what I can expect to get for the car. It is just getting into the 50,000 mile mark and is in excellent condition. It is fully loaded and I have kept all service records. I love the car but it is time to make a change. I am in the Phila. area.

pat · May 2005

Besides asking here, you might also hop over to the Real-World Trade-In Values discussion and ask Terry. Be sure to read the posting guidelines (in red) so you can give him all the info he'll need to tell you what it's worth.

apollothedog · May 2005

I purchased a black Millenia new back in '99. Had all the bells and whistles except not the "S" model.. That was a mistake as far as handling/performance was concerned. For some reason I test drove it, fell in love with the looks and the luxury, got a great deal, paid 23k, sticker was close to 30k.

I had buyers remorse for 6 years.

This is one car that I just didn't enjoy owning and was very disappointed on how it held up. I had the clicking/banging noise coming out of the suspension, the O2 sensor light always on,(had the sensor replaced and a year later it needed to be replaced again), it was slow, handled horribly, and the worst was the transmission. Every so often, the tranny would just freeze up and not shift, the TCS light and hold light would both go on for absolutely no reason and I was stuck in first gear. And no I didn't accidently hit both buttons to cause this. (I had to pull over and shut the engine then restart to resolve it) This was a recurring issue and happened several times.
This past year the car started stalling.

Other issues were, heat wouldn't kick in unless I was going over 40 mph, I couldn't change the airflow, stuck in the front vent only positions.

The car had 93k miles and finally I had enough. GM put these amazing rebates on the Saab 92x, the dealer was motivated to sell and offered me a great trade in price.

The 92x is smaller, less luxurios (but still not bad), but its everything that the Millenia is not. It's fast, agile and well built (its really a Suburu with Saab styling and touches).

So I finally have a fun car again. The Mazda was a personal nightmare. It is a nice looking vehicel though. Probably the nicest looking car I ever had.

rmexkc · May 2005

Apollo - What did you get for your trade?

mameoman · May 2005

this strange "whine" sound starts & then stops when I stop accelerating...air filter?? accelerator cable?? I have no idea !! any suggestions on how to fix it, please...its a 1999 S with the miller engine...thanks alot for any answers

fwatson · May 2005

Automotive Recall and Technical Service Bulletin Titles for 1999 Mazda Millenia S V6-2.3L DOHC (Miller cycle).

0500101 APR 01 A/T - Whining/Ringing Noise in Interior

If I remember correctly it is caused by a transmission cable. Your Mazda dealer should be able to fill you in on it, but it looks like AllData has started charging for the information.

This has been discussed here before and if you go back a little in this thread you might be able to find the info here.

See messages 3307-08 and 3310.

rmexkc · May 2005

What the heck is a Miller Cycle engine? What's with Mazda and these weird engines?

fwatson · May 2005

"Ralph Miller patented his Miller-cycle engine in the 1940s, and for the last several years Mazda has been using this type of engine in some of its cars.

A Miller-cycle engine is very similar to an Otto-cycle engine. The Miller-cycle uses pistons, valves, a spark plug, etc., just like an Otto-cycle engine does. There are two big differences:

* A Miller-cycle engine depends on a supercharger.
* A Miller-cycle engine leaves the intake valve open during part of the compression stroke, so that the engine is compressing against the pressure of the supercharger rather than the pressure of the cylinder walls. The effect is increased efficiency, at a level of about 15 percent. "

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question132.htm

If you do a Google search you can find all you want to know about any type of engine.

Miller cycle is no more weird than other innovative engine configurations used by Honda, Ford etc. Try VTEC for example. I'd personally call them innovative engineering. If not for this type of engines we would still have Model T's instead of modern cars.

willopad · May 2005

Can anyone tell me if the schematics for the Bose audio system of a 99 S are available over an internet website for free? The previous owner of my vehicle disconnected the rear speakers to install one of those god-awful baboom subwoofers in the trunk. I want to restore it to the original setup, but my stereo engineer needs to know what wire goes where in order to fix it. Any help out there besides going to a dealer (where I'm sure I'll be told that they don't handle these type of cases)? I'm also having trouble with the cassette deck; it keeps on ejecting the cassettes as soon as I put them into the deck. Any thoughts about this one? Is it toast or is there hope for a repair of it?

Thanks!

rmexkc · May 2005

That's a good way to look at it, Watson. If I can increase efficiency, I'm all for it. Now if I could just figure out why my '98 Milli S is getting crappy gas mileage.....and what makes it cough when I shift it into D in the morning....what that rattle is in my driver's side door....why sometimes after my commute home at speeds of up to 80, I get home, I park and I smell burning oil....I guess this stuff happens when the odometer hits 110,000 miles. It's a little slow off the line, but I'm not racing anyone. However, when I punch it doing 65, I'm at 80 in no time. My Millenia rules.

heybrady · May 2005

There can't be enough said about how much fun it is to go from 60-80 in this car. Smooth like butter....

mameoman · May 2005

thanks for your advice...I'll look up the previous info..cheers..Colin D

mnooch · June 2005

Hello one and all....I'm a newbie to this forum.

I have a 99 Millenia with the V6/2.5 engine. My check engine light is currently on. Here in NY state if the check engine light is lit you automatically fail inspection.

Now, not that I'm asking any of my fellow posters to violate any statutes, but would anyone know how I can get a hold of a service manual or some other form of intelligence that would inform me as to the proper reset sequence of the engine sensors? This is a dollars and cents equation for me at the moment....I'd appreciate your help, yo! :confuse:

fwatson · June 2005

Just drive down to AutoZone and they will test the system for you and turn off the ce light for no charge. If there is no actual problem which is frequent, the light will stay off. If it returns you will need to fix the source of the problem which is usually caused by a loose gas cap or bad oxygen sensor. At any rate they will tell you the code and what it means as well as what to do to repair it.

You can also find out what the codes mean by searching using Google.
Good luck.

pat · June 2005

Our community is fortunate to have a couple of well-seasoned mechanics hanging out in our "Check Engine" light discussion - be sure to drop by (just click on that link) and get their take on your situation.

clint4 · June 2005

I've got a 2001 Millenia with 98K miles. Took it in today to have the timing belt replaced along with an oil change and change of the plugs and wires. Total estimate is $1150. Ouch!

The mechanic says it is just tough to replace a timing belt on a Millenia and that the wires alone cost over $200. I've always had a good relationship with the mechanic so don't think I'm being taken but - has anyone else dealt with this?

All in all I've had tons of problems with this car - the check engine light never goes off in spite of spending alot of money on it, the seatbelt light goes on and off a couple of times a week, the cd player skips badly....and the transmission went out at 80K miles. I was quoted $7000 to replace it but luckily it was covered by Mazda. I'm not sure if I've just got a lemon or what but this is an incredibly expensive car to maintain.

So 2 questions - anybody had similiar issues with high timing belt replacement and - in general - is the Millenia just a crappy car?

katden · June 2005

Hello all! I recently bought a 97 Millenia "l" with 108k miles. I have driven it about 500 miles and now there is this sqeaking noice whenever I go over the smallest bump in the road? Any answers to what may be causing this?

As of lastnight the check engine light came on.....so from reading some of the posts, I need to go to AutoZone to see what they say? SIGHHH....I hope this is minor stuff....I just got the car :-(
Thanks so much for and imput!!

rmexkc · June 2005

Katden - my '98 S has had a squeak from the rear suspension for as long as I've had the car, I bought it w/ 20,000 miles on it. Get used to the check engine light....and don't be surprised if some other lights start blinking, my airbag light has been blinking for 30,000 miles.

bummed1 · June 2005

Purchased a 2000 Millenia S last year w/75000 mi. Now barely runs, coughs, etc., seals shot, smoke (blue/white) on start up. Need to replace the supercharger, I think...don't think I can spend $7000 on this. Does anyone know a reliable mechanic in the Bowie, Laurel, Crofton, Maryland area who can look into this for me? This was my dream car,,,but it turning into a nightmare. Have already spent to replace wheel bearings, brakes, etc. Replaced the plugs, one of which was nastily fouled with oil, but still knocks like a bucking bronco, and now will barely run. Can the supercharger be removed? HELP!

mmerchant · June 2005

Please see the following that was posted previously by me:

I had my 96k (60,000 mile) done recently at just over 100,000km. I got the timing belt replaced. I asked the technician who worked on my car about the condition of the belt. He said there was some wear, but I could have gone for another 10,000 -

15,000 km without any problems. He did not see a need to replace the pulley belt and other seals and gaskets as nothing was leaking oil. As part of the 96K, the rear rotors and pads were replaced, as well as the spark plugs. The front pads were replaced at 48K, and they will need to be replaced along with the rotors in the next 2-3 months.

The total cost of the 96K service was around $1350.00 Canadian.

As noted by another user, the Millenia has a non-interference belt which means that you will be inconvenienced if it breaks, but it won't damage the engine. Obviously if you have the extended warranty, which I have, you don't want to delay any scheduled maintenance on the vehicle. Thanks

With regard to whether Millenia is crappy - no it is not - it is a delightful car to drive. It probably has more of its share of problems due to the supercharger. I had one replaced. My other concerns have been mainly with the front and rear suspension noises (still to be resolved) as well as the air bag issue.

mmerchant · June 2005

In my case the squeak on the rear suspension was resolved after replacement of some components in the stabilizer link. The air bag lights went off after air bags on passenger dashboard and passenger seat (at door) were replaced. The passenger seat air bag came on once again and it was being triggered as soon as someone sat on the passenger side or the seat was moved. Apparently this was caused by some lose wiring under the seat.

The check engine went away after the O2 sensor was replaced.

aginsegnante · June 2005

I also have the '99 Millenia which has the engine light on at all times now. With the inspection coming due, I must get it off or it will not pass inspection. According to my mechanic, it is not hurting my car to have this on all the time. He has said that it will be rather expensive to replace this EGR. As I am not a mechanic, I have to trust his advice.

Only other problem is the noise I seem to regularly get that sounds like it is from the back of the cdar as if there is a problem in back tire or brakes. I have had it checked and they sayu nothing is wrong.

This is a nice little car that I bought used a couple of years ago, It just took me on a fairly long trip and did well in all ways. Seemed to do well with gas also. I understand I am supposed to use premium, which does not seem to make any difference since other people to whom I have talked use regular and still have the engine light on.

Advice appreciated.

sassoon · June 2005

I'm new to the forum, but I read pretty often and I've been very pleased with some of the answers to problems that you guys give on some of these problems. Needless to say I've been going through some of the very stuff you guys discuss. I have a 99 Mazda Millenia S, and it has been giving me problems forever. What I do need to know, is there some where out there that anyone knows of that I can but Oxygen Sensors for it besides the dealer. I live in Louisiana, and they've got one heck of a price on them here. If I'm not mistaken the car has 4 sensors and two of them are some where around $200 each and the other 2 are approx $275 each. Can some one please help me with this issue.

aginsegnante · June 2005

I ran upon a web site for the oxygen sensors. It looks like I will be looking into this as the engine light does not go off. LIke suggested earlier, I will go to Auto Zone and see what they can tell me. In the past, I have gotten different codes,but it always shows the EGR valve. I understand that is quite expensive to replace. After reading some of these posts, I am beginning to wonder if I should begin looking at cars.

orangeman138 · June 2005

Hi all. New to forum and had some questions after reading all the posts. Seems the CEL is a common problem for Milly owners. I have a 2000 S that I bought used with 43k miles. I'm almost at 51k and today on the highway while on cruise control at about 65 mph the CEL came on.

Was going to head for mechanic's tomorrow a.m., however, seems the recommendation is to go to Auto Zone first for a free computer read and code disclosure. Is this the suggested first step? And once completed, where should I go from there--other than finding code descriptions on-line to discern the actual problem?

Finally, if it turns out to be oxygen or knock sensors as seems to be the case with other owners, do these have to be replaced--as they appear from other posts to be rather pricey!

And by the way, anyone know a good Mazda mechanic in the Rochester, NY area?

Appreciate any and all help/suggestions.

pat · June 2005

You might want to look into our "Check Engine" light discussion also. Good luck - let us know what happens.

orangeman138 · June 2005

Just returned from Auto Zone with two codes.

1. P1601 which I'm told is a manufacturer's (dealer) code and will have to contact them.

2. P0154 which points to a host of possibilities.

off to the mechanic i suppose...

pat · June 2005

If you want an answer here, please do post in the discussion I linked for you in my first reply -- those folks will help, I assure you. Either way, good luck and let us know what you find out.

kcm8419 · June 2005

According to the 2002 Millenia workshop manual the P1601 code is a "communication line error (PCM - TCM)". It is an open or short circuit between PCM terminal 1B and TCM terminal 2K, or an open ar short circuit between PCM terminal 1F and TCM terminal 2N.

The P0154 is "HO2S (Front, LH) circuit no activity detected". Possible causes are: front HO2S deterioration, front HO2S heater malfuntion, open or short to ground circuit between following teminal and PCM terminal - HO2S terminal A and PCM terminal 3M, insufficient compression, or engine malfunction.

It sounds like these two problems are related. Hope this helps. Good luck.

kherrmann · June 2005

My 98 Milli S (75,000 mi) has a serious 1-2 second "flat spot" right off idle, especially when there is no load on the engine. When there is engine load, engine response is very good. No warning lights on. Dealer says (after 4 days in the shop) no vaccuum leaks and O2 Sensor is good. New plugs and fuel filter installed. He feels it is running too lean but can't find reason. Suggestions? Thx.

rochie · June 2005

Aloha from Hawaii...

I just got a 97 Millenia and it seems the front passenger tires are squeaking over bumps. Also, when I turn the steering wheel from left to right, it makes a scraping/ squeaky noise. What could it be? :confuse:

Mazda Millenia

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