Mazda MPV: Problems & Solutions

tccmn1 · July 2005

I had posted about this same issue a few months ago. I have a 2003 MPV LX with 50K miles on it. It started making the noise last spring. It makes it louder when the vehicle is 'warmed up'. When first cold, it does not seem to make the squeak or groaning sound.

My dealer was going to replace the rack on it at THEIR expense, but Mazda Corp. said no way. It is a 'normal' deal per what they say right now. They stated that the guru's at Mazda Corp. are working on a solution....but who really knows if that is true!

In the meantime, it sounds like it's in pain everytime I turn the wheel!! Funny, I posted 3 times about this back in March-May and no one ever replied that they had this problem back then. Maybe, as these cars get higher mileage, this issue will surface for more of us fickled MPV owners....?? :mad:

tdbmd · July 2005

Hello,
I have a 2004 MPV LX with 5000 miles on it. We are having some hot (95+) weather here and the AC seems to have a hard time keeping up. The only way that it will keep up is to keep it on recirculation all the time. Anyone else have this problem? Is it just Mazda AC units? Is there a problem with keeping it on recirculation? This is our first Mazda. Thanks.

tkkafka · July 2005

just left my MPV at dealer (2002 LX, about 33K, warranty expires 9/2/05) for a blinking CEL that went off yesterday. wife is panicked (naturally), but I saw in the manual a whole host of potential probs could be causing it to blink. searching posts suggests a misfire. dealer looked at me and said may not be warranty covered as it could need new plugs. i said "at 30K miles!?"-- It just had its 30K mile "servicing" at Pep Boys b/c not much is req'd at 30K per manual (only inspect shown for plugs/wires too) and b/c dealer wants $500 for that servicing.

so my question is, anyone else had the CEL blink b/c of bad plugs or wires and how common is it to have crapped out plugs and wires before 36k miles. that's pretty weak, but considering I had to replace original tires w/in 2 yrs, they must be putting in the cheap stuff under the hood too.

thanks in advance.

tkkafka · July 2005

replying to myself for others in same circumstance. Dealer says bad PCV valve and fixed it no charge/under warranty. i've seen other posts about bad PCV valves and recalls, but I don't remember getting one.

would still be curious of opinions on suitable mileage for changing OEM plugs-- dealer didn't mention this again.

jipster · July 2005

Our 2004 MPV LX has about 9,000 miles. We have not had any problems with the A/C. After a recent trip to Florida, and upper 90 degree weather her in Louisville the last week, our a/c has kept the interior cold. We do alternate between the recirculation mode and fresh air/a.c mode(when it starts getting to cold in recirculation mode I swith to fresh air...which will make it less cold). The high humidity may neccesitate having the recirculation mode on the whole time you are in it. Having it only recirculation mode all the time will not harm anything.Next time you take it into the dealer have them check it out...will be covered under your warranty.

jipster · July 2005

My maintenance plan calls for non-platinum spark plug change every 30,000 miles or a platinum spark plug change every 100,000 miles. I believe the OEM plugs are platinum...but you may want to check to be sure. Your dealer seemed a bit quick to want to charge you for an expensive service.$$$

emsklb · July 2005

:confuse: I have a problem with noise out of the steering column when turning the steering wheel left or right. The noise can only be heard on the inside of the vehicle and sounds like a coil (spring) being tightened/loosened, or something along the lines of rubber squeaking. I also have an issue with vibration at speeds around 70 MPH; however, relatively new tires on the vehicle. The noise has me really concerned; however I don't have any noted degradation in performance, just the noise itself. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
PS Have an independent (non-Mazda) mechanic look into the noise this week.

stinklepink · July 2005

I'd love to remove some of the Mazda (MAZDA, MPV and ES) emblems from the rear gate of my 2004 MPV. Give the car a little more of the custom look.

I am hoping that they are only glued on with double-sided tape and a heat gun and some dental floss will work. I'm concerned that I may find a couple of holes under each badge where a rivet is holding the emblem to the car. That would suck.

Anyone have any experience?

tccmn1 · July 2005

There have been several postings on this issue recently and months ago by me.

I have a 2003 MPV and it's been moaning when turning the wheel either way since last winter. Dealer says a 'fix' is coming from corporate Mazda...but nothing yet.

See post by TCC and by another person last week on this.

PLEASE let us know what your mechanic comes up with when you find out!!

tdbmd · July 2005

Thanks for the insight. Didn't want to damage anything by leaving it on recirculation for too long.

typesix · July 2005

Keeping the mode in recirc will also reduce fuel consumption in hot weather. Leaving in fresh air mode means 100 percent hot outside air has to be cooled instead of cooler interior air. In the fresh air mode, to the cooling system it's no different than if one had all the windows open

emsklb · July 2005

Took my Mazda into an independent mechanic whose opinion I respect, here are his comments on the noise after inspecting: "the creaking is the upper strut bearing plate. only a noise issue, no mechanical problem" I've emailed Mazda customer service and am eagerly awaiting their response.

emsklb · July 2005

Having issues with vibration around 70MPH on my 2000 ES. Had new Goodyear tires put on last summer (blew a tire)...had vibration prior to replacement and a little after (this is third set of tires.) Just had my independent mechanic balance and rotate tires today; he did say the tires were 1oz and 1.5 oz out-of-balance...going to Colorado (770 miles) on Saturday, will let you know how it performs. :confuse:

tccmn1 · July 2005

Thanks for the update! Sounds like it's a nuisance thing and not a liability.
I just hate a noise on a $30K vehicle that makes it sound cheesy!!

Hope a fix will be coming soon!

PS: anyone ever tried replacing the rear license plate lights?? Be prepared for MAJOR surgery - removing the inside tailgate panel is the best option...sweet!

bigdadi118 · July 2005

2003 car may not need a tune-up.

The following can get better mileage:
* Check often and keep up the tire pressure. Use another air guage if you suspect your one not accurate.
* Change motor oil to Mobil-1 tri-synthetic. I did it and feel the difference right away.
* Don't fill-up the tank, just 3/4 is good enough. More gas in the tank more weight carrying.

mom2bckj · July 2005

Since I bought my Mazda new in Aug 2002 I have had it to the dealership many times for warranty issues.
Mar 2003: Brakes were cliking-front clips had to be replaced.
Jul 2003: Recall on fog lamps, rotors had to be resurfaced.
Sep 2003: C/E light on-pvc hose had to be replaced.
Apr 2004: Enigine was reving hard when cold. I was told there wasn't a problem.
Creeking sound in steering wheel. They replaced both front tie rod ends and said it fixed the problem. I got in the car and could still hear the creeking. I had to get the tech in the car so he could "hear" what I heard. Mazda states that there is nothing wrong.
Nov 2004: C/E light onagain - pvc hose had to be replaced again.
Also recall done on fan module replacement.
Apr 2005: Leaking antifreeze. Mazda replaced water circulating pump.
Unfortunately they did not fill up the reservoir. My husband filled it when I got home. They had the car for 10 days. I got it back on a Wednesday.
Apr 2005: (3 days later) My husband got under the car to change the oil. Found
out that the oil pan was leaking oil. It was very obvious to him and would have been easily spotted by the tech that replaced the water circulation pump when he had the car up on a lift. My paperwork from the dealership states that a "Mazda Full Circle Complete Vehicle Inspection" was performed. It makes me think that they didn't tell me about the oil leak because it only had 2900 mile left on the warranty.
Jul 2005: 151 miles out of warranty. C/E light came on AGAIN. This time they
think it is a bad plug or coil in the #3 cyclinder. Had to have work done as engine is lugging. The dealership (out of the goodness of thier heart) took $200.00 off the total bill. $360.00 out of pocket plus two days rental car fees.

Plus when I look back at all the times that they "test drove" my car I am sure that it totals more than 151 miles. Especially as the tech that repaired the oil leak took the car home for the night so that they could see where the oil was coming from.

That's about it for me. Does anyone know a good lemon law attorney for the state of Maryland? Or is it to late for that. This was the first and last Mazda we will ever buy. Their quality has gone drastically down hill since they merged with Ford. :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:

mom2bckj · July 2005

On really hot days I have to make sure to turn on both the front and rear A/C. Also, check and make sure that the kids did not adjust the rear A/C to heat instead. Hope this helps.

edmundsuser328 · July 2005

i have a '96 2WD with a towing package that includes an adjustable read air shock system. The air pump in in the engine compartment. For towing it works great. The RR shock began to leak causing the air pump to run frequently. The shock is $350 and dealer installation is 1.5 hrs. I wanted to remove the air shocks, as I don't tow anymore, and put in cheaper hydraulics. This means the springs have to be replaced. My (non-dealer) machanic came up with a monroe air shock that is manually adjustable. It has a value (same as tire values) on the shock and holds up to 90psi. Cost for 2 shocks installed w/o the need for new springs = $270

The dealer wanted $475 for 1 shock and then found the air pump release value (to let air out of the system) is $980 for the pump and $250 to install. $1705 and I would have still had 1 old air shock. The dealer will NOT recomend this solution. For older MPVs ith this system and moderate towing it is a cost effective way to go.

FYI .

dan40 · July 2005

When I turn off the car the key will not click into the final position for removal unless I remove the 60 amp fuse labeled 1GKEY1 or 60 amp BTN or the positive battery cable. There is an audible click from the ignition when any of the above is done and I can the turn the key to take it out. Shifting in and out of park and keeping my foot on the brake has does not help to let the key turn all the way out. Could this be something other than replacing the ignition?

tccmn1 · August 2005

So, you had that creeking sound in your steering too! I've had it in my 2003 and seen it from several people on this thread too! Very disturbing and my MN. dealer stated the same thing; Mazda corporate has no fix = NORMAL! $30K for a piece of junk that has more problems with no fixes than my 1995 Dodge Caravan had!!! At least they had fixes for their problems...Mazda has no answers! Dah!
I tremble to think of what this vehicle will be like IF it makes it to 150K miles on it. My old DC had 185K miles on it when I sold it and it was still running fine...darn!

criledo · August 2005

Thanks for your suggestions, I will follow them all. I do have a follow-up though: The van was taken to service because of the transmission acting up. The software was "updated" and really the car now shifts much better. We are through our first tank of gas and again, we got a mere 190 miles out of a full one........ the service rep though says it'll take a couple more tanks to notice the difference. Anyway, I'll post an update when that happens and I have followed your recomms. (By the way, the van was thoroughly checked and emissions are normal). :sick:

user777 · August 2005

criledo - is there any chance you are judging "full one" based on your gas gauge in the instrumentation cluster, rather than the capacity of the tank and how many gallons are actually pumped?

oaktrimmer · August 2005

My 2001 Mazda MPV LX has close to 90,000 miles and has been very dependable. Last night, with no warning, it wouldn't start. Actually, it started a couple of times but quickly died. Now it just sits there and cranks but won't even attempt to start. Behaves like it's either not getting a spark or not getting any gas. I'm not really anxious to have it towed to a garage if there's something simple that I can check. Any suggestions on how to check the fuel pump or the distributor or thoughts on what else may be wrong?

criledo · August 2005

Your question is a good one - I have noticed how tricky it is with the gauges. I measure by pumped gallons. Whatever is on the trip odometer gets divided by the gallonage pumped in. It might not be very accurate, but over a few refills one can approximate fuel usage. Here's my baseline: other users and even the Mazda distributor will tell you one should be getting around 300+ miles to a tank. Well, in our case it is not unusual to not even reach 200 miles on a full tank........ if I have pumped say 16 gallons, well, that is not 15 mpg. The frustrating part about this is that Mazda says the van is running "within normal parameters".

criledo · August 2005

I had this happen to me last week on a Ford truck. What happened was that the fuel pump (inside the gas tank got stuck). The way this Ford works, there is a primary signal that runs the pump for three seconds giving the engine sufficient gas pressure to start. Once the engine is actually running the secondary signal keeps the pump running. But during cranking no fuel is pumped into the system unless you shut down the ignition switch and re start it again. Just like you say, our engine tried to start and then just cranks and cranks. I am not sure about Mazda,s but generally speaking to reach the pump you have to be able to get into the porthole on the tank. Some cars have portholes in the floors for this purpose but most likely the tank will have to come down. Rule of thumb: a lack of fuel cranking will be monotone with no sputters. If the problem is electrical or time-chain related, usually the cranking speed will vary and maybe sputters will be present. Also, the fuel pump not working will not cause the check engine light to come on. Electrical problems and misfires will make it come on. Although I don't have THE answer for you, this info might help some.

criledo · August 2005

We live in Houston, and both our AC's (front and rear) usually have to be run at full. After a while the rear can be turned down to 2 or 1, but the front will rarely make it to 2, forget 1, it usually will stay on 3. I have also noticed on three previous Mazda's I have owned that they tend to loose blowing power with the years.

user777 · August 2005

well, you are calculating the MPG the proper way then. you shouldn't trust a gauge for this purpose. if you say you're getting 1/3rd less the mileage you should be, i can't see how that is within expected / normal parameters.

have you verified your air intake filter is clean and also your tires are not under-inflated? possibly the vehicle is running excessively rich due to a bad sensor, stuck injectors, or the catalytic convertor is messed up.

i guess i'd be asking an independant shop what you might try next in terms of a resonably priced diagnostic approach to the problem.

argrdi · August 2005

I have an older 6cyl MPV ('96). About 2 weeks ago I had to jump start the battery 3 times because something in the switch was faulty and the headlights would randomly come on while the car was parked (jiggling the switch would fix that issue). Then last week, we had a hard time starting the car after I filled up the tank. I did notice a strong smell (kind of like burning brakes) but that went away after a mile or so (don't even know if it was my car - we were in heavy traffic). That night I did notice that (with headlights and AC on) the "fuel" & "check engine" lights would come on (though very, very dim) at every stop light . Reving the engine seemed to turn these lights out. The following morning the battery was dead (not due to the headlights coming on). After jumping the battery I drove about 10 miles to a store, came back and again nothing (not even the slightest click. About 3 minutes later, I pumped the pedal about 15 times and eventually the car turned over. After another 5 mile drive to get something to eat I stopped and immediately tried starting the car - again, not even a click - as if there was no battery. Half an hour later we went back to the car, pumped the pedal about 5 times and it started right up. The day after the battery was totally dead. I replaced the battery tonight, car starts just fine - no pumping - just turn the key. However, if I turn the headlights and AC on, I can see the faint lights of the "fuel" & check engine" coming on. They do go off at about 1100rpm. Can anyone offer some advise on what might be going on?

criledo · August 2005

I am not sure about the pumping the gas pedal (don't know if engine is fuel injected or carbureted), but I would strongly suggest you check alternator first. Dimming lights usually point in that direction. Since revving the engine takes care of the problem, I would be almost certain that the rectifier has gone out, but no sense in trying to fix the alternator, just get a new one. Also, if the light switch has problems, change it, a lot of amps flow through the headlight switches and they do wear out. If your alternator is not working 100%, the battery will eventually loose more and more of it's power. Now that you have a new battery you don't notice the problem that much.

argrdi · August 2005

Thanks criledo for your thoughts. BTW - Fuel injected. I spoke to my old mechanic today (he lives out-of-state). He first went in the same direction suggesting it might be the alternator. When I told him that the car sometimes does not start then other times it does, he then thought it might be the ignition switch. Anyone have experince or an opinion on this.

tagrant · August 2005

I have a 1994 MPV and all of a sudden the battery started completely draining, the battery (sears diehard for SUVs) is less than a year old. Each time we jump start we find something on that we know we turned off: left headlight, left blinker. I took it to a dealer, who said to have the electrical system checked. It's been a real mystery for me, because I'm the only owner and unfortunately my model doesn't have an alarm.

sosassy · August 2005

I just returned from having this checked by dealer and was told I needed an
"evap kit" and a "reprogramming" of thePCM (?) I think they see me coming

My MPV is 2002 & 3 months off warranty - you sound like you know what you are talking about . I wish knew about the dianostic checks at Autozone - cost me $96 just to have it checked. Does this sound right to you???

oaktrimmer · August 2005

Thank you for the input. As it turned out, I hadn't the time to fiddle with it myself so I had it towed to the nearest Mazda dealership. When they finally got around to working on it, the darn thing started right up. They TELL me that they checked the fuel pump and the ignition system and everything was fine. What he claims he found was a crack in an airhose that was intermittent. When the crack was open, it leaned out the fuel mixture so much it wouldn't start. (It didn't occur to me that it should have smelled of gas if that was the case.) I had them change the hose and picked up the car that evening. Everything was fine for a few days. This evening, the EXACT same symptoms happened again. I paid a little more attention this time. I fiddled with hoses and looked for anything strange. Nothing. Started at first...died...then cranks and cranks but wouldn't start. No sputtering. I realized that I wasn't smelling any gas, either. I'm becoming more and more convinced that it's probably just a clogged fuel filter. However (and I hate to admit this)...tomorrow I'm going to have to figure out just WHERE the darn thing is. I've never worked on this sort of engine before. If it turns out to be something that simple, I'm going to raise quite a stink at the dealership. Including the tow charge, the diagnostic time, and the labor and cost of the replacement hose, it cost me well over $200 for a "fix" that really didn't do anything. You would think that checking out the fuel system would routinely have included checking the fuel filter.

Thanks again for your input.

sosassy · August 2005

I did go to Autozone & they said it was nothing, shut the light off - it didn't come back on. Told me to make sure I shut the car off when getting gas & to close cap tight. What is with the $900 bill the dealership was going to charge me?

mpvowner2 · August 2005

I'm hoping your collective wisdom can help where the shop can't (surprise!). My 2000 LX (76K mi, all servicing done -- and then some!) has over the past month randomly been unable to start -- can't hold the idle and dies. I'm also noticing now that the gas mileage is down a bit and I need to give more gas while driving to get the car going (esp. with the AC on).

The first time, the car had been sitting for a week, and we "forced" it by putting in a nut to hold the idle open, and after driving a couple times around the block, there was a groaning noise from under the hood, and the car then idled normally on its own after the nut was removed. It drove normally for a couple of days (including a 5 hour trip), then wouldn't start without coaxing the next morning. It's driven fine for several weeks, then the other day wouldn't start again.

The best guess at the shop is the ""Idle Air Control" valve. (I did a quick search in this forum, and aside from the one time groaning I mentioned above, I haven't heard unusual noises.) Has anyone dealt successfully with this? How?!? Thanks!

cubby66 · August 2005

My 20002 MPV has less than 40k on it, but has been out of warranty for 2 months.
We noticed that the car began to idle roughly at stops when the air conditioning was on. Took it into the dealer and paid $60 for a diagnostic, which they say came up with nothing wrong. The problem became progressively worse even when the air conditioning was off. Took it back to the dealer and this time they stated that
the problem was related to the plugs and coils which needed to be replaced, a 900-1000.00 price tag. Had a similar estimate at another dealership. My concern is that the MPV has a Ford engine. So did i buy a Ford with their inherent problems?
A major tune up at less than 40K !! We may be trading this van in soon.

jims2 · August 2005

Just in the past day or so, I noticed our 2000 MPV (with 85,000 miles) making a funny noise when you accelerate from a standing start. It sort of sounds like a rattling/vibrating noise coming from somewhere in the front end. Then once you are moving at a steady speed it doesn't seem to be as noticeable (or maybe the road noise overrides it).

Since it was a Saturday and I was a bit concerned, I stopped at a local muffler shop just to see if they could put in on their rack and spot anything noticeably wrong. Nothing seemed out of place or loose.

It doesn't make the noise when you just rev up the engine in Park, Neutral, or even if you go in Reverse. Just Drive, which is what worries me.

It isn't the common creaking noise that comes out of the steering either. We've had that for years so I know THAT sound quite well. Although, in our case, it only seems to make that creak when the AC is on. The sound I'm hearing now is new and more like a rattle or vibration.

I'm worried that it could be in the transmisson after reading about so many problems other MPV owners have had with them. We've had a lot of problems, but none so far transmission-wise even though ours does shift rather hard at times. Has anyone else ever heard of something like this? I'm wondering (and hoping) if maybe it's something in the front suspension that makes the noise when the weight shifts and the suspension flexes, but I kinda doubt it. That has me really worried that it could be the start of transmisson problems. I'd sure appreciate hearing what others think. We just spent $900 in June to repair a leaking exhaust manifold on this vehicle. The last thing we need or can afford is another major repair!

Jim

nls · August 2005

I started getting a clunking sound on my 2000 MPV with the same mileage, whenever I accelerated from a stop, or when I braked to a stop. I also thought that it was probably something loose in the front end, but the mechanic couldn't find anything obvious when the van was put up on the rack. He finally went around and retorqued all the chassis bolts, and now the noise has gone away.

Exhaust manifold is still holding up, but alternator had to be replaced recently, and it looks like I need a new O2 sensor.

rayblunero · August 2005

Only 63000 miles. Of course the 48month bumper to bumper warranty I paid for expired 12 months ago and apparently Mazda only guaranteed drive trains for 36 months back in 2000. Still, I did maintain the vehicle. Even with the warranty service, the dealership, the service and the repairs were always frustrating and costly. Well, we drive maybe a little more than 10000miles a year----hardly a strain.

Now at 63000 miles, the engine blows up. Actually a puff of smoke comes out of all sides as the car is on the highway and does a dead stop. Service station mechanics are completely amazed. They say Mazda should pay because my vehicle is in excellent condition.

Wife and kids on I-5 in rush hour. Car Stops. A real mess. Get towed to service station. Diagnosis: New engine needed. The bill - just under $9000. I get the MPV towed to a second station for a 2nd opinion. Same result. All mechanics agree, there is no reason the engine should give out at 63K. All mechanics agee...Mazda should be ashamed at this. Oil changes and maint performed. Blue Book value of vehicle is $8K. Junk yard offered $1000 for the not working MPV because it is clean! My question, does anyone have suggestions? Does anyone know how Mazda feels about standing behind their product? Or...am I screwed? Please help. Does any one have experience working with Mazda? Just my luck, the dealership I bought it from when out of business 1 month ago. Please help with advice.

jipster · August 2005

I don't understand why a rebuild wouldn't work..unless the engine was just totally destroyed.

You're probably a bit to much over mileage and warranty for Mazda to help much. Doesn't hurt to try though. Maybe, they would split the cost of a new engine as a goodwill gesture?

You could try to find a used engine thru junkyard or auctions. Or,find another 2000 MPV(a bare bones model) and use it for replacement parts. Would probably cost as much as a 2000 MPV.

good luck.

edawg · August 2005

I have the same problem on my '96.Did you use the monroe 901171 shocks? Are they still working ok? How did you disconnect your air leveling system? Thanks

jims2 · August 2005

As it turned out, the vibrating noise was only from two loose heat shields. I don't know how the first guy who looked missed it, but the second mechanic put on two hose clamps and the noise quit.

Apparently, they would only make noise when the car was put in drive or under torque and the chassis would flex enough to bring them into contact with the drivetrain (or something like that).

So for once we got off easily. Of course, so far we had to have the rear hatch struts replaced, the CD player, alternator, heater blower motor and front wheel bearings. Those were repaired under warranty. In addition, I had to pay for a door handle which snapped off and a new exhaust manifold/catalytic converter. One of the power windows broke too, but I was able to take it apart and solder a broken connection or who knows how much that would have cost?

Any wonder why I'm disillusioned with our MPV and in fear of what will go next?

coplin · August 2005

The side mirrors on my new ES were covered with bad hard water spots as were the moon roof and windows. I used CLR and one of those "Scotchbright" pads to clean them. I did the windows first - no problem. Next I did the driver side "heated" mirror - scratched terribly

. I searched through the owners manual for a warning about the mirrors and found none. I used the same thing on my Camry & Explorer - No problem.
From your experience do you think the mirrors would be covered under warranty? I would appreciate any suggestions on care of these mirrors. They seem to be first surface mirrors.

Thanks,

Lee

jipster · August 2005

Yikes...with water that hard you must come away from a shower black and blue from the beating. Sounds like you need one of those Mr. Clean carwash gizmos that will clean your car without needing to towel dry it off.(filter takes out all of the chemicals that cause the water spots)

I doubt under the circumstances the mirrors would be covered under warranty. Never hurts to try though.

coplin · August 2005

Yeah ! I feel like a dunce. Actually the car came from the dealer that way. We drove our new MPV off the lot at 10 pm. They were closed and seemed pretty irritated with me. The salesman did a quick wash and apologized for not detailing it. Inside was great. Outside still had some residue from the shipping film. I wish there would have some warning in the manual about first surface mirrors or something. I've clean the mirrors on our other cars the same way with no problems. We're not black & blue after a shower but water softeners are very popular here. We love the van. It's the perfect size with a good firm ride. We hate floaty / cushy rides & overly soft seats. We just took a road trip along the Payette River from Boise to Tamarack & back. Very winding roads and a climb from 2800' to 7,500' w/4 7% grades. Most of the trip @ 50 mph or less (that's as fast as you could go - posted 35 & 45 MPH curves)- very scenic. 6 hrs. 234.9 mi. 8.34 Gal. = 28.16 mpg Not Bad for a van w/only 743 mi. on it. We filled up when we started and again when we finished at the same pump.

Lee

bcman · August 2005

I have a 1995 MPV that has a very strange brake problem! This MPV has 4 wheel abs brakes & a factory tow package, it has 4 wheel disc brakes. What is happening is this....all 4 brakes are locking up the wheels....whether I drive the vehicle or not....but at night when the outside temperature cools down....all 4 brakes unlock & the wheels all spin freely!. I've had the MPV up on jack stands the last week or so...all 4 wheels are off the ground...& everyday the wheels all lock up...then at night they unlock....without me even getting near the vehicle! This seems to be a heat related issue....but I've had the MPV in my garage...not outside in direct sunlight......the temperature has been averaging 100 degrees in my garage...so the heat really isn't that much to be causing this I would think.

cafc328 · August 2005

In early spring, I had a problem with by 2004 MPV having a "kick" when it shifted gears. The dealer fixed the "transcontrol". Last month, the gas peddle was sticking when the car was "cold" and the dealer cleaned the throttle and replaced a gasket. He told me I should stick with one kind of gas and not put in the "cheaper(LOL)" brands. I did this and now six weeks and 4K later, the peddle appears to be sticking again and this time it is not only with "cold starts." I am planning on calling the dealer today, but I want to know, is this normal? Isn't something else wrong with the car, if the throttle is getting that dirty? My MPV is only 14 months old and 24 K miles (mostly highway travel miles).

lrowland · August 2005

I am having the exact same problem w/my 2000 ES. Just seems to be sluggish at times, and tries to start, but chokes down. Have you had any luck finding out what is causing this?

Thanks,

Lance

african · August 2005

Yes, I have the same problem with my 2000 MPV, and I took it in for state inspection, and I was told everything is tight, Then I took it to another mechanic, and he said I'll need to change the Bushings on both lower front control arm, which I did at the Mazda dealer at the cost of $295, and guess what, it's still vibrating. I also changed the Stabilizer links, and four brand new tires, and the car still vibrates at 70 mph. Now I have a second appointment with the Mazda dealer. And I'll post whatever they say is wrong with it. I really like this van, but I can't go on along distance with the vibration.

criledo · August 2005

I have been posting messages about horrible gas mileage (15 mpg) with our 2003 LX. Last week the van broke down and was taken to Mazda for warranty repair, here's what happened: The engine started to accelerate all on it's own, backwards from your problem. Check engine light did NOT come on. They found a faulty temperature sensor, not engine temperature, ambient temperature. It was telling the engine it was 10 degrees when it really was 95. That of course confused the heck out of everything, including mileage. We are now passed our first tank of gas, and mileage seems to be up by 50%. I reply to your query because that sensor does not trigger the check engine light if it is sending erroneous data, but it will mess up the way your engine is working. Also, I have been hearing more and more about the comment that Mazda's greatest downside are the electrical components. Of course this is not the only direction possible, faulty fuel pump, clogged fuel filter, other sensors, etc.,e tc could be a possible cause. Good luck!!

Mazda MPV: Problems & Solutions

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Mazda MPV: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Mazda MPV: Problems & Solutions