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Mazda

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Look out! The Mazda 626 and Protege are becoming notorious for disastrous transmission problems which the company steadfastly refuses to address. It appears the transmissions are made by Ford, a master at turning a blind eye to its defects.

• Mazda Transmission Failure
• Mazda Engine Problems
• Mazda Tire & Wheel Problems
• Mazda Paint

Many Mazda owners with faulty transmission have asked about filing a class action suit against the company. Unfortunately, such suits are almost never successful. The auto manufacturer will spare no expense defending itself in court and it is seldom possible for consumers or their lawyers to match the company's resources. Best solution: consumers should sue the company in Small Claims Court. Their chances of winning are much higher and the cost of litigation is tiny.

Here are a few of the more recent complaints:

San of St Louis, MO June 16, 2009

We have a 98 mazda 626 that we bought new in 98, it's been a good car except for the two transmission that has been replaced since we had it. I think mazda should be held responsible for all the problems and money they have caused us as consumers. They know the transmissions are junk, and they just dont even care. Do it take for someone to go postal at mazda for them to do something about it....I hope a class action suit can be done because it's just not right to us..(DONT BUY MAZDA)

Sharon of Wilmington, NC June 4, 2009

I bought a Mazda 626 2000 in Sep 2000, and it had 14,000+ miles on it, I now have 94,777 miles on it, Stevenson Honda is telling me I need a new transmission and Wells Transmission is telling me I need a torque converter. If it's under 100,000 miles why don't Mazda replace the transmission and torque converter. I can't believe I am having transmission problems. One place told me to just drive under 35 or over 50 miles per hour and I will not feel the jerking, because mazda built in a set speed of 45 and that is why it's doing it.

Jane of Winnipeg, MB May 28, 2009

I have a 2006 Mazda Tribute which I leased on a 4 year contract. This is the fifth Mazda I have leased and I have had front end problems with two other vehicles but they were covered with warranty. I purchased additional warranty with my last purchase and also wanted a three year lease but was encouraged to take a four year lease. It is in the fourth year that problems come up. In April I noticed some grinding noises in the front end and took the car to my neighbourhood garage who told me this was front differential problems that would be covered by warranty.

When I took the car to Gerry Gordon's I was advised that the problem was with the transfer case and I was not covered by warranty because I didnt change the trans fluid at 48 K's. The car has 54 K's on it. The repair bill there would have been over 5000 and I looked elsewhere and found someone to fix it for about 2000. Indeed the owners manual requires this transmission oil change but to have this defect in a newer vehicle is ridiculous.

I will definitely be doing a lot more research next April when I go to turn over the car and I will not be making a purchase at Mazda be it Gerry Gordon's or any other Mazda. I make outrageous payments on this vehicle for the peace of mind of having a reliable car. I liked the car very much and I am very disappointed. I had a Protege and an MPV which had transmission problems but the dealership covered these problems under warranty.

Natalie of Elkhorn, NE May 15, 2009

Purchase a 2007 Mazada CX-7 in November 2007. When the car hit 14000 miles we noticed that the tires in the front of the car had worn on the inside of the car. Called Mazada told them I also told them I needed the oil changed so we waited un 15000 when the oil was due. Took the car in and yes the front tires were worn they told me I needed 4 new tires. What on a new car with 15000 miles, I was told it was my fault because I did not rotate the tires, which the car has been serviced at a Woodhouse service center since I bought the vechile and no one said I needed to rotate them, they told me it was the owner responsilbity to have them done per the owners guide.

(i got that and it went in the glove box just like probaly a million other people. So we decided to move the back tires to the front of the car (rotate the tires) drove the 5000 went in for a oil change and the now the good tires that were on the back have worn the same way and now I need 4 more tires. The service person told me again it was my fault because we did not have front end alinement, so after fighting with I asked for a manager, who informed me the tires put on the Mazada Cx-7 werent made for that type of vechicle-so they were bad tires to begin with so why not replace the tires for free-wont do it at Woodhouse so I called Mazada and was told the same thing, and that Mazada does not warranty the tires on the their cars, so I asked you dont care about the type of wheels you put on your cars and he said they warranty the car only-hello isnt the wheels part of the car.So here I am a car with 20000 miles and I need new tires.

Jane of barrington, RI May 5, 2009

My 2003 Mazda 3 needs a new transmission! My car only has 35,000 miles! I could tell that the gears were not switching smoothly between 3rd and 4th gear, so I brought it in to find out the bad news. THe mechanic didn't know why it happened. I had the transmission "flushed" at the 25,000 mile tune up. So i got a "deal" when I only had to pay 1200 for the new transmission. WHat a waste of money, and from what I'm reading on the internet, it happens a lot and Mazda doesn't do a thing about it!

Olha of Park Ridge, IL May 2, 2009

In 2005 we bought a new Mazda-3. We are the only one owner since then. On April, 23 2009 the car was picked-up from the the service. Sun-rood was totally replaced becouse somehow it was broken. We paid 1005 for that service. We haven't used the car since April, 23 2009. All windows, doors, sunrood were closed for a week. Today, May, 2 2009, we opened the car and found a lot of water on the floor.

Robert of Manteca, CA April 24, 2009

In 2006 I purchased a new Mazda3 S Sedan. This vehicle was serviced by Mazda and other shops and was maintained strictly according to the Mazda Manual in terms of the service, oil change frequency etc. At approximately 35K miles the engine blew up. Towed it to Mazda and they, after much hmmming and hawing, said that they would replace it without cost to myself. They did so. At approximately 98K miles the engine once again blew up. This time I had it looked at by a friend who is a mechanic, he found that the engine was totally dry of oil, but interestingly enough, there was no sign of an oil leak, and HE had been doing the oil changes every 3K miles (half the time suggested by Mazda). Mazda recommended the use of 5W-20 oil. But it seems that their oil rings are quite poor and do not seal against oil loss, and that at High sustained freeway speeds can eat as much as a quart of oil in a period of perhaps two days (almost all of my driving is at high freeway speeds for periods as long as 2 hours at a time, as I commute a good distance each way daily. I would propose that the Ford Engine was poorly designed for high speed operation and that the use of their recomended 5W-20 was STUPID on their part as they BILL this car in their advertisements as a cheap and fun version of the Mazda3 SPEED model, and folks DO tend to drive it quite fast. So far the 3rd engine in this car is now running 20W-50 oil with an oil additive, and is no longer using oil at a prodigious rate...and perhaps might last a while, or at least I hope so. In my opinion, Mazda KNEW of the problem with this engine, as they replaced the first one themselves at no cost to myself under warrantee, which says to me that they KNEW there was a problem...

Chris of Brooklyn, NY April 16, 2009

Chris of Brooklyn NY (04/16/09)
Brought in my 3 month old top of the line Grand touring Mazda 6 for a recall on the doorhandles only to find out my transmission line had been dangerously leaking and the car was undrivable. Now 3 weeks later after awaiting the repair day by day I am told they cannot get the part because it is 'back ordered'. I am told it will be another month! The car only has 3,000 miles on it. It should not have a major repair issue to begin with none the less take over a month to repair.

The car has been in the shop now for 3 weeks and I am told the part may be in 3 weeks! If it come then. Meantime I was given a loaner but in dirty condition and it's a much smaller base level car than what I purchased.

Lauren of Pittsburgh, PA April 14, 2009

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