2004 MAZDA MAZDA6 Power Train Problems

Very hard shifts from 1st to 3rd gear it's a automatic transmission it's getting worse it will do it at random times and it's getting to the point I'm scared to drive the car. mazda should listen to everyone else's problems with the same transmission it's ridiculous

OVER TIME, THE CLUTCH IN MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION 2004 MAZDA 6 V6 HATCHBACK HAS BEEN GETTING NOISY, DIFFICULT TO MODULATE WITH SURPRISING SLOPPY MOVEMENT IN A SIDEWAYS MOTION WHEN BEING DEPRESSED, AND HAS BEEN GREATLY WORRYING ME. UPON INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED CRACKS IN THE FORMED AND WELDED STEEL FRAME THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH PEDAL WHERE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY BOLTS TO THE FIREWALL. I'VE ADJUSTED MY CLUTCH LINKAGE, BLED THE HYDRAULIC LINE AND ATTEMPTED TO BEND THE FRAME BACK TO SQUARE, BUT EVENTUALLY THIS FRAME IS GOING TO FAIL AND I WILL BE UNABLE TO PUSH THE CLUTCH AND CHANGE GEARS. IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING, I COULD CRASH AND BE INJURED OR KILLED. IN ADDITION, THE CLUTCH PEDAL FRAME, AS IT BENDS TO THE LEFT WITH EVERY SHIFT, MAKES CONTACT WITH AN ELECTRICAL/CPU BOX MOUNTING FRAME NEXT TO THE CLUTCH, WHICH IS ADDITIONALLY WORRISOME. THIS WELDED STEEL FRAME IS MADE FROM SURPRISINGLY LIGHT GAUGE METAL AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THIS IS A GRAVE SAFETY CONCERN FOR ALL MAZDA 6S MADE IN THE FORD AUTO ALLIANCE FACTORY IN FLAT ROCK, MICHIGAN. THIS COMPONENT SHOULD BE RECALLED!

Mileage: 162,000

DRIVING NORMALLY, TRANSMISSION GETS STRUCK IN 1ST, 2ND, 3RD OR FOURTH GEAR. SOMETIMES TRANSMISSION WILL DOWNSHIFT VERY, VERY HARD. *TR

Mileage: 40,112

RE: MAZDA 6 V6 MADE IN THE FORD/MAZDA AUTO ALLIANCE FACTORY IN FLAT ROCK, MI. THE MILES/SPEED I LISTED ARE ACTUALLY N/A - THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT HAS EXISTED FOR MOST OF THE 10 YEARS I'VE OWNED THIS CAR. I COMPLAINED ABOUT SMELLING BURNING OIL COMING INTO THE CAR'S CABIN SINCE THE CAR WAS ONLY 1 YEAR OLD, BUT THE MAZDA REPAIR TECHS APPEARED TO "NEVER NOTICE THE SMELL". IT WAS MORE THAN A YEAR OR SO AFTER MY WARRANTY ENDED - DESPITE A DOZEN INSTANCES OF COMPLAINING TO MAZDA DEALERS OF THIS SMELL - THAT I REALIZED MY PROBLEM WAS OIL LEAKING FROM MY V6 MOTOR'S TIMING CHAIN COVER. THE OIL LEAKS DOWN THE SIDE & BOTTOM OF THE MOTOR & DRIPS (ONLY WHILE DRIVING, NEVER WHILE RESTING) ONTO THE TOP OF ONE OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM'S CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. THE INTENSE HEAT OF THE CONVERTER VAPORIZES THE OIL, THE RESULT OF WHICH ENTERS THE CAR'S CABIN THROUGH THE HVAC SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN ADDING A QUART OF OIL ALMOST EVERY TWO MONTHS FOR YEARS NOW, BREATHING THIS CARCINOGENIC VAPOR AND WORRYING ABOUT AN ENGINE FIRE FOR THE BETTER PART OF A DECADE NOW. LEADING UP TO DISCOVERING THE LEAK, I HAD REPLACED MY VALVE COVER GASKETS & OIL PAN & GASKETS AT GREAT COST. THE PROPER REPAIR FOR THIS WOULD LIKELY REQUIRE REMOVING MY CAR'S ENGINE & A 12 HOUR REPAIR AT $100 PER HOUR, AND THAT'S JUST THE LABOR. WHEN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, IT APPEARS IN ONLINE FORUMS TO BE A CONSISTENT PROBLEM FOR HUNDREDS (LIKELY THOUSANDS) OF OWNERS, AND VARIATIONS OF THIS FORD-MADE V6 ENGINE ARE INSTALLED IN A DOZEN FORD AND MAZDA CARS. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT OVER THE YEARS FORD - KNOWING THIS WAS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM - ADVISED IT'S DEALER NETWORK TO KEEP HUSH-HUSH AND PRETEND TO NOT UNDERSTAND OR NOTICE THE PROBLEM IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID A COSTLY RECALL CAMPAIGN. I FEEL THAT THE TIME HAS COME FOR FORD, NOT MAZDA, TO PAY THE PIPER, AND I WOULD LIKE MY CAR REPAIRED WITHOUT A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP PLACED UPON ME. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

CAR JUST UNEXPECTEDLY DOWN SHIFTS FROM 4TH TO 3RD GEAR.. TRANSMISSION REVS . HAVE TO STOP THE CAR. CAN NOT TAKE INTERSTATE BECAUSE IT MAY CAUSE A WRECK.. ALTERNATOR LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON.. HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART THE CAR TO RESET GEARS.. *TR

Mileage: 136,000

WHILE DRIVING BACK HOME THE CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN THE SPEED , WHEN I TRIED TO SHIFTED TO GET MORE SPEED BECAUSE I WAS ON THE EXPRESSWAY , IT JUST DIED , I TOOK A TOW TRUCK TO MY MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS BURNED. *TR

Mileage: 133,000

KEPT PUT ITS SELF IN GEAR WHICH IS A SAFETY MODE !!! SO I WENT TO CHANGE THE BATTERY AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND THE FUSE FOR THE RADIO WAS BLOWN AND EVERY TIME I WENT TO CHANGE THE FUSE IT WOULD BLOW.SO I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIO SOME WIRING ALTERNATOR WAS PUTTING OUT 17 VOLTS AND BURNED OUT THE WIRING!!! THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND SHOULD BE COVERED!!! *TR

Mileage: 55,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA MAZDA6. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECURRING FAILURE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION WIRING HAD BURNED OUT, CAUSING THE FOURTH GEAR TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000. *TR

Mileage: 130,000

I PURCHASED MY CAR USED IN OCTOBER 2011. MY CAR FREQUENTLY STALLS ON THE HIGHWAY AND I HAVE TO EITHER PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO RESTART IT OR PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART IT WHILE COASTING ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS ALSO HAPPENS AT SLOW SPEEDS BUT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MAZDA PUT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE THROTTLE BODY IN 2006. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO PURCHASE A REPLACEMENT THROTTLE BODY SINCE JULY 2012 AND HAVE FOUND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND THE PART AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THE PART IS ON A NATIONAL BACK ORDER. OBVIOUSLY MAZDA KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE PART OR THEY WOULDN'T HAVE PUT A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT. I FEEL MAZDA IS PUTTING LIVES AT RISK BY NOT MAKING THE REPLACEMENT PART AVAILABLE. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS....IT WONT REVERSE, IT'S MAKING SCARY NOISES AND IT'S JERKING NONE STOP. MECHANIC SAID I HAVE TO GET IT REBUILD, I HAD OVER 20 QUOTES FOR A PRICE TO GET IT REBUILD BUT I CANT AFFORD IT..PLEASE RECALL THE 3.0 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION...I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND I SAW THAT HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MAZDA 6 2004 TRANSMISSIONS AND WE CANT AFFORD IT. THE LOWEST PRICE WAS STARTING AT 1500 NOT INCLUDING LABOR. IM A SINGLE MOM WITH TWO TODDLERS, IM WORKING AND I CANT EVEN GET IT FIXED. *TR

BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 2010 EVER SINCE I HAD IT NIGHTMARE, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD BANG BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR AT JUST NORMAL SPEED, THE TIRES WOULD SPIN BECAUSE OF THIS. IT ALSO WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR IN 3RD WITH SHIFTING UP SOMETIMES. BUT JUST RECENTLY I FOUND OUT THAT THE INTAKE TUBE FOR THE CAR HAD A GIANT HOLE IN IT. SO FIXED THAT AND ITS NOT REALLY BANGING 1ST AND 2ND BUT SLIPS A LITTLE BIT. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

MY 2004 MAZDA 6 WAS DEMONSTRATING A RACING ENGINE/PROBLEMATIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND SHIFTING ISSUES (THE TACHOMETER WAS FLUTTERING AND RACING) AS I WAS BRAKING ON A MAJOR ROAD FROM 40 MPH TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT. THE CAR WOULD NOT SLOW. I MANUALLY SHIFTED DOWN FROM 4TH TO 3RD, AND IT STILL EXHIBITED THE SAME 'BOUNCING' REVS ON ABOVE 2000 RPM. AS I APPLIED MY BRAKES THE CAR WAS DEFINITELY HESITATING TO DOWNSHIFT AND WASN'T SLOWING WELL; I PUT IT BACK INTO AUTOMATIC "D" SHIFTING AND PRESSED FIRMLY ON THE BRAKES TO TRY TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. I HALTED VERY CLOSE TO THE NEXT CAR IN THE LINE DESPITE HAVING STARTED BRAKING WELL BEFORE I NEEDED TO SAFELY COME TO A STOP IN THE VEHICLE. IN FIRST GEAR AT A STOP, THE TACH WAS FLUTTERING FROM 1000 TO 1800 (WELL OUTSIDE THE NORMAL IDLE RANGE OF 900-1100) UNTIL I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE, AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. WHEN I RESTARTED IT SEEMED TO BE OKAY BUT IT HAS DONE THIS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *TR

Mileage: 114,000

THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE ASSEMBLY TO THE FIREWALL SNAPPED IN TWO AT THE POINT WHERE THE BRACKET MEETS ONE OF THE BOLTS THAT HOLDS THE BRACKET TO THE FIREWALL. *TR

Mileage: 86,000

SHIFT SHOCK WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CHANGES GEARS. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT, ONGOING OCCURRENCE. MAZDA HAS ISSUED A "TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB)" (#05-005/05) TO THE DEALERS TO REPAIR THIS USING A "FLASHING" OF THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. WARRANTY WON'T COVER IT BECAUSE IT INVOLVES THE COMPUTER. IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. THE TSB STATES THAT THE CONCERN IS CAUSED BY DRIVEN PLATE DEFORMATION DUE TO A RAPID RISE IN TEMPERATURE IN THE 2-4 BRAKE DRIVEN PLATE WHEN REPEATED SHIFTING IS DONE WITH A COLD ENGINE. IN PART, IT ALSO STATES THE LOGIC HAS BEEN CHANGED TO PREVENT AN ABNORMAL RISE IN 2-4 BRAKE DRIVEN PLATE TEMPERATURE. I HAVE A COPY OF THE BULLETIN AND CAN FAX IF NEEDED. *TR

Mileage: 50,049

1)NOV. '04....12 HOURS AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, WERE CALLED BACK TO HAVE MAZDA REPLACE GAS TANK "DUE TO RECALL".MAZDA "MISPLACED" MY NEW GAS TANK. TOOK APPROX.4 DAYS TO GET MY BRAND NEW CAR BACK IN MY POSSESSION. 2)05/01/04: A.COMPLAINED OF MOANING SOUND FROM STEERING WHEEL/ENGINE. B) BREAKS SQUEAKING LOUDLY. MAZDA"PROBLEM NOT DUPLICATED" 3)8-19-05 A. CLUTCH SHUDDERS WHEN GOING FROM 0-1 & 1-2 GEAR (MANUAL TRANS.) B. MOANING SOUND FROM STEERING/ENGINE RIGHT FRONT AREA. MAZDA: "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE" 3) CAR MAKES MOANING SOUND FROM STEERING/RIGHT FRONT ENGINE WHILE TURNING. MAZDA: "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE" PROBLEM LISTINGS GO ON WITH MY SAME COMPLAINTS. EACH TIME, MAZDA STATES "PROBLEM NOT DUPLICATED". NOW, WARRANTY IS UP, GUESS WHAT: MAZDA SAYS: "WE'VE FOUND YOUR PROBLEM! YEAH, WE FOUND IT REALLY QUICKLY, IS THE REASON THAT I'M CALLING YOU SO SOON. YOU NEED A NEW CLUTCH WHICH WILL FIX YOUR ONGOING CLUTCH COMPLAINT OF 3 YEARS. OH, AND WE'LL NEED TO ORDER A NEW ENGINE MOUNT, AND TAKE APART THE ENGINE TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THE TRANSMISSION. YOU SEEMS TO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS FROM YOUR CLUTCH WHICH AFFECTED THE TRANSMISSION. YOUR WARRANTY IS UP, AND WE WOULD HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM HAD WE NOTICED IT BEFORE 3,000 MILES. BUT, NO NEED TO WORRY.....WE'LL PUT YOU IN A RENTAL CAR...." *TR

Mileage: 1,500

OCCASIONALLY CAR WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK, TOOK ITTO DEALER TWICE FOR SERVICE. THE FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED A SWITCH, SECOND TIME COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. DEALER SERVICE CENTER RECOMMENDED TO USE E-BRAKE WHEN PARKING, AND THIS WA S NORMAL IF PARKING ON A INCLINE. PROBLEM GOT WORSE, FROM ANALYZING THE PROBLEM MYSELF, DETERMINED THAT THE INCLINE OR E-BRAKE HAD NO RELATION. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED DURING A VERY HOT DAY WHEN LEAVING WORK. DETERMINED THAT IF IT JERKED SHIFTED IT BACK AND FORTH ABOUT 10 TIMES, WHEN I HEARD A CLICK, AT THAT TIME.I COULD MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER OUT OF PARK. *AK

Mileage: 36,000

I HAVE A 2004 MAZDA6 WAGON WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR INTO A MAZDA DEALERSHIP TWICE TO FIX A ROUGH SHIFTING TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HAS 30,000 MILES AND IS UNDER WARRANTY. THE SHIFTS BETWEEN GEARS ARE FREQUENTLY VERY ROUGH AND HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED BY OTHERS IN INTERNET MAZDA FORUMS AS "SHIFT SHOCK." THE BURNSVILLE, MN MAZDA DEALER CLAIMS THE TRANSMISSION WAS DESIGNED TO SHIFT ROUGH. I HAVE ASKED TO MEET WITH A MAZDA REPRESENTATIVE. *NM

Mileage: 17,000

MY 2004 MAZDA 6 THAT I LOVED SO MUCH WHEN I PURCHASED IT EARLIER THIS YEAR, HAS BECOME A VEHICLE I HATE TO DRIVE. MY CAR HAS A SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM (AS BEST AS I CAN TELL). THE FIRST SYMPTOM IS A HORRIBLE WHINE WHILE IDLING OR ACCELERATING. WHILE DRIVING THE NOISE IS ACCOMPANIED BY TERRIBLE SHIFTING. MY RPMS OFTEN APPROACH 5 AND THE CAR JERKS TERRIBLY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION "CATCHES". I FEEL AS IF MY BODY IS TAKING A BEATING EVERY TIME I DRIVE. I HAVE HAD THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP ON THREE OCCASIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME, THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THE SECOND TIME THEY REPLACED THE WATER PUMP, I DON'T KNOW WHY. AND THIS LAST TIME THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM...THEY COULDN'T NOT THIS TIME, IT HAD GOTTEN SO BAD THAT I WARNED THE DRIVER PICKING IT UP TO BUCKLE UP AND HOLD ON. HE LATER REPORTED TO ME IT WAS THE ROUGHEST RIDE OF HIS LIFE. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO ME AS A PROGRAMMING PROBLEM AND FIXED. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THAT IS HERE I AM 10 DAYS LATER, AND IT'S RIGHT BACK TO WHERE IT WAS BEFORE THE REPAIR. CAN ANYONE SAY "LEMON LAW"? *NM

Mileage: 6,000

VEHICLE DESIGN PROBLEM THAT COULD EASILY RESULT IN FATALITY. 2004 MAZDA 6S. THIS IS THE TRANSMISSION THAT CAN EITHER BE RUN AS FULL AUTOMATIC OR AS A SEMI MANUAL SHIFT. WHEN IN A PASSING SITUATION WITH THE THROTTLE FULLY OPEN, THE ENGINE JUMPS INTO ACTION AND THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS AS IT SHOULD. HOWEVER, IF THE GAS PEDAL IS KEPT PRESSED DOWN AS IN A PASSING SITUATION, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT UP SHIFT AT ANY POINT. THE RESULT IS THAT THE ENGINE RPMS WILL INCREASE TO THE POINT OF HITTING THE RED LINE. AT THAT POINT ANOTHER FEATURE SHUTS DOWN THE ENGINE UNTIL THE RPMS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE RED LINE. THE RESULT IS LOSS OF POWER AT THE MOST CRITICAL TIME IN THE PASSING MANEUVER. I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE AND RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS PLACE BEHIND THE VEHICLE BEING PASSED, BUT ALMOST DID NOT MAKE IT. HAD I BEEN MUCH FURTHER FORWARD I WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE COLLIDED WITH THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE. THEY TESTED IT, TALKED WITH APPROPRIATE MAZDA SERVICE CENTER EXPERTS AND REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MALFUNTION - ALL SETTING WERE AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE. I CORRESPONDED WITH NORTH AMERICAN MAZDA VIA EMAIL (ATTACHED) AND FORWARDED THAT EMAIL STRING TO YOUR TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE AT [email protected]. MAZDA CONTINUES TO SAY THAT NIETHER DESIGN DEFECT OR MALFUNCTION EXISTS. TO THEM IT IS AN OPERATOR PROBLEM. IF SO, ANYONE ACCUSTOMED TO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS IN ALL OTHER CARS WILL FIND THEMSELVES IN THE SAME POSITION, UNAWARE OF THE POTENTIAL. ALL OTHER TRANSMISSIONS THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH UP SHIFT AT EITHER A CERTAIN SPEED OR VACUUM LEVEL WELL BEFORE THE ENGINE CAN GET TO DANGEROUS RPMS.*AK

Mileage: 2,000