2002 Mazda Mazda6 Transmission Problems

I WAS DRIVING MY WELL-MAINTAINED 2002 MAZDA MPV (ODO 66,000MILES) ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS AS IF IT WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. HAD CAR TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY, WHICH DIAGNOSED FAILED TRANSMISSION. HAD IT TOWED TO MAZDA DEALER, WHO CORROBORATED THE DIAGNOSIS, AND PUT IN A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. COST TO ME: $3,546.09. DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT; I'M VERY UPSET. I ASKED FOR THE OLD PART, BUT THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE "CORE CHARGE", WHICH I DECLINED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10214453

Incident

Dec 24, 2007

Mileage

62,000 mi

MY 2002 MAZDA 626 ONLY HAD 88,000 MILES ON THE CAR BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10206611

Incident

Mar 31, 2007

Mileage

88,000 mi

MAZDA USA MAZDA MPV 2002 DEAR SIRS: I OWN A MAZDA MPV 2002 MODEL WHICH HAS BEEN HAVING MINOR SPORADIC TROUBLE FOR SOME TIME. BETWEEN 1500 AND 1800 RPM IT WOULD SOMETIMES JERK AND SPUTTER AND THEN IT WOULD SETTLE DOWN AND CONTINUE. I'VE TAKEN THIS TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS DURING ROUTINE SCHEDULED SERVICE AND THEY SAID THAT COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING UNTIL THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WELL AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF THIS, FINALLY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON , I REPLACED THE COILS 1,2,3 I NOTICED AN IMPROVEMENT BUT EVENTUALLY THE PROBLEM RECURRED AND WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE REMAINING 3 COILS PLUS A HOSE. FOUR DAYS AFTER LEAVING THE SHOP ON A TRIP OF 50 MILES THE ENGINE LOST POWER ON A HIGHWAY CREATING A DANGEROUS CONDITION FOR MY FAMILY. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD IT WAS UNRELATED AND THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION TO THE TUNE OF $3400 AFTER HAVING ALREADY SPENT $1200. *TR

NHTSA ID

10205399

Incident

Oct 8, 2007

Mileage

63,000 mi

FROM THE DAY I DROVE MY NEW 2002 MPV HOME THE TRANSMISSION MIS-SHIFTED AND BUCKED. I CALLED THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY AND THEY TOLD ME THAT "THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER WAS LEARNING MY DRIVING HABITS AND IT WOULD GO AWAY. AFTER 3 MONTHS THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND BEGAN STALLING AT LIGHTS. I TOOK THE CAR IN AND THEY SAID THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. WHEN I ASKED THEM WHAT THEY NEEDED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM THEY SAID THAT THERE WERE NO COMPUTER UPGRADES FOR THE TRANSMISSION AND I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THERE WERE. A YEAR PASSED AND IT CONTINUED TO BUCK AND STALL. I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN AND TOLD THEM I THOUGHT IT WAS A "LEMON" AND I WANTED IT REPAIRED. THEY TOOK THE CAR AND "FIXED IT" BUT IT HAS CONTINUED TO MIS SHIFT REGULARLY. AT AROUND 25,000 MILES THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST REVEALED IT NEEDED NEW PLUGS. AFTER REPLACING THE PLUGS IT APPEARED TO RUN LESS ERRATICALLY. IT NOW HAS 65,000 MILES ON IT AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST REVEALS THAT THE #5 CYLINDER COIL IS OUT. APPARENTLY EACH SPARK PLUG HAS ITS OWN COIL. I HAVE ORDERED THE COIL AND AM WAITING TO SEE WHAT PROBLEM WILL COME UP NEXT. IN OCT 2005 MAZDA SENT OUT A VOLUNTARY LABORATORY EMISSION TESTING FORM. SINCE THEY WANTED THE VEHICLE FOR 2 WEEKS AND I ALREADY DIDN'T TRUST THERE COMPETENCY I DECLINED THE OFFER. NEVERTHELESS, THIS TOLD ME THAT THEY MUST BE HAVING EMISSION PROBLEMS AS WELL. I CANNOT BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR A GOVERNMENT REQUIRED RECALL. THE DEALER NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE, THE CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOW I HAVE NO RECOURSE. I HAVE LOST ALL CONFIDENCE IN MAZDA. I WILL BE CONTACTING SOME ATTORNEYS ABOUT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. IT SEEMS LIKE IT WILL TAKE A FATALITY ON A FREEWAY FROM A FAILED TRANSMISSION BEFORE MAZDA OR THE GOVERNMENT WILL LOOK INTO THIS! *TR

NHTSA ID

10200376

Incident

Sep 5, 2002

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2002 MAZDA 626 SEDAN BURNED OUT WITHOUT WARNING WHILE BEING OPERATED DURING NORMAL HIGHWAY CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS WELL-MAINTAINED DURING MY PERIOD OF OWNERSHIP. I WAS TOLD BY THE MAZDA MECHANICS THAT THE 626 WAS "NOTORIOUS" FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS LIKE THIS, AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT ADVISE ANY ATTEMPT TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE PROBABILITY OF A SIMILAR FAILURE WAS HIGH, AND THAT THE "ECAT" TRANSMISSION WAS NOT DESIGNED TO BE REBUILT. ESSENTIALLY, ONCE THE TRANSMISSION FAILS IN THIS VEHICLE (AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS SIMPLY A MATTER OF TIME), THAT THE ONLY OPTION TO RECOUP ANY LOSS IS TO SELL THE CAR FOR PARTS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10197956

Incident

Jul 21, 2007

Mileage

100,700 mi

2002 MAZDA MPV TRANSMISSION AND WATER PUMP WENT OUT AT 58,000 MILES. NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND MAZDA WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THE CAR JUST DIED IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, AND LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FIX WAS $4,000 IN REPAIRS PAID BY ME. SIX WEEKS LATER, I AM TOLD THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE A COIL AND SPARK PLUG FOR ANOTHER $500. THE MECHANIC EVEN SAID THAT I MAY HAVE TO REPLACE MORE COILS IN THE COMING MONTHS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10194902

Incident

Apr 19, 2007

Mileage

58,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF THEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO INSTALLED A TRANSMISSION KIT. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED A SECOND TIME AND THE SAME REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED A REBUILT TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE INSTALLED. UPDATED 10/6/2006 - THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVEN IN HOT WEATHER AND CAUSED THE PARTS TO MELT DOWN. *NM

NHTSA ID

10167889

Incident

Sep 11, 2006

Mileage

104,000 mi

2002 MAZDA 626 WITH 37000 MILES. HAD A NEW TRANSMISSION ABOUT AUG, 2004. STARTED HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEMS ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO. NELSON MAZDA IN NASHVILLE, TN TOLD US SOMEONE FILLED THE FLUID TOO HIGH WHEN WE HAD OUR OIL CHANGED. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OBVIOUS SOMETHING WAS WRONG, AND WE WERE ONLY 2 WEEKS OUT OF OUR WARRANTY, THEY WOULD DO NOTHING BUT "ADJUST THE FLUID". THIS WEEK IT STARTED SHIFTING BAD AND BEFORE THE DAY WAS UP IT WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. WE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL TRUSTWORTHY GARAGE WHO SAID THE TRANS. FLUID WAS "BURNED TO A CRISP" AND NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AGAIN. NELSON MAZDA WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP. NOTHING. A CAR SHOULD NOT NEED HAVE A SECOND BAD TRANSMISSION IN 3 1/2 YEARS AND 37000 MILES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10150402

Incident

Feb 15, 2006

Mileage

37,000 mi

I HAVE A 2002 MAZDA MILLENIA PURCHASED NEW FROM KOONS MAZDA 9-17-2002. IN AUGUST OF 2005 I RETURNED TO KOONS TO HAVE A HEADLAMP REPLACED.LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER I NOTICED THE PROJECTION OF MY HEADLAMPS WERE AIMED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SKY.THE NEXT MORNING I NOTICED BOTH HEADLAMPS WERE LAYING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.I RETURNED TOKOONS ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME $700.00 PER HEDLAMP ASSY.I HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET MAZDA CORPORATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY HAVE DECLINED. IM TOLD MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRENTY. BECAUSE THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE HEADLAMPS AND THE EXPOSURE TO OTHER COMPONENTS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IT COULD START A FIRE. THEN THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM,THAT ACTIVATES IF I'M DOING 55MPH ON THE BELTWAY'IT CAUSES THE CAR TO SPUTTER AND JERK .THIS IS A BAD WEATHER DEVICE DESIGNED TO AID WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE BAD.THIS FAILURE JUST STARTED IN DECEMBER.I ONLY HAVE 60K MILES ON THE CAR. *NM

NHTSA ID

10147885

Incident

Aug 17, 2005

Mileage

68,100 mi

AT APPORX. 48K MILES, THE O/D LIGHT CONTINUED TO FLASH ON AND OFF, AFTER TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC THEY STATED IT NEEDED A NEW SPEED CENSOR, AFTER REPLACING SAID PART THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED, I TOOK IT TO A MAZDA SERVICE DEALER, WHO TOLD ME I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION, WITH LESS THAN 52K MILES ON IT??

NHTSA ID

10125489

Incident

Jun 13, 2005

Mileage

48,000 mi

MAZDA MOTORS CO. HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE CLUTCH IN 2001-2003 MAZDA MIATAS AND HAS ISSUED A TSB (05-001/03). MY MIATA, A 2002 IS 3 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT WITH ONLY 13,000 MILES OF A WARRANTED 36,000 MILES. WHEN I APPROACHED MAZDA CORP. WITH MY PROBLEM I WAS SUMMARILLY TOLD, WITHOUT THEM LOOKING AT MY CAR, THAT IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND ALSO STATED THAT, EVEN IN A WARRANTED STATE, THE CLUTCH WILL BE COVERED FOR ONLY 12,000 MILES. I HAVE READ THE TSB AND NOWHERE IS A MILEAGE NUMBER STATED FOR A COVERED REPAIR. MY COMPLAINT IS, THAT THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND OWNERS ARE NOT MADE AWARE OF THAT PROBLEM OR THE REPAIR THAT IS RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER.I WAS UNAWARE OF IT UNTIL READING WHAT OTHER MIATA OWNERS HAD WRITTEN IN A MIATA FORUM.GRANTED, THIS IS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM BUT IT DOES AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AND IF THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF IT AND CORRECTS IT WHEN CONFRONTED THEN THE WARRANTY TIME LIMIT ALONE SHOULD NOT BE A DETERMINING FACTOR IN WHETHER OR NOT A CORRECTION OF THE PROBLEM IS MADE. THE REPAIR SHOULD BE MADE WHEN THE CUSTOMER MAKES THE COMPLAINT RERGARDLESS OF THE TIME FACTOR INVOLVED AS LONG AS THE MILEAGE FALLS WITHIN THE WARRANTED PERIOD.MANY OF THE OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM DID NOT REPORT ONSET OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL THEY HAD DRIVEN THE CAR FOR 15,000 TO 25,000 MILES. THEY EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM WITHIN THE 36 MONTHS OF THE WARRANTY BUT WITH GREATER MILEAGE. I HAVE LESS MILEAGE ON THE CAR BUT WITH A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. EITHER WAY THE PROBLEM DEVELOPS WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF "OPERATION" OF THE VEHICLE. SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF ME DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME AT THE E-MAIL, PHONE OR ADDRESS THAT I HAVE GIVEN. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

10125432

Incident

Jun 7, 2002

Mileage

13,000 mi