Mazda Trying To Screw Me!

[staples187]

I knew this would end up happening. I come to a stop today in my driveway and the exhaust starts smelling like burning oil. This is the second time it's happened in a week. It starts puffing white smoke until I hit the gas and then it goes away, but smells very strong. I actually thought it was my clutch since I was spirited driving until I saw the amout of smoke coming from the tailpipe. I call Mazda, and what to my surprise, I have no powertrain warranty due to a turboback. I then proceeded to tell them they need to prove that the turboback was the reason for the turbo going bad (had the turboback on for 9 months). Service manger isn't in until Monday so I'm going to reem his ass when I call him for voiding my warranty.

Any recommendations? I really want to do the turbo rebuild anyway and I'm feeling like this is a kick in the ass to do so, but it's still extremely cold out and I don't feel like spending all day undoing nuts and bolts until it gets warmer.

The only two mods on there are the turboback and the cold air intake as of now.

 

[Ms3InMd]

Hey, I pmed you before about this. When I brought in my car to Mike he told me that two days before I had came there that mazda put out a service bulletin because the turbos are on back order and that every car with a bad turbo must have pictures sent to mazda. SO he really could not help me out. As for proving that the mod was related to the problem they told me because it is stipulated in the warranty that the vechicle can not be modded it does not matter if the mod caused the problem or not. Mike even told me that he knew the mod did not cause the problem. Long story short mazda just gives you the run around.

 

[staples187]

So you're saying go back to stock in order for it to be warrantied? I don't know what's more worth while to me. I want to do the rebuild anyway, keep everything on and pull the turbo say screw it and rebuild it, or take the downpipe off and get the turbo replaced.

 

[mrlilguy157]

i've got a stock turbo for sale PM me.

 

[staples187]

Hold on to it until I get in touch with you please.

 

[dkswim]

ouch

 

[jaydubz]

Hey, I pmed you before about this. When I brought in my car to Mike he told me that two days before I had came there that mazda put out a service bulletin because the turbos are on back order and that every car with a bad turbo must have pictures sent to mazda. SO he really could not help me out. As for proving that the mod was related to the problem they told me because it is stipulated in the warranty that the vechicle can not be modded it does not matter if the mod caused the problem or not. Mike even told me that he knew the mod did not cause the problem. Long story short mazda just gives you the run around.

Ok where exactly does it state any of this information. This is the third time that someone has mentioned "it states that in the warranty" of course it will say something to that effect. I would like to know, how it combats the magnusson moss act!

 

[dread]

I think mazda has a valid argument that a turbo back exhaust could have caused the seals to go bad. No offense but it won't be hard for them to say that a loss of back pressure or additional hp and torque caused the seals to go bad. Everyone acts like you can mod the s*** out of your car and throw the magnusson moss act in the dealers face to get work done. It will cost you more to take them to court than to fix it yourself and you probably won't win anyway.

 

[staples187]

I think mazda has a valid argument that a turbo back exhaust could have caused the seals to go bad. No offense but it won't be hard for them to say that a loss of back pressure or additional hp and torque caused the seals to go bad. Everyone acts like you can mod the s*** out of your car and throw the magnusson moss act in the dealers face to get work done. It will cost you more to take them to court than to fix it yourself and you probably won't win anyway.

Non taken, but the fact of the matter is they just warrantied someone else's car that had just an intake a little while back. That should be enough proof to say, "Hey, even with having a stock car there's still the same amount of chance of the seals going bad." People are saying it's a known issue, but why are they so reluctant to warranty this if that was the situation? Worst case, they don't warranty it and I have to buy another turbo. If that happens, then **** it, I'll buy another turbo and have it rebuilt through PG. (rockon)

 

[dkswim]

They are reluctant to warranty it because a new turbo cost 600 or so dollars then they have to reimburse the dealer for the labor which is probably $50-100 an hour then throw in a flat rate time of 5-6 hours to remove and replace the turbo. Then reimburse the dealer a car rental and whatever else the dealer throws in to make sure you do business with them again. Its a couple thousand per car times so many cars (speed 3, speed 6, CX-7)


p.s. i dont work for mazda so not sure what they charge price wise on parts and labor.

 

[staples187]

Charges of $90 an hour, turbo at retail is about $1,000+. Of course Mazda doesn't pay those prices. I'm willing to go back stock (minus the intake that was a b**** for me to put on) if they'll cover it. I'm going to try and make a deal with them and see if they'll let me slide with just the exhaust and intake and go back stock for the downpipe.

 

[07speed3]

how come you took all your other mods off?

 

[Perro del Sol]

Looking at the post and knowing what I know about Mazda Corp., I am not surprised. You have a long list of mods, ETS TMIC, etc.....There was a bullentin issued a few months back about taking pictures of issues with turbo seals.

As far as the individual with the intake, was it a Mazdaspeed part? Even know, Mazdaspeed intakes, the customer has to sign a waiver when purchasing the part,actually know, it looks like that has been even been updated to where they are not going to even going to selll them anymore.

As another member posted, unless you do have a great deal of money, you will be in court for days. Also, if you review your owners manual, any mod will void your warranty.

Good luck to you, it will be a long uphill battle for you.

 

[07speed3]

Looking at the post and knowing what I know about Mazda Corp., I am not surprised. You have a long list of mods, ETS TMIC, etc.....There was a bullentin issued a few months back about taking pictures of issues with turbo seals.

As far as the individual with the intake, was it a Mazdaspeed part? Even know, Mazdaspeed intakes, the customer has to sign a waiver when purchasing the part,actually know, it looks like that has been even been updated to where they are not going to even going to selll them anymore.

As another member posted, unless you do have a great deal of money, you will be in court for days. Also, if you review your owners manual, any mod will void your warranty.

Good luck to you, it will be a long uphill battle for you.

lol ya even the mazdaspeed intake will void it...when they had to replace my turbo they tryed to give me s*** about having the intake and i flipped cause they never made me sign any form sayin that so they screwed themselves on that one haha

 

[crossbow]

It really comes down to dealer. Some dealers will ask you what mods you're planning to do, and offer to help install them. Then if a proper crops up that might involve the mod, they'll ask you to remove it (or pay them to remove it) as part of the diagnostic process. Those guys generally won't void your warranty, and will warn you if they have to contact a rep to ok a warranty replacement.

Other dealers will blow the warranty horn if you aren't using a Mazda oil filter, battery, brake pads, etc.

But ya, I never understood the whole mazdaspeed parts being "warranty ok". They aren't! Read the warranty info! Only the part themselves is warrantied! Not to mention most of the mazdaspeed parts themselves are crap compared to the aftermarket...just look at the excuse for the mazdaspeed CAI by AEM...damn thing throws lean errors codes so often they had to pull it off the market till they could fix it. But if you had a CP-E CAI, where they took 6 WEEKS getting the R+D on the fuel trims exactly stock, you'd have absolutely no issues...

 

[jaydubz]

This is a joke and a downright scam if Mazda is not covering items with a known failure! I am perplexed by the fact that some of you can sit down here and validate that some dealerships are not covering these items, the term "pay to play" is some what valid, but its rather irresponsible of a manufactuer to put out a product and not stand behind it simply because the cost to cover poor workman ship is becoming to great. This community is downright selfish!

It is rediculous how many speed drivers are having problems with dealerships not completing work properly or not being consistant with parts or information, then turing around and blaming simple bolt on parts for major failures! I could understand if something like methanol or nitrous was used but come on, intakes, exhausts engine mounts?!?!? This is criminal and we should come together and fight this!

 

[builthatch]

This is a joke and a downright scam if Mazda is not covering items with a known failure! I am perplexed by the fact that some of you can sit down here and validate that some dealerships are not covering these items, the term "pay to play" is some what valid, but its rather irresponsible of a manufactuer to put out a product and not stand behind it simply because the cost to cover poor workman ship is becoming to great. This community is downright selfish!

It is rediculous how many speed drivers are having problems with dealerships not completing work properly or not being consistant with parts or information, then turing around and blaming simple bolt on parts for major failures! I could understand if something like methanol or nitrous was used but come on, intakes, exhausts engine mounts?!?!? This is criminal and we should come together and fight this!

contact SEMA. they have ALOT of money available for this type of thing...

really, SEMA has to be brought into this so they can compare and contrast the facts to see what, if anything, mazda is doing to circumvent the law. This evidently isn't a one or two person issue where individual law suits would be worth the money. a class-action type suit needs to be investigated if, in fact, they are voiding warranties illegally.

the bottom line is, MM is the rule. there isn't an exception, though there is some flexibility given to the corporations re: what they deem related, and what isn't.

http://www.semasan.com/main/main.aspx?id=60128

if i have a problem, i will certainly take action. i don't, so i certainly won't take the lead on something like this, but if someone does, feel free.

 

[Antonio DiMarco]

Did you recently have an oil change?

I was told that anything less than 5w30 would cause turbos to smoke because the lower viscosity makes it by the seals.

I did a search and could not find any info on this. Can anyone confirm?

 

[ProtoType5]

Any recommendations?
.

Don't modify a car under warrantee unless you're willing to pay for repairs...That's my only recommendation...Good luck with the repairs...

 

[Shane5425]

when i bought my car Brand new, the parts department put a MS cai and CBE from Mazdaspeed... i never signed any type of paper relating to that.. if anything does go wrong , there will be hell to pay..

Looking at the post and knowing what I know about Mazda Corp., I am not surprised. You have a long list of mods, ETS TMIC, etc.....There was a bullentin issued a few months back about taking pictures of issues with turbo seals.

As far as the individual with the intake, was it a Mazdaspeed part? Even know, Mazdaspeed intakes, the customer has to sign a waiver when purchasing the part,actually know, it looks like that has been even been updated to where they are not going to even going to selll them anymore.

As another member posted, unless you do have a great deal of money, you will be in court for days. Also, if you review your owners manual, any mod will void your warranty.

Good luck to you, it will be a long uphill battle for you.