2014~2021 Going to war with Mazda re: rear brakes

Maybe find a local independent shop with expertly trained mechanics? They do exist. I've heard many mechanics get training at a dealer then start a shop when they get older.

Word of mouth is probably the best way to find one.
 
That's been the biggest take away from my experience in all this.
I've been in the service business my whole life, so I know how it feels to be on both sides of the situation.
I'm not a bad customer or person to deal with. On the contrary, I go out of my way to be accommodating and pleasant to work with.
I seldom get my back up when dealing with this kind of thing, and it takes a lot to get me ticked off, but the attitude and pettiness of both dealers and Mazda Canada really irked me.
I was willing to bite the bullet and make a deal to pay for some if not all of the repair cost, but these guys just made me walk away.

Another strategy you can do if the independent shop really isn’t an option is to get a service repair quote from your usual Mazda dealer and get a quote from the other one with the premise that you’re getting the best quote from them to earn/maintain your business vs other repair shops but you’re actually pitting them against each other to getting the lowest deal. Similar to buying a vehicle...
 
I think I would get install some new pads, carefully bed or break them in, and not visit that dealer unless absolutely necessary.
 
Another strategy you can do if the independent shop really isn’t an option is to get a service repair quote from your usual Mazda dealer and get a quote from the other one with the premise that you’re getting the best quote from them to earn/maintain your business vs other repair shops but you’re actually pitting them against each other to getting the lowest deal. Similar to buying a vehicle...
Quotes from both dealers were within $10 of each other. Same parts prices and same labour rates I guess.
I think I would get install some new pads, carefully bed or break them in, and not visit that dealer unless absolutely necessary.
The main problem is the rotors. They are shot. I might be able to get away with re-using the pads.

Thanks for the replies. Appreciate it.
 
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I'm not confident that an indie shop will know about the service mode requirement, and will ruin my calipers. Most indie shops don't train their techs on specific brands, and most of those guys are old school and just do what they think they know.
I'm afraid they'll just try to push or twist the caliper piston in like they're used to doing.
...
Although the type of thing you mentioned above certainly does happen, IMO it's the exception and not the rule. Keep in mind that they will have to pay (parts and/or wasted time) for their screw-ups, and they will not stay in business very long if it happens more than just occasionally.

Vehicles have become so complicated these days that I believe that just about every shop must be regularly using one of the online repair subscription services such as Alldata or Mitchell. And those comprehensive manuals will include everything that needs to be done for a specific repair, including in this case the requirement to put the vehicle in maintenance mode before starting the work. And there are probably also some old-timer mechanics left who only work on vehicles they are familiar with, and I don't see anything wrong with that either.

I'm a DIYer and don't go to shops myself, but when I recommend service to others on these forums, it's always indy shops instead of the stealerships. And it sounds like you're definitely capable of DIYing this yourself as well, so by all means do so if you're so inclined. However I believe it's unfair to generically put down all indy shops based on whatever negative experience you might have had in the past.
 
Although the type of thing you mentioned above certainly does happen, IMO it's the exception and not the rule. Keep in mind that they will have to pay (parts and/or wasted time) for their screw-ups, and they will not stay in business very long if it happens more than just occasionally.

However I believe it's unfair to generically put down all indy shops based on whatever negative experience you might have had in the past.
I don't mean to put down every indie shop. There are lots of good ones out there. Sorry if it comes across that way.
I'm just being overly cautious, and trying to avert a problem.
If I go the indie shop route, I'll probably print out the maintenance mode procedure and leave it with the car.
As for doing it myself, I'm pretty confident. The issue is my wife (not keen on me doing it), and the weather. It's getting cold up here in the great white north. Brrrr.
Cheers.
 
Pretty much all brands with electric parking brakes have some type of 'maintenance mode' for servicing brakes. A busy indy shop should be up to date on how to get in and out of these maintenance modes. I like the idea of leaving a print out
 
Pretty much all brands with electric parking brakes have some type of 'maintenance mode' for servicing brakes. A busy indy shop should be up to date on how to get in and out of these maintenance modes. I like the idea of leaving a print out

This is true...I’ve taken 3 Mazda vehicles (CX9, CX3 and recently a 6) already to Kal Tire for minor tire/brake/suspension work (maintenance) and they didn’t have any problems with the EPB (all of the 3 models have them) and no screw ups whatsoever
 
Just replaced all brakes and rotors on my 2018 Mazda6 took about an hour each wheel. Bought the raybestos e3 better than stock. Front rotor was shaking at 30k. Could’ve just returned but Raybestos made a lot more sense. Hardest part of job is loosening bolts easier than any Toyota or Honda.
 
Just replaced all brakes and rotors on my 2018 Mazda6 took about an hour each wheel. Bought the raybestos e3 better than stock. Front rotor was shaking at 30k. Could’ve just returned but Raybestos made a lot more sense. Hardest part of job is loosening bolts easier than any Toyota or Honda.

I was recently looking at a 2018 Mazda 6 GT trim with only 25K km mileage to possibly swap/upgrade with my 8month old 2019 GS (Sport) trim that has only 6K km (realized wanted more features) but according to a Carfax report it had 9 service entries on record over a span of 2yrs which is quite odd considering oil changes are only scheduled every 6mos. I know it had upgraded 19-inch black wheels so that’s probably 1 of the entries as well as window tint installed (so another). Not sure though if it’s due to a lot of mechanical issues or any warranty work or TSB recalls etc. but something I may have to dig up a bit more info from their service dept. Other than a PCM recall in 2019, which my GS trim was also subjected to and quickly fixed, would you have any other issues you experienced with your 2018? Does it have the 2.5L turbo? The 2018 I was considering only has 1yr warranty left but the good news is that it had extended warranty the prev owner bought (tied to the VIN of car therefore transferable).
 
I’ve had no issues its driven daily on a sales route and is the turbo. I have put on 40k miles since new December 2018. I’ve replaced spark plugs as part of the schedule pm. Spark plugs are now available at auto parts store NGK as opposed to the exclusive dealership and the brakes just because I had a shudder when stopping from 50 mph. I do 5k mile oil change using Quaker state full synthetic along with either wix or purolator one filter. I use regular gas from Costco or Valero and sometimes Sams club. i have experimented with premium but noticed no difference to justify 40 cent price difference mpg stays the same 27 overall. On highway I average 34.
 
I’ve had no issues its driven daily on a sales route and is the turbo. I have put on 40k miles since new December 2018. I’ve replaced spark plugs as part of the schedule pm. Spark plugs are now available at auto parts store NGK as opposed to the exclusive dealership and the brakes just because I had a shudder when stopping from 50 mph. I do 5k mile oil change using Quaker state full synthetic along with either wix or purolator one filter. I use regular gas from Costco or Valero and sometimes Sams club. i have experimented with premium but noticed no difference to justify 40 cent price difference mpg stays the same 27 overall. On highway I average 34.
Good to know and thanks for the feedback! Seems like a reliable MY so I shouldn’t be too concerned abt esp the diff bet mine and the 2018 I was looking at is only a year
 
First 4 pics are pics of the undercarriage of my 2017 Mazda 6.
20,000 kms (12,000 miles):
The other 3 pics are from my 18 year old Pathfinder with 330,000 kms (200,000 miles).
I'll leave it at that.
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IMO, I'd change out pads and rotors, then change my driving habits a bit.. I'd suggest a little hard braking before parking it every once in a while, say once every two weeks.

This is just a suggestion based on what I've read about rusty brakes in general. My reasoning behind this suggestion is that the hard braking would remove any patina/rust that might build up between the pad and rotor contact surfaces, and level out any "high spots" on the rotor. Admittedly I'm not sure if there is any merit to that reasoning, but it's something I would try if I were having this issue with my brake pads and rotors.
 
Wow has that pathfinder been rust proofed ? It looks kind of oily on the photos, but I have rarely seen an 18 year old car in the region this rust free. Congrats ! :)

Also, not a lot of people know this but keeping a car in the garage is often actually worst for rust than keeping it outside. Especially if it is a garage that is not heated but warm enough from being attached to the house to sit around the thawing point. The concrete soaks up the moisture and remain damp and the higher temperature activates the salt. Cold temperature from sitting outside actually slows down the corrosion process. If you garage is heated and allows the car and concrete to dry quickly then it is less of an issue.

I am not saying that is what happened definitely for your car since I don't know if your pathfinder was also garage kept but just something to keep that in mind. They have been spraying salt on the road like crazy in Ottawa these last winters because of the high up and down in temperature, that doesn't help. I recommend getting your car rustproofed. Corrosion free is supposed to be great and Holiday Auto in Ottawa offer the service (as well as Canadian Tire, but I don't like CT). Krown is good too but can swell the rubber seals if the shop doesn't do a good job with protecting first. This won't do anything for brake rust but will help the rest of the car.
 
Well, I got the chance to really get under the car today, as I changed out my summer tires and rims for my winter boots.
I spent the majority of the day at each corner when a wheel was off and the car was in the air to liberally apply a layer of undercoating. I spread the stuff on and in every nook and cranny I could get to, whether it was rusty or not. The majority of the rust was actually on suspension parts (control arms, links, etc), and not on the actual unibody undercarriage. That part was still clean. I was pleasantly surprised about that.
Maybe Mazda just uses crappy metal on their suspension components. I don't know. Even though they appear to be painted (black) the rust just seems to eat right through.
I'm much less stressed now, so I guess that's a good thing. I still need new rear rotors, but on closer inspection today, the pads on all four corners are wearing evenly, and have a fair bit of life left.
That's reassuring as well.
I guess I'll know next April whether my efforts have paid off.

As for the Pathfinder: I bought it in 2003 when it was a year old.
It had been a dealer loaner, and apparently was undercoated.
I oil sprayed it once early in it's life, but have run it in every winter since I bought it.
The body is rusting fairly badly now, but mechanically, it's still solid.
The only thing not working now is my A/C. That finally crapped out this summer.
No complaints on this vehicle. I beat the crap out of it.
It has been bullet proof. It's the best generation Pathfinder that Nissan made.
Subsequent generations are garbage.

Cheers all.
 
I'm reminded of my 2006 Accord V6 where the front rotors started going bad at 20k miles. And that was with a high percentage of open road driving in the Illinois flatlands. The county where I lived for most of that time did not have a single stoplight, to give you some idea. Honda had class action suits relating to brakes on other recent models, but not that one. I pled my case to a dealer, not the one I bought it from because I had moved, to no avail.

I asked him if about his experience with aftermarket rotors. All I got was a shrug and, "I can do that if you want." I went with the aftermarkets which were something like $40 apiece cheaper if memory serves. I don't have the service records anymore but I do know I got a whole lot more than 20k miles on that aftermarket set.

Long story short, there can be exceptions to the conventional wisdom that OEM is better than aftermarket, tires aside. The question before the court is whether anybody who experienced poor OEM wear on pads and/or rotors got more life out of aftermarket sets.

Here's one thread on the matter:

 
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