Poll 2.5T Coolant Leak/Engine Replacement

[Mazda_petal]

I believe the TSB is very useful. Mazda service is blaming Mazda engineers and Mazda manufacturing. As US citizens, we have consumer protection laws that apply here. As a Mazda customer, I don’t care what party in their organization screwed up, Mazda sold a product that has a known defect. I had a Honda CRV several years ago that Honda replaced the engine in at 124,000 miles after they issued an extended warranty for “excessive oil consumption.” It was the voice of their customers that caused them to do that. If we all communicate our cracked cylinder head issue with Mazda and the NHTSA and the BBB, eventually Mazda will be forced to acknowledge their responsibility. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

^^^^ this is EXACTLY HOW I FEEL I bought the car in 2021 of January when the TSB was put out I believe. I loved Mazda I had a protégé and a Mazda 2 sport they were both GREAT cars. I just cannot believe they serviced my car for all this time and covered this up because there is no no no way they didn’t know and if there is a TSB why not ADVOCATE for your customers and just get it taken care of…

dealerships ESPECIALLY the ones the size of Safford can absolutely have a big impact if they choose to do the right thing but not saying anything until I’m out of my warranty just seems ridiculous

 

[AutoDesignR]

Report every CX-9 with this safety problem to www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index. Or call them: 1-800-424-9153. Report it to your local Better Business Bureau. https://www.bbb.org/bbb-directory
Report it to your local Mazda car dealership owner (The sales guys. Service department already knows.) Tell them you will never buy another Mazda and you will tell your friends and family of your experience with the CX-9 so they will stay away from Mazda cars too.

 

[AutoDesignR]

In your communications with Mazda, be sure to remind them they extended the warranty on the 2016-2017 CX-9 for “Internal Cracks in Mazda Connect Center Display”. Tell them they have another “Crack” in the engine that needs the same warranty extension. Remind them that you have heard from other owners that were offered a “goodwill repair”. Tell them you don’t feel safe driving the car. Repeat these points in your BBB report and NHTSA report.

 

[Mazda_petal]

In your communications with Mazda, be sure to remind them they extended the warranty on the 2016-2017 CX-9 for “Internal Cracks in Mazda Connect Center Display”. Tell them they have another “Crack” in the engine that needs the same warranty extension. Remind them that you have heard from other owners that were offered a “goodwill repair”. Tell them you don’t feel safe driving the car. Repeat these points in your BBB report and NHTSA report.

In your communications with Mazda, be sure to remind them they extended the warranty on the 2016-2017 CX-9 for “Internal Cracks in Mazda Connect Center Display”. Tell them they have another “Crack” in the engine that needs the same warranty extension. Remind them that you have heard from other owners that were offered a “goodwill repair”. Tell them you don’t feel safe driving the car. Repeat these points in your BBB report and NHTSA report.

The corporate office and the dealership basically told me to pack sand they will not help at all. I’m a single mom and I bought the car as my first luxury purchase and I see they good will to some customers via Reddit forums and another platform online but I just don’t understand why not my car. Safford I think told them not to good will it or have not given them all my service records

 

[Mazda_petal]

Report every CX-9 with this safety problem to www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index. Or call them: 1-800-424-9153. Report it to your local Better Business Bureau. https://www.bbb.org/bbb-directory
Report it to your local Mazda car dealership owner (The sales guys. Service department already knows.) Tell them you will never buy another Mazda and you will tell your friends and family of your experience with the CX-9 so they will stay away from Mazda cars too.

Do you think that it will help ? I don’t know what to do with a blown engine and money still owed on the car at all it’s just sitting at the dealership

 

[AutoDesignR]

Quit making payments on the car and let the dealership repo it.

 

[Mazda_petal]

Quit making payments on the car and let the dealership repo it.

Okay probably is my only option

 

[rowlands57]

Okay probably is my only option

Be careful, that will ruin your credit. Just a heads-up in case that matters to you.

 

[AutoDesignR]

If you go that route, Call the credit reporting agencies before you do it- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Tell them what happened and ask them to document your credit report with the circumstances. It will be a dent on your record, but your situation is likely to put you in the same credit position and stuck with paying for the Mazda “totaled vehicle”. Let Mazda own their mistakes.

 

[AutoDesignR]

I would also let the loan company know ahead of time what you are planning and why.

 

[JPL]

Quit making payments on the car and let the dealership repo it.

Only if you owe more than it's worth which seems unlikely. Otherwise you probably end up losing more money than paying for the engine replacement.

 

[Mazda_petal]

Be careful, that will ruin your credit. Just a heads-up in case that matters to you.

It does but I honestly do not have another choice and I’m really stuck on what to do. I’m seriously so frustrated that this is what ended up happening and a truly do not feel it was right. It doesn’t matter I just have to move forward and try to salvage what I can I am definitely not okay with the credit thing but I also am not going to pay 8,000 for an engine on a car that’s worth 10,000 and I still owe more then 10,000 on the car it just is what it is and I’ve definitely learned my lesson. Mazda manufactured a bad car that I paid more then I should of for and overpaid for a warranty that didn’t really cover anything at a service center that is not forthcoming with customers. It’s just very hard lesson learned

 

[Mazda_petal]

No signs of any concerns with the engine when we bought it. Previous owner was not as “meticulous” as I normally require on maintenance records, but he did stay on top of the basics. I spent a week going over the car before we started driving it. Fluids changed, plugs and coils replaced, new battery. Thorough inspection of belts, hoses, wiring, etc. Everything checked out ok.
My wife is the primary driver as she hauls the kids around in it. It’s an awesome car with some fantastic features. She’s very sensitive to anything unusual with the car because she spends a lot of time in the driver’s seat. Our 2011 CX-9 left her stranded once when the water pump bearing when out on her and the car overheated. She wisely had the car towed home. (I was out of town when it happened.)
The 3.7 liter Ford engine water pump issue was very well documented online with YouTube videos that were very helpful when I replaced the pump (and everything else while the engine was rebuilt). I’m surprised that no one has done a video to assist with diagnosis and repair on this “coolant leak” for the Mazda 2.5 Liter. I’m old school so typically write reports with step by step instructions and photos (useful in court to put the blame where it belongs). Maybe it’s time for a video…

Sorry to comment randomly but is 8,000 to much to ask for an engine replacement for a 2018 Mazda CX9 ? I’m only asking because you seem knowledgeable and I’m really in a bad spot right now with car. I’m trying to decide if replacing the engine is worth and just make payments on it or get rid of the car all together and allow it to be repossessed because I don’t have $$$ if something happens after I replace the engine. The car has 126K miles on it

 

[Mazda_petal]

Only if you owe more than it's worth which seems unlikely. Otherwise you probably end up losing more money than paying for the engine replacement.

No I believe I overpaid for the car I still owe roughly 15K maybe slightly less

 

[Mazda_petal]

It’s okay like I said lesson learned I got this to be a mom car for my daughter and her friends for ballet and I should of done more research and not just keeping with a brand simply because of previous models being so good I had a Mazda 2 sport and a protégé previously that led me to the 9.

 

[csb_1237]

Having read some of the posts above I wanted to make a few comments. The dealer that I took my CX-9 to when my head started leaking coolant (I have told my whole story in a previous post so I won't rehash it here) diagnosed the problem and quoted about $7K for a head replacement. The aftermarket extended warranty that I had (through CarShield) would not cover the head repair. They said it was a "manufacturer's defect" and they didn't cover those under their warranty. So the dealer (Ourisman Mazda, in Rockville MD, who were FANTASTIC throughout this whole ordeal) worked with Mazda corporate and they got them to "comp" the repair so I ended up paying around $3K (there were a few other things that were done that I was willing to pay for out-of-pocket, since they had the engine out of the car). Yes, that's right. A head replacement is an "engine out" repair on the CX-9. So, long story short, that was at 78K miles. The car now has 90K+ and is (knock on wood) running like a top. I did write a letter to Mazda corporate to express my disappointment that this happened and that I had to pay for the repair of something that was a manufacturer's defect, REGARDLESS of the fact that it was out of warranty. I DID NOT ask them for any more money or to cover the full repair, I just told them that I would not likely be buying another Mazda product. Well, they seemed to think that I was asking for money (which, like I said, I was not). So they contacted the dealer, figured out how much I paid, figured out how much they "comped" me for the repair and finally said to me: we already gave you enough and will not give you a penny more. OK...fine. I didn't ask you for more money...I just told you that you treated me, a loyal customer (this is my 3rd Mazda!) like crap and because of that, you have lost a Mazda customer. That was my message to them...talk about being "tone deaf"! Wow. Anyway, hope this info helps.

 

[AutoDesignR]

Sorry to comment randomly but is 8,000 to much to ask for an engine replacement for a 2018 Mazda CX9 ? I’m only asking because you seem knowledgeable and I’m really in a bad spot right now with car. I’m trying to decide if replacing the engine is worth and just make payments on it or get rid of the car all together and allow it to be repossessed because I don’t have $$$ if something happens after I replace the engine. The car has 126K miles on it

$8,000 is too much for you to spend on this car. The “stealership” is the last place to get your car fixed. Find an independent mechanic that can help you out. Don’t replace the engine. It’s just the head that’s cracked. I ordered the major parts for my repair today at just under $1000. It takes less time to replace the engine. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Mazda engine swaps aren’t being sent back to the factory to get the heads replaced and then sold to the next unsuspecting owner as a “new” engine. I guarantee the engines they are taking out of cars aren’t being scrapped.
I would guess there are good mechanics that can do this repair for $2500-4000. Ask friends, family, co-workers for recommendations. Mazda is in the business of taking money from people. Their response to this situation proves it. I’ve never been fed so much crap from a car manufacturer in my life and I’ve worked as an engineer in the auto manufacturing industry for 40 years. I concluded today, these beings have no compassion so they can’t be human.

 

[sm1ke]

I am definitely not okay with the credit thing but I also am not going to pay 8,000 for an engine on a car that’s worth 10,000 and I still owe more then 10,000 on the car it just is what it is and I’ve definitely learned my lesson. Mazda manufactured a bad car that I paid more then I should of for and overpaid for a warranty that didn’t really cover anything at a service center that is not forthcoming with customers. It’s just very hard lesson learned

You don't have to pay $8k, you can source a used engine, or buy the required parts outlined in the TSB and then have a reputable independent shop replace the engine or replace the cracked cylinder head. You might pay half of that.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the Mazda engine swaps aren’t being sent back to the factory to get the heads replaced and then sold to the next unsuspecting owner as a “new” engine. I guarantee the engines they are taking out of cars aren’t being scrapped.

The problematic heads have been replaced with an updated head that has a new P/N. If the head was replaced in/after 2021, or if the engine is a 2021+, it has the updated cylinder head.

 

[PTguy]

Don’t replace the engine. It’s just the head that’s cracked.

Maybe. If the coolant loss caused excessive overheating the head gasket may have failed, allowed coolant into the engine oil, and the engine is now junk.

I honestly do not have another choice and I’m really stuck on what to do.

Is it time to make a BIG lemon symbol, mount it on the roof of your car, and park in a legal parking spot in front of the dealership? Stick a copy of the TSB in the window so anyone knows what the problem is. That might encourage the dealership to start working really hard on your behalf.

 

[Silly Wabbit]

^^ truth