MP3 OWNERS: Bushings Noise? Tell me about it here!!!

[DooMer_MP3]

Hi all. I just had my bushings replaced about 1.5 months ago with the supposedly fixed part. I've been in 3 or 4 times before that to get the bushings replaced. Now if my ears aren't playing tricks on me, it seems that horrible clunking noise is slowly making a return.

I have emailed Mazda USA in the past, but I think sending them a snail mail package with a few pages of signatures will help. If you have REAR SWAYBAR BUSHING CLUNKS/RATTLES ONLY, please reply to this with a mature response explaining your experience(s). I will print it up and send it to Mazda with a nice polished cover letter.

I know, I know, I've made a petition before for the Z919 vs Z828, but I realized the fineprint would never have helped us. This is a genuine problem that needs to be addressed, and I am willing to take the 20 minutes to write a letter and the $0.60 for postage .

Thanks everybody.

Chris

 

[Newf]

MY response is coming, this is a great I idea. I may pm you though, as some info I don't want on the ole net you know. I'm working now, when I get off, I'll do up something.

 

[MP3TLH]

I took my car to the dealer reagrding the rear sway bar bushings today. They just called and said they were cracked and ordered new ones forme (using the new part nubmer I got from this website). He assured me that this was covered under warranty. I had taken the car to the dealer earlier in the year for the same reason, but I couldn't reproduce the noise then and I didn't have a part number. This time I found a less than smooth road, typical to what I drive on everyday and wsa able to reproduce the noise.

I and several other MP3 owners have noticed this problem since day 1 (June 21, 2001 for me). To my knowledge, the dealer or I never have received a recall/service notice from Mazda about this despite attempts by owners to get Mazda involved.

After these are on I will report if the problem goes away or returns.

 

[DooMer_MP3]

Well since there seems to be some recent motivation to write letters, I thought I'd bump this to the top...

 

[INiTiAL33]

Good idea Doomer!

Ok im willing to do this to Mazda Canada too.........so ppl (states or Canada) send me your letters via email at initialv@telus.net or pm it to me on this board..

I think we really have to try everything to try to make Mazda move their asses and do something about it!....


and i'll pay more than $.60 ... i'll register mail it !


Ok so Doomer has one going to Mazda USA... and i'll have one going to Mazda Canada

NOTE : this doesnt have to be only the clunking problem..... other problems such as clutch clatter and the strut mount squeak is also fine!

 

[scott42]

I've had the clunk "fixed" using the part # with C at the end...now I see that has been changed to the same # but with D at the end accdg to the TSB; so I'm going to have them try the new part) but its coming back. I've got CRAZY squeakage that DOES NOT go away once the car is warmed up (EVEN AFTER 60 mins of driving!!)
Clutch chatter in the first 10 minutes of any cold morning is a 3-1 chance of happening...
Is this what you guys are looking for? (like a list; or actual letters?)

 

[INiTiAL33]

I've had the clunk "fixed" using the part # with C at the end...now I see that has been changed to the same # but with D at the end accdg to the TSB; so I'm going to have them try the new part) but its coming back. I've got CRAZY squeakage that DOES NOT go away once the car is warmed up (EVEN AFTER 60 mins of driving!!)
Clutch chatter in the first 10 minutes of any cold morning is a 3-1 chance of happening...
Is this what you guys are looking for? (like a list; or actual letters?)

actual letters

 

[scott42]

I'll work on one that whole time thing is a b****.

 

[PA_MP3_Man]

I just got my bushings replaced last monday and don't have any more clunks. But give me a couple weeks and I should have them back. I'll write you a letter than if it's not too late.

 

[mp3_559]

My dealership is ordering the bushings now.. atleast from the sound of it.. it will stay squik clean for a couple weeks.. maybe that will hold me till summer where there not as bead, but yes i HAVE them AND YES it has been a pain to get my dealer to finally fix the parts.. i think its best even if the parts only work for a bit... everyone gets them done SO we can show them they do not work instead of pointing them to 3 people that had the change and it doesnt work.

 

[Newf]

mp3_559.......your right, we need to show them that it doesn't work in numbers. The more people the better. Mazda will just ignore a few single cases. That's been my problem all along.

 

[DooMer_MP3]

Well basically I just want people to post their detailed stories to this thread. Doesn't have to be in letter form or anything as I will attach a cover letter to my packet. I will strip out the stories from here and send them all (regardless of if you're in Canada or not) to MazdaUSA. Initial33 can send them to Mazda Canada. The more people they see with this problem the better. So tell me exactly what you've been through in the suspension noise department since you bought your MP3. Here is a sample of what I want:

-------------------

I purchased my MP3 in late July of 2001. Around the beginning of November of 2001 I noticed a slight noise from the rear suspsension that became known as the "clunk". By the end of December 2001, it was happening all the time, even when going over tar lines on the road! I made an appoitment with the dealer (Don Miller of Madison, WI) for the next oil change to have it looked at.

The first visit involved changing the bushings with the same part. They test drove the car and noticed nothing changed. They gave me a rental for a day while they ordered an entirely new Racing Beat rear swaybar. After installed, the noise was gone!

About two months later at the end of February, the noise returned. They replaced the bushings, and the noise appeared to subside. A few weeks later, it was back. This time their temporary solution was to put some "anti-friction" tape around where the bushings sat. This seemed to carry me through the rest of the cold months.

However, in July the noise slowly made its return. I called the dealer and told them about the new bushing part number that had a "C" at the end instead of a "B". In September when it was getting unbearable, they replaced the bushing with the new part and I thought this was going to be the end of this nonsense. Not so. About a month later I noticed the noise coming back, and now it is getting worse, here in December 2002. I will be talking to the dealer about this once again when my oil change comes up in a few weeks.

I am an average driver who does not drive my car hard. I use it as my daily driver and would like it to be clunk free at some point. I would also like to point out that my warranty will be up some time next year in 2003 after I hit 30,000+ miles. I refuse to pay money after the warranty ends to fix something like this every month that has been occurring since day 1.

Mazda needs to listen to their customers and fix this ASAP. I will be VERY skeptical about ever owning another Mazda again. I love the MP3, but the lack of willingness to fix this problem for good is totally unacceptable.

Chris Sobotkiewicz
Madison, WI
2001 Laser Blue Mica MP3
--------------------------


There ya go. Stuff like that .

Chris

 

[SomaMP3]

i'm gonna be writing my letter and emailing it away.......i'm sick and tired of dealing with the bushings....i got them replaced and there already done after 6000kms.....total BS:bs:

 

[Newf]

hmmmm, killer is my letter would be too long

 

[PaulMP3]

I am also experiencing this same problem, i have had them replaced once already and in aprox. 2 months the clunkinging is back. It sounds like there is something in my trunk like my spare tire bouncing around, i have removed everything from my trunk and still get the same loud clunk. I know one member mentioned he had a blown strut, for the most part its has been the swaybar bushings, i will be meeting with the mazda district rep after the holidays to tell them everything. i have called mazda NA and they say that i have to tell him. I agree this is totally not exceptable, my friends get in my car and call it a POS b/c all of the squeeks, clunks, transsmission grinding, and now my newest problem my CD player wont work. I need to talk to this rep guy about; squeek/clunk, tranny grind, and my 3rd z919 radio. I have had this car in # of times and when i get it back within a few months all my problems return. Mazda has a serious quality problem with these MP3's. I love this car so much that is the only reason i put up with all the problems.

 

[Newf]

I pm'd you my letter rather then here.

Good luck! We need it. But enough is enough, and this needs to be fixed. I'm on my 16th month, and probaby close to two dozen bushings.

 

[DooMer_MP3]

Wow, I must let it go longer than you do . I typically wait until an oil change. Also, I'm going to bring up the front squeak just for the hell of it. I know I'm a hypocrite because I always said it was part of the struts, but we'll just see what they say. Hope it gets cold here so they can hear it .

Chris

 

[INiTiAL33]

newf can you pm me your letter too ? i need it to send to Mazda Canada too or Doomer can you send me the letter? Thanks

 

[PA_MP3_Man]

I sent an e-mail to racing beat just for s**** and giggles and the guy sent my info to "his" mazda rep. Well get got a reply back today and said that mazda will start using the mazdaspeed protege's bushings. They are made out of a different material suposedly. So that's my latest news. Maybe that's what the new "D" number stands for. who knows. Well later guys.

 

[Kooldino]

Squeaks in the rear and front here. Had mazda replace bushings in the rear last year, and now that it's cold again, they're baaaa-aaaaaack.