My week-old 3, is already headed into the shop.

[Ritzbitz1]

It's too bad, because I am starting to love our new Winning Blue five-door, but yesterday as we started the car up, it squeaked some, primarily when we were slowing down and the engine light came on - could it actually be the brakes squeaking and some how the engine light is on?

I have heard about the engine light software problem, but is anyone familiar with this one?

We're dropping it off tonight to have it looked at tomorrow. I'll try to keep everyone posted.

Strangely, when I talked to the service dept. at my Mazda dealership, they did not seem surprised out one week-old car was having issues.

I hope this is not the start of something ugly.

 

[wongpres]

Here's the deal with the CEL from someone who works for a Mazda dealership in the US:

The 3 is setting a P0128 code for a warm-up issue.

All cars start in "open loop" the PCM selects a fuel ratio to warm up the car. Few sensors are given a "feedback" to the PCM. Just make the car go.

The car is set to get into "closed loop" as soon as possible.

This means the PCM wants the car to warm up and trust the sensor's readings so the fuel ratios can be controlled for the least amount of uncontrolled hydrocarbons in the atmosphere.

Problem is the PCM sets the timer for the loop status is set right at the parameter at which the car can warm up. If the car doesn't make the PCM's given time the P0128 is set.

There is a fix in the works. Mz sends a disc to the dealer every three months. This is a major release number..like a major upgrade for the diagnostic machine at the dealer.

Every week there is a minor upgrade. This is downloaded to the desktop at the dealer and unzipped to a floppy. It is then loaded in to the machine.(if the dealer is loading it).

The major upgrade in the dealers now is the 29.0.

The minor upgrade to fix the problem is 29.2.

The release of the 29.2 was Jan 23, 2004.

 

[Kooldino]

Hopefully that's the problem?

 

[prboy3]

HEY!!
Man everytime I log on this forum I here about another problem with the MZ3...And I'm thinking...I know that nothing in a car is perfect but were I live, the MZ3 has been no more than 4 weeks on our roads...and I just hope no mayor problems with my "soon to be" MZ3...
Take Care
PRBOY3

 

[dream merchant]

ugh... thats just kinda a chance people take when buying a first yesr vehicle...

there will be bugs here and there, just hope that none are major. good luck and keep us informed

my friend bought a first year startus when they first came out and within the first two weeks, the window molding on the outside started to melt and warp, then the ac system completely died which had to be completely replaced.

he finally gave it back to the dealer and lost his butt on the deal. after giving it back, he still had to make like 3 more notes on it just to get even with the dealer...

now that sucked.

 

[frenzy2223]

Is this going to be a recall that every car needs to get. Or is it only going to be for the cars that are having problems?

 

[DarkHeart]

I am still VERY HAPPY

Just wanted to report that I have had my 3i since Dec 27 and have not had any problems. It is a base model with only the A/C added, which should be standard for Texas but that is another topic. It has approximately 1,100 miles on it. I am not driving in extreme weather like those up north (below zero temperatures) though. During the break-in period I took care not to race the engine, to a trip to the coast (150 mi one-way) to help but some highway miles on it and varied the speed while driving. I am getting about 27 mpg in town with a little highway driving. I also drive around the long way around the parking lot of my apartments at about 10 mph to let the engine get to warm before getting on the road.
Actually, the only problem I have is having to tell my wife that I am driving. It is a fun little car to drive around in town.

 

[Autox MSP]

never buy a first year car. Wait till they fix the bugs out for a year or two.

 

[dja0323]

Never is a very strong word. I figure they are getting better at making cars these days and since everything is borrowed from other models currently on the market, there's not too much to be worried about. Some minor inconveniences are to be expected, but what car can promise that you won't have any of those?

 

[Eugeosyncline]

Bad News

Alas, reliability problems are what I feared from this model, given Ford's increasing influence in Mazda vehicles.

Although it indeed is quite true that first year runs tend to have more problems, when this possibility was brought up before, I recall many people saying, "I'm not worried, as the 3 was out in Europe for some time before North America, so they should have worked out the bugs already". Well, clearly they haven't.

This once again brings up an ominous reality that I've begun to note regarding Japanese vehicles: They're going downhill and allowing their previous records of fantastic reliability to get flushed down the toilet, and I find that patently insulting.

Case in point being:

*First year Toyota Camry was only average in reliability. Absolutely unheard of for a Toyota; even in a first production run vehicle.
*The current generation Honda Accord has issued only 'above average reliability' vs. the last 4 generations that yielded 'much better than average reliability'.
*The Nissan Sentra is now below average in reliability. There has never been a Sentra, EVER, that stooped to this condescending level of s*** quality, and to see it in this state is a serious, serious change, not to mention an unforgivable breach of trust.
*The aforementioned Mazda3 problems.

As many of you have noted, I take issues of reliability and quality to be of paramount importance, and if any company has the gall to suggest that I or any other self respecting consumer should accept lack of it, they can summarily f-off and I hope they fail as a business forever, as far as I'm concerned (if you'll excuse the colorful term). It really pisses me off. Can't you tell?

The Mazda6 at least has compiled an excellent reliability record-- Hopefully Mazda will come to their senses and definitively fix the issues with the 3 and bring it up to the level of quality everyone, everywhere should unapologetically demand...

 

[taylor5]

1st year problems?

I keep reading from some of you, "avoid first year models". Well you know what? I did and when I bought my 2002 Protege' (model came out in 99'), I still had many problems that should have been solved much earlier.

Cold noise in engine (same engine that they had been building for 4 years)
Transmission shift troubles (same trans that they had been building for 4 years)
A/C freezing up (same one for 4 years)
Headliner creaking and popping (yet again, the same one for many model years).

so you know what?.....It does not matter. There have been many people with problems on cars of all makes that they have been building for years that should have only been on the "first year" models.

That theory is wack!

 

[dja0323]

That theory is wack!

My sentiments exactly!

 

[mp3mike05]

Ok so i was thinking about buying myself a new Mazda3 in a month or two. Now I am having second thoughts as all of you are talking about your numerous problems. Despite all of the problems, do you think the car will still last a good 10 years or so? Im worried that this car isnt worth it and i should look into other cars.

 

[frenzy2223]

There are a number of Mazda 3 owners that are not having any problems. I have had my Mazda 3 for almost 2 months now and I have not had any problems. I would wait a few months to get one. That way you can get a better price.

 

[ZippityZoomZoom]

I just joined the Mazda 3 ranks. Any car is like a lottery ticket. I just left an Acura CL type-S behind that had a higher than normal potential for massive transmission failure. Some Camrys have had oil sludge issues. It's all a crap shoot. I am optimistic with this car.

I also know about the condition called 'forumitis'. Forumitis is a condition caused by the concentration of car enthusiasts who are more demanding and knowledgable than the average consumer into one forum. The symptoms are nitpicking, overly dramatic reactions and frequent flaming. The positive side of forumitis is shared knowledge and trouble-shooting.

A prime example is the Acura CL type-S. If you were to read the forum for this car you would tend to believe that every 5-speed automatic is guaranteed at one point to drop into 2nd gear at 70mph and leave you in a ditch wrapped around a tree. Part of forumitis is forgetting that these issues only happen to 2% or less of the car owning population.

 

[Ritzbitz1]

Things turned out just fine.

It was a software glitch which if this those turn out to be the major problems with the 3 - as long as they do not affect driveability - then I can live with that.

As far as squeaking, I talked about this with the mechanic. It sounds like it can be a combo of new brakes breaking in, cold (and it has been cold up along the Great Lakes) and possibly residue from all the crap that's on the roads because of the weather.

In fact it only squeaked the one time, and our '93 honda Accord has done it once or twice.

I was a little worried about purchasing a first year vehicle, but with the ever-increasing reliability of Mazdas in general, and a good first-year for the Mazda6, I was pretty confident.

All-in-all, I didn't have a choice anyway because the wife loves Mr. Funugly so much. ('Cause the car is really fun, but also kind of ugly in its five-door form. Ugly in a fun way.)

The few times she's let me behind the wheel I have been impressed. It drives very effortlessly and I cannot wait to take it on a true road trip.

 

[RonH]

I would probably start to worry about bying my new Mazda3 today after reading some of these posts, but my last car that I traded in, a first year '98 Ford Escort ZX2 was supposed to be a piece of junk and it turned out to be the most reliable new car I've ever owned. It never had a problem and never taken to the dealer for any reason. After owning 71 vehicles over 45 years of driving, I'm ready for my new car, and I'll bet I have little or no problems with it.

Call me optomistic, which I am.

 

[taylor5]

your right Zippity...

Well said man!!

You take a chance on any model you buy whether they have been building it for a few years or a brand new model. I have even seen cases with 5-year model run cars where the first year model had less trouble than the 4th and 5th year model. It is like playing roulette.

 

[NYguyinNC]

In the shop too

Well today marked the 6th day of ownership of my Mazda 3 and it wound up in the shop. I was getting a weird knocking noise. Anyone ever heard of this happening?