Weird water or gas sloshing noise from my brand new Mazda6

[russr]

My 6i (mtx) is brand new...around 160 miles on the odometer and I notice that when I slow down or shut off the car, I often hear a noise that I can best describe as water being sloshed around. It could be gas, but I don't know. It sounds like a small motor kicks in, then the sloshing noise and then a slight jerk in the car. It feels like the noise is coming from the rear of the car which is why I feel like it might be gas tank.

Last night I parked uphill and I had my car in gear and then turned the engine off. It just kept doing this...small motor kicking in, then sloshing of water or gas noise, then slight jerk. It seems to do it more on hill than anywhere else, but like I said, sometimes when I'm slowing to a stop it'll do this too.

What the heck, the car is brand new...anyone know what this could be? :'(

 

[crossbow]

There is a Technical Service Bulletin for mid-build date 2004 2.3L L3's.
http://forum.mazda6tech.com/about984.html

I think this is what you are experiencing, and will require a revised fuel pump. (Occurs in 7-8% grade, high temp, or high elevation).

 

[russr]

There is a Technical Service Bulletin for mid-build date 2004 2.3L L3's.
http://forum.mazda6tech.com/about984.html

I think this is what you are experiencing, and will require a revised fuel pump. (Occurs in 7-8% grade, high temp, or high elevation).

Crossbow, when the engine is on I feel no hesitation whatsoever. The engine doesn't shut off or anything like that. The main problem is this water or gas sloshing noise. When I park on an uphill service, the car isn't even on and it does all this water noise and jerks and what not. You're sure it is the same problem? My 2004 6i with mtx has a build date of 7/2004 which is significantly after that TSB was issued.

I found similar threads here crossbow to give you more of an idea. They are all for the protege though:
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48180&highlight=sloshing
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47042&highlight=sloshing
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37387&highlight=sloshing
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37227&highlight=sloshing

 

[Necessity]

Some of those problems seem to be related to decelerating. The TSB should apply to you if you're on a steep gradiant on a normal basis. I hear fuel moving in my tank when I have the rear seats out, so that's not completly out of the question.

Your car jerks with the engine off? How does that happen? Does it happen when you take your foot off the brake, or right after you stop the engine?

 

[russr]

Necessity, I sometimes hear it when I'm stopped at a light too that's why I posted those threads that I dug up.

My driveway is on a hill (not that steep) and I usually park there but I leave the car in 1st, foot on clutch, shut off engine, no hand brake yet, and then it sounds like a freaking aquarium with gas or water moving around and it sounds like some motor kicks in to do this. Then there's a slight jerk esp. on a steeper hill and then it repeats-motor, sloshing, jerk if on steeper hill. If I pull the handbrake up it stops. It almost sounds like there's something living in the gas tank (help)

Some of those problems seem to be related to decelerating. The TSB should apply to you if you're on a steep gradiant on a normal basis. I hear fuel moving in my tank when I have the rear seats out, so that's not completly out of the question.

Your car jerks with the engine off? How does that happen? Does it happen when you take your foot off the brake, or right after you stop the engine?

 

[crossbow]

I think you fall under the TSB range. It only takes a 7-8% grade for the problem to manifest itself. Either way, this is a dealer visit.

 

[russr]

I'm not seeing how the TSB and my issue are the same, perhaps u can elaborate as with the exception of the grade, none of the other conditions are true. I'm not experiencing any of those symptoms in the TSB either. Also like I said the car is built long after that TSB. I'm just not sure how to tell the dealer what's going on...this is a weird problem. I'm afraid they won't even know where to begin.

 

[crossbow]

Well your talking about sloshing (fuel), and its known that they had to replace fuel pumps in the 04's. The TSB covers 03's and 04 mazda 6i's.

This could indicate that you do have a problem with your fuel pump, although the issue isn't "exactly" the same as the TSB. Remember the TSB doesn't say that all of those occurances have to occur, just one of them.

 

[russr]

Well your talking about sloshing (fuel), and its known that they had to replace fuel pumps in the 04's. The TSB covers 03's and 04 mazda 6i's.

This could indicate that you do have a problem with your fuel pump, although the issue isn't "exactly" the same as the TSB. Remember the TSB doesn't say that all of those occurances have to occur, just one of them.

When explaining this issue to the dealer, do I print out this TSB or what?

I would think that since the TSB was issued in March '04 and my car was built in July '04 they would have corrected the issue right at the factory.

 

[Garfinkle]

I've never heard the gas slosh in my M 6, but I know the sound is very common in other cars like my Dodge Caravan for example. Sometimes it sounds like Niagara Falls is right behind you!

 

[russr]

The service manager at the Mazda dealer told me that it was normal for that to occur on hills.

BTW, Garfinkle you've probably not heard it because you have a V6 Automatic. The issue on mine seems to be partially because of the state of the gear when parked on a hill w/o the handbrake engaged. This is on a 2.3L engine which the TSB is issued for.

 

[pope_P5]

I have a v6 automatic and i hear the sloshing noise. I have to schedule an appointment with my dealer and we will see what they have to say.

 

[CrazyXZac]

I have a v6 automatic and i hear the sloshing noise. I have to schedule an appointment with my dealer and we will see what they have to say.

i don't hear it... yet anywayz... (braindead

 

[russr]

I have a v6 automatic and i hear the sloshing noise. I have to schedule an appointment with my dealer and we will see what they have to say.

Pope I'm in Hillsoborough, NJ off rt 206...perhaps we should go together so they don't think we're nuts. My dealer has already told me that it's normal, but perhaps if we both go, that might work to our advantage.

Do you have a manual or automatic transmission? Regardless of what you have when do you hear this sound? I almost feel a bit relieved because the TSB that crossbow posted above said it only affected 2.3L engines and you have the V6, so maybe it is part of some cooling process or whatever.

 

[pope_P5]

It usually only happens in the morning or when i first start the car. It comes and it goes. I really want to hear what the dealer has to say about it. I also want them to look at my tranny. I have a feeling that the dealer is going to be a pain in the ass.

 

[russr]

It usually only happens in the morning or when i first start the car. It comes and it goes. I really want to hear what the dealer has to say about it. I also want them to look at my tranny. I have a feeling that the dealer is going to be a pain in the ass.

Which dealer? Grecco Mazda on rt 10?

BTW, what are the specs on the 6 that you have? MTX, ATX, etc.

 

[pope_P5]

Yeah Grecco on 10.

6S ATX

 

[russr]

Yeah Grecco on 10.

6S ATX

Is what you're hearing exactly like what I described in my first few posts?