Mazda 6 Issues

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Murph_NH - 10 Mar 2004 02:07 GMT

Hi All!

Got a 6 with the sport package and auto his/her tranny. Had this lil' beast
over a year now. Runs nice, good power, but two things the dealer said they
fixed didn't get fixed. Wondering if anyone else out there has had this on
their 6.

First, a burning smell, like hot melting rubber when the car is driven for a
bit. If I return from a 100 mile trip home and park in the garage, I can
smell it fairly well. But short jaunts don't seem to make it happen. Ideas?

Second, when pulling left hand turns somewhat aggressively, like into a
parking spot, a definite clunk can be heard. Normal traffic type cornering
or even aggressive driving doesn't seem to do it. Appears to be a combo of
quick left sharp turns and braking. Brakes were thoroughly checked along
with struts, bearings, etc. No problem found. Anyone else experience this?

That's my only real gripes with the car. It is noisy on the highway - wind
noise is excessive, and the tranny is very anemic off the line. But once RPM
hits 2Gs, that V6 growls and pulls like hell. Be fun to hop us with some
performance parts as it could be a real street dominator. But, I have too
many other hobbies, so the car stays as is. <g>

Thanks for reading!

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Murph

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've never been quarantined.
But the more I look around,
the more I think it might
not be a bad thing.
...George Carlin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Toys to help keep me somewhat outta trouble...

- 2003 Midnight Star in all her shining glory!
- 2004 Mazda 6s Sports Sedan - Glacier Silver Metallic
- 1998 Nissan Maxima SE - Black, cuz black is just faster!
- 1997 Glastron SX-175SF

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FearTurtle 2 - 10 Mar 2004 15:13 GMT

You should go to some of the Mazda forums. Not sure of the URL but a Google
search should find.

Kevin

> Hi All!
>
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Frank Williamson - 10 Mar 2004 15:33 GMT

The url is www.mazda6club.com.........

As for first issue, could be the gas (or it's formulation) that you are
using. Trying swapping to another brand to see if that helps.

Issue number 2 is a known issue with some 6's and is talked about alot on
the above mentioned forum.

Frank

> You should go to some of the Mazda forums. Not sure of the URL but a Google
> search should find.
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> >
> > X-No-archive: yes

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Murph_NH - 12 Mar 2004 02:59 GMT

Def not gas... Not partial to any of the big guys and do switch regularly.
It's definitely a burning rubber smell that I notice when walking by the
front of the car. Time will tell when something melts down. <bfg>

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> The url is www.mazda6club.com.........
>
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Murph_NH - 12 Mar 2004 02:57 GMT

And I thought this was a Mazda forum... silly me... <g>

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> You should go to some of the Mazda forums. Not sure of the URL but a Google
> search should find.
[quoted text clipped - 49 lines]
> >
> > X-No-archive: yes

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Jeffrey Kaplan - 10 Mar 2004 17:11 GMT

While idly wondering if the Pakmara can really do that, Murph_NH said:

; Got a 6 with the sport package and auto his/her tranny. Had this lil' beast

The SportAT is the primary reason why I got this car ('03 6s, Sport and
Comfort packages), as I cannot drive a clutch anymore due to a bad
knee.

; First, a burning smell, like hot melting rubber when the car is driven for a
; bit. If I return from a 100 mile trip home and park in the garage, I can
; smell it fairly well. But short jaunts don't seem to make it happen. Ideas?

For the first few months, I would occasionally smell something like
burning plastic, but the only pattern I notices was related to speed,
and not even always then. IOW, it didn't matter how long I was
driving, only sometimes how fast. And no, it didn't get worse the
faster I went. It went away after a while. Mine is now 15 months and
12k miles old.

; Second, when pulling left hand turns somewhat aggressively, like into a
; parking spot, a definite clunk can be heard. Normal traffic type cornering

A clunk, where? Before anyone can figure out what it is, we have to
know where it is. The only time anything has gone "clunk" in my car
was when something I put in it was loose. For example, the flashlight
I keep in the glove box.

; That's my only real gripes with the car. It is noisy on the highway - wind
; noise is excessive, and the tranny is very anemic off the line. But once RPM

Wind noise: Check the seating and integrity of the rubber seals around
the doors and sunroof. This is my second Mazda, and in both cars the
seals around some of the doors were not properly seated or glued in, so
they leaked air and noise. I also found a few weeks ago that one of
them was torn.

; hits 2Gs, that V6 growls and pulls like hell. Be fun to hop us with some

I actually like this. It means that the car is civilized unless you
+want+ to push it. Just stomp on the accelerator. :) It also will
accelerate faster when in manual mode as the auto mode will always
attempt to shift early. I mean, really... 5th gear at 25mph?

; performance parts as it could be a real street dominator. But, I have too
; many other hobbies, so the car stays as is. <g>

Does Mazdaspeed have performance parts for the 6 yet?

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Jeffrey Kaplan <*> www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled <*> Send personal mail to gordol

"The important question is, How many hands have I shaked?" George W.
Bush, Answering a question about why he hasn't spent more time in New
Hampshire; quoted in the New York Times, Oct. 23, 1999

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Murph_NH - 12 Mar 2004 02:56 GMT

The clunk seems to be coming out of the front end, suspension I'm guessing.
Spent too many years turning wrenches on many cars to confuse a flashlight
in a glove box for a suspension issue. Just was wondering if I was the only
one to have this feature. lol!

As for the manual mode, it's still pathetic off the line. Thank gawd it
redeems itself once the rpms hit the sweetspot. Otherwise it'd be just
another showmobile only.

And honestly, there are other cars better built for performance and comfort.
Personally I prefer my Maxima to the 6. Much nicer ride and just as tight in
cornering. Haven't pushed a new one against the 6 so that opinion could
change easily. But the 6 does have shortcomings that keep it from really
hitting a real good mark. But then I do have the debut year, maybe the
following years while have the edges smoothed out.

Signature

> While idly wondering if the Pakmara can really do that, Murph_NH said:
>
[quoted text clipped - 43 lines]
>
> Does Mazdaspeed have performance parts for the 6 yet?

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dooker - 13 Mar 2004 00:26 GMT

Your smell is likely a small oil leak which is noticed when the engine and
exhaust are hot ..... we have replaced a few crank seals for oil leaks ...
there are large engine splash shields under front of the 6 so it is not
easily detected ...

> The clunk seems to be coming out of the front end, suspension I'm guessing.
> Spent too many years turning wrenches on many cars to confuse a flashlight
[quoted text clipped - 66 lines]
> >
> > Does Mazdaspeed have performance parts for the 6 yet?

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Murph_NH - 13 Mar 2004 05:04 GMT

Thanks! Best answer I've heard yet. Reminds me of an old vette I had that
had oil weeping out from under the valve cover onto the ex. manifold... Does
kinda have that aroma... lol!

Signature

> Your smell is likely a small oil leak which is noticed when the engine and
> exhaust are hot ..... we have replaced a few crank seals for oil leaks ...
[quoted text clipped - 79 lines]
> > >
> > > Does Mazdaspeed have performance parts for the 6 yet?

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Jeffrey Kaplan - 13 Mar 2004 21:03 GMT

While idly wondering if the Pakmara can really do that, Murph_NH said:

; The clunk seems to be coming out of the front end, suspension I'm guessing.
; Spent too many years turning wrenches on many cars to confuse a flashlight
; in a glove box for a suspension issue. Just was wondering if I was the only

In that case, I dunno.

; And honestly, there are other cars better built for performance and comfort.
; Personally I prefer my Maxima to the 6. Much nicer ride and just as tight in
; cornering. Haven't pushed a new one against the 6 so that opinion could

I have the debut model year, too. When I got it, I had a very short
list to choose from, based entirely on the transmission. I like manual
transmissions, but unfortunately, my knee doesn't like the clutch, so
the SportAT / Tiptronic is my new transmission if choice. I don't
trust GM or Chrysler quality, I've seen too many fall apart too soon,
and most of the others that have it, were on cars that were out of my
price range. The only Acura in my range was the RSX, and I wanted a
sport sedan, not a coup. Neither Subaru nor Nissan have it.

Volkswagen does, but the Passat was more than I wanted to spend, and
the Jetta was only $1K off from the 6, plus is more expensive to
maintain. So it came down to the 6 or the Protege / Protege5. Well,
the Protege's is a four-speed and the 6's is a five speed.

Of course, now I'm rather miffed at Mazda... The Mazda3 has the HID
headlights. The Mazda3 has the navigation system. The 6 still doesn't
have these available.

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Jeffrey Kaplan <*> www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled <*> Send personal mail to gordol

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