2006 Mazda 6 MazdaSpeed6 GT from North America - Comments

The car seems to stutter and skip when going up and incline, and sometimes it will happen when driving on the highway when I try to accelerate. It does not happen all of the time, and this makes it incredibly frustrating when I bring it to the dealership and it will not repeat the problem.

We all know the problem of your car making a "ticking" noise, and then of course it won't cooperate when you bring to the mechanic to point it out.

I have brought the car into the dealer 3 or 4 times for the skipping problem.. and this last time, it was accompanied by a nasty rattling sound. Now, I am a woman, but I do know a few things about cars, and I'm thinking that it could be the tranny or the clutch. The slip makes me think tranny, and a few times I have missed a shift, so I worry that I've done damage to the gear box. I understand that it's a small gear box and the throw on the clutch is very short. It's difficult sometimes to properly time the clutch; it's so sensitive.

The dealer said that the slipping could be the car going from front wheel drive to AWD.. but I wonder.. is this car really front wheel drive with AWD kicking in when the turbo hits? That doesn't make much sense to me.

I have tried to find out if it was the type of gas I used.. only high octane.. but through different gas companies.. that doesn't seem to be it.. I've kept a log. How sad is that?

The dealer says that the car isn't throwing out codes, and the engine lights don't light and the car is fine. They look at me like I'm nuts. They say the car is in perfect condition.. nothing wrong. Excuse me? I drive this car everyday and I KNOW when somethings wrong. I may not be a mechanic, but a rattling noise during acceleration is not normal. I'm sorry, but it isn't.

On top of this nonsense, my remote keyless entry refuses to work sometimes. It will unlock the doors fine, but when I try to turn the engine, it flashes the little idiot light on the display panel, and basically says that I don't have the key. What's wrong with this picture? I just unlocked the doors with the key, and now the ignition won't turn over? I have had to take the key to the dealer to have it reprogrammed a couple of times. This is really beginning to get old.

I rack up more mileage on my car going to Mazda than I do anywhere else. Has anyone else had these problems, or am I just auto-phobic? Someone help, Mazda sure can't seem to.

On a good note, the car is fun to drive, and while I am an adult, I do enjoy having little Honda's with the noisy exhaust ride up next to me and try me at a light. I just look at them as if to say.."Silly little punk.. did you not see the Speed6 logo.. that means TURBO.. you idiot. I promptly make them eat dirt when my turbo kicks in... I find that a good whomping the first time around makes them look away in shame at the next light. The money for the car is well spent at that moment.

I also drive the car like a grownup, and I enjoy the smooth ride and a luxurious BOSE audio system. I get to be a kid with the turbo, and an adult with the fully loaded sedan at my finger tips.

All in all.. I think the car was a good buy.. but.. I don't think that I would do it again.. maybe a Lexus or Acura next time.. We'll see what Mazda says...

I have the same issue in my 2007 Mazda MS6. I've had it for a year, and had to have it in for repair a few times. Once was because the engine mounts were broken...

So, have you been able to fix your issue with the rattle and what not? Mine does the same thing, though I don't get the slipping problem you state.

I've found that when the rattling start during highway acceleration, a simple down shift fixes the problem and the turbo immediately kicks in.

I'm having the same problems. I do get the slipping problem and my key card consistently won't unlock the doors or register to start the car until I pull it out of my pocket and shake it. I have a 2006 speed6 GT too... Also sometimes it feels like my turbo is underpowered and not kicking in and the only way to fix this is to turn off my car and turn it back on. What's the deal with that? The car only has 25,000 miles on it so I don't think the turbo is going bad.

Guys, the engine is torquey, but you can't BOG it, ie. try to jump 20mph in 6th going 45mph with the RPMs at 1800. If you do that, you will force the engine and cause it to ping or knock, even with high octane gas. That it because this engine produces V8 torque with only 4 cylinders, which means at low RPM and trying to boost it in a high gear will cause twice the combustion pressures than a V8 doing the same thing. The ECU doesn't like hearing any knock and will do all it can in its power to preserve the engine, which means pulling back the throttle (the accelerator pedal is just a sensor, the ECU ultimately has full control over the throttle) also it will pull back the timing and if you're really lugging the engine then these self-preservation methods will appear as bucking and hesitation. Be kind and downshift if you want to gain speed, don't lug the engine below 3000rpm. That's why that one person experienced the power coming back after a restart. Each time the vehicle is restarted, it listens for knock to occur again, because it's mainly caused by fuel grade. (and it must assume the fuel or conditions are different at each restart)