2003 Mazda 6 S from North America - Comments

The car initially had a great ride. Starting around 7,000 miles my car keep making a racket every time I turned it on. Eventually after 3 return trips to the dealer it was fixed until around 28,900. It is now in the shop for this again. I was told Mazda knows this is a problem. They are now installing a new starter.

My other problem is the automatic transmission. My first clutch went at 10,000 miles. I was just told by the service department it was a factory defect so they did replace it. Now again I need a new clutch. My auto mechanic feels this is bogus, the clutch should be holding up for at least 50,000 miles. I am really annoyed with the dealership. I would not recommend this car unless you have plenty of money for repairs.

I had purchased the sport package. The paint is peeling on all the pieces. The dealership said this is normal wear.

The car was very expensive for a vehicle that spends more time in the shop then on the road.

A clutch with an automatic transmission??

I am a little confused...

Are you sure you know what car we are talking about?

Wow, this sounds like either.

A) the Dealership is a piece of (bad word goes here)

Or.

B) you don't know how to drive.

To other submitors, even the automatic tranny has a clutch pad, but of course operated by the computer rather than the driver.

Look up your local state lemon law and go from there. Definitely contact Mazda directly and bring it up to their attention!

Good luck!

Being a mechanic I do see some problems with these comments. Automitic and manuals transmissions are the same in the fact that they transfer power to the wheels. Although they do it very different ways.

Manual trany operates much like a disc brake system, friction being transfered through a few plates rubbing against each other.

Auto uses a torque converter. A converter is fluid based system of friction and much different than a clutch.

To say that these two tranys are the same I think is a misleading. Yes they both make the car move, but very different ways of doing it.

In summary, there are similarities with manual trannies and conventional automatics. I've seen an opened Mazda automatic tranny and there were about 20 separate clutch plates. So the fact remains that both use "clutches"; just in a different way and for some different functions. Yes, the torque converter is unique to the conventional auto, but no transmission shifts gears without employing a clutch of some sort. The exception is the new rash of CVT's; Constant Velocity Transmission. "No shift shock" means power is not transmitted abruptly, be it in a planetary gear set and clutch packs or operator controlled clutch plate.

I purchased a second hand 2003 Mazda 6 S in Feb of 2006. The car does have its drawbacks, but the ones you are facing are extraordinary. There are a few things which are inherent about this vehicle, like the cheap interior plastic which scuffs very easily, and the easily denting body and paint work. The dealer for mazda is excellent here, in fact, I get calls from the dealer every now and then inquiring about the vehicles condition. When and if I do take the car to the dealer, I get a a friendly, courteous, and ROYAL treatment everytime. Hope things work out for you.