Mazda - Mazda3 :: 2008 - Fan Clicking Noise When Driving
Yesterday I just started noticing a clicking from my 2008 Mazda 3 sedan's fan. When the blower is set to "1" it is very quiet and inaudible when on the highway. As the fan speed increased from 1 to 4 the volume and rate of clicking increases. There is no difference with A/C compressor on or off or set to warm or cold. Is it the blower motor? Could pebbles be stuck in the fan? My repair expertise is almost non-existent (I changed the lightbulbs!) but I want to learn to do more with my car.
View 1 RepliesMazda - Brakes - Mazda3 :: Brake Failure Driving Slowly In A Parking Lot
Recently, the brakes on my wife's Mazda 3 (5 door, 2.3, 2005, 67k miles, automatic) failed while she was driving slowly in a parking lot. The pedal went all the way to the floor, but the car did not slow down. She used her key to turn off the engine (I've since suggested she use the parking brake instead). The car shuddered (presumably the engine slowing the car?) to a stop. She re-started her car and had some braking power, which returned to normal after a few pumps of the brakes. Since then, the car has been looked at by our usual mechanic and the dealer. Neither can find anything wrong and the brakes have been performing normally.
For it's age, the car is in good condition, has been regularly serviced, and has spent it's entire life in southern California. The only unscheduled maintenance I can recall has been the refurbishment of the electric window switches for the driver's door and some modest body work following a hit and run on the interstate (just dents and scratches). It's only other issues are an occasional rough idle when stopped at a light and harsh shifting from first to second or second to third gear when the car is cold (it's done this "forever," and I've always figured one of the accumulators was a bit sticky). The car was not serviced immediately before the incident. Is the car safe to drive?
Mazda - Mazda3 :: Hard To Start When Driving At Highway Speed And Adding Fuel
I have a Mazda 3 5-door and I believe it is a 2010 model year, with between 50k-70k miles. I've been, I believe, consistent with regular maintenance schedules, and this is the first issue I've had, and I've been having it for a bit of time now (a few weeks). I've tried various things to try and understand the issues that bring it up.
First, I don't remember if this started before or after, but my "Check Engine" light popped on. I brought it in to have the code read and it was the one for the gas cap not being on properly. The person reset the diagnostic code, tightened the cap, and I went on my way.
A few hours later it came back. Okay, but that's not the issue, and I mention it only because of the other things I've observed.
The real problem is, after I've been driving for "awhile" at highway speeds, and I add fuel, the car has a very difficult time starting. I have to really press the accelerator down to get it to start, and even then it can take a good 5 seconds of holding the key to "start".
Things I've noticed:- If I fill up at the start of a trip, so that the car hasn't been running long, I can fill up and the car starts immediately.- I thought it might be a problem with fuel spilling over into the overflow, so I've added less fuel (so I ended with the needle pointing between 3/4 and full) but it still had trouble starting- After I start it, it runs rough for a bit and I feel like I have to rev it to keep it from stalling, though I haven't left it to idle to see if it actually will stall.- After the difficult start, if I drive as little as down a city block, turn the car off, and back on, it has no trouble starting, nor does it stutter like it does when I fill it up.- If I take a long drive but don't add any fuel, it starts up right away.
I've always used 87 octane fuel, which seems to work fine, and I feel as though that's the recommended grade, isn't it? I also try to fill it up when the needle reads 1/4 of a tank or a bit more, but I do notice that, if I allow the pump to auto-shutoff the car will accept 9-10 gallons (and I thought it was a 10.5 gallon tank, which is less than 1/4 left... I'm not sure how bad that is...)
What it could possibly be? Or even additional tests I could try to narrow it down?
Mazda - Mazda3 :: 2005 - Sometimes Will Not Start
I have a 2005 Mazda3 with a 2.0 engine & a five speed transmission and 94,000 miles. Since June the car has twice not started, and so far three trips to two different Mazda dealers have not resolved the problem. The car had sat overnight, when I tried to start it the engine it turned over normally, and sounded normal, for just a second. Then it sounded like it started turning over much much faster than normal and the turning over sound changed to the sound of a high speed "whirl" (I don't know any other way to describe it).
In both cases the car just turned over and over and never sounded like it was going to start, resulting in a tow being needed. I've now found out that the dealer started the car by pushing the gas pedal to the floor, then cranking over the engine and then very slowly releasing the gas pedal until the engine started to fire. In the three months in between the non start days the car has started fine and it drives fine, lots of power, constant power with no surges or bogging down. The dealers have checked the compression, fuel PSI, and run computer diagnostics and everything appears to be normal. They also removed the value cover and say that as far as they can tell the fuel injectors seem to be functioning normally.
Mazda - Mazda3 :: Steering Wheel Vibrates A Lot
I have a 2006 Mazda3 with about 112K miles on it and what I have noticed recently is that the steering shakes a lot. I looked up online for a possible cause and have found that wheel balancing could be a reason. I got wheels balanced and aligned but still there is still some vibration in the steering, so what do you think could be the reason? I have got rotors machined once before, like a year ago.
View 10 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: Loud Noise When AC Is On And Accelerating
I have a 2004 Mazda 3. I just had it inspected and cabin air filter replaced. Now, my car makes a loud noise when the a/c is on and I'm accelerating. The noise sounds like a fan is vibrating /something is blocking it or like a motor is rev-ing that shouldn't be. There definitely is something wrong that wasn't there before the filter/s replaced. I watched a Youtube video on it... a real pain to replace them, but it looked like the fithad to be pretty tight... Could the filters have been installed incorrectly or some part not put back together correctly?
View 2 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: 2008 - Noise While Shifting Between First And Second
I hear a noise- what I can best describe as a metallic plucking sound - like a low metallic chord being plucked- when my automatic transmission 2008 Mazda3 shifts from first to second gear. It only happens the first time. I don't hear it after the car ihas been driving and is warmed up. Any thoughts on what could be happening?
View 2 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: Heater Only Works Using Recirculation
I've noticed this winter that my Mazda 3's heater is barely working using fresh air. It definitely gives out warmer air than the outside temperature, but not by a whole lot. If I turn on air recirculation, then the air becomes appropriately warm. What would cause the heater to work one way and not the other?
View 3 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: How To Test If Clutch Is Going / Slipping
I own a mazda 3 6 speed and im curious as how to test my clutch for slippage. I read on a old forum that to put the e brake up and put the car in 1st gear and release the clutch. When i did that my car tried to move but after a couple seconds i put it back in neutral. Another forum said to do the same but put it in 3rd as i released the clutch it stalled right away.
View 5 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: Leaking Strut / Need To Be Replaced?
My mechanic told me today that one of my struts on my 2006 Mazda3 (with 110k miles) is leaking and that the strut needs to be replaced. Is this something that has an impact on safety, or is it something I can stretch for a while longer? Is the strut going to break if it is leaking? Also, wouldn't I have to replace both of them?
View 19 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: Skipping Gears While Shifting
Is it ok/better/worse to skip gears while accelerating in a manual car? Example would be starting from a stop in 1st and going strait from 1st to 3rd gear. , I have a mazda 3 and i usually run 1st up to 3500 rpm or so and when i hit 3rd its around 1400 when I let the clutch out.
View 13 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: 2007 Tough Startup After Fill Up?
My 2007 Mazda3 2.0 engine had the CEL on. took to autozone... gas cap code cleared. After the code was cleared next times I filled up, whether empty or 1/4 tank, car wouldn't start unless gas pedal is pushed to floor. Took to dealer. Dealer said code was for gas cap and maybe a vacuum hose. Did something to gas cap and cleared code. Light back on 2 days later with hard start still there. Replaced vacuum hose... CEL off, now 2 days later CEL off but still has the startup after fill up problem. At $90/hr I'm hesitant to return to dealer.
View 3 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: Overheating - Engine Temp Spiking
Last weekend we noticed that the engine temp was spiking. I still does. Sometimes it's a matter of just 8 blocks of driving before it's up, during which the heater doesn't want to blow hot air. Or, it will have a normal operating temp around town, and then start to spike when we hit the highway, and the heater works fine then (it even seems to take some of the temp off of the engine, like it should.) I took it to Autozone to have them run codes and it came back with a faulty coolant temperature sensor (I don't remember the CEL code.)
I have the replacement sensor and can replace it, but I'm not convinced that this is the problem anymore. Yesterday I had the coolant flushed, but I still have overheating issues. In fact, it seemed to be worse on the ride home from the coolant flush. Anyway, I noticed riding back from Autozone today that it felt like the engine was braking, as if my car were a manual. Now, I've ridden a few manuals before, and the braking I felt wasn't as heavy as the braking you feel when you release the accelerator and the clutch is still engaged, but it's similar. I think I'm a little overdue for a transmission fluid change. Could that be it?
My Mazda3 is a 2008 automatic with the smaller engine. It's stock.
Mazda - Mazda3 :: 2005 - Brakes Fading Halfway?
I have a 2005 Mazda 3, with ABS. Recently, the brakes on this car began to fade about halfway through the pedal travel, then firm up. This is while driving, (ie, with the engine running). When the engine is off, the pedal pumps up high and firm. I bled the brakes, eliminated the possibility of any hydraulic problem such as a leak, no change. I then reasoned that since the problem only appeared when vacuum was applied to the power assist, that must be the culprit. Replaced the power assist, problem remains. Next suspect is the master cylinder, but, as I said, with the engine off, the pedal is fine. Usually cars make sense to me, but this has me questioning my instincts.
View 9 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: Strong Smell After Trans Flush?
I had a trans flush done a few weeks ago and when I picked up the car there was a strong smell in the car( I assumed it was from the flush and that they spilled fluid). The smell was coming through the vents. I needed a cabin filter change and that improved the smell, although occasionally I still get a mild whiff of that same smell through the vents. What this could be? I guess I should have complained about it immediately. It is so hard in the area I live on to get competent mechanics.
View 4 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: 2005 Making Clicking Noise
I have a mazda 3 and i just tried to start it but its just making a clicking noise. The radio works so does that rule battery out....
View 4 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: 2008 - Need To Be Jump Start After Car Wash
I have a 2008 Mazda 3, and I have been bringing it to the same car wash for about a year now. It's the kind where the guys take it, while I sit in the lil' cafe and read. Eventually they drive it around front, wipe it down, clean the inside and hand it over. The last two times, the car needed to be jump started, because the battery would not start after the wash. The manager assured me this was normal, but the other guys at the car wash always seem surprised. Should I be thinking about getting a new battery? Is this really normal?
View 9 RepliesMazda - Mazda3 :: Brake Pedal Goes Right To The Floor With No Resistance
First thing in the morning 2 things happen with my car.
1)When I press the brake the first time after turning it on the pedal goes right to the floor with no resistance. The brakes work, the pads move, but there's no resistance in the pedal.
2)Usually within first 15 minutes of driving there's a gap in braking. There's resistance in the peddle but as the car gets near to stopping there's a... whump where the car acts as though there was a gap in the rotors. It brakes smoothly til near the end then suddenly seems to release and then half a second later it bites again and the car stops.
I've had the pads and rotors checked and they found nothing.
Mazda - Gasoline - Mazda3 :: 2010 - Saving Gas At Stoplights By Turning Off Car
I have a 2010 Mazda 3, and I live in Seattle where I find myself waiting at red lights for up to 4 minutes sometimes, and in these situations I turn off my car. Does this save any gas, or is it about equal to the amount it takes to re-start the car?
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