2006 MAZDA MAZDASPEED6 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TAKATA RECALL DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY SPEED 55 MPH DROPPED VALVE BLOW HOLE IN BLOCK WHICH ALSO BLEW BIG PIECES OF THE PISTON AND BLOCK ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH COULD HAVE BOUNCED BACK INTO TRAFFIC CAUSING INJURY TO ON COMING DRIVERS OR DRIVERS FOLLOWING VEHICLE. I COLLECTED PIECES OF THE PISTON AND BLOCK ABOUT THE SIZE OF A MEDIUM SIZE HAND WELL OVER 50 YARDS BEHIND THE VEHICLE AFTER I DID AN IMMEDIATE STOP TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS FOLLOWING ME OR ON COMING TRAFFIC SO NO ONE GOT HURT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE MAZDASPEED6 OR MAZDASPEED3 VEHICLES. I WOULD RECOMMEND HAVING THESE MOTORS REPLACED WITH A BETTER BUILT ONE BEFORE SOME ONE GETS HURT OR WORSE DIES.

TAKATA RECALL 8 MONTHS SINCE THE FIRST LETTER HAS BEEN SENT TO ME NOTIFYING ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. I HAVE NOW RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT NO ONE SHOULD RIDE IN MY PASSENGER SEAT DUE TO THE RECALL. MAZDA HAS NOT PROVIDED THIS FIX IN A TIMELY MANNER AND NOW I HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO DRIVE A PASSENGER IN MY VEHICLE.

TAKATA RECALL I GET A LETTER EVERY YEAR THAT THERE IS A RECALL BUT THAT THE "REMEDY" IS NOT AVAILABLE. THERE IS NO PROJECTION OF WHEN MY REMEDY WILL BE AVAILABLE. MEANWHILE MY VEHICLE HAS LOWER RESALE VALUE, IS GETTING OLDER AND I REMAIN AT RISK. WHILE 31% OF AT RISK VEHICLES HAVE RECEIVED SOME KIND OF REMEDY, THE RATE OF REMEDY APPEARS TO BE SLOWING DOWN. FIVE YEARS AFTER THE RECALL, I MIGHT HAVE A 50/50 CHANCE OF GETTING A REMEDY. I BELIEVE THERE IS A GOOD POSSIBILITY THAT MY VEHICLE WILL BE IN THE JUNK YARD BEFORE A REMEDY IS OFFERED. SEEMS LIKE A GOOD PLAN IF YOU HAVE TO PAY TO MAKE THE REPAIR. WHERE IS THE DIRECTIVE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC? YES, 7 MILLION AIRBAGS SOUNDS BUSY. KENNEDY'S MOON PROGRAM WAS COMPLETED IN 8 YEARS 2 MONTHS.

LOST CLUTCH TO THE FLOOR WHILE DRIVING NEARLY HAVING AN ACCIDENT. TOOK OFF CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER AS SYMPTOMS WOULD SUGGEST THE REPAIR WOULD BE. FOUND OUT THAT THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY IS BROKE AND THAT THE FIREWALL IS "CRACKED" I CAN SEE LOTS OF POSTS ONLINE WHERE THIS SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON AND VERY DANGEROUS

5 MONTHS AGO, TOOK CAR TO MAZDA DEALER FOR TIMING CHAIN, VVT NOISE AND WAS REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. LAST MONTH STARTED TO FEEL INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER DURING QUICK ACCELERATION FOLLOWED BY PLUME OF SMOKE AT THE TAIL PIPE. TOOK TO LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS HEAVY CARBON BUILDUP AT THE VALVES AS WELL AS MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, O2 SENSOR, AND OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS. THE BILL WAS FOR ABOUT 1800 WORTH OF PARTS AND LABOR FOR DEEP CLEANING THE VALVES (INTAKE MANIFOLD REMOVED). AFTER REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED, TOOK CAR HOME AND DROVE FOR ABOUT 25 MILES WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED AND I SMELLED BURNT OIL AND SMOKE INSIDE THE CABIN. I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR TO THE SIDE AND LOOKED UNDER THE CAR TO FIND LARGE AMOUNTS OF OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO SAME MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD A ROD SHEARED AND BLEW A HOLE THROUGH THE BLOCK AND PUNCTURED THROUGH THE TRANSFER CASE HOUSING. THERE WAS NO ROD BEARING FAILURE, THE ROD JUST SNAPPED IN HALF. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THE ENTIRE REPAIR COST AND WILL NOT COVER THE TRANSFER CASE DAMAGE. READING THROUGH SEVERAL FORUMS, THE SAME ENGINE DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED TO SEVERAL OTHER MAZDASPEED 6 OWNERS. THIS TYPE OF ENGINE FAILURE APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. AN INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THESE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURES. *TR