Topic: 2006 mazda3 stalls...and it's automatic!!!

[zoomgirl]

here's the story. i bought my new mazda end of april 2006 and a bit more than a month after, have been having problems with it. when i'm on the break at a red light and it's time to accelerate, the car stops and the lights on the dashboard go on. i have an automatic!!! i have been to the dealer 3 times and they told me that there is no code in the car's computer but that it is in fact an internal problem. every time i went they changed a few engine parts (such as anti-pollutant valves, trottle body, and other parts telling me it would solve the problem). the damn car still chokes!!!

 im honestly getting fed up cause they cant find the problem and im paying for a new lemon car. has this happened to anyone else, or does anyone know what it could be? and what can i do considering i havent even had my car for a year and will practically end up getting a whole new engine by the time they find whats wrong?

[mdxtasy]

Can you leave the car with the dealer and have them drive around in it for a few days (within reasonable km - agreed upon beforehand) to see if they can't duplicate the problem?  Does it happen every time?  If so, they should have been able to take the car for a quick test drive and see that the car is indeed acting this way.

Sorry to hear of the problems, but welcome to the forum.

[zoomgirl]

thx for the reply...yes the last time i sent it in they keptit for a whole day and couldnt dupplicate...it really happends randomly (and always when im in traffic). all they found was that when they shoved a screw driver in the trottle body, the car stalled. so they changed that...but the car still stalls

[wing]

Does it rev high before stalling or anything?  Is it on hot days. 

[zoomgirl]

no warnings at all, i do notice as if the engine looses power maybe a split second before it shuts down, but the car never reved higher or lower than its supposed to on idle.  at one time i felt it slowing down and the light turned green so i took my foot off the brake and slammed on the gas. the car jolted out of stalling itself...real safe!?!

[mdxtasy]

No sputtering or hesistation from the engine?  Could it be electronic? 

[zoomgirl]

electronic? it actually feels like the battery is to weak and lets go...just a little tremor a few seconds before the car stalls. how would it be electronic though?

[MKII]

If you are comfortable with the efforts of your current service department, let them have the car for 3 or 4 days. The problem with these random quirks, if the service techs cannot reproduce the fault, they will not do anything.

My guess is a faulty fuel pump, or something to do with the fuel sending unit, that might be fixed with a download . Ask your service department if they can  do a chip flash.

If you still do not get satisfaction try another service department.

If you read some of the Mazda3 forums out there you will find this is a common problem, which was fixed with a "chip flash" http://www.mazdaforum.com/m_14782/tm.htm

[mdxtasy]

electronic? it actually feels like the battery is to weak and lets go...just a little tremor a few seconds before the car stalls. how would it be electronic though?

If you had an underpowered battery, it would have little affect on the car while running as the alternator is doing most of the work.  It could be a number of things....electronics are just a small part of the entire equation.  It could be the fuel injection, the number of sensors, who knows...I don't fix cars....I just guess at the solution.   

[articsteve]

If you are comfortable with the efforts of your current service department, let them have the car for 3 or 4 days. The problem with these random quirks, if the service techs cannot reproduce the fault, they will not do anything.

My guess is a faulty fuel pump, or something to do with the fuel sending unit, that might be fixed with a download . Ask your service department if they can  do a chip flash.

If you still do not get satisfaction try another service department.

If you read some of the Mazda3 forums out there you will find this is a common problem, which was fixed with a "chip flash" http://www.mazdaforum.com/m_14782/tm.htm

 

Yes, don't assume service departments are aware of problems that beset their products that are not deemed "officially recognized" by the manufacturer and then passed on to dealers by technical service bulletins.   This is very common place with power sport machines such as Jetskis and Snowmobiles.  Many times the manufacturer will have received X numbers of similar complaints and will be only kicking around the fix.  Not yet authorized by head office to officially act on it.  Lots of "wait and see" goes on.

[tpl]

electronic? it actually feels like the battery is to weak and lets go...just a little tremor a few seconds before the car stalls. how would it be electronic though?

If you had an underpowered battery, it would have little affect on the car while running as the alternator is doing most of the work.  It could be a number of things....electronics are just a small part of the entire equation.  It could be the fuel injection, the number of sensors, who knows...I don't fix cars....I just guess at the solution.   

or a dodgy connection... like engine ground wire  if this only happens when starting off then a jerk on a bad connection could just zap the ECU for a moment

[ScoobyDriver]

Not sure if this is the same as an "anti-pollutant valves"or even if this car has one but I had a similar problem with a car I used to own.  It turned out to be an EGR valve.  Emission Gas Recirculator or something.  Agreed - it's a very dangerous condition.

I was nervous driving the damn thing because it would hesitate/die in dangerous places.  In the middle of intersections, on no-stop bridges, etc.

Good luck!

[zoomgirl]

update: my M3 went into the shop again andthis time, after more searching without finding anything (and a technician spending a whole weekend test driving it)...nothing...since i was due for my first inspection and oil change, they did that for me...and that's when they found that the "mass air flow connection wasnt connecting properly, causin the car to possibly stall". so how come they didnt see it as a possibility while they had it for the whole weekend and supposedly checked it inside out? anyway, they connected it back and now im crossing my finger to see if that was really the problem. does that make any sense to any of view? a car stalling because of faulty connection in the mass air flow? they even opened a file at mazda canada for me if it hppens again and the dealership said that they'll start looking into my "case"...dont know if having a file actually changes anything, but its better than before.

[articsteve]

does that make any sense to any of view? a car stalling because of faulty connection in the mass air flow?

All I can say is that kind of fault should have registered a code with the cars emission's computer.  It's not normal, but hopefully it works for you.

[boytoys]

There has been numerous reports on Mazda5 stalling too at a few Mazda forums.. Engine is similar to the 3, for Mazda5, there was a throttle body issue for some that will cause car to stall at lights. I can suggest a few mazda forums for specific questions that you can ask. Mazdav.com which directs to Msprotege.com forum.  ..I think there is one mazda3axela.com and also a canadian mazda3 forum too.

Disclaimer: Not trying to dilute cartalkcanada forum's traffic. it's just that there is more Mazda users out there....that can shed some more light.

[zoomgirl]

thanx for the links to other forums...i am already with 3-4 other forums and it seems that all the people who share my problem have no idea as to what causes the car to stall. they've all been back to mazda more than 3-4 times to get something fixed and are all in the "wait and see what happens" period. ive changed and had tested alot of thing out already (changed trottle body, 2 main relays and selenoid, tested engine and gas pump, tested fuse box, APP1, APP2, and A992 verified, checked gas and break pedals, engine grounds which found the mass air flow disconnection)...everything is ok, no duplicates when in test drive for 2 days...nothing to point the problem on...the whole "mass air flow" thing is the last thing they have detected, and blame the malfunction on....so i now i have to do like all the other ppl...wait and see what happens!