Engine failure in 142 Mazda 6

Bride to be · 10-07-2019 12:56pm #1

Hi,

We have experienced a number of problems with our car since it's purchase in 2017: constant tyre pressure fault showing on console despite tyres being at the correct pressure, failed hand brake (which resulted in the car rolling backwards a number of times, once hitting a pole and once narrowly missing my daughter), turbo failure (we understand the gate valve which snapped has since been made more robust in newer models?) and now our own mechanic has told us that the main bearing on the crank shaft has gone but that he couldn't be 100% certain without taking the car apart. We have had the car towed to a Mazda garage in Dublin so that it can be fixed there as we were told that we may have received some compensation towards the turbo if we had got it fixed in a Mazda garage. At the time we got the turbos fixed we didn't know what was wrong with the car and by the time we did our own garage had put a good few hours labour into it so we left it with them. Long story short Mazda garage in Dublin has called to say the car needs a new engine. Without spending more money investigating they cant tell us the cause of the issue. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced these problems with a 142 Mazda 6?

The car is driven approx. 5 miles most days and taken on longer journeys each week to ensure the DPF filter is kept clear. It has approx. 125,000 km on it. Also does anyone know roughly what a new engine will cost???:(:(:(:( Thanks in advance!

Tropheus · 10-07-2019 1:34pm

That's a tough one. Did you buy the car from a Mazda garage? Has it been serviced by them? There are lots of factors here. You may be better discussing with a solicitor.

In terms of a new engine, I would guess €3-4k and that could be plus labour.

zilog_jones · 10-07-2019 1:41pm

All of those issues plus the whole oil dilution problem (related to failed DPF regen) seem like common faults with the Skyactiv-D engines, unfortunately.

Bride to be · 10-07-2019 2:03pm

Thanks for the replies. No we bought the car from an independent garage and it has been serviced by our own local mechanic.

Bride to be · 10-07-2019 2:05pm

zilog_jones wrote: »

All of those issues plus the whole oil dilution problem (related to failed DPF regen) seem like common faults with the Skyactiv-D engines, unfortunately.

Thanks for reply. Do you know if Mazda are giving any goodwill towards these issues given that they are common?

bennya · 10-07-2019 2:26pm

It's crucial with these engines to keep an eye on the oil level, and get the oil changed immediately if the level rises above maximum, to or beyond the 'X' mark on the dipstick. Not that this helps your current situation, but should be better informed beyond a note in the handbook.

Bride to be · 10-07-2019 2:27pm

bennya wrote: »

It's crucial with these engines to keep an eye on the oil level, and get the oil changed immediately if the level rises above maximum, to or beyond the 'X' mark on the dipstick. Not that this helps your current situation, but should be better informed beyond a note in the handbook.

Thanks for your reply. The oil levels haven't been an issue in the car but good to keep in mind.

bazz26 · 10-07-2019 3:22pm

Those Mazda diesel engines do not have a good reputation for reliability. The lack of daily driving could very well have contributed to some of those problems but it sounds like its a right lemon anyway.

I'd be looking for a more detailed explanation from the dealer as to what is wrong with the engine that it needs a new one. Unless Mazda are contributing substantially towards the cost of a new engine then I'd tend to look at getting a reconditioned one or a rebuild of the existing one as a cheaper alternative.

theguzman · 10-07-2019 11:19pm

Mazda diesels are absolute junk but this is not so widely known, get ready to cut your losses and buy a petrol or EV car after since your mileage is tiny.

ohnonotgmail · 12-07-2019 9:08am

theguzman wrote: »

Mazda diesels are absolute junk but this is not so widely known, get ready to cut your losses and buy a petrol or EV car after since your mileage is tiny.

is 125,000KM in 5 years tiny mileage?

Twenty Grand · 12-07-2019 9:10am

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

is 125,000KM in 5 years tiny mileage?

They bought 2 years ago.

5 miles a day. Tiny.

Bride to be · 15-11-2019 7:21am

Hi all, just an update on this. Our car is still in the garage, finally fixed but its been a long, drawn out saga. So initially it was diagnosed that all the bearings were worn and one was completely gone on the crankshaft (I've attached snippet from the bill) so they changed the short block (how common would it be for the bearings to go on a 4/5 year old car?), then when they test drove the car it was losing power so this is where the next 3 months of testing came in. They replaced the oxygen sensor, still no fix and eventually diagnosed that the radiator was blocked and replaced it. They say the car is running fine now. I'm pursuing this with Mazda though as I don't think the original issue should have occurred. The car has had a litany of issues in its short lifespan (turbo replacement, failed handbrake, oxygen sensor replacement etc). Would love to hear your opinion re crankshaft and bearings though. Mazda have agreed to contribute to some of the costs to be fair but at this point I feel like the car is just a lemon and they should cover all costs. The garage say they've put over 90 hrs of labour into the car but are only billing us for 21 hrs. It seems ludicrous given the car is only worth about €10k.Wondering how far I should push it. Thanks in advance!!

zilog_jones · 15-11-2019 12:54pm

If oil dilution occurred, it could have led to damage of the main bearings as diesel is not a very good lubricant. It could have been the cause of turbo failure as well (again due to insufficient lubrication).

Bride to be · 15-11-2019 1:03pm

zilog_jones wrote: »

If oil dilution occurred, it could have led to damage of the main bearings as diesel is not a very good lubricant. It could have been the cause of turbo failure as well (again due to insufficient lubrication).

Thanks. I suppose what I would like to know is what would be the cause of this and should it happen in a car less than 5 years old? The car was only serviced a couple of months previously.

zilog_jones · 15-11-2019 1:23pm

Oil dilution occurs due to failed DPF regeneration - either caused by DPF failure (they have a limited lifespan), or driving conditions unsuitable for effective DPF regen. It's a well known issue with Mazda Skyactiv-D engines, just Google "mazda diesel oil dilution" and you'll find many people in the same boat as you are. It's a flawed engine, essentially.

I suspect your driving of 5 miles a day most days could have contributed to this problem. That kind of driving is probably insufficient for a diesel with a DPF - they're only really suited to regular long distance driving.

You say you took it on longer journeys, but did you have some method of monitoring DPF levels? OBD-II scanner or whatever? We don't know how the previous owner(s) were driving it either.

Regarding the service, unless they checked for excessively high oil levels (if it was a Mazda dealer, they really should know better) any problems could have gone unnoticed. And sending the oil off to a lab for analysis (to measure diesel contamination) is not something that would be normally done.

bazz26 · 15-11-2019 1:47pm

I'm not defending Mazda or the car, they are a disaster of an engine but really OP given the description of your usage you could not have chosen a worse example to buy. Its sounds like your driving style simply doesn't suit a diesel car and a Mazda diesel engine is very unforgiving in this respect. Again I'm not defending how unreliable the car is but in general they are a recipe for disaster when not driven properly as intended which unfortunately may have contributed to some of your problems. It sounds like you really should be in a petrol car.

15-11-2019 3:32pm

I know someone had a 161 Mazda 3 company car and it didn't even last 3 years. After less than 2 years issues started, warning lights and bongs, limp mode, all the good stuff. Was in and out of the garage constantly for the rest of the time he had it. Obviously was putting good mileage on it but it was the "right" type of mileage. He ended up getting his new car early because after being in the garage for a month then getting it back it was gone again. Really is baffling they've been allowed to get away with it.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 15-11-2019 3:46pm

OP if you join or have a read through some of the Mazda 6 owners clubs on Facebook you’ll find your story is a very common one. Mazda Diesel engines are pure rubbish and have been since the Mazda 6 was introduced. Mazda simply cannot and should not be selling cars with Diesel engines. I have a 2.0 petrol Mazda 6 and it’s been 100% reliable over the last 3 years but I wouldn’t touch one of their Diesel engined cars with a barge pole.

Unfortunately OP you are a victim of the typical Irish drivers mindset where the only factors considered in buying a car is the tax and fuel economy with no regard to mileage or reliability taken into account. A petrol engine car would have cost you considerably less in the same period when you take into account down time and repair costs. I do approx 20k kms a year and I wouldn’t buy any diesel car. None of them are reliable enough to entice me into buying one. I get 32mpg in my 2.0 petrol on my daily commute (30 km round trip) and 40-42mpg on longer trips. I have spent zero on repairs and minimal servicing costs (oil, filter, air filter every 12 months) I pay €570 tax but that’s offset by no repairs.

galwaytt · 15-11-2019 4:21pm

Not recently, but I've been the victim of Mazda diesels too (yes, I have a long memory.....), and I've known people with both Mazda 5 and Mazda 6 with similar engine failures. And this from over a period of time and different generations.

Simply put: Mazda can't build diesel engines, period.

Like yours, mine had crank bearings go, and it was uneconomical to repair: ended up scrapping it, and losing 13k in the process. So doth one learn things.

You can try Mazda if you like, but I wouldn't be confident of any help tbh.

On a general note ( and I appreciate this is hindsight), but diesel for a 5 miles commute is completely the wrong engine type.

A standard petrol or petrol hybrid is the only choice imho, or EV if you've got a big enough budget.

Ironically, if you do go petrol, Mazda's would be one of the best. The irony is not lost on me..............I have a very old Mazda petrol and it's never given any trouble.

Leprechaun77 · 15-11-2019 5:22pm

These engines seem to cause a lot of trouble. A family member, who does ideal mileage for a diesel, had their new Mazda6 diesel in four times under warranty for repair. The costs ranged from €1,500,3,200. (He also has previous trouble with the previous Mazda6 but put it down to bad luck)

One month outside warranty, the car was towed back to the Mazda dealer where it spent about 10 days trying to diagnose the problem. The car was serviced on time, and regularly, with the same main dealer since bought new. The new cost of repairs was €4,800. After a few weeks of argument, Mazda Europe footed 30% of the bill, followed by more argument up to 70%. The dealer took 20% and he paid the remaining 10% which also gave him warranty on the repair as he had made a financial contribution.

The dealer admitted that the SkyActive engines were simply not good enough and had major design flaws. He will buy from the same dealer again as he was looked after, but not from the Mazda stable.

TheBoyConor · 15-11-2019 5:30pm

Bride to be wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. No we bought the car from an independent garage and it has been serviced by our own local mechanic.

Insofar as warranties are concerned, having your car serviced at an independent garage is equivalent to not bothering to service it at all. If there is a problem the dealer/manufacturer will just say "oh yeah, you didn't have it serviced by a dealership so the warranty is voided" bye.

Anyway, you could try a scrapyard engine. It would be cheaper. But then you could end up with a blown engine again a year later.

This type of car really doesn't suit you. 5 mile commutes are suicide on diesel engines.

If I were you I'd see could you get the Mazda scrapped and get a deal on a new car. Or trade it in for a petrol car that suits your needs better.

The mazda will be worth very little to sell as they are a very poor car in general in diesel engine form. Scrap is probably the easiest way out of it.

Why people keep buying diesel mazdas is beyond me. They are dreadfully unreliable. I don't know why mazda continue to harm their reputation by putting them on the market.

TheBoyConor · 15-11-2019 5:35pm

That car is worth nothing. I'd say best option is to get it running right and don't drive it much for fear it would give in again. Then put it up on Donedeal and get rid of it as quickly as possible. Either that or have it scrapped.

Buy a petrol, hybrid or electric car in future.

Besides the point, but with a commute that short you should be using a bike, not a car.

Wildly Boaring · 15-11-2019 5:41pm

Is it not a bit silly to be on here lambasting an owner for not driving the correct distance

5 miles a day is just over 1000 a year.
Yep it's terrible for the car .
OP also giving car long runs.

I'd attribute no blame to OP.
Mazda been making ****e diesels for years. Ones before skyactice were ****e. Skyactive are ****e.

Unfortunately OP you bought off a second car dealer, car is out of warranty and no main dealer service history.
Engine from a scraper or give up.

Yes you should buy a petrol or EV or hybrid. No Mazda's terrible engines aren't your fault

zilog_jones · 15-11-2019 5:49pm

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

Is it not a bit silly to be on here lambasting an owner for not driving the correct distance

I think it's a bit silly that there's a "wrong way" to drive a modern diesel that is not outwardly obvious to the owner or prospective buyer.

I'm not trying to lambast the owner, I'm just trying to explain that their usage pattern was probably a contributory factor to the demise of the engine. Which shouldn't happen at all, but due to various circumstances, does.

Engine failure in 142 Mazda 6

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