Has anyone had problems with the Mazada warranty when it comes to flywheel problems?
I've done 49 ,000 miles and just coming up ( but not there yet) to the end of my three year warranty when, two weeks ago , I started to have diffculty moving off from standing.
Hmmm.. clutch slip.
Two days later, book it into the local Mazada garage. They can't do anything for a week. Two days later it's getting considerably worse and breaks down on the way to work.
Back at the Mazda garage they confirm its the clutch, but say the wear on the clutch has caused excessive play on the flywheel. and they give me a new clutch and a new flywheel and a bill for for £1380...
Their warranty people say the clutch- being a friction part - is only covered for 9,000 miles, and the damage to flywheel is consequential damage from the clutch and is therefore not covered either.
I've now got a big heavy flywheel in my garage and no idea how five days of clutch slip could leave it like that
and me so penniless.
Ang suggestions?
|
As it's a wear item you will find most manufacturer's do not cover clutches under warranty at all. This was in auto express a few weeks back. Mazda not only covers it for the first 9000 miles but will still cover it within that period if it is shown it was damaged through miss use.
I had a clutch go on my Mondeo TDCi at 47000 miles. It will be tied back to when over 20,000 miles earlier there was clutch slippage when I had to stop on a very steep hill in the lakes. No idea what it cost for the clutch and dual mass flywheel but must have been close to £1000 as you have to drop and then realign the front suspension.
|
|
Are the dual mass flywheel clutches featues of the common rail diesels only or are the older turbo diesels also affected?
|
Galad
They turned up in the early nineties on all sorts of things, so not the CRs fault - they're just the victims of them.
No professional garage will now fit a clutch without a new one.
|
|
If you have to have a new flywheel whenever the clutch needs replacing shouldn't we be warned first? It is a bit more money...
|
Snout
A professional garage should give you a proper idea of the costing before commencing the job - a new DMF is a LOT more money.
There's no way that the dealers didn't know in advance that one would be needed; but there's a lot of dubious dealer practices surrounding late-warranty repairs on these, like suddenly realizing what the stalling problem with the HP pump is - the day after the warranty expires. [Strangely; couldn't find it before....]
|
IF this is the same engine/clutch/gearbox as on my '51 transit, which I think it is, then of your £1300 bill the flywheel cost was about £80? IMHO you would be mad not to have it replaced at the same time. My garage showed me mine and the plates should move against each other by about 5 or 10 mm when OK. Mine moved about 20 odd mm. I expect you got 'done' for a new slave cylinder as well? If you google it there is (or was) a supplier that will supply a convention flywheel/clutch assembly to replace the DMF arrangement. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has gone down this route.
Papho
|
A DMF for a Mazda diesel for £80 - I don't think so.
Of course the slave cylinder should be changed with a clutch - who wants to take the box out again to do it a few weeks later.
Solid flywheel replacements can cause cam-belt and front pulley problems - what garage needs to take that risk - they fit it, they're liable. Many 4-piece kits feel horribly harsh too.
|
'£80 for a DMF' how much is reasonable then? When I was costing the transit job the price of the 3 items fluctuated quite a bit, I admit the total was within a smaller range though. I guess not many people would warranty just one part if you had purchased the other two bits from another supplier?
Thanks for your comments about the alternatives, I guess the DMF is there for a reason then, one the other hand we have managed well enough without them for 70 odd years. Is it the power or the way that the power is delivered that makes a DMF desirable? Having just posed that question I have a feeling of deja vu, have we been here before? Apologies if so.
Papho
|
Mazda DMF? More like £580 - £880. Some of them [Mitzi] are £1500. IIRC a Puma diesel one from Ford is c.£350, not £80?
They are there to remove harmonic speed oscillations in the rotation of the crank. More NVH than power - but if the engine is designed around a DMF, then taking that crucial piece out is flying by the seat of your pants. DIY engine development is not recommended.
|
Valeo make a dual mass flywheel replacement.
www.valeoservice.com/actualites.php?wid=2060947375...n
I've had one for 30k (18mths) now and it is fantastic. Lighter to use, more progresive pedal feel and it saved a packet compared to replacement with the correct part (which isn't Valeo, can't remember who made it).
|
I thought some company called "LUK?" made the ford DMFs.
I have a car with a DMF - everything it is supposed to do, it doesn't. It is no better than a solid flywheel in my opinion.
It feels like having 2 clutches, so instead of one big grab you feel like you get 2 small ones.
My impression is that some car makers went to the cheapest part manufacturer to source a part that takes alot of strain / stress and have experienced higher than expected failure rates. I hope that DMF's on newer models will be more reliable.
|
LUK-Lucas UK!
No connection whatsoever - you're thinking of LSUK.
|
|
LUK make clutches in a factory in Sheffield, pass it on way to work
|
So, I've got an '05 Mondeo TDCi. It's at 40K miles, and has just had a new fuel pump.
It had the gearbox out three months ago, because of an intermittent resistance to changing gear (inadequate lubrication of gearbox input shaft, from the factory, leading to clutch drag).
And now, when the time comes to change my clutch, I'm going to have to either fork out for a main dealer to do it - in the hope that they can re-align the subframe correctly, and they will not fit an LUK kit, but instead will want to fit a Ford clutch and DMF.
Any ideas why I am seriously thinking of this being my first and last Mondeo!
|
I thought Ford used LUK originally. So a Ford DMF is made by LUK.
As said, Valeo do a ford DMF, and I think there is also a company in Germany that may do them. The subframe issue does not appear to be a big problem on the Mk3 Mondeo, although it will need to be done, most mechanics will mark positions of bolts before taking subframe off.
Best policy is to go really easy on Clutch and save up for another brand of DMF, if these have been seen to be better than the original make.
I have always wondered if there is scope to damage the big end bearings taking these flywheels on and off every 3 years or so. I can imagine a stubborn one being tackled with a
oxy-acetylene torch and a hammer.
|
Yes, a DMF for £80. What was I thinking about? As usual Screwloose you are absolutely right! I have read my bill from Sept '06. Flywheel £240. Clutch kit £159.60. Slave cylinder ££73.88. Total £473.48 + VAT. I had a full service and a track rod replaced at the same time, total inc VAT = 1272.39. Mileage 62,108. Appalling on a commercial vehicle.
I also find making a decent gear change difficult. I didn't know if was the flybywire throttle or the DMF or a combination of both. Its a useful vehicle sadly let down by these issues.
Papho
|
|
Thanks for all your help. Just like to add that after offering to meet Mazda half way on the bill a year ago, I finally got my County Court hearing date confirmed. Then a week before the hearing, Mazda agreed to settle half way. There does seem to be quite a bit of evidence out there on the web regarding Mazda 6 DMF & clutch problems for anyone in a similar position - There was even a petition started in the US.
|
