Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles | Technical matters | Back Room Forum

Tue 10 Apr 2012 20:26

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Stressed and needs help!

My Mazda 3 TS (diesel) died 2 weeks ago. They have stripped engine down to advise that this was caused due to wear on #1 and #4 big end bearings due to insufficient or poor quality oil - as such they will not cover under warranty as we were late in getting it serviced (by circa 3k miles).

The car was serviced in December 2011 (admittedly circa 5 weeks late) but at that time the Mazda garage did not flag any issues with low oil. The car was running like a dream and my husband checks oil every 2 weeks. It is always fine.

4 months later and the car suddenly starts making ticking noise which seemed to get louder when revving engine at a junction. There are no warning lights at any point and the car is driving just fine. Driving to garage next morning to report problem and get looked in to and car dies. Engine totally seized.

Has anyone else had a problem like this with a Mazda 3 engine? Surely a 2 year old car should not die? And why no engine warning light? Why has this happened 4 months (and 4k miles) AFTER the service?! I could understand if it was before the service but not after? Mazda insisting that wear happened due to delayed service!!!!!!

I have spoken to 2 independent mechanics who both dispute this and suggest there is something more sinister going on.

HELP!!!

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Tue 10 Apr 2012 20:36

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Collos25

Did you check the oil level or just drive to the garage next day.

Was it serviced using the correct oil at a proper Mazda agents.

Perhaps if yes to the above questions then maybe Mazda will give a help to the repair but you have not made it easy foryourself with the haphazard way you have towards service.

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Tue 10 Apr 2012 20:51

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Stressed and needs help!

Did you check the oil level or just drive to the garage next day.

Yes I checked oil level as soon as noise started (as did my husband and it was absolutely fine). No issues.

Was it serviced using the correct oil at a proper Mazda agents. Yes its been serviced twice at a mazda dealer by Mazda engineers!

Perhaps if yes to the above questions then maybe Mazda will give a help to the repair but you have not made it easy foryourself with the haphazard way you have towards service.

I actually work away a lot (sometimes a week at a time) and the nearest Mazda garage is 30 + miles away from home with my office 30 miles away in the other direction. We received no prompts or reminders from Mazda ref service due. I realise I have been tardy with the servicing but I still think unacceptable that a 2 year old car dies and they are blaming low oil when at no point any warning lights came on! Also to re-iterate - car died 4 months POST service!!! Not before.... all very strange

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Tue 10 Apr 2012 21:06

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Collos25

I agree with you but the agents will use every trick in the book to get out of paying I would also be suprised if the car has a oil level warning light and you can hardly blame Mazda for not sending reminders when they would not know what mileage you cover.You need to talk face to face(without loosing your temper) with somebody in authority at the main agents make sure you note everything they say if you have no success then you will have to have an independant engineers report on the vehicle and seek legal advice.I wish all the luck in the world it can be a hard slog.

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Tue 10 Apr 2012 21:15

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - gordonbennet

Warning lights to do with low oil pressure are a bit like slamming the door after the horse has bolted, the oil pressure light on most cars comes on at about 8psi, if it gets that low during normal driving revs then the engine will likely be damaged anyway.

I'm not aware of mazda 3's having DPF regen problems like the 6, leading to diluted engine oil, but i'd be inclined to search on the net for others that might have suffered similar problems...you will be struggling to prove it though even if it were the case unless an independent engineer found excessive fuel in the engine oil.

As above, by leaving the service so far over you effectively gave Mazda the perfect get out of jail card for the rest of the warranty period of the car, they might have overlooked a thousand miles but three, not a chance.

If its just crank bearings you might get away with a rebuild with new bearings, if the engine is ruined and Mazda wont play ball, and i doubt they will, then a search for an engine from an accident damaged car would be your best bet.

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Tue 10 Apr 2012 21:41

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Stressed and needs help!

Thanks for the feed back.

It is now with trading standards who are advising of next steps. One of which is to have an independent mechanic visit to review the damage and get a report written up. That will be the next thing to arrange - oh joy! Also to try and do some reserach as to other issues with Mazda 3 engines. Which is why I am on here....

I am not disputing (and never have done) my part in the service delay and have held my hands up. Apparently (and I quote) the Digital Service record "helps to ensure that the correct servicinig is carried out at the recommended intervals. It automatically calculates the 'next service' due date, mileage and service type". So I would question your comment re service reminders going by what it says in the Mazda literature!

Regardless of the technicality over warranty dispute due to "overdue servicing" I am still astounded that a 2 year old car has experienced engine failure! And all of this 4 months AFTER a service at a Mazda garage! I bought a brand new car for peace of mind and quality assurance. My Mazda 3, inthe last 2 weeks, has provided neither of which!

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Tue 10 Apr 2012 21:51

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - gordonbennet

''Regardless of the technicality over warranty dispute due to "overdue servicing" I am still astounded that a 2 year old car has experienced engine failure! And all of this 4 months AFTER a service at a Mazda garage! I bought a brand new car for peace of mind and quality assurance. My Mazda 3, inthe last 2 weeks, has provided neither of which!''

The fact you allowed the service to go over by three thousand miles, which i assume is 30% by mileage overdue? effectively ended your manufacturers warranty before you even got the final service done, even if any subsequent failure wasn't due to the overdue fact, the finger can be pointed as it has been.

Best of luck with it though.

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Tue 10 Apr 2012 22:13

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Stressed and needs help!

It wouldnt be so bad if the Mazda garage who service the car were towing the company line and agreeing with theMazda Customer relations stance - but they have actually done everything in their power to get it covered under warranty and have very much made out that they are as disappointed with the rejection of the warranty claim from HQ as we are!!

Fun and games. The most upsetting thing of all is that before this, I absoultely loved my car and had no gripes whatsoever. No issues for 24 months and regarded Mazda and my car in high esteem. Now I am completely sickened with the Mazda name and would never have another one. All because of some small print.

I genuinely thought the service mileage agreement was there as a guide... had I known falling outwith it would make my warranty null and void, i would have had it in for the service at 24,999k miles!! All so sad.

Lets see what Trading Standards and Watchdog have to say. maybe a waste of time but I am doing this out of principal because I believe this is totally wrong.

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Tue 10 Apr 2012 22:28

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - MikeTorque

Sadly the engine damage was almost certainly caused by the old oil being left in the engine too long, once an engine oil has gone past a point of no return it's of little use for lubrication.

Service intervals are not guidelines they are mandatory requirements and the responsibility of the owner/driver. As such, in this example, the whole warranty is now null and void.

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Tue 10 Apr 2012 23:06

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Stressed and needs help!

MikeTorque I am signing off for now but I find it impressive that you are qualified to comment with such conviction when I have not disclosed the full detail of the engine damage! I only gave brief detail as I was merely looking for others who have experienced similar issues.

We have sought advice of 2 fully qualified and reputable independent mechanics who highly dispute the claim that low or poor quality oil is to blame - they know the full story and extent of the damage to the engine. I will stick with their advice but appreciate your input! Trading Standards have also been very forthcoming and supportive so I hope and pray that this can be resolved.

I have scrutinised the Mazda Warranty and T&Cs this evening and nowhere have I found in black and white that if we miss a service the warranty is immediately null and void.

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Tue 10 Apr 2012 23:08

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - balleballe

I really do feel sorry for you and hope you can get something sorted

It's refreshing to see you accepting some responsibility for the failure due to delayed servicing

Unfortunantly, mazda UK are not the best for customer relations and will use it as an excuse to back out of a repair under the warranty. I'm pretty sure all manufacturers would do the same.

I dont believe it to be 'small print' but rather obvious that you have to get the car serviced on time in order to maintain the warranty. I would have expected a decent salesman to have told you this.

Is it the 2.0D or the 2.2D?

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Wed 11 Apr 2012 16:36

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Collos25

Hardly a problem with the engine oil, most oils are capable of doing many thousands of miles in the most harsh of conditions 10k in the UK is chicken feed unless there is more to this storey than is being told like running low on oil then the poster has every right to feel agrieved .I good inspection of the bearings will show whether they have run dry or overheated or any other problems.As to Ford being somehow guilty I do not see the connection completely different engine manufactured in the far east under Mazda supervision.

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Wed 11 Apr 2012 22:57

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Avant

Please use this thread if you want to comment further. I'll close the other one (one is enough!).

I sympathise - but whereas Mazda petrol engines seem to be indestructible, their diesels are much more fragile, a fact that Mazda will be aware of but not admit. As others have said, manufacturers often use the lateness of a service as a reason not to pay a warranty claim: legally they are in the right as the owner has breached the warranty contract to have the car serviced as per the instructions.

Without wishing to defend Mazda, in this litigious age there are people who neglect new cars or abuse them by bad driving, and although the OP doesn't sound like such a person, any manufacturer who 'goes soft' will be besieged with claims.

Edited by Avant on 11/04/2012 at 22:58

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 02:26

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - rtj70

>> the Digital Service record

That's just a record of servicing. Probably hoping you don't go to a non Mazda garage as they cannot update it. When it needs servicing you have to do it for warranty purposes. Clearly you didn't so best of luck. You will need it.

It will be for you to prove anything and not Mazda. Especially as you missed the service. Whether that is a factor is really irrelevant.

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 07:42

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - balleballe

Hardly a problem with the engine oil, most oils are capable of doing many thousands of miles in the most harsh of conditions 10k in the UK is chicken feed unless there is more to this storey than is being told like running low on oil then the poster has every right to feel agrieved .I good inspection of the bearings will show whether they have run dry or overheated or any other problems.As to Ford being somehow guilty I do not see the connection completely different engine manufactured in the far east under Mazda supervision.

If it's the 2.0d - then it's a PSA diesel unit used by Ford

If it's the 2.2d - then you are correct, it is a Mazda designed engine

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 08:30

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - oldroverboy

Hardly a problem with the engine oil, most oils are capable of doing many thousands of miles in the most harsh of conditions 10k in the UK is chicken feed unless there is more to this storey than is being told like running low on oil then the poster has every right to feel agrieved .I good inspection of the bearings will show whether they have run dry or overheated or any other problems.

In defence of the OP, they did not say the oil was low, and I agree the point that oils CAN have longer lifespans nowadays, but, The mention of fiesel enginned dpf fitted car brings to mind failed regeneration and diesel pushed past the piston rings into sump. As more and more people chase the myth of ultra high mpg in some cars without taking into account the driving style adjustments required, How long till we see the first cases of "mis-selling". a failed regeneration could have done the damage regardless of whether it was before or after the oil change (if the dealer actually did the oil change) and regardless of the oil change being on time or even early. I would be interested to read a proper engineers report on a few of the cases.

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 08:51

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Collos25

Like I said you can hardly blame Ford.

I do not trust glass palaces to anything including change oil.

Edited by Collos25 on 12/04/2012 at 08:57

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 09:43

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - thunderbird

Just accept the simple fact that you were late getting the car serviced meaning the warranty is now caput.

Terms and conditions apply to all warranties, you did not meet them, why should they honour their end of the deal.

We live and learn, this time its cost you money.

This applys to all makes and not just Mazda.

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 09:56

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Collos25

I think you will find that any warranty stipulations are overidden by the SOGA.

Edited by Collos25 on 12/04/2012 at 09:57

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 11:55

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - injection doc

It may be worth an independant inspection and oil test to see why it failed.

I seem to have this nagging feeling that Maxda may of had some oil pump or poor quality bearing issues !

They certainly have their fair share of engine failures in the states.

TBH if it was serviced 5 weeks late Mazda will use that to walk away "END OF"

Mazda have every get out clause in their service book, even down to driving conditions and extra oil changes ! so even if you had it serviced on time they could of then blamed it on your driving style and said it needed extra oil changes !

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 12:08

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - ChannelZ

My Mazda 3 TS (diesel) died 2 weeks ago. They have stripped engine down to advise that this was caused due to wear on #1 and #4 big end bearings due to insufficient or poor quality oil - as such they will not cover under warranty as we were late in getting it serviced (by circa 3k miles).

The car was serviced in December 2011 (admittedly circa 5 weeks late) but at that time the Mazda garage did not flag any issues with low oil. The car was running like a dream and my husband checks oil every 2 weeks. It is always fine.

So, to make this plain and simple. You missed one service by 5 weeks. You missed the next service by 4-5 months. Your engine pops, and you're surprised?

Also, just for some advice, you bought the wrong car for the miles you're doing. You should have bought a 1.6 petrol Mazda 3. Running a diesel for short journeys you must be doing leads to faied DPF regenerations, which puts diesel in the sump, and means you need shorter oil change intervals. Think every 6 months at most. Not 4 months after the interval, because the engine will die. Sound familiar?

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 15:40

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - skidpan

So, to make this plain and simple. You missed one service by 5 weeks. You missed the next service by 4-5 months. Your engine pops, and you're surprised?

Also, just for some advice, you bought the wrong car for the miles you're doing. You should have bought a 1.6 petrol Mazda 3. Running a diesel for short journeys you must be doing leads to faied DPF regenerations, which puts diesel in the sump, and means you need shorter oil change intervals. Think every 6 months at most. Not 4 months after the interval, because the engine will die. Sound familiar?

Sensible words. Its always someone elses fault rather than the person who has neglected the car.

Just to add the 1.6 diesel uses Oelys like the Focus and Citroen/Peugeots that use the same engine, as far as I am aware oil dilution is not a problem with those engines.

Failed regenerations don't add diesel to the sump, poorly designed emmission systems do that. A correctly designed system puts the extra diesel into the DPF where its needed.

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Fri 13 Apr 2012 00:02

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Big John

I thought some diesel engines (not the Oelys ones mentioned above) use a form of overfuelling as part of regeneration if required. When I say overfuelling I believe it's a second CR squirt of Diesel after TDC which will be expelled towards and burnt by the DPF on the exhaust stroke. Unfortunately some diesel will wash down the bores causing lack of piston lubrication and in addition will contaminate the engine oil eventually reducing its lubrication properties - Hence the importance of oil change intervals..

Edited by Big John on 13/04/2012 at 00:07

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Wed 27 Nov 2013 14:08

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - MJD

*** Mazda Engine Oil Deprivation Issues *** affect the Mazda 2, 3 and 6 diesel models. I know this because my Mazda 2 TS had to have an engine replaced a few months ago and I have been trawling the net for information.

Having the service on time would not have prevented your engine failure but you might have (may be) got some sort of goodwill reimbursement from Mazda. They have an established policy of avoiding warranty repairs - I had my car checked twice at a Mazda service centre (whilst it was under warranty) before the problem was discovered by a diesel engine specialist elsehwere.

Just to reiterate - the engine failure was not due to oil level, oil quality or missing a service. The problem is an inherent Mazda engine design fault.

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Wed 27 Nov 2013 14:20

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - skidpan

Just to reiterate - the engine failure was not due to oil level, oil quality or missing a service. The problem is an inherent Mazda engine design fault.

Its not a Mazda engine design issue since the small diesel's used in the Mazda 2 and 3 are the Peugeot/Citroen engine used in many different brands which do not have this problem. The are millions of these small diesels on the road and only a tiny percentage have had problems.

The problem appears to be mazda's Emmission system and the way it works.

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Wed 27 Nov 2013 15:29

Mazda 3 TS diesel - Mazda 3TS 2010 model - engine failure at 33k miles - Collos25

Agree with Skidpan millions of these engines working as they should all over the world the problems only seem to affect Mazda and the only difference appears to be the emmission system.

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