Mazda BT-50 Problems

We have seen a number of reports of the tub cracking on the BT-50 and the Ford Ranger, but we haven't had any reports from owners ourselves. Take a close look at the design of the ARB canopy and then get your Mazda dealer to show you what Mazda does on its approved canopy to avoid the tub cracking issue. Also check to see who actually makes the Mazda canopy, it's likely to be one of the local manufacturers anyway.

It could be the diesel particulate filter alerting you that it's doing its thing. DPFs regularly go through a regeneration process, and most do it while you're driving along without any real impact on the performance of the car.

It is a relatively common complaint with the BT-50 when towing and we get quite a lot of complaints from Navara owners as well. The answer seems to be that the clutches fitted at the factory are marginal for heavy-duty use, and the answer from mechanics we've spoken to is to fit heavy-duty aftermarket clutches.

It's a grey area. Mazda is clearly playing hardball with you and it has a way out in that you fitted a non-approved part. The best approach is to go direct to Mazda and plead your case for compensation.

I wouldn't bother contacting Mazda, the car is seven years old and there's no proof that anything was amiss with it from new.

Mazda tell us they have come across cam belt failures on the BT-50, but that it wasn't what they would refer to as a common concern, and not one they consider to have an abnormal rate of failure. From that you could deduce that it's not an unusual failure, but the failure rate isn't sufficiently high to do anything about.

Jumping out of fifth gear is a common problem on early BT50s, but a fix was supposed to have been introduced in late 2007. I agree that Mazda should bear at least some of the cost of the repairs so take it to a Mazda dealer and submit a claim.

A lot of the new generation of common-rail diesels rattle cold, no matter the brand. They all use the same fuel-injectors, which appear to be the cause of the problem, and there doesn't appear there's much that can be done about it.

It seems to be a problem with modern common-rail diesels and is related to the injectors. Replacing the injectors is the favoured fix.

No, it only applies to the manual gearbox, which is a completely different 'box to the one in your car.