Mazda Problems

The last decade of dual-cab four-wheel-drive utes have emerged as the tow-vehicles of choice, and you see them everywhere filling roles exactly like the one you have planned. Popular models include the Ford Ranger you’ve nominated, Toyota HiLux, Mazda BT-50, VW Amarok, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara and Isuzu D-Max. But there are also cheaper alternatives including makes like the South-Korean made Ssangyong and various Chinese brands like LDV and Great Wall.

Just make sure you know exactly how much you need to tow before making a decision as some of the cheaper models don’t have the same outright towing capacity and even if they do, some of them don’t have the engine performance to make towing as easy as it should be. For parts availability, the Toyota would be king in really remote areas, but any of the major brands are pretty well covered in Australia.

Meantime, don’t rule out ute-based wagons such as the Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Fortuna. These offer better ride comfort when unladen thanks to more sophisticated rear suspensions and most have as much or almost as much towing capacity as their ute brethren.

A second-hand engine from a wreck is often a good an option, but only if you can find one that has been tested and comes with a warranty, otherwise you could be replacing your worn engine with an even more worn one. But with a diagnosis estimate of $5000 (and any actual repairs on top of that) I reckon a different workshop would be your best option. Frankly that seems (on the surface) a ridiculous figure and suggests that the workshop in question either doesn’t want your business or is assuming you’re a sucker.

Low oil pressure can be caused by various problems, and a good workshop should be able to check it out and give you a definitive answer on whether it could be fixed or the whole engine replaced. The good news is that the CX-5 is a popular model, so a replacement engine shouldn’t be too hard to track down.

There are many reasons for a vehicle to enter limp-home mode. One of them, of course is transmission temperature, but there are lots of things being monitored, from the temperature of the engine oil, coolant temperature, oil level and even the operating temperature of the EGR valve (which is often water-cooled in vehicles like the Mazda).

The point being that even though the transmission entered limp-home mode, the actual problem may have been elsewhere, but the vehicle’s computer believed that shutting down much of the transmission’s functions would preserve and protect the rest of the driveline. Don’t forget, either, that there are many things – a failed solenoid, low fluid level, even a faulty wiring connection or earth – that can cause a transmission limp-home event beyond actual overheating.

A car like this shouldn’t frighten too many mechanics, largely because this is a fairly simple machine using well-understood technologies. In a situation like this one, most workshops will go back to first principles. That is: Air, fuel and spark.

On the surface, it sounds like a fuelling problem that is causing the engine to run out of fuel when it needs it most (when accelerating). So a check of the fuel filters, the fuel pump delivery pressure and volume and the injectors would be a good place to start. However, stumbling under load can also be caused by poor ignition, so the spark plugs, leads and coil(s) and charging system should also be checked out. Don’t forget things like a dirty air filter which also cause a case of the stumbles.

If all that checks out, then you need to start looking for a dud sensor somewhere in the engine bay. An electronic scan is a must for any electronically-injected car.

The smart money here suggests that there’s something your car’s electrical system and body computer don’t like about replacement LED lights. That’s assuming you’ve installed them correctly, of course. The first thing you should do is replace the standard globes and see if that restores the lights’ operation. If it does, you can be reasonably sure there’s a problem with the way the car reacts to the LED replacements.

Not all cars appreciate the conversion to LEDs. These newer lights draw a lot less current than conventional globes and, while that sounds like a good thing, the lack of current-draw detected by the body computer can cause problems. Another common problem with LEDs is that the low current-draw makes the car’s computer think that there’s a blown globe at which point it can trigger a warning light on the dashboard.

That seems odd, but there might be a really simple explanation. I’d love to know whether you’re calculating your fuel consumption by working out how far each tank is taking you, or whether you’re relying on the trip computer in the car’s dashboard. If it’s the latter, the reason for your higher figure after a service could be very simple.

It could easily be that the mechanic test drives the car after each service to make sure everything is working as it should be. To do this, the tester is very likely to give the engine a couple (or more) acceleration runs with lots of throttle. It’s also possible the car is left to idle for a time for the engine to come up to temperature while the mechanic gets on with other things. Both these activities will lead to higher fuel consumption than you might experience in normal driving with no harsh acceleration or extended idling periods. Because the car’s trip-computer works out fuel consumption based on recent use, this treatment at the workshop will lead it to deliver a higher reading on the dashboard. That it happens only after a trip to the workshop is the big clue here.

To test this theory, drive the car normally for a week and see if the fuel consumption number drops. If so, you’ve solved the mystery. If not, you need to return the car to the workshop because something is not right and is causing the car to use more fuel.

It’s certainly true that automatics are far more common than manual cars these days. It all started decades ago when people decided it was easier to have the car shift gears for itself than bother to shift them manually. But there have been other factors, too. One is that modern automatics no longer represent the performance shortfall they once did.

Back in the bad old days, autos used to be less efficient than a manual, leading to less acceleration and greater fuel use, making the manual the natural choice for a keener driver. But modern automatics have really caught up and no longer hinder performance or increase thirst. In fact, the best of them can shift faster than a human ever could and, with eight, nine or even 10 ratios, they can be more efficient than a manual.

Turbocharged engines have also helped make the case for automatics and – generally speaking – turbo-motors often work best with an automatic where there’s no lengthy gear-change interval to allow the engine to fall of boost. And turbo-diesels which need boost to operate and don’t rev very hard in the first place, are a natural choice for an automatic which also works very well for towing and when driving off-road.

But there will always be people who prefer manuals (yours truly included) especially those who actually enjoy the physical aspects of driving a car. So while the manual transmission in your car will turn some people off, if you can find the buyer who wants a manual, you might find the rarity of your manual car will actually be a selling point.

Proper maintenance is overlooked by many car owners, and it’s a real problem. Modern engines work very hard and have lots of intricate oilways and mechanical clearances that simply won’t tolerate dirty oil. On paper, the car you’re looking at hasn’t had clean oil or a filter change in 20,000km and that’s an awfully long time between drinks. In fact, it’s enough to perhaps give Mazda cause to void any new-car warranty remaining on it, should something mechanical go wrong.

Your best option would be to find another CX-5 with the options and in the colour you want, but with an up to date and complete service record. That’s the best way to prevent any major disasters down the track. The good news is the CX-5 was a popular model, so there should be lots to choose from.

Without knowing more, your problem could be caused by quite a few different things, including wheel bearings, driveshafts, brake rotors and even worn suspension components. But a really common cause of a vibration at a particular speed is a wheel that has shed one or more of its little balancing weights.

Given the parlous state of this nation’s roads at the moment, hitting a big pothole is a pretty good bet right now. And the shock of that impact is a typical way for the wheel to shed its balance weights. These small, lead weights are added to the wheel when a tyre shop fits new tyres. The idea is to use the lead to balance the wheel so it spins smoothly. Lose the weight and you suddenly have an out-of-balance wheel and tyre and a vibration is a likely consequence. A good tyre shop will be able to check this for you.