[masterwares]

Random question.

As everyone knows my car has some transmission issue that Mazda dealers don't want to acknowledge exists in my car, instead saying it is "within operating parameters". The other day I turned left onto oncoming traffic and my car wouldn't go, so I was basically sitting there until I had to press the gas a few times and the car picked a gear finally and went before I got hit T bone style. As this is normal operation of the CX3 according to Mazda I wonder how many people have died in Mazda cars lol.

Anyways I was in the Northern USA last month and I had a different issue. It was very cold, probably like 20F and on starting the car the brakes were working fine in the parking lot but as I got up to 20mph and tried to stop, the brakes suddenly did not engage. There was a squealing sound and the brakes would not work, so I actually ended up sliding past the stop sign into oncoming traffic once again. After driving for a little bit the brakes came back so I was able to make it home. But this sounds like some frozen brakes issue, however I haven't had this problem with other cars so idk.

God has protected me the last few times, but I wonder when I will die in this car. I am bringing the car home for prepaid service maintenance at 22k miles soon so I will report the issues, probably get told it is "normal operating parameters" and sent home.

Oh also the prepaid service plan is a GIMMICK! and I hate myself for buying that. It was my first car and I let myself get lied to at the dealership. The prepaid service plan doesn't work at any dealer in my current area. There is no mazda service center within 150 miles of me and the Ford dealer said that he doesn't like Mazda so he didn't accept repairing their vehicles under the prepaid plan. So i'm stuck on my maintenance, I have to drive a good 150 miles to get it serviced. Annoying. I called the Mazda dealer and asked for a refund on the prepaid plan so I could just pay for the oil change myself and the man responded that Mazda doesn't refund those, then he said it was a huge embarrassment for Mazda and he would get back to me, yet he forgot to get back to me lol.

Just all in all really disappointed with this car. It looks nice and drives nicely, but if the company doesn't want to fix its own vehicles or stand behind its own prepaid repair plans etc, then its a waste of time for me.

 

[Playthru1]

I'm sorry about your transmission problems and I hope you can get it straight.The maintenance aggrememt should be taken to a Mazda dealer IMO for service.

 

[anchorman]

Hmmm, well I think you possibly need to dig in with the dealer about the gearbox and maybe a well worded letter to Mazda.

With regard to the brakes, the fluid won't freeze unless it is real moisture laden and that won't have happened in the time the CX-3 has been around or it has got in somehow. The calipers won't ordinarily freeze but it would be possible if enough moisture was driven in by the wind and then frozen. I've never actually heard of it and I was developing and testing brakes for 17 years.

What I have heard of and experienced is the way the brakes behave on very low friction surfaces. If you get out on black ice and press the brake, the system will limit performance to just before wheel lock. That means on ice, you can press the pedal until the veins show in your neck but they won't lock - the systems brief is to avoid wheel lock as that means no control. It follows that no adhesion means no brakes. It could also mean that on pure ice, you get no brakes and no steering - it can't defy the laws of physics. When the system operates, you will hear the ABS motor runs and if any wheels turn you will get a ratcheting feeling under your foot or if no wheels turn, you will get no ratcheting as it will assume your stationary.

 

[st3v3cx-3]

The problem you raise about Mazda USA service agreements sounds uncanningly like the problem we have in the UK i.e. Mazda UK dealers are allowed to sell their own dealership wide maintenance plans rather take part in the UK wide scheme offered via a Mazda UK approved third party. Wouldn't be so bad if the dealer was forced to make it 150% clear when selling their plans that there are significant downsides i.e. you can only take it to a place which is part of their group and were they to go out of business / loose their Mazda franchise you are stuffed. I guess I'm naive thinking they would do this when trying to get a sale.

In my opinion, Mazda should insist their dealers worldwide are only be allowed to sell Mazda authorised maintenance plans for new cars where the plan allows the user to take the car in to ANY Mazda dealer in that particular country.

 

[Toller]

I don't know anything about brakes or transmissions, but am confused about the prepaid service thing.
Who did you buy it from? Where is it good?