2007 Mazda 6 engine is stalling when stopped or stopping

Most mechanics will do a complete check up and tune of the engine as part of tracking this problem and it’s a good start, because a new set of spark plugs and plug leads might just fix this problem. But that won’t always be the case. As such, you could be looking at a dud sensor somewhere in the engine bay that is telling the on-board computer to shut things down or, at least, not providing the computer with enough information to keep it all running. For this reason, an electronic scan of the vehicle should also be carried out at the same time to see what fault codes are cropping up. A prime suspect for this behaviour would be what’s called the engine’s stepper motor which is a small electric motor that controls the throttle body and, therefore, the car’s idle speed. If this motor is maladjusted or faulty, it could cause the engine to either idle roughly, too slowly, or stall altogether. But have the scan done before rushing out to spend money on parts that may or may not be the problem.

Will the Mazda 6 be discontinued in Australia?

It certainly looks like that could be the case. Mazda HQ has announced plans to stop production of the 6 at the plant that supplies Australian 6s, so barring a switch to a new supply-factory, that would seem to be so. There's a sense that some Mazda factories will continue to build the 6, but the suggestion is that this will only be for some limited Asian markets. Unfortunately for those who like conventional vehicle packaging, the almighty SUV has just about killed off the traditional sedan and station-wagon.

Location of the starter motor in a 2003 Mazda 6?

The starter motor on this vehicle is located down low on the front of the engine. Conventional wisdom is to remove the air-box and part of the intake trunking to access the starter motor's fasteners and wiring, and then remove the starter itself from below the engine bay after removing the plastic underbody protection panel. Don't forget to remove the negative battery terminal before starting any of this.

Does the 3rd generation of the Mazda 6 have unreliable in transmission?

Mazda’s 6 has always had a pretty good reputation in the trade for its reliability and durability, but globally, there have been a few concerns with the automatic transmission. The first of those is a situation where the transmission goes into limp-home mode. At that point, it can suffer slurred shifts and a lack of acceleration. It doesn’t seem a common complaint in Australia, but it’s reckoned to be caused by the transmission fluid becoming contaminated with small iron particles (possibly swarf from the production process) becoming attracted to the magnetic sensors inside the transmission. At that point, the sensors lose the plot and the information going to the computer becomes garbled. The other thing seen (mostly in the US) has been a whining noise from the transmission. Inspections have shown this to be caused by a damaged bearing in the transmission, possibly the victim of misalignment of the gearbox casing. Again, it’s not a common fault showing up here. Overall, the Mazda 6 seems one of the better bets out there in reliability terms.

Mazda 4 - A bigger hatchback than the 3?

Mazda is unlikely to increase the number of its passenger car models, given the contracting nature of such body styles in favour of crossovers and SUVs. Also, note that a CX-4 has existed in China for a number of years, slotting tightly between the CX-3 and CX-5 as a sleeker coupe version of the latter, so if you do see a '4' (or, more likely, a '40') on the tailgate of a Mazda in the future, it might be sat on an SUV-shaped rather than hatchback-shaped five-door.

Mazda 7 - Will Mazda build a bigger sedan than the 6?

Probably not, sadly. The slower-than-anticipated sales of the Mazda6 series over the past decade, combined with Mazda's hesitation to replace the existing, nine-year-old model, suggests that there is not a larger sedan in the pipeline. However, with Mazda marching upmarket and its ties with Toyota strengthening, a joint-venture project with Toyota or even Lexus, using Mazda's new rear-drive platform and inline six-cylinder engine range, may make a model-sharing premium flagship – like a Mazda7 or even Mazda9 – a possibility. But please don't hold your breath on this one because it is merely conjecture on our behalf.

Mazda 9 - Will we ever see a successor to the 929?

Mazda is unlikely to introduce a sedan larger than the Mazda6, due to the declining sales of larger sedans globally in favour of SUVs. However, with Mazda marching upmarket and its ties with Toyota strengthening, a joint-venture project with Toyota or even Lexus, using Mazda's new rear-drive platform and inline six-cylinder engine range, may make a model-sharing luxury flagship – a modern-day 929 in other words – a possibility. But there are currently no plans that we know of pertaining to such a model, sadly. We hope this helps.

Problems with engine failure in my 2010 Mazda 6

This is a known problem in the Mazda turbo-diesel, and many owners have suffered similar failures. The problem begins with the formation of hard, carbon deposits in the top end of the engine which eventually find their way into the engine’s sump and block the oil pick-up. When that happens, the engine can’t pump oil efficiently and some parts of the engine become oil-starved. That’s when a build-up of friction and, therefore, heat, will cause a catastrophic failure with the attendant metal shavings that were subsequently discovered in your engine. So why was the problem missed? An enthusiastic mechanic will always have a look at the oil that comes out of an engine, looking for just the symptoms you’ve noted. A really keen technician will sometimes even cut the old oil filter open to check for anything that shouldn’t be there. Unfortunately, in the context of a busy workshop with price-conscious customers, this doesn’t always happen. In the Mazda’s engine, the normal practice should be to check the strainer that covers the oil pick-up, but, again, that may not have been the case with your engine. If the workshop you used was a Mazda dealership, I’d be asking management why that process wasn’t followed. Even then, it’s difficult to say whether this check would have saved your engine, as the damage may already have been done.

Why does it take more effort to steer left in my 2011 Mazda 6?

Let’s start with the basics here, Bryan, before lashing out on mechanics. Are the tyre pressures where they should be? A tyre can be pretty under-inflated before that’s actually obvious to the eye, but a tyre with an incorrect pressure can be harder to turn. Next, what about the wheel alignment settings? Has the car bounced off a kerb lately? Has there been any incident that could have wrenched the front end out of alignment? When was the last time the wheel alignment was checked? For all of that, however, I’m tempted to suspect that there’s something wrong with the valving in the power-steering rack. I’d be having the rack checked for any foreign matter inside that could be blocking the valves or in some other way preventing the rack from guiding the wheels smoothly in both directions. A dodgy steering system is an obvious safety issue, so don’t mess about having it checked.

Mazda 6 2008 Problems

No car is perfect, but we've gathered everything relating to the Mazda 6 2008 reliability here to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Mazda6 2008: How much is it worth?

Answered by CarsGuide 21 Dec 2018

Without seeing the car it’s hard to assess its condition, but as a rough guide I would put its vale at $4000 to $6500.

BMW, Mazda, FCA, Citroen and Peugeot models recalled

14 Sep 2017 · by Robbie Wallis

Manufacturers including BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Peugeot and Citroen have issued recalls via the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Mazda, BMW affected again by Takata recalls

3 Aug 2017 · by Justin Hilliard

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced another round of safety recalls, with models from Mazda, Holden, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Jaguar affected.

Mazda 2, 3 and 6 recalled over driver's seat defect

22 Feb 2017 · by Justin Hilliard

Mazda Australia has issued a national recall for 124,686 examples of its last-generation Mazda2, Mazda3 and Mazda6 models which were sold between September 2007 and March 2012.

Mazda recalls 2.2 million cars over rust risk

2 Sep 2016 · by Andrew Chesterton

Mazda has issued a global recall of more than 2.2 million cars from across its range to rectify a potential corrosion issue that affects some of its best-selling models.

Deadly Takata airbag recall nears 1.2 million in Australia

17 May 2016 · by Joshua Dowling

Only a fraction of the 1.2 million cars on Australia roads with airbags that can spray shrapnel have been fixed, new figures show.

Used Mazda 6 review: 2002-2012

18 Mar 2016 · by Graham Smith

Graham Smith reviews the 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Mazda6 as a used buy.

Used Mazda 6 review: 2002-2015

25 Nov 2015 · by Ewan Kennedy

Ewan Kennedy reviews the first, second and third generation Mazda 6 as a used buy.

Used Mazda6 review: 2002-2013

8 Oct 2013 · by Ewan Kennedy

Mazda 6 was launched in Australia in August 2002 and has had sales success since day one. Probably because it was a lot more stylish than the Mazda 626 it replaced.

Mazda discs warped

Answered by CarsGuide 19 Apr 2012

It's frustrating that discs should need replacing at such low kays, but it's not that unusual today. You got 65,000 km out of the second set of discs, which is par for the course. It is something I think carmakers should be looking at and developing new materials or whatever to extend the life of the brakes.

Search from Over 8,000 questions Over 8,000 questions answered by CarsGuide

Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.

Complete Guide to Mazda
6

Reviews, price, specs and more

Reviews

Family
Family focused reviews and advice for everything family car related.
Adventure
Off-road for beginners and the experienced, plus camper trailers, caravans and motorhomes
Tradies
Utes, commercial vehicles and tow tests

Compare cars
We make it easy to compare design, practicality, value and more
Used cars
Buying used? Here's what to look out for and buy smart
Owner reviews
Your thoughts could drive you to more than just your next destination 🚗💬

Buying guides

Our experts pick the top models
- SUV
- Ute
- Hybrid
- Hatchback
- Electric
- Sedan
- Wagon
- Coupe
- People mover
- Convertible
- Commerical