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Mazda MX-Flexa / Mazda5

2063 messages,  Last post on Jan 12, 2007 at 12:04 PM

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What is this discussion about? Mazda MAZDA5, Van



Messages Page 203 of 207

#2014 of 2063 0-60 by jazvan

Oct 02, 2005 (12:16 am)

I still haven't seen any real 0-60 mph data. Car connection did an informal test result as follows:
 
"We sampled it with both five-speed manual and optional four-speed automatic transaxles with two normal-sized adults and no cargo on board and found it, well, slow. Informal 0-60 runs with the automatic were 11 seconds plus."
 
This is similar to my experience driving an MZ5 automatic.
 
-Jaz

#2015 of 2063 Re: Operator Error? [isda65] by sandiegoguy

Oct 02, 2005 (4:02 pm)

Replying to: isda65 (Sep 29, 2005 5:08 pm)
I agree 100% and posted the same opinion in the 'problems and solutions" discussion. There is no way this about high revs in second gear only. Any car really feels wrong when driving 65 mph in 2nd. No one would do that for long periods of time. And what will programming the auto trans ECU do? Lower the rev limit or require a computer upshift at high RPM? The thing already downsifts in case you forget and stop in 4th so ehy not upshift? and how ugly is the warning sticker going to look and where are they going to put it????? An ugly stick just to try to put a pretty spin on an engineering mistake.
 
You can drive any auto in second- by accident. Particularly in cars with shifters on the steering wheel. It happens and you can tell because the car drives badly. No other fires I know of from this.
 
The heat shield is the real fix. That's why they are spending all of the bucks on this. Otherwise they would call and give the cars back. They can schedule the repair when the heat shield and the new stickers come in and save some dollars.

#2016 of 2063 Re: Operator Error? [sandiegoguy] by backy

Oct 02, 2005 (6:43 pm)

Replying to: sandiegoguy (Oct 02, 2005 4:02 pm)
Another reason an auto-tranny car could be driven in 2nd on the highway is if there is a failure which causes the tranny to drop into "limp home" mode, which is 2nd gear on the few auto tranny I've owned in recent years. And that isn't under control of the driver. The driver should slow down in that case, but this may be a big reason why Mazda is adding the heat shield.

#2017 of 2063 Re: Operator Error? [rideyourbike] by w9cw

Oct 04, 2005 (7:49 pm)

Replying to: rideyourbike (Sep 29, 2005 7:12 pm)
rideyourbike wrote: "Saab just had to recall 300,000 cars the other day because of a possible ignition overheating and subsequent risk of fire. 300,000!!!!!!! Talk about a financial loss! And do you think people will second guess buying a Saab just becuase of it?"
 
Hmm . . . I own two SAAB's and haven't received anything in the mail yet. But, anyone who is a SAAB-o'phile knows where the problem is, and should have been on top of this potential problem for years. Of course, just as in the Mazda5, it's a exhaust heat related issue, but a different problem due to the "unique" (some will say peculiar) nature of SAAB's.
 
For those who may not know, all SAAB's have had their ignition switches on the center console between the bucket seats. Yep, that's right -- on the floor! Why, you say . . . rather than locking the steering wheel, the Swede's thought it best to lock the transmission gear selector, hence the unique-to-SAAB location of the ignition switch. If it is a manual transmission, it is locked in reverse, as the car must be placed in reverse before removing the key.
 
Since all of ignition switch wiring, along with wiring for the power windows (also on the center console), run above the center tunnel area which includes the catalytic converter and exhaust system, a long heat shield attaches to the bottom of the center tunnel underneath the chassis. This heat shield rusts out over time, and guess what happens? The iginition wire insulation melts, and bingo . . . you have the beginnings of an electrical fire.
 
As I said, most SAAB owners know of this problem, and change out the exhaust heat shield when signs of rust out appear. But, some recalls seem to be designed to protect those who seem not to be able to protect themselves - this is one of those.

#2018 of 2063 Recalibration of engine and transmission? by bluegrass_guy

Oct 14, 2005 (12:57 pm)

What do they mean by changing the "calibration" of the engine and transmission? Will this effect performance? If the recall was found because of a three engine fires by people driving at highway speed in 2nd gear, and a tag and heat shield will solve the problem - why mess with the engine and transmission? Just wondering!

#2019 of 2063 Re: Recalibration of engine and transmission? [bluegrass_guy] by sandiegoguy

Oct 14, 2005 (1:05 pm)

Replying to: bluegrass_guy (Oct 14, 2005 12:57 pm)
Because the whole driving in second gear thing is a "cover" story for the real problem. I suspect simply insufficient shielding. I doubt the engine will be toyed with but the tranny should get an autoshift point for going to a higher gear once a certain RPM is sustained in Manual Mode. It already has it for going to a lower gear.

#2020 of 2063 Re: Operator Error? [w9cw] by bwaters

Oct 14, 2005 (4:59 pm)

Replying to: w9cw (Oct 04, 2005 7:49 pm)
So why is another SAAB story in this Mazda forum?
 
 Sorry I couldn't help myself. I'm sure I'd be kicked out of the SAAB forums if I used this old pun.

#2021 of 2063 Re: Operator Error? [w9cw] by mdaffron

Oct 19, 2005 (6:30 am)

Replying to: w9cw (Oct 04, 2005 7:49 pm)
Why, you say . . . rather than locking the steering wheel, the Swede's thought it best to lock the transmission gear selector, hence the unique-to-SAAB location of the ignition switch.
 
Well, not exactly. (I know this is off-topic, but I'd like to get the facts straight before we conclude this.) I used to be a huge fan of Saab (before I learned, first-hand, how unreliable they are), and at one time owned a 1980 Saab 900 GLi. In all of Saab's literature way back then -- and they used to put out some huge booklets which I still have, showcasing the technical side of their cars -- Saab was really pressing the safety aspects of its cars. It touted the ignition key location as the result of long hours of study into what happened to people during front-end collisions. Saab claims many drivers suffered injuries to their knees caused by impalement by the ignition key. Therefore Saab decided to place the ignition switch (and key) in an area where it could not harm the driver in an accident.
 
From an article on the history of Swedish carmakers' preoccupation with safety at thecarconnection.com:
 
Information gleaned from real-life accidents led to such innovations as the Saab Active Head Restraint, Volvo's rear-facing child safety seat, and even Saab's placement of the ignition key in the center console (to prevent driver knee injuries in head-on collisions).
 
I thought the switch on the floor was a fun thing to show new passengers, but I thought it was actually a bad idea because, since the keyhole faced upward in the little depression where the parking brake handle resides, it was just asking for trouble from a spilled drink or dirt. I never spilled a drink on mine, but mine did get dusty between car cleanings and I always wondered if that was good for it.
 
Meade

#2022 of 2063 Oct 27, 2005 Come and Gone and still nothing by hkeogh

Oct 27, 2005 (1:03 pm)

Mazda promised parts to the dealership by the 27th of October
and still no parts have been recieved. I am forwarding information
to a lemon law attorney. We will see how this progresses.

#2023 of 2063 First 06 Spotted by ateixeira

Oct 27, 2005 (1:05 pm)

Saw a red one today, top was also red. Looked good on the street. Can't wait to sample one.
 
-juice

Messages Page 203 of 207

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