Do you have a Mazda with a 2.5L?

I wouldn’t stress over it. Compared to however many millions of engines out there the failure rate is probably not that high and you statistically will probably not have the issue.

If you are so worried about it, trade it in. But whatever you replace it with could have problems too…
If I end up trading it in, it would more than likely be for a Highlander...those are pretty reliable...
 
I just talked to my mechanic and he said they don't do this level of maintenance. He doesn't have the man power anymore. I'll have to take it to Mazda to have the TSB done. He also said many manufacturers will split the cost of the repair with the owner, even if the vehicle is out of warranty when manufacturer defects like this arise. I would rather replace the bad parts now, than wait until the head cracks, because if it cracks on the inside, it will likely destroy the entire engine before I even realize it's cracked. I contacted the sales person who sold me this vehicle to find out what, if anything Mazda will do to cover the repair cost, and he's going to get back with me when he finds out something...
 
Ohio, Mazda, low miles...
Save the money.
Fix only if it happens AND the body is still in good shape.
You don't say where in OH you live, so wondering if road salt is an issue for your vehicle.
Mazda will only do it if the failure occurs. They will not proactively perform the TSB.
 
I just talked to my mechanic and he said they don't do this level of maintenance. He doesn't have the man power anymore. I'll have to take it to Mazda to have the TSB done. He also said many manufacturers will split the cost of the repair with the owner, even if the vehicle is out of warranty when manufacturer defects like this arise. I would rather replace the bad parts now, than wait until the head cracks, because if it cracks on the inside, it will likely destroy the entire engine before I even realize it's cracked. I contacted the sales person who sold me this vehicle to find out what, if anything Mazda will do to cover the repair cost, and he's going to get back with me when he finds out something...


This makes sense. The dealerships don’t want to spend the labor hours on this so that’s why they are replacing the engine. The engine has to be pulled anyway. They do the same thing with transmissions too.

Here is a thread from Mazda247 that talks about this.


 
I wonder how common these failures are. I've sometimes thought there might be a Mazda 2.5T in my future.
Good luck finding that out. I've been trying to myself and I've come up with nada...
 
I have somewhat of an update on this issue. I contacted the dealership where I purchased the vehicle and asked if there was anything they could do to do the fix listed in the TSB at their cost. They said no, but suggested I contact Mazda directly to see if they'd be willing to help. I sent them an email, explaining that I was never notified about the TSB by Mazda, and if they had notified me when the TSB was released, my vehicle was still under the 5 year drivetrain warranty at that time, and the dealer would've done the fix under warranty. I'll post what I find out...
 
Sometimes these things get overblown. They have identified the VIN range of possible cracking and yours fits in that range. However, it doesn’t mean every engine in that range is going to have the problem. My impression is that Mazda and most automakers use a abundance of caution when dealing with these issues.

Years ago my Toyota Tacoma was recalled due to a engine bolt that could be defective. I think the bolt held the crankshaft gear in place. I took it in and even though mine was on the VIN list the bolt checked out fine. I never had any problems with that truck.

In your case I wouldn’t worry much but get written clarification from Mazda if they will help you in case this issue does appear down the road. That way you know exactly what to expect.
 
I sent them an email, explaining that I was never notified about the TSB by Mazda, and if they had notified me when the TSB was released, my vehicle was still under the 5 year drivetrain warranty at that time, and the dealer would've done the fix under warranty. I'll post what I find out...
Thats not how TSB's work. They are merely work instructions for mechanics on how to deal with common complaints or issues if they have a customer complaint about whatever the TSB covers. If you're under warranty and the issue arises, then they use the information in the TSB to make the repair and the warranty covers it. If you arent under warranty, then the repair is on you. Its not like a recall where its free regardless of years or mileage.

I've used TSB's to get a dealer to lower the cost some when I was out of warranty, but they wont comp the repair just because there was a TSB about it. Even if you are in warranty, if you arent having the issue the TSB talks about, they arent going to proactively replace parts for free.
 
Thats not how TSB's work. They are merely work instructions for mechanics on how to deal with common complaints or issues if they have a customer complaint about whatever the TSB covers. If you're under warranty and the issue arises, then they use the information in the TSB to make the repair and the warranty covers it. If you arent under warranty, then the repair is on you. Its not like a recall where its free regardless of years or mileage.

I've used TSB's to get a dealer to lower the cost some when I was out of warranty, but they wont comp the repair just because there was a TSB about it. Even if you are in warranty, if you arent having the issue the TSB talks about, they arent going to proactively replace parts for free.
Maybe they'll split the cost, which I would agree to. Either way, I believe they are at least partially liable as they should notify vehicle owners of the bulletins when they're released, if the vehicle's VIN is one of the affected ones. Mazda never notified me at all...how else was I supposed to know there was a TSB for my vehicle?
 
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Maybe they'll split the cost, which I would agree to. Either way, I believe they are at least partially liable as they should notify vehicle owners of the bulletins when they're released, if the vehicle's VIN is one of the affected ones. Mazda never notified me at all...how else was I supposed to know there was a TSB for my vehicle?
Its a TSB, not a recall. There were no problems with your car under warranty. Mazda owes you nothing.
 
Its a TSB, not a recall. There were no problems with your car under warranty. Mazda owes you nothing.
If there's nothing wrong with the vehicle, then what's the point of a TSB? Mazda knows there was a batch of bad cylinder heads or there wouldn't be a TSB. If I had known about the TSB while the vehicle was still under warranty, I at least could've taken it in to see if they'd split the cost for the fix, or at least reduce my cost...
 
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Its a TSB, not a recall. There were no problems with your car under warranty. Mazda owes you nothing.
There’s tons of TSBs for any make and model out there, sometimes hundreds. As someone else said, it’s just a guide as to how to diagnose and repair common problems to a certain model. They create a TSB because it’s common enough to do so, but it doesn’t mean it happens to all, half, or any significant number of the vehicles.

They wouldn’t have helped you out (or covered it for that matter) when you were in warranty unless you had the actual problem and they could verify it. They may be telling you that now to sound good, but they wouldn’t have.

When I got into a long drawn out front end rattle diagnosis with Mazda, they quit paying the shop diagnosis time because they weren’t fixing the problem. Then the shop refused to even drive or check for my noise anymore even though I was still in basic warranty. I got corporate involved, sent videos of the noise, got further diagnosis time approved for the dealer, and STILL got nowhere with getting it repaired. They fell back on “we’re a boutique brand and don’t have the funds to chase down this isolated issue with your car, or to throw parts at it and hope we get it right…we’ve already tried a few things and fixed one noise, your car is safe, we’re at the end of the road”. This is for an actual problem they could hear and experience, they just couldn’t figure out how to fix.
 
If there's nothing wrong with the vehicle, then what's the point of a TSB? Mazda knows there was a batch of bad cylinder heads or there wouldn't be a TSB. If I had known about the TSB while the vehicle was still under warranty, I at least could've taken it in to see if they'd split the cost for the fix, or at least reduce my cost...
I already explained the point of a TSB, as have others.

Split the cost of WHAT fix? Your's isnt broken. You seem quite concerned about something that hasnt even happened yet, and there is no guarantee that it even will. Its not an illegitimate concern, but lots, dare I say most, of the engines in the affected VIN range will not ever have a problem.

There is a TSB out for a range of Toyota trucks that have a certain transmission that may experience broken 4th gear planetary gearsets because of the size of the torrington bearing they used at the time. The TSB says to upgrade the bearing to a larger one they made and replace the 4th gear planetary gearset with the newer hardened and redesigned unit. A good number of them were failing even before 30k miles. My VIN is right smack dab in the middle of the affected VIN range and currently has 160,000 miles on it hasnt made a peep. I've towed boats and campers all over the eastern US with this truck, it owes me nothing at this point and neither does Toyota, TSB or not.

If your that concerned about having one of the failures, then get rid of it is my advice. You're going to give yourself brain damage about this. Just be aware, ANY car you replace it with will have TSB's on it, and you'll never be notified about any of them, regardless of who made it.

If you want any more of my opinion, and hey who doesnt....the head isnt necessarily the problem with these engines, its the victim. The perp is the design of the exhaust. A well-placed flex joint, a few snap crackles and pops from a welder, and a couple of fab'd up brackets in the correct spots, and this (potential) problem goes away. But like everything else Mazda never asked me.....
 
I already explained the point of a TSB, as have others.

Split the cost of WHAT fix? Your's isnt broken. You seem quite concerned about something that hasnt even happened yet, and there is no guarantee that it even will. Its not an illegitimate concern, but lots, dare I say most, of the engines in the affected VIN range will not ever have a problem.

There is a TSB out for a range of Toyota trucks that have a certain transmission that may experience broken 4th gear planetary gearsets because of the size of the torrington bearing they used at the time. The TSB says to upgrade the bearing to a larger one they made and replace the 4th gear planetary gearset with the newer hardened and redesigned unit. A good number of them were failing even before 30k miles. My VIN is right smack dab in the middle of the affected VIN range and currently has 160,000 miles on it hasnt made a peep. I've towed boats and campers all over the eastern US with this truck, it owes me nothing at this point and neither does Toyota, TSB or not.

If your that concerned about having one of the failures, then get rid of it is my advice. You're going to give yourself brain damage about this. Just be aware, ANY car you replace it with will have TSB's on it, and you'll never be notified about any of them, regardless of who made it.

If you want any more of my opinion, and hey who doesnt....the head isnt necessarily the problem with these engines, its the victim. The perp is the design of the exhaust. A well-placed flex joint, a few snap crackles and pops from a welder, and a couple of fab'd up brackets in the correct spots, and this (potential) problem goes away. But like everything else Mazda never asked me.....
After driving myself bonkers over this issue, I've decided I'm gonna roll the dice and take the chance that I don't have one of the bad ones. I think the odds are in my favor...
 
I have a different brand of vehicle,I bought new and plan on keeping.I am very observant,I look for leaks,puddles and levels.You can also smell if a fluid is leaking.Last of all,I do an oil analysis. It is piece of mind.When you change your oil,get a sample,send it in.They will ring your phone,I have a paper trail on my vehicle,and unless something changes,which happens,feel pretty confident. If they happen to find anti freeze,the call they make,might stop more serious problems
 
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