2010 Mazda 3s 6-speed 1st gear chatter

[cphadley]

Hello all. This is my first post here. I recently picked up a 2010 Mazda 3s sedan with the 6-speed trans. I had previously owned a 2006 3i so this was a nice upgrade.

Overall I really enjoy the car. However, I have noticed some chatter coming from a stop in 1st. To test it out I slowly let out the clutch to allow the car to start rolling without gas. The problem seems to be the worst doing that. If I give it some gas like a normal start, the problem is still there but not as bad.

I noticed this during the test drive but the dealer said it would work itself out once the car broke in. The car did have 160 miles on it when purchased but I find it hard to believe any damage could have been done in that amount of time. I currently have about 400 miles on the car and the problem is the same.

I'm thinking I should take the car into service and have them check this out. Anyone else experience this on a 2010 3s? Could someone with no idea how to drive a stick have done damage causing this issue on a really bad test drive before I purchased the vehicle?

[sheap74]

Just picked up my 2010 Mazda3 s Sport Hatch 6 spd. manual on Tues. and I am hearing the same noise / chatter starting out in 1st. I don't hear it all the time, and don't remember feeling it on the test drive. I noticed it's more prominent if I'm starting up a slight incline, which i think jives with letting out the clutch without giving gas.

This car had 12 miles on it when I bought it, so in my case it's unlikely that it was damaged by someone that can't drive a stick. I thought maybe it was sitting in the lot to long, and was waiting to see if it "works itself out". I might have them check it out when I go back to the dealer for the plates now, sometime next week.

[cphadley]

Hey sheap, mine is still doing it as well but I have noticed the same thing as you. If I'm facing slightly downhill then it doesn't do it at all. On a level surface, I have figured the car out enough by now to give it juuust the right about of gas to avoid it. It is VERY particular about this one... far more than any other standard I have driven.

On an incline it does it pretty bad. Lots of chatter and a very jerky start. I have my first oil change next week already so I'm going to mention it. Keep me posted on what you hear if you take yours in.

Anyone else noticing this? I know we have a lot of standard transmission drivers on this form :)

[Smiley2010]

I've had the same problem as well. I noticed it very early on. Picked up my car at around 50kms on it. Now I've got 2500kms. After about the first 1500kms or so it got less to a point where now I don't hear/feel it as much. I was really worried about it too at first but figured I'd let the car get broken in a bit. I'd be interested to know if you guys have the same issue resolved after some more mileage.

[edangs]

i have a 2010 itouring 5spd. i did notice this same behaviour. i goot the car with 1 mile and now has 150miles. i will keep an eye on it and keep yu all posted.

[Antonio DiMarco]

Hello all. This is my first post here. I recently picked up a 2010 Mazda 3s sedan with the 6-speed trans. I had previously owned a 2006 3i so this was a nice upgrade.

Overall I really enjoy the car. However, I have noticed some chatter coming from a stop in 1st. To test it out I slowly let out the clutch to allow the car to start rolling without gas. The problem seems to be the worst doing that. If I give it some gas like a normal start, the problem is still there but not as bad.

I noticed this during the test drive but the dealer said it would work itself out once the car broke in. The car did have 160 miles on it when purchased but I find it hard to believe any damage could have been done in that amount of time. I currently have about 400 miles on the car and the problem is the same.

I'm thinking I should take the car into service and have them check this out. Anyone else experience this on a 2010 3s? Could someone with no idea how to drive a stick have done damage causing this issue on a really bad test drive before I purchased the vehicle?

By chatter do you mean the front wheels are hopping from a start?

[cphadley]

By chatter do you mean the front wheels are hopping from a start?

No, it is more of a feeling of the clutch having a hard time engaging. Similar to when you let the RPM drop too low and the car is about to stall. The only way I can seem to avoid it is giving more gas than I would really like to give coming off a start. Not a problem when nobody is around but a major issue in traffic or coming off a light with someone in front of me. Basically, trying to have a slow start from first causes the sound/vibration.

[cphadley]

i have a 2010 itouring 5spd. i did notice this same behaviour. i goot the car with 1 mile and now has 150miles. i will keep an eye on it and keep yu all posted.

Seems I'm not alone with this from what I can tell from this thread and one I started on another forum. Mazda just dismisses it as not being a problem. If it doesn't stop I will have to bug them every time I go in until they do something about it.

[Dubcnea]

i have the same issue...at least from what you're saying i believe i do. it's like a knocking in the clutch or something. happens to me in reverse as well. it doesn't make any odd noises or seem to affect the shifting so i'm going to see if it goes away. if Mazda has actually 'dismissed' it, it may turn out to be 'one of those things' that you just have to live with. i guess i don't care as long as it doesn't somehow affect the longevity of the car, or the clutch for that matter.

[Fred]

Just bought a 2010 Hatch 6 speed and am experiencing same clutch sounds. Talked to a saleman and he said rubber components in clutch are dry from lack of use and should go away after use. I will double check with service and report back.

[Fred]

Talked to service mgr and he did not know anything about it being an identified problem. Late in the day so I will go back so he can further investigate. Reversing uphill really duplicates the problem.

[Fred]

Service rep said it is clutch plates wearing in. I will post anything new if it comes up.

[George in GA]

What rubber components are there in a clutch? I've done a few clutch jobs on various cars and the only rubber parts I ever saw were rear main bearing seal and the front seal on the trans. Plus the hydraulic hose for a slave cylinder. With these several complaints, could this be the anti-chatter springs?

I never heard of "breaking in" a clutch.... Could this be dealer BS?

[George in GA]

I forgot the rubber boot often used to pass the release bearing fork through the bell housing. These are often pleated like a rubber floor shift boot. I can't imagine this boot affecting clutch engagement.

[Fred]

Rubber clutch components came from a salesman not a service rep. Anti chatter springs seems like a possibility.

[cphadley]

I'm happy to see this isn't a problem with just my particular vehicle. I have messaged a few people I know who bought a Mazda 3 and a Mazda 6 but they got the automatic so they can't relate.

I'm getting a bit pissed off hearing that other people are being dismissed by the dealer as well. Being told that "it is normal and will wear in" seems to be the message Mazda is spreading to dealers to tell their customers. I have over 4,500 miles on mine at this point and the problem is still very much there. Something like this is worrisome to me as I fear how I will be treated if the transmission or clutch develops a bigger problem down the road from this issue.

I am going to bring it up again at my next oil change in a month and make sure I keep track of the dealer at which the car was serviced, who I spoke with at the time and exactly how I was dismissed. That way if something does happen down the road at least I will have something to hold against them.. assuming they care and still don't try to pin it on me.

There was some concern in another forum that since I bought the vehicle with over 100 miles on it that someone could have caused the damage before I took possession of the vehicle. Now that I see others are having issues as well I don't think that was it.

I will be watching this tread for more details and will keep everyone updated!

[George in GA]

If it is the anti-chatter springs and one or more should break use of the clutch becomes problematic if not impossible; the broken parts can and probably will wedge between the disc and the pressure plate and/or flywheel. Bingo, jammed clutch!! I had a '96 Contour SE (V6, 2.5l, 170 hp) which had a broken spring at about 104 K. It had to be towed since the clutch wouldn't disengage. A sizeable bill for the failure of a spring about 3/8" diameter by 3/4" long!

Keep after the dealers; this shouldn't happen! Clutches don't need to wear in; "dry rubber parts" my a#@$ ! Oil in a clutch is a disaster unless its an exotic wet plate unit, which I'm sure the Mazda isn't.

[plv]

I wouldn't be too worried but I would keep an eye on it. I don't know the specifics of an OEM clutch in a brand new car, but anytime you install a new clutch in a car there is definately a break-in period. Clutches are usually made of organic/semi-metallic stuff similar to brake pads. Usually clutch chatter is a result of the clutch grabbing on too hard and not being able to slip like its meant to. So possibly the issue will indeed go away after break-in.

It is very common for 1999-2005 Miatas to clutch chatter after it rains for consecutive days. After being worried and researching the issue I found out it was normal. The extra humidity penetrates the organic material of the clutch disk and basically makes it grab on harder to the flywheel. It goes away when it dries out.

[remusrm]

its a normal thing, my 09 MS3 did it and my new 10 MS does it too... also did my 08 miata

[masontrep]

I have a mz3 hatch that i have had for a month, had 104 miles at purchase. I am seeing the same thing too. Mostly in reverse though. I back up my driveway that has a incline up to my garage and man do I have to give it gas to keep it from chattering. Glad to see that its not just me. I plan on mentioning it to my dealer next week during first oil change.

[Cisquet31]

Hello all,

First of all, sorry for my english, I'm from Spain. I'm new on this forum. I have the new mazda 3 1.6 CRTD (110CV PSA diesel engine) from about 3 months and 6.000km, and I have the same problem you are talking about since the begining.

At first I believed it was my driving style (despite I have never had this problem on any other car Idrove before), but now I'm really confident that is not the case.
The problem is: when in 1st I try to start running (also in reverse) it sounds like is going to stop...at that point if I go up revs the thing goes worse; and it is even worse with climate A/C on (it sounds much less if it is off), or when you are on a little slope or inclination. Really, it is very annoying!! sounds like an old!!

I visited my dealer because I had a problem with the cluth (a little "click" sound at the middle of its path). They replaced me the clucth pump, and then that "click" disapeared, but the annoying noise on 1st was still present. I told to them, and they said me they need more time to see what was going on (at least, the did not say me "that is normal" and try with me a dealer car with less annoying sound than mine, but still present), but I had to travel and I could not let them my car. Rigth now I am planning to go to dealer again, and knowing that more peple have the same problem is better to push them.

Any of you have any news on this issue?, any response/action on your dealers?

I will kept you informed of my results.

See you,

[Fred]

Took my 2010 Hatch in for 2K oil change and mentioned the clutch. Service mgr checked it out and agreed there is clutch chatter but that Mazda clutches are different than the norm. I mentioned I can handle different but no defective. I believe he suggested that the chatter is caused by the way the car is set up and that possibly torque location causes the chatter. May be my imagination, but I think chatter may be less at 2K miles than when new.

[cudaman]

its a normal thing, my 09 MS3 did it and my new 10 MS does it too... also did my 08 miata

Correct, the "chatter" of the clutch is normal on an MS3. Most "performance" clutches have a certain amount of this "chatter". Usually the more hi-perf a clutch, is the more chatter it will have when in neutral. Mazda clutches seem to lean toward the noisy side to give you that quick-grip that lets you get going quickly. This is a "feature" of the Mazda3, both Speed and standard model.

[zooma]

Yet another case of clutch chatter on a 2010 Mazda 3s 6 speed hatch. Started after 100 miles and is still there at 2k. Dealer acknowledges it but says it is "normal". It may be normal for the Mazda 3...a normal defect.

[tiagotiago]

Correct, the "chatter" of the clutch is normal on an MS3. Most "performance" clutches have a certain amount of this "chatter". Usually the more hi-perf a clutch, is the more chatter it will have when in neutral. Mazda clutches seem to lean toward the noisy side to give you that quick-grip that lets you get going quickly. This is a "feature" of the Mazda3, both Speed and standard model.

+1

My 08.5 MS3's clutch has chattered since day 2 of ownership (probably since day 1, but I didn't notice it. Mine sounds at idle when the clutch is out, as soon as I step on it, it will stop making noise; it get's louder once the car is warmed up. But at 12,000 Miles, I've never had any problems with it.

[zooma]

Correct, the "chatter" of the clutch is normal on an MS3. Most "performance" clutches have a certain amount of this "chatter". Usually the more hi-perf a clutch, is the more chatter it will have when in neutral.

I don't know if we are talking about the same thing. The noise I am referencing occurs when the clutch is partially engaged but still slipping while in starting up in first gear. It does not make a noise when in idle and the clutch is fully engaged.