HELP 2004 Mazda 3 Transmission issues

[mneiland]

I lent my Mazda 3 out to the mother in law today and she calls me telling me its changeing gears very rough. So she checked the fluid and it was at about Half.

So she calls me tonight telling me the car cant go into gear and that its making a grinding sound. As well it seems like it is buring Tranny fluid.
as well the Transmission light is on; on the dash.
I always thought mazdas transmissions did not need fluid changes, asll my car was last in at 125k for a huge tune up, do they not change the fluids then?
im tripping out here guys...

my car is a

2004 Mazda 3 GS
156k OOW

 

[mneiland]

Oh and its a A4 as well.

 

[TheMAN]

big mistake buddy
ALL cars need fluid changes, ALWAYS
don't believe that crap people try to make you believe about not needing it!

too late for you now, time to go buy another tranny

 

[Strobe Media]

yeah......there's not really a replacement for transmission fluid......

 

[mneiland]

ok so the grinding she heard was the brakes. no idea how she got it mixed up with a tranny.

But i took it for a rip and checked the fluid it was very low, i put in 2L and it still low.. a M3 holds 7.2L right? as well the AT light comes on right at 50% temp. But the gears dont seem to be changing at the right times.

IE: 40klm and it was in 4th gear till i pushed the gas then it droped into 2ed..

 

[TheMAN]

so you got more than one issue

your transmission is screwed up, and your brakes are shot (how in the world do women ignore annoying or funny sounds coming from a car like the low brake squeelers?)

it looks like it needs to go to a shop badly.... the car is unfit for the road!

 

[mneiland]

yeah its at the shop now, they say i might be some sensor. as for the brakes they are at 24%. Not sure why they made a gridning sound, a rock maybe?

 

[mneiland]

So i took it to the shop last night, it drove fine going there just down geared at wrong times.

So he calls me today tells me it has a error code 002 and 003 *no idea waht the hell that is) and that it needs a rebuild that will cost $1900cdn.
I dont have that kind of cash right now so i took it home. And wow it got worse and worse. It will not catch in 4th and 3ed gear gets very rough at 60kph. now i was going to goto Mazda and pay the 120$ to get them to look at it and see if really is a rebuild thats needed or something else.

Now is 1900 cheap for a rebuild or dose that sound alittle odd?

 

[mneiland]

yep its ****** thats what mazda is saying, they said it was a commin issue with the 04 transmissions and if i still had a war it would cost nothing.

 

[TheMAN]

it's a "common issue" with any car of any brand that didn't have the transmission maintained

there's plenty of people with 3s that have that many miles on theirs and not have major automatic transmission problems

your cheapest way out of this is to find a junk yard tranny and just throw it in... and this time remember to change the fluid ever so often!

 

[jcab]

well maintained mazda 3 transmission problem

My mazda 3 transmission just went out. 2004 car - very well maintained with all the proper services and always on time. My dealer said it is "normal" for an automatic transmission to only last 105,000 miles. I find this hard to beleive as any other car manufacture I had always lasted well over 190,000 or more.

Any news on other mazda 3's?

Thanks

 

[TheMAN]

so you had the fluid religiously changed every 30k?

 

[mneiland]

yeah its ******. LOL thats the only way to say it.
It would not go into 4th gear and when i was taking it to the shop thats fixing it (sunridge Mazda) my 3ed gear blew out my CE light came on as well. lol so i got my $ worth on it i guess. haha.
Anyway the Tranny needs a RNR but my uncle whos a parts manager with mazda got me one for 1000$ with 40,000km on it. 6.5hrs labor (reg 119.95) they are going to cut me a deal on it. As well i need a new Skid pan (99$) due to mine shattering at -45*C, and some kind of valve needs to be changed as well. (110$). + i just had my 08 Tribute in for its 48k service and that cost $377. Sooo its not going to be a cheap week.

 

[mneiland]

oh and here is the keeper, the first mazda i took it to for a diagnostic told me i needed some kinda of valve replaced. Took it to my mazda dealer and they tell me the codes they had for it are not real as well as the part they told me needs replaced is only on a RX8 motor...not impressed.