Transmission Failure Problems of Mazda MPV

Transmission failed, completely disengaged. No warning. Had to be towed. Required a $2500. 00 complete overhaul. Very low miles on this vehicle, always properly maintained.

See all problems of the 2002 Mazda MPV 🔎.

Transmission failure with no warning, all scheduled maintenance completed.

Complete transmission failure at 67,000 miles in our 2002 Mazda Mpv2. All routine maintenance had been performed. I was driving on the highway (thankfully close to home) at the start of rush hour and was unable to maintain 40mph - the car would not shift down, the revs increased, but I had no acceleration. I was able to get most of the way home before the transmission started audibly whining and came to a complete stop. My 10 year old and I pushed it into the side of the road. We had the car towed to the local transmission shop who said we would need the transmission replaced. Mazda would not consider any out-of-warranty help unless we had the vehicle towed to a Mazda dealership (at a cost of $100 for us) and diagnosed there (another $100). Having done this, they said no help would be made available. They said this was at the discretion of the area service manager, but refused to give his contact details so we could not discuss this with him. We have researched this problem on this website, looking at problems listed under automatic transmission. The numbers of complete transmission failures needing replacement are as follows for the specific years: 2000 = 1 probable failure; 2001 = 1 probable failure; 2002 = 40 complete failures; 2003 = 1 failure; 2004 = 2 failures; 2005 = 0 failures; 2006 = 0 failures. It seems clear to us that there is a problem with the 2002 Mazda Mpv transmission. People should realize that Mazda are not standing behind their product when there is an obvious problem like this. What will it take to get Mazda to accept some responsibility? it looks like this will cost nearly $4000 to fix. I don't think we'll be buying another Mazda . . Ever.

2002 Mazda Mpv with 39,000 miles. Transmission totally failed on us55 halfway between bloomington, IL and chicago. Had to have car towed back to chicago. Transmission has to be replaced. This is my second one. When I bought car in 2002 transmission failed in 1st week of ownership and had to be replaced.

On the freeway, my transmission failed and has to be replaced. My car only has 42,000 miles.

My husband and I own a 2002 Mazda Mpv lx. Last week on Saturday, October 31, 2009, the transmission failed while my husband was driving on the walt whitman bridge coming to philadelphia. Although our van is 7 years old, it only has a little over 40,000 miles on it and we keep it in great condition. After having it towed to 2 different mechanics, it is now costing us between $2400-$2600 to have the transmission rebuilt. The Mazda dealer where we purchased the van told us it would cost $4,189. 00 to rebuild the transmission. We are not in a financial position to purchase a new or used vehicle, so we are borrowing the money to pay for this costly problem. After reading hundreds of complaints regarding transmission failure (I'm sure there are a lot more) without warning on the 2002 Mazda Mpv, especially at low mileage, I believe a recall of this vehicle is in order. I also believe the 2002 model of the Mazda Mpv has a defective transmission. It is extremely dangerous to have this happen without any warning. Thank god the transmission failure did not cause an accident and that our children were not in the vehicle.

Total transmission failure.

See all problems of the 2004 Mazda MPV 🔎.

My 2002 Mpv suffered a complete transmission failure at about 75k miles, stalling out in morning traffic and needing to be pushed from the road. The transmission occasionally kicked when shifting since the car was new. I called Mazda, which refused to pay anything toward the repair, saying it had relinquished liability for a vehicle several years past warranty. Despite what I see in NHTSA's complaint log and elsewhere on the net, Mazda told me that it does not agree that the transmission on the 2002 Mpv is unusually prone to failure. In the past seven months, this Mpv has needed several other expensive engine repairs, some of which also repeatedly show up on the NHTSA complaint log: 3 ignition coils, a pcv hose, an idle control valve, and an oxygen sensor. This is quite a string of expensive failures for a car less than 7 years old. The dealer offered to do the transmission work for $3600, although it looks like I will have it done elsewhere for somewhat less. I strongly urge NHTSA to reevaluate whether a recall is merited for the 2002 Mpv's defective transmission. The consumer stated he had to have 3 ignition coils, a pcv hose, and idle control valve nas a right upper oxygen sensor. Updated 02/12/09.

At 72k, transmission failed while driving at hwy speeds. Transmission went into neutral on its own. Had to replace transmission. Also all 6 coils have been replaced. 1 failed at approx. 38k, 2nd at 50k, the remaining at 72k.

Transmission failure, while 200 mi away from home, over $3,000. 00 usd damage.

Vehicle was lurching, no warning light was on. It took a while to figure out the rear coil was bad. We spent $1200 getting a tune up and that didn't fix the problem took a while to figure it out. Also, the transmission failed on this vehicle completely at 55 thousand miles. We had taken it in 3 times before it failed and they said nothing was wrong with it.

My family & I just experience the same catastrophic transmission failure as described in these entries. We have a 2002 Mpv ES with 54,000 miles and were returning from a weekend gateway to coer d eleene id. Luckily we stopped at a state park to stretch when the transmission gave out, 130 miles from home. After arranging for our Mpv to be towed to the nearest Mazda dealership I pondered what went wrong and if I overlooked something. I came up with the following items. I performed all the regularly scheduled maintenance. I believed I mentioned on two separate service visits that the vehicles rpm are running high before a gear shift occurred but I don't see these comments in the customer invoice. During our trip I did notice the shift flaring but only when going up moderate to steep hills. I'm also very disappointed with Mazda, I was expecting a much more reliable & dependable vehicle. I now question if I'll ever purchase a Mazda made vehicle again.

The transmission in my 2002 Mazda Mpv failed. The minivan as less than 65000 miles. The transmission failed without warning and it's currently being repaired. The transmission failure left me and my wife and 2 children under the age of 8 in the middle of a 3 lane highway. Stranded, I needed a tow truck to get the car to the repair shop. I am the original owner of the minivan and it's incredible that an engine will fail so early.

2002 Mazda Mpv ES had a transmission failure without warning on interstate. We did make it to a exit ramp, but could not pull to side of road. With three children under the age of 8 was worried about there safety. Mazda has informed me that the internal pump in transmission goes without warning, striping out gears. My cost for a new transmission is 2800. 00. Upon researching this I am finding that this is a common problem among Mpv owners. First and foremost I am concerned about the safety of others when a catastrophic failure occurs without warning. Unable to move a vehicle on a busy highway or road is dangerous. Second I hypothesize that a defect may exist with the internal workings of the transmission in finding so many owners with this problem through Mazda clubs, and compliant websites.

Transmission failure.

Like so many others. My transmission failed while driving on the freeway. Total transmission failure. Approximately 80000 miles.

My transmission failed on my 2002 Mazda Mpv (only 49,000 miles! on it) on a busy California free and I was lucky I wasn't injured. I had no warning, just complete failure while on a busy incline. Was 250 miles away from home too, and had to be towed to nearest Mazda dealer. Found out the warranty is only for 3 years on trans, but if I had purchased the car in 2003, the warranty would have been 4 years and I wouldn't be stuck with a $3500 bill. Also received shoddy service by salesman at dealership because service wasn't open and I had to find my own way to get rental car and ended up spending 3 days in this town. Will never purchase another Mazda ever!.

: the contact stated while accelerating or decelerating, the transmission has shifted hard since purchase. The dealership has performed multiple software upgrades, but the problem remained. The transmission downshifted while traveling up a hill at 75 mph, and the rpm's revved above the red line. The vehicle was pulled over and towed to the dealership who determined the transmission failed and replaced the transmission.

Transmission failure: if you read other complaints about the Mpv you will see many problems w/ shifting in the transmission. I had the same problems and was told the same story by the dealer; that the software needed upgrade, change the trans-fluid. At 55,000 miles my transmission died while I was going 75 mph on a freeway. I was nearly hit by a semi trying to pull my car off the road. I was 5,000 miles and 3 months past the warranty of the vehicle. Mazda did negotiate w/ me to replace the transmission at a reduced cost because I had repair history with a Mazda dealer. The cost went from 3,500 dollars (I did receive 3 quotes from different companies) to 600 dollars. Like many of you I purchased this vehicle because of the consumer report ratings. I am very disappointed in this vehicle and no longer trust it. By the way I have not had the rotten egg problem that I have read in many past complaints.

(1) 2002 Mazda Mpv required two transmission repairs under warranty: one module, then a second module installed as part of recall, then third module mistakenly installed when a burned-out coil was the actual problem. (2) at 68,490 miles and age of 41 months, with warranty expired, transmission failed Dec. 13, 2005. Diagnosis was failed seals. (3) lee myles transmissions installed rebuilt transmission with updated parts designed to fix weaknesses in original transmission at cost of $4632. 10.

Transmission failure in a 2002 Mazda Mpv van. There was always erratic shifting especially when engine was cold. After it warmed up it seemed ok but during highway driving if having to suddenly accelerate it would feel like the transmission would for lack of a better description "slip" between gear shifts and bog down and then catch again. Last week I was on a return trip home on a highway coming up a hill when the transmission suddenly started shifting very erratic I pulled off an exit and at that time the transmission stopped working completely. . . No gears at all and I coasted to the side of the road. Had it towed to the local Mazda dealer and was told that I was not covered under warranty. I bought this van new from a dealer in massachusetts before I moved to the midwest. It is less than 3 years old and just turned over 70,000 miles. I always kept up the maintenance on this car and also own a Mazda protege 5. Now I have to pay $2100 dollars for a transmission on a car that isn't even three years old! looking at all the reports I see about the Mazda van and the problems with the power train I think Mazda needs to come clean about the problems with their transmissions. I am now concerned about the transmission in my Mazda protege and I think for my next new cars I purchase I don't know if I will even consider Mazda.

See all problems of the 2005 Mazda MPV 🔎.

Transmission failed. This led to the vehicle being undrivable. Transmission replaced at 65,000 miles at a cost of $3500 at hamilton Mazda in NJ. Mazda north american op refused to cover replace/repair. Service mentioned that this was the third transmission failure for Mpv this year. This was the fifth time vehicle had to be repaired due to transmission problems. Transmission computer module failed on Jan 19, 2005.

See all problems of the 2003 Mazda MPV 🔎.

I have a lemon 2002 Mazda Mpv. We have taken the van in for several attempts to fix the transmission problem, only to be told that there was no indication that the transmission was going bad. I also experienced the nasty rotton egg smell in my van only to assume it was the area I was in (sewer). On April 1, 2004 I was driving on a highway with my three children in the van when my van stopped working. I pulled over onto the snowy highway to try to restart the car but failed. After sitting on the highway for 2 hours, waiting for a tow, I came to find out that the transmission went bad in my van. They replaced my transmission over a period of 8 days. The very next day after receiving my van back, it would not start in the mornings and began to backfire and stall. I took the van in the night before the service day only to be with out it for another week. I just got my van back on April 23. It still does not start in the mornings or after it sits for several hours!!!! so if you are experiencing the bucking, kicking, hesitation shifting gears. . . . . Your transmission may fail!!!!! I have found out that my car is a lemon under ohio's state laws. I am getting my money back!!! we picked Mazda for their known reliability and satisfaction. I sure hope Mazda will make this right with us. Good luck to all of you.