2003 Mazda MPV: transmission slipping

Filed Sep 15, 2008 · Transmission · CA

Transmission slips, usually going from 2nd to 3rd, and sometimes 1st to 2nd. Usually happens when I try to accelerate hard. Engine revs up and the transmission slips, then with a big clunk the gear engages. Seems to me like a severe safety issue if you cannot accelerate yourself out of a potential side impact. And this must be hard on the transmission too. I've checked this out with two separate dealers, once right after I got the vehicle in 2003 and once in 2005. Both dealers could not reproduce the problem, but this happens to me quite often, at least a couple of times a month. I know that the service bulletin is out on this, but now my warranty is expired. At any rate, I don't feel like taking it into the dealer and wasting my time only to be told that there is nothing wrong with it.

Filed Mar 27, 2006 · Transmission · NY

Transmission slips and then slams into gear.

Filed Dec 26, 2005 · Transmission · 14,743 miles · NY

My 2003 mazda mpv, the transmission shifts hard between 2nd and 3rd gear. You can feel the transmission slipping and then it hits hard into third gear. I have taken this vehicle three times to the dealer for repair. First time they updated computer info, second time they replaced the TCM, and third time they replaced the tranny fluid which I paid for and the problem still hasn't been solved.

Filed Sep 7, 2005 · Transmission · MA

2003 mazda mpv. Transmission shifts very hard from 2nd to 3rd. You can actually feel the transmission slipping and then it will slam into 3rd gear. It feels as if you are being hit from behind. Very dangerous! The problem is intermittent and unpredictable.

Filed Jun 25, 2004 · Transmission · 20,000 miles · TX

Transmission shifting rough. It seems the transmission is slipping and then slams into gear. It happens every day, some days more than others and some days harder than others. Sometimes I feel like I am going to get whiplash whenever it slams into gear. I have been complaining about this problem since late last year but the dealer cannot seem to fix it. They keep replacing the coils but that does not solve the problem. They mentioned that they seem to be having this problem with a lot of 2003 mpv's. It has been to the shop five times since january and it is still not fixed.

Filed May 19, 2004 · Transmission · 7,853 miles · NJ · crash · 1 injury

On may 13, 2004, my 33-week pregnant wife pulled into my driveway with our daughter sleeping in back of our 2003 mazda mpv. My wife put the car in park, engaged the emergency brake, and left the car running. Pse&g workers requested that my wife talk with them. While she did so, the car remained stationary for 5-10 minutes. My wife then attempted to open the rear automatic door. It beeped instead. My wife opened the front door and pushed the button there to open the rear door. It beeped again. My wife checked that the gear shift was in park. It was. The car then started to roll backwards. Witnesses say they heard a ratcheting noise when the car started rolling. My wife pulled up the emergency brake to make sure that it was fully engaged. This did not stop the car. My wife was knocked to the ground and the door caught my wifes abdomen and continued to roll over her, scraping her as she tried to protect our baby. The car rolled into the street with our daughter in it. The car hit the curb and just missed being hit by a car. The rear door then popped open. A pse&g worker turned off the car and stated that the dashboard indicated that the mpv was still in park when he did so. On may 14, our mazda dealer ran diagnostic tests and advised us that it was unable to replicate the accident. Mazda took the position that nothing was wrong with the car. Mazda suggested that it was possible my wife failed to put the car fully in park. I advised mazda that this made no sense because the car was stationary in our driveway for 5-10 minutes and it was still in park when it stopped. The notion that the mpv slipped into reverse and then back into park makes no sense. Mazda has given us no adequate explanation for why this accident occurred. There are multiple complaints about 2003 mazda mpvs on the federal safety agency's website about their transmissions, including down shifting between gears and gear slippage.

Filed Nov 28, 2003 · Transmission · 50 miles · MA

2003 mazda mpv. Transmission shifts very hard from 2nd to 3rd. You can actually feel the transmission slipping and then it will slam into 3rd gear. It feels as if you are being hit from behind. Very dangerous! The problem is intermittent and unpredictable. Problem appears to be more apparent when the outside temp is mild and the engine has been running for more than 15-20 minutes. Problem must be duplicated in order for mazda to repair. My van has 6500 miles on it.

Filed Nov 27, 2003 · Transmission · 4,162 miles · CA

2003 mazda mpv - transmission shifts very rough from 2nd to 3rd. You can feel the transmission slipping then it slams into 3rd gear. Problem is intermittent and unpredictable. Dealer says the problem cannot be diagnosed and fixed unless it can be duplicated in the repair shop. I printed 30 pages from the edmunds.com board and mazdausa.com board and handed it to the service manager to show that yes this is a problem. The van only has 4100 miles on it and has done this since purchased. I will now keep a record of the incidents. **riverside, ca.

Filed Nov 12, 2003 · Engine, Transmission · 57 miles · MD

While driving at any speed, the gears in the vehicle seem to be slipping. The gears didn't change at the proper intervals. There were times when the consumer would be at a stop light and the vehicle would lurch forward , as if struck from behind. The check engine light came on and stayed on. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who reprogrammed the PCM module in the transmission. The reprogramming did not stop the engine from slipping, but it did cause the check engine light to go out. The vehicle has been in the shop for the engine slipping three times, and the problem still persists. The manufacturer has been informed of the problem.