We have a 2002 MPV minivan w/ 57,000 miles. Yesterday, the transmission, without warning went out on us. The check engine light went on and we barely made it to the gas station which was less than one mile away. (by the way, we've had the car serviced by Mazda since day 1) The dealer wanted to charge us $3750 for a rebuilt transmission. We decided to do some research and found out that this is a problem with the 2002 model. Go to www.nhts.dot,gov to see the complaints! Needless to say we are extremely disapointed with how the DCSM of Mazda USA is handling our situation. The transmission failed due to a mechanical defect and we have to pay for it! Interesting that the 2003 model doesn't have this problem and they changed the warranty from 3 to 4 years! We will absolutely NEVER, EVER purchase another Mazda vehicle again. We kick ourselves for not spending a little bit more money and puchasing a Honda, who by the way also had transmission problems, but extended the warranty for all their customers and covered ALL costs.

I have a Mazda MPV and only 48,000 miles on it. Well, I was wondering if anyone else has had the problem I have. The engine kept coming on and I found out it was the CO sensor. Costly repair. The new problem concerns me since it is a safety issue. While my van is turned off in park withou keys in it, the gear shift can be moved. I only found out when my van started rolling down a parking lot. I was told that you should not be able to take the car out of park if it is totally shut off (no Keys).
I am thankful no one was hurt.
Has anyone else had this problem?

trunk well (great for groceries),power,
seating arrangement

honestly can't find any

I think this is probably the best vehicle I've ever owned. I never have any problems with it, love the 200 horsepower. The interior is very functional especially for our two kids. The middle row can slide together or you can separate them. I have two monitors for the dvd on the back of the head rests for trips.The back seat folds into the floor when I need room for luggage and bikes.I find the well the seat folds into very convenient as a trunk for groceries.I really like the power this van has.I drove a honda across the island and found that the mazda had more passing power probably because its lighter. The sterio is definitely the best i've ever had with a cassette and cd player.I've read that some owners dont like the way the gear shift interferes with the radio controls but I really enjoy the length because this is where my right hand is when I'm driving. The lease is up next month and we are getting another one.

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honda, windstar,

Looks nice, quiet comfortable ride, fold into the floor back seat

No temperature gage inside the car or N/S/E/W compass directions. Used that on our Plymouth Voyager a lot and really miss it. No Mazda dealer in our area makes it tough too.

We love our Mazda MPV and have np0t had any problems at all. We bought it new and now in 2006, it has 60K miles on it. No transmission problems, no body pieces loose - everything is great. We replaced the tires at about 4o,ooo miles, but that is how long 40,000 mile tires that come with the car last, after all.

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Plymouth Voyager 1999

Nimble handling, decent power, generally good build quality, decent stock stereo system, third seat folds away easily.

Front legroom cramped, shift lever in front of audio controls, could be quieter on the highway.

I bought our MPV new after failing to get a decent deal on an Odyssey. Mazda was willing to deal. When I drove the MPV, I was immediately enamored by the nimble handling and quick acceleration. And, so far -- unlike many others posting here -- we've had no transmission problems, though we've only put 37,000 miles on it in nearly 3 1/2 years. Shifting has been smooth and trouble-free. We had the CEL come on shortly after we bought it, but the dealer fixed that quickly and hasn't troubled us since. It did have three minor recalls, but we did them all at once and don't even know if our vehicle was affected. Yes, it's on the small side compared to Odyssey and Grand Caravan, but we actually like it that way most of the time. Less like a big boat when squeezing along narrow streets or parallel parking. Still enough room for our hauling, and we put kids on the cramped back seat only around town. No complaints heard among the giggling back there.

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We traded in our 1994 Nissan Quest, which didn't have the features but overall was probably a better van. The Nissan engine was smoother at 80,000 miles than the MPV's Ford-built engine was when brand new.

Excellent price, great sound system and nice ride and handling. Good hide-away rear seat too!

Intake manifold gasket sealant failure. Numerous CEL warnings. Possible future trans problem.

I purchased the van when it was 2yrs old and had 37K miles on it. I liked the ride and handling, the prodigious sound system and excellent price. I liked the purchase price but I didn't liked the dealer who tried to charge me an arm and a leg for a shop manual and an extra fob key. So I just went to eBay and purchased both at 70% savings. Small problems solved. But a big problem occured while I was in Chicago for business. The CEL started flashing so I drove off to a dealer who was located 1/2 mile away. After examining the car, they found the intake manifold gasket broke which caused an air leak. Among other things, it broke one of the rods. The total cost was $700. I later found out thru MPVCLUB.com there was a TSB on the gasket problem but no recall. Bummer I say. One other problem is I get numerous CELs. So much so, in order to save time from going to Autozone, I purchased my own code reader. To summarize, I don't regret my decision to purchase this vehicle. I think its an excellent deal even with the problems it had albeit I'm keeping a close eye on the bad transmission some van owners have complained about :)

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1994 Dodge Caravan

Finish, size, versatility.

Tranny, Transmission, Gear grinder, etc. Low clearance. In order to install the dealer tow package, you need to buy a different Mazda muffler.

Just got the van back today from the dealer and I wanted to echo some of the previous reviews and geve some additional feedback. About six months after vehicle delivery, we experienced our first episode of "shift shock" where the car hesitates between second and third and then hits third with a thud/slam. Took the vehicle in and they "calibrated" the transmission which altered when the vehicle would shift in the power band. This improved the situation in the short term but eventually the problem reoccurred. Took the vehicle back just prior to a 1500 mile vacation trip. The dealer replaced the transfer range switch. About 75 miles into the trip, the CEL came on. Stopped at the next dealership and had them pull the codes. This time, the TCC (torque converter control?) was blamed. CEL went out, we went on our way. 150 miles later, the CEL relighted and we began to get transmission slippage, shift shock, etc. Finally got home, put the vehicle in the shop and diagnostics came back indicating MAJOR transmission problems. Dealer performed Mazda-rquired diagnostics to isolate the issue . . . SURPRISE . . . the transmission needs to be replaced. Anyway, new tranny, new hope. No problems so far (6 miles) but I'm not holding my breath.

Very agile for a minivan, drives like a car, has nice ground clearance due to 17 inch wheels, quick acceleration for a minivan, handles the curves like a charm, great payload for taking your kid off to college with all their junk, not bad fuel economy for a minivan, comfortable quality leather seats, great music from 9 speakers with a subwoofer,roll down windows in sliding doors,super easy tumble down third row seat for ther Mrs.,nice ergonomics for DW and tall drivers with 8 way power seat, nice fit and finish, Wife loves her ES. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK.

Could use a 6 speed automatic transmission for even better fuel economy like in the 2005 MAZDA 6S, some may prefer a 5 speed manual or 6 speed manual transmission. Make Bright Red paint available again like in 2000-2001 MPVs.

This is an update on DW's 03ES purchased new end of Nov.2003 and is at 12,900 miles. No major problems nor any Sulfur smell from the exhaust.Temporary hard up shift 1-2 at a few hundred miles that disappeared. DW had tranny reflash anyway when MAZDA had PCV hose and Fan Module recall. Uses Sunoco reg 87 octane gas, K&N air filter, Mobil One Full Synthetic 0W-20 oil in winter, 5W-20 for summer, drove kids to DisneyWorld loaded with luggage in the well, 5 passengers, THULE Evolution Cargo Carrier on OEM roof rack(100 lbs total weight including THULE) with front and rear A/C ice cold in 90-95 degree heat got 26-26.5 MPG with one stretch of 27 MPG at 72-74 MPH before hitting traffic, rain and hills in Georgia. Not bad fuel economy with JATCO 5 speed automatic transmission and 0.34 friction coefficient. Very impressed with comfort, as I shared driving, sat in middle captain's chair and lounged in the third row seat. Hope this is reliable as DW's other MPV, a 1992 Whisper Green with the Towing package which is over 13 years old, at 90,000 miles with original engine, tranny, orig tranny fluid, orig alternator, orig starter, orig spark pug wires, original rear end, original front struts, original ALL leveling system and shocks, original front rotors, original rear drums and original rear brake shoes. Only gas,wax, washer fluid, oil changes, oil filter, air filter, tires,antifreeze change, wiper blades, one set halogen headlight and foglight bulbs, one OEM Mazda stainless exhaust system, one set of Mazda disc pads at about 50,000 miles, one waterpump at about 50,000 miles(under warranty), one Mazda rubber timing belt, one set of fan belts, one HD Panasonic battery(Original died when DW left headlights on all day), spark plugs, one Mazda dist cap, recently a broken windshield from a rock, a broken tie rod(pothole in NYC), cracked plastic radiator(old age). No rust except on the front Orig struts, orig. front rotor. Now that is turnkey reliablity and longevity. There are some small spots of fading on the roof the size of a coin from the sunlight and some stone chips on the hood and dings in the doors and fender from careless people. I still say "BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK" and I've owned and driven many Cadillacs, Eldorados, Trans Am, Formula and Grand Prix.

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1992 Whisper Green MPV with Towing Package 3.0 liter SOHC V6.

roll down windows in back

transmission, location of gear shift

Horrible vehicle. I have had transmission problems which Mazda has been unable to correct since the second day I had this car. They have reset transmission codes, replaced the trans controller...and still the car shifts hard going from 1st to 2nd gear. A rep from Mazda has looked at the car but it remains unrepaired. I have had to have major body work done to the hood, due to rust from the inside, which I was told that Mazda would repair in good faith. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR... SPEND THE EXTRA $$ AND GET A HONDA OR THE SIENNA.

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Roll down windows in the middle row. Real Man Magnet. It's a great looking car. But as with most beautiful things REAL high maintenance.

You need a spare vehicle. The car only runs when it wants to. The traction control is a joke. It does NOT go in the snow. Better find another way to work. Although the space is used efficiently, it is INCREDIBLY small. Only buy this if you've never had another mini van or you will feel deprived.

The MPV stands for MultiProblem Vehicle. the first vehicle complete shut down at 500 miles. I screamed and the dealership gave me a sportier model. That one had the sports package -translate $130 a year more in insurance. The dealership repair at Congressional Mazda in Rockville knows me by name AND phone number. (Note: do NOT use this dealership - they couldn't find the problem with a sign attached to it). So far the check engine light has come on. At 6 months it died at a traffic light. Each time, I'm reassured that this was a fluke and these are "very reliable cars". Yeah right. I finally used the good sense to go to Pat Goss' Garage in Seabrook, MD. HE found my most recent problem - $1,000 intake manifold exhaust and two gaskets. THANK GOD for GEICO mechanical failure insurance they paid for it with my deductible. Now it's cutting off again. The 6 CD player was a mistake and I didn't even want it, but they wouldn't sell me a cassette deck without a CD player, which when hot, gives up playing. It's got a weird whirring noise when ever I turn the wheel. My office laughs that I have to leave in daylight and before 6pm so I can get a tow truck if the car doesn't start. I will NEVER buy a Mazda EVER again. Nor will any of the some 300 coworkers I've talked to, especially the ones who have been inconvenienced waiting for the tow truck AGAIN. When I purchased this car I told them I am a single mother with five kids and one on the way. I absolutely wanted reliable. I did not care about appearance at all. Just reliability. The first time it broke down I was pregnant and MAZDA service suggested that I push it out of the garage. Imagine! So far, it has had to be in the shop for three recalls, a bad intake exhaust, weird bumping thing under the wheel (don't worry, we didn't find anything) several check engine lights. And did I mention that EVERYTHING costs 3X more to fix than on any other type van? If you really want this pretty mobile you'll need to be a trust baby to keep it.

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1995 Dodge Caravan - EXTREMELY RELIABLE! What was I thinking getting a Mazda MPV. Dodge, I'm coming home as soon as I pay up this van! More space and definitely more reliable. AND IT NEVER STRANDED ME IN SNOW!!!!!