Mazda 5 Turbo failure (DPF warning light)

Hi - I have a 2006 Mazda 5 (2.0D Sport Nav, UK), done 25k miles. I like the car a lot in terms of versatility and driving. It suffers some of the problems I''''ve noted on this forum (steering rack noise on reversing, tyre wear) but has recently developed a serious fault with the turbo.

A few weeks ago the DPF warning light (flashing) came on, the engine lost power as the turbo was cut-off. Cue lots of black smoke from the exhaust as oil got into the system. Car had to be towed to the dealership, where it spent 3 weeks as Mazda had to replace the turbo unit entirely.  A fortnight later and the same problem has arisen on the new turbo unit yesterday. This after 2 weeks of driving the car with no pick-up or power over 2k rpm. Poor performance that I''''d describe as downright dangerous on a motorway, a complete inability to accelerate when overtaking, even when dropping a gear. So, the car was towed back to the Mazda dealer yesterday and I''''m awaiting with interest their feedback on it.

Anyone else had a similar issue?

My car is fuel (petrol) and is not turboed, but you might check the seal to the turbo from the exhaust. I understand that to be a weak link in any turbo system and have had a friend w/a Speed3 (MPS to you) have one replaced in the first year he owned his.
 
 

Thanks - the dealership did mention the seal. They are in touch with Mazda''s tech department in the UK. Apparently my original turbo was the first in the UK to fail on a Mazda 5, which is why it took so long to repair. Strange that the replacement turbo appears to have also failed a fortnight later. Suggests another underlying problem.

Perhaps too much pressure... but I am just throwing stones here.
 
 

It may be the "first" Mazda 5 diesel engine failure they have heard of, but the same engine in the Mazda 6 has a substantial track record of failures, so does the Mondeo TDCI which also uses this unit, as I understand.  Try a web search on "Mazda 6 diesel turbo failure".

Doesn''t sound like turbo failure to me. Blue smoke yes, but black smoke is more likely to be over fuelling. I''d suggest there may be a problem with the DPF regeneration process. What did you do when the DPF light first came on? This would normally indicate the filter needs regenerating due to short low speed journeys which prevent normal regeneration, this would require a fast motorway run to burn out the particulates. Could you see oil in the exhaust pipe? Did you check your engine oil recently? There''s a X on the dipstick which the oil must not pass. If it does it can cause major damage.

quote:

ORIGINAL: NickC

Doesn''''t sound like turbo failure to me. Blue smoke yes, but black smoke is more likely to be over fuelling. I''''d suggest there may be a problem with the DPF regeneration process. What did you do when the DPF light first came on? This would normally indicate the filter needs regenerating due to short low speed journeys which prevent normal regeneration, this would require a fast motorway run to burn out the particulates. Could you see oil in the exhaust pipe? Did you check your engine oil recently? There''''s a X on the dipstick which the oil must not pass. If it does it can cause major damage.

 
Hi - thanks for the input.
 
If it wasn''t a turbo failure originally why would Mazda change out the entire turbo unit for a new one? Surely their technicians would at least diagnose the problem correctly? Agree that black smoke suggests excess oil/fuel somewhere in the system but that may have been an additional problem. And yes, I do check the oil fairly regularly. That was not a problem
 
When the DPF light first came on I stopped, read the manual and did exactly as it instructed - over 20 minute run at over 2k rpm to burn out the excess particulates. In fact, when it failed for the 2nd time I was on a long motorway run heading down the M4, something I do fairly regularly. The DPF light came on solid a couple of times, then went off. However, when all power over 2k rpm disappeared, the car had no pick up after 40mph, and the DPF light started flashing, I also did as the manual instructed - stopped and had it taken back to the dealership. According to the manual it''s the flashing DPF light that indicates a more serious problem - this is exactly what happened the first time before the complete turbo failure / smoke etc.
 

quote:

ORIGINAL: davmal735

It may be the "first" Mazda 5 diesel engine failure they have heard of, but the same engine in the Mazda 6 has a substantial track record of failures, so does the Mondeo TDCI which also uses this unit, as I understand.  Try a web search on "Mazda 6 diesel turbo failure".

 
Thanks, I''ll take a look, good idea.

Technicians do make mistakes. I''m a mobile mechanic and do some diagnostics for other garages as well as my own customers. A few weeks ago one of the garages had just changed a turbo on a Mondeo TDCi which had similar, but not identical, symptoms to you. It was idling OK but really lacked power and showed low boost pressure and replacing the turbo had made no difference, they were a bit stumped! I took a look at it and found the manifold pressure was showing atmospheric at all engine speeds, dug a bit deeper and found a split in a turbo pipe. They''d just replaced a £700 turbo when the hose cost about £30. Sometimes it can be very difficult to properly diagnose faults especially if the diagnostics says it''s one thing and another is actually causing the fault.
Main dealers don''t always have the time to diagnose faults properly and sometimes it''s easier to just diagnose by elimination which doesn''t cost them anything if it''s a warranty job.
Unfortunately I haven''t had to deal with DPFs and my knowledge is fairly limited so it will be interesting to know what your fault is. Good luck.

quote:

ORIGINAL: davmal735

so does the Mondeo TDCI which also uses this unit, as I understand. 

They are different engines. The mondeo has a timing chain for a start and hydraulic valve lifters.

Sounds like a clogged oil sump (carbon deposits) which starves oil from the turbo... which fails.

It could be. Although I do hope they did check the oil supply before fitting a new turbo. Turbos fail for a reason so it''s vital to check oil supply and cooling, if fitted. You must also replace the oil and filter to ensure a clean oil supply.

quote:

ORIGINAL: AIMWO4

Sounds like a clogged oil sump (carbon deposits) which starves oil from the turbo... which fails.

 
You could well be right. I spoke to the dealer today, the Mazda tech dept have advised them to "strip down the sump" to look for exactly that. The car was towed into them a week ago and only now have they decided what to do......but they can''t tell me when they''ll actually do it as their workshop is booked up.
 
Is this standard from a Mazda service perspective, I was under the impression that Mazda had a good reputation for both reliability and customer service levels?

Hi,
 
I have owned a Mazda 5 Diesel sport from new. My engine failed at 25000 miles in July 07. There was a loud knocking noise. The whole engine was replaced ... without a clear explanation of the defect.
Last week @ 39000 miles my engine failed while driving @ 70 MpH.... smoke outside and inside the car... Engine severely damaged... I was informed that it a problem with the turbo. They are stripping the engine down and taking photographs to identify the problem. Mazda is looking at the problem now..
 
The tech told me that there was NO oil in the engine. At the place where this happened there was a lage oil slick ( actually more of a pool). The last time I checked oil was 8 days before the event.
 
My question is whether these failures could be a problem with something outside the engine?  Should I be asking more questions?
 
Thanks for any input.

It really depends on what has caused the fault. If, for instance, you picked up a stone in the oil cooler which puntured the cooler you''d have lots of oil and smoke before the engine ran out of oil and went bang. There''d be lots of oil everywhere and certainly a pool of oil under the car when you stopped. Another possibility is the bearings or seals have failed in the turbo causing engine oil to be pumped into the inlet, which the engine will quite happily run on, until the oil runs out and the engine goes bang. Again a pool of oil and lots of smoke.
Sump plug may have come out. Oil filter may have come undone. Another oil pipe may have failed. Head gasket. There''s a loads more things which could cause the fault.
Did the oil pressure light come on before the failure? Was the engine running OK right up to the failure? Any coolant loss?
Generally turbos fail due to oil starvation, so you need to find out why.

Thank you
 
Engine was running fine upto that point. There was no warning lights before the failure. Most of the lights were lit when the car stopped!. They will probably let me know today about the repair plans.
 
Regards