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I don't know what's wrong with Americans - 99% of us won't/can't drive manuals.

So your broken gear shift cable was on a manual CX-5. Is that the case for everybody else in this thread, or are some of them autos?

If the problem is manual specific, I might pick up a cable to have on hand (my CX-5 has about 100Kmi) while I still can. Mazda quit making the cables for 10 year old Mazda 3's, so it's just too bad if one of those breaks and the car is now a paper weight.

 

The automatic has a cable as well but the two are different part numbers.

 

Thanks. So we can now confirm that we have one broken manual cable, and all the rest remain a mystery (after I've asked the same question three times).

I've been a member of some very informative car/truck/motorcycle forums before. Given the popularity of Mazda's these days, it's surprising that the Mazda forums remain small, and with little useful content.

 

And you can conclude two things from that.
1. very few people seem to have ever had an issue.
2. those who have the issue have no idea what caused it
And you can also do an Internet search and easily see there is almost zero information concerning broken shifter cables out there.
It appears to me it rarely happens and in cases like that it is often the result of the driver's "habits" and road conditions where they drive.
Sort of like that one high school friend we all had who replaced his vehicle/motorcycle clutch several times but always blamed the "clutch" and not his constant burnouts.

 

Probably so. But for the unfortunate few that do have this problem pop up, Mazda has demonstrated that they're willing to leave you with no path to repair:

these-manual-mazdas-are-undrivable-because-mazda-stopped-making-a-part

... essentially bricking your car.

IMO, 10 years is a very short period of time for a manufacturer to decide to quit producing critical parts.

added in edit:

Upon what are you basing this claim? Anything specific to these now dead Mazdas?

(I hope it is something other than your high school friend from 50 years ago)

 

Seems to be some confusion here.
My answers are for the CX-5 and you are pointing out the Mazda 3.
This is the CX-5 part of forum and both cable parts (auto and manual) are still readily available for the CX-5.
That said, the Mazda 3 manual cables are still out there for sale on the internet.

 

No confusion here. I stated just that in my first post on the topic:



I hope that you are right (but have my doubts - note that the cable in question is from 2012 and 2013 Mazda 3s - a tiny subset of Mazda 3s).



Still waiting for your reply to my question about what evidence do you have to support your claim that the source of these failed cables:
I guess you were just being polite when you refrained from telling:

1. PaulB15,
2. CX5UK (twice!!! he must really be a crappy driver!),
3. TinaE,
4. kudarain,
5. harryweb,
6. Rossicfc,
7. mario1965,
8. Dude71, and
9. geluk

... that their problems were probably due to their driving habits?

 

Worldwide there have been 5 million Mazda 3's (227,000 2012 and 2013 just in the USA) and 3.5 million CX-5's sold and you show .3% or 9 people with transmission cable complaints.
While I never stated I had empirical evidence, I will stick with my statement of driving and driving conditions, until such time other contrary evidence has been supplied.

 

???

9 isn't .3% of any number in your post. I think your slide rule might be out of adjustment.

(plus with this CX-5 forum only getting a half dozen threads (and often less) updated every day, I'm not sure that we should assume that this forum is the global clearing house for all problems)

 

My error I mistook my Verniers for the slide rule...