Mazda5 clutch - worn out at 43,800 km
 

Anyone else have a problem with the clutch for a 2008 mazda5 "slipping" and needing replacement at a low km/mileage? Dealership says "user error". Driven manual transmissions all my life, never had this problem before. Noticed a burning, fish like smell before, which we now can attribute to the clutch. $1275 plus tax to repair, apparently it is a "wear & tear" item not covered on my warranty. Fantastic!!

2009 Mazda 5 clutch worn out at 33,000 KM
 

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Originally Posted by Lorigo33 (Post 99668)

Anyone else have a problem with the clutch for a 2008 mazda5 "slipping" and needing replacement at a low km/mileage? Dealership says "user error". Driven manual transmissions all my life, never had this problem before. Noticed a burning, fish like smell before, which we now can attribute to the clutch. $1275 plus tax to repair, apparently it is a "wear & tear" item not covered on my warranty. Fantastic!!

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Yup. The clutch is completely toast on my wife's 2009 Mazda 5 5MT at 33,000 KM. Clutch pedal all the way up, engine revs but no forward progress, accompanied by nasty foul fishy smell.

We had it in to the dealer twice previously complaining that a) the clutch was very stiff and b) sometimes it did not seem to completely disengage when depressing the pedal fully (ie: when starting you would push the clutch to the floor but the engine would not start because the starter interlock switch did not sense the clutch as being fully depressed).

Of course the clutch replacement ($1500 CAD) is not covered under warranty because it's a "wear" item. Funny thing, the 3 previous standards my wife has driven did not experience any clutch problems whatsoever.

Very, very disappointing as I've been a loyal Mazda buyer having owned 9 Mazdas over the past 20 years.

$1500 to replace the clutch????? OMG.

I am at almost exactly 50,000 kms on my 2008, and clutch is still perfect, no problems at all. I have also driven standard forever. I had an 86 VW Golf - put 110,000 KMS's on it (it had 300,000 when I bought it) And I never had to do the clutch. Last car was a 2006 VW GTI, I put 60,000 KMS on it, and never had to replace the clutch - so far so good with the 08 5.

Are you sure about the $1500 price tag? that seems CRAZY steep...

Uh yeah, quite sure unless I can't read. Call a couple of dealers yourself and get a quote.

reply to clutch responses:
 

With the tax, it was pretty close to that - ours was $1275 plus HST - not fun. I'm like you mazdaman007 - we've been loyal mazda customers for years. Not anymore, and not after the treatment we received. We tried to escalate the response by contacting head office/customer service. Our only option was to have it towed (at our expense) to another dealership and if they disagreed with the original "wear and tear" only then would customer service even consider looking into it. Seeing the only two dealerships in our area are owned by one person, didn't think that was a very viable option. We paid to have it fixed. Not really many options, however, they just lost my business as far as ever buying another vehicle from them. Toyota here treats their customers much better (in our experience) and the zoom zoom is not worth it when all it does is "zoom zoom" money out of my wallet!

LOL good one. I wrote (not emailed) to Mazda Canada and about two weeks later I got a call from the dealer who did the replacement that the Mazda regional rep is supposed to come by and look at the parts that were replaced (I had kept them) to see if there is anything they can do ?

Not sure what they are looking for (I figure a worn clutch is a worn clutch) but we'll see what happens.

Providing you drive properly and know how to use a clutch ( I assume you do ) I would think that it should be covered, at least in part. I see no reason why a clutch should go that fast... I have done some digging, and am seeing people talk about a clutch lasting 150,000 km's +, and some cases with them lasting 300,000kms +.

I believe you with the cost, just totally shocks me. I would have guessed maybe $500. Wonder why its so steep - perhaps I am just out of touch.

500 for the clutch kit and 700 for labour (front wheel drive trans drop out usually takes the suspension with it).
Throw in shop supplies, evironmental levy, taxes etc and 1500 arrives quick.

The days of dropping the tranny in the driveway to change the clutch yourself with a kit from NAPA are gone forever.....sigh.

My 2008 Mazda 5 clutch is toast at 31K.

Anyone having any luck getting the dealer to replace these under warranty?

Nope. As soon as I mentioned clutch they stopped listening.