Problems · by component

2003 Mazda MPV power train problems

35 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Mazda MPV cite power train, 31% of all 114 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
35
31% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“MY 2003 MAZDA MPV HAS A HORRIBLE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEM. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY SAID IT'S THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. THEY CHARGED ME 1,500 DOLLARS TO INSTALL NEW AND AND REFLASH IT AND THE TRANSMISSION STILL DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 31, 2019Power trainODI 11173211
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PCV VALVE ON 10/5/2004. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER 2010. THE IGNITION COILS WERE ALSO REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AGAIN ON 9/28/2010; HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,427. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106478. THE WATER PUMP WAS CRACKED, AND THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR FAILED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE IGNITION COIL THAT WAS REPLACED IN SEPT 2010 HAD GONE BAD AND THE IGNITION COIL THAT WAS REPLACED IN APRIL OF 2008 HAD ALSO GONE BAD. UPDATED EVOQ 03/25/11 UPATED 04/15/11”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 1, 2010Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical systemODI 10358743
“I HAVE A 2003 MAZDA MPV AND THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS FROM 4TH TO 3RD; FROM 3RD TO 2ND; AND FROM 2ND TO 1ST. IT DOES THIS EVERY DAY. IT IS SO BAD SOME TIMES I THINK WE ARE GOING TO GET SOME KIND OF NECK/BACK INJURY. I DO NOT KNOW WHY MAZDA HAS BEEN SITTING ON THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND UP TO NOW HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT I BOUGHT THIS VAN FROM MAZDA WITH 11K MILES IN 2004 BUT NEVER NOTICED THE DATE UNDER THE ENGINE HOOD THAT SIGNIFIED THAT THE COMPUTER HAD BEEN RE-FLASHED. I AM GUESSING THAT THEY HAD ONCE TRIED TO CORRECT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT WE ARE NOW EXPERIENCING. SHAME ON MAZDA FOR NOT DISCLOSING THIS PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE RETURN AND DID RETURN. I AM HOPING THAT SOMEONE WITH AUTHORITY, READING THESE COMPLAINTS, WILL MAKE MAZDA FIX THEIR DEFECTIVE MPV VANS. THANK YOU. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 4, 2010Power trainODI 10334667
“A FEW WEEKS AGO I HAD NOTICED THAT MY 2003 MAZDA MPV WAS JERKING OR HESITATING. I ONLY HAVE 42,395 MILES ON IT. I TOOK IT TO ONE PLACE AND WAS TOLD IT SOUNDS LIKE TRANSMISSION TROUBLE TO THEM. I BROUGHT IN TO AAMCO AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND THEY SHOWED ME WHERE THE METAL WAS ETCHED OUT>MY WARRANTY EXPIRED IN APRIL 2007 I WAS TOLD I WAS LUCKY TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM NOW BEFORE THE ENTIRE ENGINE SEIZED. I HAVE BEEN A MAZDA OWNER SINCE 1993 FIRST I HAD A PROTEGE THEN THE 626 NOW I OWN THE MPV I AM SHOCKED THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN SO SOON WITH SO LITTLE MILEAGE/ TO REPLACE EVERYTHING IT WILL COST ME $3480 WHAT A SHAME!!!! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2009Power trainODI 10275237
“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. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 15, 2008Power trainODI 10242275
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED EACH TIME. THE DEALER INSTALLED ANOTHER ENGINE IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE COIL IGNITION HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. THE DEALER INSTALLED NEW SPARK PLUGS IN THE VEHICLE ON MARCH 13, 2007; HOWEVER, THEY FAILED A YEAR LATER AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO INSTALLED A WIRING HARNESS. THE BATTERY WAS DYING, THERE WAS A COOLANT LEAK, AND THE RADIATOR CORE, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, MANIFOLD STUDS, AND PCM ALL FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 28, 2008Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical systemODI 10222605

Showing 6 of 35 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.