2004 Mazda MPV engine and engine cooling problems

“THE ENGINE COILS HAVE FAILED 4 TIMES SINCE WE HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. LAST NIGHT WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE IN THE RAIN, KEY WORDS, IN THE RAIN IT STARTED AGAIN. I AM SURE AT LEAST ONE IF NOT TWO COILS WENT THIS TIME. JUST HAD A COIL AND ALL THE BOOTS THAT ARE SUPPOSE TO PROTECT THE COILS AND KEEP THE MOISTURE OUT REPLACED IN FEBRUARY, 2012. IT ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS. MAZDA IS WELL AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX THIS ISSUE EXCEPT TO STOP USING THIS SYSTEM AND START MAKING THEIR CARS DIFFERENTLY. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE OLDER MODELS? THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, AT NIGHT, AND IT WAS POURING DOWN RAIN AND THE VAN STARTS SLOWING DOWN AND SPUTTERING ALONG, WITH TRAFFIC TRAVELING BEHIND ME. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE AS IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND IT IS BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT NOT ANYTHING THAT OWNERS CAN AVOID. *TR”

“MY RADIATOR FAN CONSTANTLY RUNS INTERMITTENTLY BUT WITH INCREASING LENGTHS OF TIME, REGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER (HOT, COLD.) THE ENGINE DOES NOT OVERHEAT. BUT THE LIGHTS DIM AT NIGHT WHEN THE FAN KICKS IN AND CREATES A LOUD HUMMING SOUND THAT IS BECOMING MORE IRRITATING. I READ ON THE WEB THAT MANY EARLIER MODELS OF THE MAZDA HAD A RECALL FOR THE FAN CONTROL MODULE UP TO 2003. MY VEHICLE IS NOT IN THE RECALL, BUT I NOTICED A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE WEB HAVE MODELS AFTER THE RECALL PERIOD AND WE ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALLED MODULES. (SP-60 I THINK IS THE RECALL NOTICE.) I'M NOT SURE I AM CONTACTING THE RIGHT OFFICE, BUT HOW DO YOU GET THIS ON THE RECALL PROGRAM OR DETERMINE THAT THE FAULTY MODULES AREN'T CREATING THE SAME PROBLEM FOR MODELS MADE AFTER THE RECALLED VERSIONS? CAN YOU HELP? *KB”

“IGNITION COILS RETAIN MOISTURE AND CAUSE CYLINDERS TO MISFIRE. THIS CAUSES VEHICLES TO STALL OR LOSE POWER -- USUALLY WHEN RAINING. IN OUR CASE, THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RAIN. WE EARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENTS BY OUR INABILITY TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC WITH OUR SUDDENLY-SLOWED VEHICLE. REPLACEMENT OF A SINGLE COILS COST US OVER $200. THERE ARE SIX IGNITION COILS (OVER $1000). MANY INTERNET FORUMS INDICATE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS SYSTEMIC IN THIS MAKE/MODEL. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE MANUFACTURER REDESIGNED THE COIL FOR SUBSEQUENT MODELS. THEY OBVIOUSLY RECOGNIZED THE FLAW.”

“2004 MAZDA MPV. CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING SPEEDS OF 70 MPH THE VEHICLE JUST LOST ALL ACCELERATION DROPPING TO BELOW 5 MPH. SHE ALSO STATES THAT THE VEHICLE JUST SHUT OFF. *KB THE MECHANICS WERE UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. *JB”

“WITH OUR MAZDA 2004 MPV, WE HAVE HAD FOUR SEPARATE INCIDENTS IN 2 1/4 YEARS FROM MAR 2008 THROUGH JUNE 2010 WHERE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON TO INDICATE AN ENGINE PROBLEM. IN EACH INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE RUNS VERY ROUGH AND VERY SLOW. EACH INCIDENT RESULTED IN US TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP WHERE SOME OR ALL OF THE IGNITION COILS WERE REPLACED. FOR SOME OF THE INCIDENTS, THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT IN EACH INCIDENT ALL OR SOME OF THE COSTS WERE COVERED BY MAZDA. IN 2 OF THE INCIDENTS, WE WERE OUT OF TOWN AND IT WAS DARK. IN ANOTHER INCIDENT, WE WERE LEAVING TOWN, AND THE OTHER, WE WERE IN TOWN. NOW, WE WILL NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF TOWN FOR FEAR OF COMPLETELY BREAKING DOWN AT NIGHT OR IN UNSAFE CONDITIONS. ON THE INTERNET, I FIND VERY MANY SIMILAR INCIDENTS FOR THE MAZDA MPV. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA MPV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND BEFORE STALLING. THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS WERE ENGAGED BUT TO NO AVAIL. AFTER TEN MINUTES, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED FOR THE FAILURE NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,400.”