ND battery under-spec'd?

[RBH58]

Got a call from Mazda Australia today. Basically they were useless. If the dealer thinks there is no problem with a battery lasting 12-14 days and Mazda Japan haven’t notified them of a problem, then there isn’t a problem. End of discussion.

And so it will go until Fair Trading, ACCC or whatever take up the issue. I feel sorry for you but, the national importers really won't give a stuff until they are forced to. The same happens with other makes....if that makes you feel better.

Maybe. We’ll see. The fact that the issue is being taken seriously in the USA makes it more likely that Mazda will address the issue. If it were an Australia only issue, I’d give up now.

[bruce]

Will u keep the car at the end of the lease (it's been crashed)? If not, pursuing this is a pointless task.

[RBH58]

Will u keep the car at the end of the lease (it's been crashed)? If not, pursuing this is a pointless task.

Yep. Will quite probably will keep it. The crash damage was cosmetic. There was nothing structural. And the repair was A-Grade. The problem is worth pursuing because I think it’s a fixable (and quite probably a retro-fixable) design fault. As it is, I’ve probably irrevocably damaged the battery. If I can get Mazda to recognise the fault then maybe they’ll pay for my first battery replacement.

[project.r.racing]

Every fault/problem had to have a pioneer challenging the manufacturer. IF you are the first, you'll be the one that has to wait the longest for a fix.

[RBH58]

US owners reporting 4 times the amount of idle parasitic drain with the cruise control “on” than “off”. It’s looking very likely that a design fault with the RF cruise control is the issue.

So. If you are parking your RF a while, turn the cruise off before shutting the car down.

[Luke]

I don't get how this doesn't affect soft tops.
Surely the electronics between the two cannot be that different.

[TieNN89]

US owners reporting 4 times the amount of idle parasitic drain with the cruise control “on” than “off”. It’s looking very likely that a design fault with the RF cruise control is the issue.

So. If you are parking your RF a while, turn the cruise off before shutting the car down.

I'm experiencing the same battery drain issue as well.

I've tried the cruise control off theory and so far it's the cause.

After it was left on for a week the battery voltage was under 12v, I found the cruise being on may be the cause so I switched it off.

When I got back on Saturday it fired up with no hesitation which is 2 weeks after its last run.
Usually it would struggle or be dead.


It should be a simple fix for Mazda, a matter of updating the ECU which controls it. As unlike older cars where they had seperate modules elsewhere it's all inbuilt to the ECU.
It's just a matter of when?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[TieNN89]

I don't get how this doesn't affect soft tops.
Surely the electronics between the two cannot be that different.

The ECU in the RF also controls the roof.
It may not control it directly but it would control the module that controls it so the program would be different.

Then there's the screen on the instrument which the soft top doesn't have.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[RBH58]

Mazda Japan have CONFIRMED the problem is indeed with the cruise control and requires the replacements of the RF’s instrument cluster! Hopefully a TSB will follow.

[TieNN89]

Mazda Japan have CONFIRMED the problem is indeed with the cruise control and requires the replacements of the RF’s instrument cluster! Hopefully a TSB will follow.

Wow that sounds major.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[Mr Morlock]

We are up to 7 pages. It amazes me that some of the posters see it as minor - it never was- it was always an issue to take seriously. Mazda finally look like acting.

The 1st post "I think it's ridiculous that you can't leave a car for two weeks" ( RBH) -yes it was ridiculous

5th post " That does not sound right. If that were the case then its underdesigned - unless perhaps something is draining the battery? .

a little further along the "the dealer said it was normal and within spec".... oh dear

a little further ...."Mazda have to do a problem solving analysis i.e. they have to find the fault. Its not credible that a newish battery is deddy bones after 2 weeks".

Mazda were pretty slow- a recall here is small numbers and not much cost - USA obviously much higher sales but its nevertheless not a big volume seller.

Good for RHB for persevering.

[RBH58]

Will be interesting to see what happens next. Mazda have recognised they’ve got a problem in a couple of clients cars in the USA and a few other owners have registered complaints, but have they joined the dots yet and realised that possibly every RF has this problem and the only reason more people haven’t noticed is that they drive their cars regularly?

I’ve shared this info with Mazda Australia’s Warranty Manager so I know he’s looking out for a Mazda HQ TSB. Will be interesting to watch.

[Luke]

If the dealer reckon their tests showed normal drain I couldn't see it being anything other than a Dud battery or something was still on for everything in the car to be dead.
The ultimate test will be to see what happens when you leave it again on your next trip.

LOL
Back to what I said, something left on.
I know cruise is sort of weird to be the cause, but personally I have never left cruise control on in any car. I turn it off as soon as I'm done using it before even getting anywhere near turning the car off. Why leave something on when you aren't using it? Sort of like people that mute their radio to turn if off rather than actually turning it off.

Mazda Japan have CONFIRMED the problem is indeed with the cruise control and requires the replacements of the RF’s instrument cluster! Hopefully a TSB will follow.

I wouldn't want the instrument cluster replaced as the fix. Unless of course it comes with less KM's on it. Most plastic trim is really only designed to go together once.
I'd like to see what they really develop as that sounds pretty hard-core. I would have thought a software update would have done it.

We are up to 7 pages. It amazes me that some of the posters see it as minor - it never was- it was always an issue to take seriously. Mazda finally look like acting.

Still seems minor to me. Turn cruise off and its not a problem. Mazda can send that out in a letter right now to advise RF owners until a proper fix is developed.
I think people have lost touch with what a serious problem is these days.
Engine mounts breaking in a the BK Mazda 3's was a serious problem.
Airbags blowing shrapnel although rare is a serious problem, and is still yet to have a proper fix for most makes.
I seriously don't think Mazda will be pushing that hard with RF's cruise control when they have these more serious problems to deal with. It will get fixed but I'm sure its way down the list of their priorities.

[RBH58]

Still seems minor to me. Turn cruise off and its not a problem. Mazda can send that out in a letter right now to advise RF owners until a proper fix is developed.
I think people have lost touch with what a serious problem is these days.
Engine mounts breaking in a the BK Mazda 3's was a serious problem.
Airbags blowing shrapnel although rare is a serious problem, and is still yet to have a proper fix for most makes.
I seriously don't think Mazda will be pushing that hard with RF's cruise control when they have these more serious problems to deal with. It will get fixed but I'm sure its way down the list of their priorities.

Luke. I’ve had 4 flat batteries since I bought the car. It’s been inconvenient and my battery is probably stuffed. I’ve complained to the dealer 3 times and Mazda Australia twice. I was fobbed off on every occasion and told that a 12-14 day battery life was acceptable “for a modern car” and that there was no problem. This was balonney. I hate being bullshitted to.

Yes, it’s not a serious problem and I now turn my cruise control off when I park the car (when I remember). I’d be happy if Mazda’s fix was switch the cruise off when the car is turned off. But I expect them to fix the problem AND replace my stuffed battery. And I don’t think that’s unreasonable. I didn’t hand over $50k for a new car to be treated like a dick.

[TieNN89]

Yes, it’s not a serious problem and I now turn my cruise control off when I park the car (when I remember). I’d be happy if Mazda’s fix was switch the cruise off when the car is turned off. But I expect them to fix the problem AND replace my stuffed battery. And I don’t think that’s unreasonable. I didn’t hand over $50k for a new car to be treated like a dick.

I totally agree with you, I'd like them to replace my battery also, I'd imagine it has decreased the life of the battery considering it has had many flat batteries and no one has taken it seriously.
I plan on taking the battery to a battery specialise to have it tested with a full report.

The battery voltage drops without the car being connected to it.