Mazda 2.2 Diesel engine
Discussion
I am looking at a potential diesel car purchase and one car that I really like the look off is a Mazda 3 with the 2.2 diesel engine.
However I’ve seen some posts online that these can suffer from reliability issues which could result in expensive repairs, which is putting me off a bit. Does anybody have any experience with this engine and has it proved reliable? I know it’s used in the Mazda 6 as well. The car I am considering is a 65 plate Mazda 3 registered in 2016.
If not a Mazda I will probably be looking at something like a Toyota Auris which is incredibly dull but it shouldn’t suffer from reliability issues!
However I’ve seen some posts online that these can suffer from reliability issues which could result in expensive repairs, which is putting me off a bit. Does anybody have any experience with this engine and has it proved reliable? I know it’s used in the Mazda 6 as well. The car I am considering is a 65 plate Mazda 3 registered in 2016.
If not a Mazda I will probably be looking at something like a Toyota Auris which is incredibly dull but it shouldn’t suffer from reliability issues!
I've nothing to add regarding the Mazda 2.2 diesel, but there is the general point that I'm not sure that diesels are the Japanese manufacturers' speciality - I doubt they sell very many diesel cars in their home market. So the reliability may not be as good as you were expecting, or the engine may not be made by the manufacturer e.g. it appears that from the 2015 facelift, you could get a BMW-made diesel in a Toyota Auris.
trevalvole said:
I've nothing to add regarding the Mazda 2.2 diesel, but there is the general point that I'm not sure that diesels are the Japanese manufacturers' speciality - I doubt they sell very many diesel cars in their home market. So the reliability may not be as good as you were expecting, or the engine may not be made by the manufacturer e.g. it appears that from the 2015 facelift, you could get a BMW-made diesel in a Toyota Auris.
I thought these had the same engine as the jaguar X type 2.2 & ford Mondeo ?Gerradi said:
trevalvole said:
I've nothing to add regarding the Mazda 2.2 diesel, but there is the general point that I'm not sure that diesels are the Japanese manufacturers' speciality - I doubt they sell very many diesel cars in their home market. So the reliability may not be as good as you were expecting, or the engine may not be made by the manufacturer e.g. it appears that from the 2015 facelift, you could get a BMW-made diesel in a Toyota Auris.
I thought these had the same engine as the jaguar X type 2.2 & ford Mondeo ?I have a bit of experience, we currently have a 2016 CX-5 diesel and have had a few 6s with the engine in the past.
Our CX-5 has been faultless in the 18 months we have had it.
From experience with the 6s, Mazda are aware of issues and do look to offer certain support on cars outside the warranty period if they have a reasonable service history within the Mazda network.
They can suffer from carbon build-up , two of the 6s had a proper carbon clean carried out by local Mazda dealer under warranty/goodwill even though they were five or six years old at the time. The symptoms were hesitation and a EML.
One of them also needed the turbos replacing due to internal damage to the impeller but that wasn’t an inherent fault just bad luck.
Head gasket failure seems to be fairly common with them and camshaft issues on certain cars but they’re not issues I have encountered personally.
It’s a nice performing engine though and I would happily buy another, most engines have their common issues and these are no different.
Our CX-5 has been faultless in the 18 months we have had it.
From experience with the 6s, Mazda are aware of issues and do look to offer certain support on cars outside the warranty period if they have a reasonable service history within the Mazda network.
They can suffer from carbon build-up , two of the 6s had a proper carbon clean carried out by local Mazda dealer under warranty/goodwill even though they were five or six years old at the time. The symptoms were hesitation and a EML.
One of them also needed the turbos replacing due to internal damage to the impeller but that wasn’t an inherent fault just bad luck.
Head gasket failure seems to be fairly common with them and camshaft issues on certain cars but they’re not issues I have encountered personally.
It’s a nice performing engine though and I would happily buy another, most engines have their common issues and these are no different.
I've got a 2.2 180hp in a 2017 Mazda6 and had no problems in 2.5 years and 15k miles. Mostly short journeys but the odd road trip.
One of the issues on the older variant I read about was around the DPF regen - the car would dump extra fuel into the engine to produce a hotter burn and clear the DPF. If you stopped the engine during the process, the fuel could sit in there and eventually seep and mix with the oil.
If you're doing semi-regular motorway journeys it shouldn't really be anything to worry about
One of the issues on the older variant I read about was around the DPF regen - the car would dump extra fuel into the engine to produce a hotter burn and clear the DPF. If you stopped the engine during the process, the fuel could sit in there and eventually seep and mix with the oil.
If you're doing semi-regular motorway journeys it shouldn't really be anything to worry about
I've got a 2013 Mazda 6 currently, 3 years in. Absolutely no engine troubles at all. I had an injector fail but at 165k, something was bound to break eventually so nothing to worry about. Mine does like to dump fuel into the oil and of the 5.5L sump capacity, my 8 litre oil drain tub regularly gets really full so do be careful of that. Otherwise, it starts on the button and goes well enough. I have so far done 20k or so in it over 3 years and it's never missed a beat, injector aside. I think they might be more sensitive to servicing than people expect and then brand them unreliable. Not the case for me. Just a word of warning though, they use a crazy bi-turbo all-in-one arrangement and it's about £2000+VAT & labour (some garages quoting engine out for this!) if that goes bang then you're on for a bill and a half. At 165k, mine is original and going strong.
My daughter goes horse riding at some stable's and her instructor mom has a 2.2 65 plate Mazda 6, its done 154k miles and it passed its mot last week with no advisories, in the winter she often sits in it all day with it ticking over.
I know as on Saturday she said how good it had been when I mentioned it looked like it had never had a wash, she said it hadn't and referred to it as the yard car.
I know as on Saturday she said how good it had been when I mentioned it looked like it had never had a wash, she said it hadn't and referred to it as the yard car.
Thanks for the replies, seems quite a few people have had no issues with them, although there will always be some unlucky ones who will advise to stay well away.
I dithered on the car I was looking at and now it has gone
It doesn't have to be a Mazda but I do like the idea of a nippy 2.2 which has some economy on top!
I dithered on the car I was looking at and now it has gone
It doesn't have to be a Mazda but I do like the idea of a nippy 2.2 which has some economy on top!
I’ve previously owned a CX5 2.2 diesel. There is a known issue with oil contamination due to the way the DPF regen works. The oil level rises gets diluted. On mine I got an oil warning on the dash just before I had a 400 mile round trip to make towing a caravan! I called the dealer and was told it’s a known issue and after I get back book the car in for a free oil change!
There was from memory quite a bit of info if googled. However, I got rid.
There was from memory quite a bit of info if googled. However, I got rid.
I have a '6 2.2 on a 64 plate. I had an engine replaced under warranty by Mazda (with absolutely no hassle) before 30K miles, due to bottom end seizure. I saw the engine stripped, and the crank pins were well scored, same for the camshaft. The oil pickup strainer was almost blocked. Be aware the cam runs directly in the alloy head (no bearing shells) so damage here likely means a new head. To that point, the car had apparently 'been serviced' as officially required, but not by a Mazda dealer.
However, I now have put 100K on the replacement engine and it runs as sweetly as the day it was fitted. I have heard of some at twice that mileage and more. Apart from a wheel bearing, a duff switch, and a rattly loudspeaker, my car has not needed a spanner on it and drives like the day I got it.
These diesel engines (and not just these, read, BMW, VW group, Jag, Ford...) are susceptible to lube oil problems if they aren't looked after, it is ABSOLUTELY VITAL to use the manufacturer-specced LOW-ASH OIL, KEEP IT CLEAN, AND CHANGE IT REGULARLY. If you do that, then all should be well. The wrong oil may end up blocking oilways over time.
The diesel dilution problems are well discussed here and elsewhere, and this is NOT a Mazda-specific problem. Modern multigrade oils are low viscosity straight out of the can, even before they are gradually contaminated with diesel. To compound the problem, the oil pump systems in modern engines work differently "to reduce pumping losses and improve engine efficiency". In other words, low revs means low oil pressure.
I change my oil, with filter, at 6K intervals. This is half the specced interval. (Anyway the car itself will likely tell you on the dash well before that, that it needs an oil change !)
The bottom line: if the car has a proper Mazda dealer service history you should be fine.
If Billy Bloggs Motors has done it and cheapex oil has been used, with every last mile wrung out of it before changes, then be wary, even if the car has a Mazda DSR history. Look carefully to see where it was done, and at what intervals !
Another issue I've heard of (once again, not just Mazda, it happened with my VW too) is the EGR / crank breather system can suffer carbon build up.
Post 2017 Mazdas (those with Adblue) can have a DPF soot sensor failure, but this has been subject to a re-design and is normally fixed by Mazda at no cost.
Hope all this helps!
However, I now have put 100K on the replacement engine and it runs as sweetly as the day it was fitted. I have heard of some at twice that mileage and more. Apart from a wheel bearing, a duff switch, and a rattly loudspeaker, my car has not needed a spanner on it and drives like the day I got it.
These diesel engines (and not just these, read, BMW, VW group, Jag, Ford...) are susceptible to lube oil problems if they aren't looked after, it is ABSOLUTELY VITAL to use the manufacturer-specced LOW-ASH OIL, KEEP IT CLEAN, AND CHANGE IT REGULARLY. If you do that, then all should be well. The wrong oil may end up blocking oilways over time.
The diesel dilution problems are well discussed here and elsewhere, and this is NOT a Mazda-specific problem. Modern multigrade oils are low viscosity straight out of the can, even before they are gradually contaminated with diesel. To compound the problem, the oil pump systems in modern engines work differently "to reduce pumping losses and improve engine efficiency". In other words, low revs means low oil pressure.
I change my oil, with filter, at 6K intervals. This is half the specced interval. (Anyway the car itself will likely tell you on the dash well before that, that it needs an oil change !)
The bottom line: if the car has a proper Mazda dealer service history you should be fine.
If Billy Bloggs Motors has done it and cheapex oil has been used, with every last mile wrung out of it before changes, then be wary, even if the car has a Mazda DSR history. Look carefully to see where it was done, and at what intervals !
Another issue I've heard of (once again, not just Mazda, it happened with my VW too) is the EGR / crank breather system can suffer carbon build up.
Post 2017 Mazdas (those with Adblue) can have a DPF soot sensor failure, but this has been subject to a re-design and is normally fixed by Mazda at no cost.
Hope all this helps!
Edited by Carpilot on Friday 4th November 10:42
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