Vibration felt on the gas pedal and steering wheel of my 2003 Mazda6i

Asked by primus115 Oct 24, 2008 at 04:22 AM about the 2003 Mazda MAZDA6 4 Dr i Sedan

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Hi there!  I currently own a 2003 Mazda6i that is well-maintained and has around 131,000 miles on it.  Recently, I have been feeling vibrations on the steering wheel as well as the gas pedal of my car while I'm driving it.  The vibrations aren't too pronounced but they are noticeable when I am driving my car on the freeway at around 65-75 miles per hour.  Also, my car has also been experiencing a low-rpm output (about 700 rpm) when the engine is idle.  I have also experienced an unusual spike in the fuel economy of the car.  My car usually gets about 200 miles with half a tank of gas under normal driving conditions but that number has been recently hitting about 275 miles with the same amount of gas and under the same driving conditions.  While I'm thrilled about the improved fuel economy of the car, I'm worried that might have to do something about the vibrations that I've been experiencing.  There are no warning lights or any unusual displays on the dashboard so I'm not sure what to make of this.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!    

4 Answers

1,945

My best guess is that you've got an un balanced tire, that would explain the vibration... and the extra fuel economy is coming from the fact that you're getting to speed more carefully trying to figure out what is wrong with the car? Slower acceleration makes for Higher Milage... Can't think of much else that would cause a vibration like that...

3 people found this helpful.
440

I'd mostly agree with Chris. You're vibration most likely is in a tire. Could be out of balance, maybe lost the balancing weight off of the wheel, or it might be out of round, broken or shifted belt, or bulge. Be sure to have your front-end checked also as vibrations like that can wear out suspension and steering parts early. "Also, my car has also been experiencing a low-rpm output (about 700 rpm) when the engine is idle." What do you mean by this? Is it surging? If so, check for vacuum leaks, cracked or disconnected hoses. An easy way to do this is to LIGHTLY spray some starting fluid on lines and hoses while the engine is running. If the rpm's suddenly jump while you are spraying, that means there is a hole around that spot where the engine was able to suck in the starting fluid. BE CAREFUL to do this when the engine is not too hot, and DO NOT spray on the exhaust. Starting fluid is combustible, I've never seen it happen, but it can catch fire (have to add that disclaimer for certain people). For your fuel economy...how have you regulated the amount of gas you put in? This might sound silly, but if you're always putting $20 in the tank to get to halfway, since gas prices went down so much, $20 would get you more gas, but probably not so much as to make a noticeable difference on your gas gauge. Check your receipts to see how many gallons you've put in it. Maybe it's not better mileage, just more gas goes farther. If that's not the case, then again I'd agree with Chris.

1 people found this helpful.
165

the low idle could also just be because of the cable that controls the idle speed. If it is just a little too loose it idles lower. I had the same problem with my car. Its a ten cent repair. I agree with the others about the vibration and gas mileage. vibration is to be expected after aggressive driving though, epecially if you corner really hard. Good luck!

1 people found this helpful.
75

THe vibration could also be caused by snow getting packed in between the rotors and the wheels. We have had this issue a few times what with the snow in Michigan.

3 people found this helpful.

Your Answer:

MAZDA6

Looking for a Used MAZDA6 in your area?

CarGurus has 208 nationwide MAZDA6 listings starting at $4,490.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    RK
    Reputation
    760
  • #2
    Glynno
    Reputation
    480
  • #3
    GuruLJS8L
    Reputation
    440
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Mazda MAZDA3
81 Great Deals out of 1,310 listings starting at $1,999
Used Honda Accord
52 Great Deals out of 997 listings starting at $2,995
Used Toyota Camry
52 Great Deals out of 1,161 listings starting at $4,594
Used Honda Civic
175 Great Deals out of 4,082 listings starting at $440
Used Nissan Altima
21 Great Deals out of 677 listings starting at $1,995
Used Toyota Corolla
150 Great Deals out of 2,284 listings starting at $2,699
Used Lexus IS
19 Great Deals out of 414 listings starting at $4,400
Used Nissan Maxima
13 Great Deals out of 184 listings starting at $5,999
Used Hyundai Sonata
52 Great Deals out of 814 listings starting at $1,543
Used Ford Mustang
51 Great Deals out of 1,662 listings starting at $5,977
Used Toyota Avalon
3 Great Deals out of 38 listings starting at $6,995
Used Lexus ES
14 Great Deals out of 209 listings starting at $5,995

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.