So why does this blog exist? My Smoking Mazda CX-7 is not about my tweaked out, supercharged Mazda CX-7, instead it’s about my 2007 Mazda CX-7 (still under extended warranty) that really smokes after a few minutes of idle. The problem started almost about a year ago, but it didn’t happen often so I simply thought the temperature was too cold outside, and it’s natural for the exhaust to have the appearance of smoke. The few times that I brought my CX-7 into the Mazda dealership for a different issue (weird gear grinding noise from the rear, which they have not been able to reproduce either, so look out for MyNoiseyMazdaCX7.Com soon!) I mentioned the the excessive smoke from the exhaust and since they couldn’t reproduce the problem, I was given the typical “… everything looks fine, just give us a call if it happens again”
Then in January of 2010, I noticed the smoke was getting worse so I started to Gooogle ‘smoking Mazda CX-7 after idle’ I was relieved to find out the smoke monster from Lost was not after me! Other Mazda CX-7 has experience the same exact problem!
Blue Smoke on Idle and my favorite *Official* TSB from Mazda regarding smoking turbos – Mazda Forums
After being told my the Mazda dealership, they’ve never heard of such problem, I printed the TSB from Mazda and brought it down to the dealership again! This time, they confirmed they were able to reproduce the problem I’ve been having. The best part of this trip was when they came out and told me “… we did see the smoke after we left the CX-7 on idle for a few minutes, and Mazda suggest we change the oil and replace it with 5w/40″. Sure, should I take it to Jiffy Lube (where I normally get the oil changed)? Oh no sir, that would just be too easy, I was told in case the oil change doesn’t correct the problem they will have to contact Mazda’s home office and wait for further instructions.
OK, so what does that have to do with Jiffy Lube?
Well if you don’t use the Mazda $90 oil change for the 5w/40 oil change fix, then Mazda might deny the next step towards fixing the problem which according to the TSB “A: If the smoke returns, contact the Technical Assistance Hotline (Select option #2 for Major Assembly Authorization) with the oil change history information, to attain an authorization for a turbo replacement.”
I really don’t know what all that means except it sounds damn expensive. Even though my 2007 Mazda CX-7 is covered under the extended warranty (60,000 miles/6 years) They’re basically telling me if I don’t get this $90 oil change now, be prepare to bend over if the smoke problem returns. So I puckered up my butt and opened up my wallet.
1 st week after the oil change test, so far so good…
2nd week… Crap! Is that smoke? or is it just so damn cold?
and 3 weeks later… My smoking Mazda CX-7 is back!
The smoke came back worse then ever, it now even stinks like I’m driving some diesel burning truck. I dread stopping at red lights because the smoke would quickly surround my car and blind the cars behind me. It got so bad one night, the police decided to pull me over to see if I needed any help!
Few more phone calls to the Mazda dealership, nothing. Finally they told me to bring all the maintenance records, take some pictures and videos and bring it by the dealership. Sure, let me take some more time out of my work to chase these records down and get these picture and videos ready for you. At least I felt like this is going somewhere if home office is asking for all this stuff. Another morning off work to wake up early so I can get all this stuff to the Mazda dealership AGAIN. 3 hours and 4 cups of nasty coffee later, they came back and told me they could not reproduce the problem. REALLY? WTF? Here’re the pictures, and videos from three different dates within a 7 day period! But I was send back home and they were going to forward all the records, picture and videos to corporate.
Few days went by and my calls are not being returned now. I am starting to suspect that Mazda (or the dealership) is trying to ride out the last 1,700 miles of my extended warranty.
The last conversation I had with someone from Mazda was on 3/16/2010 and the person that I’ve been dealing with said everything was forward to home office and we should hear something by the end of the day or tomorrow (the 17th). It is now the 18th and I guess we will see.
This was my first Mazda I’ve ever owned, and it is a fun car to drive. I’ve thought of purchasing a MazdaSpeed 3 or the RX-8, but after the way Mazda has handle this problem for the past few months, I don’t think I will ever give them another try, nor will I recommend a Mazda to my friends.
Do you have a 2007 or 2008 Mazda CX-7? Do you have the same problem? Suggestions?
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{ 49 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi There,
Your story is SO true. My sister is having the same problem with her truck. The worst of it is that she has a baby. Every time that we drive in her car, the smoke is so strong and bad that other people in their cars start looking at us like if something is wrong and even doing some mimics for us to check the exhaust.
We are concern about the baby inhaling the smoke. Imagine that when she called the manager of the dealership to inform about the continuity of the problem and about the baby, he said that the smoke was not toxic at all! We are not chemistry engineers or something like that, but to me that blue/black smoke coming out of the pipe is not pure oxygen.
You can contact me with some suggestions or ideas, but the baby and our family health cannot wait until Mazda and corporate decides what to do.
Txs – Lisbeth
I think you should inspect the turbo by independent garage. In my Cx-7, they found oil leak by the turbo to the exaus directly.
And much more probleme.
Is it still under warranty?
UPDATE: Dealership just got the OK from Mazda to replace the Turbo, I’ll write another post after they have it replaced to see exactly what they did to mine, and if my Mazda CX-7 continues to smoke after the fix.
They are doing the same thing to me they need to have a dam recall but that would hit their pocker books to much so the are jacking us around we all need to call this in to the consumer agency so this can be looked at from the inside out
Yea, they did the same to us for a while, I think they were waiting for our warranty to expire (1,100 miles on the extended warranty) but we kept bugging them and taking pictures and videos. I think the final draw that did it was letting it idle for about 30 mins right down the block from the dealership and pulled up to the dealership with a nice trail of smoke. Within 30 minutes of pulling up the smoking CX-7, they called me and said corporate was sending a new Turbo. It’s been about 2 weeks since they replaced it and everything seems to be fine, I actually feel like the acceleration has improved since the replacement.
So be persistent, they obviously know whats causing the problem!
I own a 2007 CX7 GT AWD with all the bells and whistles and apparently one “whistle” I unknowingly purchased was a smoke screen option! Huh, go figure!
As you’ve no doubt guessed, I too am experiencing the very same issue you describe.
My story? It started some several months ago when I noticed casually one day that bluish smoke came out the back of my car upon leaving a fast food drive-thru. I didn’t think much of it other than to make note of it mentally. Several days later, I noticed the same thing, oddly enough after exiting the very same drive-thru. The drive thru was several cars deep so the time my car was idling was perhaps 5-8 minutes, I made note of it again and began looking for common clues. I came to the conclusion that it happens when the car has been idling for several minutes and usually when the car hasn’t been run for any lengthy period of time, so the engine is not “hot” or fully heat soaked. I mentioned this to my dealer, one tech mentioned something vague about the turbo not spinning quickly at idle and allowing oil to seep past the seals. They suggested the so called “oil change fix”. (Synthetic, heavier weight oil) Of particular note here is that I have run 5W40 synthetic oil in the car since it’s first oil change. Did this fix it? Nope. Getting the same smoking issue and it appears to be gradually getting worse. That’s how I wound-up here, looking for additional evidence to support my theory that the turbo is gradually failing. Now I’m sure of it. My dealer should expect a call from me on Monday. I’ll report back here at to what I find out and what, if any, the fix is.
I’d also like to add one more piece of “evidence” or a symptom I’ve encountered and wonder if anyone else has experienced this. Occasionally, upon accelerating around a turn or from a relatively slow speed (20 mph) perhaps in 3rd gear or so, I’ll get severe turbo lag and actually hear a chattering noise emanate from the right front side of the car, from under the hood. I’ve had this happen to me infrequently but for maybe two years. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to reproduce so thus impossible to accurately diagnose. My theory is it’s the turbo “stalling” or coming off balance somehow and basically rattling against it’s bearing seals. That or it’s a waste-gate issue causing the turbo to experience some kind of extreme backpressure, again causing a high speed rattle. Either way, it seems to me to be the turbo. It is circumstantial but the noise appears to come from the same place under the hood where the turbo is located and given the smoking issue, the commonality is piling up. Anyone else familiar with this issue?
James,
Glad you found my blog, it sounds like you went through EXACTLY what I went through. Please let me us know what the outcome is after you visit your dealership. As far as the rattling noise I did experience the same exact problem, and like you suggested it was impossible to reproduce. Since the replacement of the turbo I’ve yet to hear the rattling noise on acceleration nor have I seen any smoke after long idle.
Good luck!
Mazda cx7 – Well thank the lord I’m not nuts and I’m thrilled to know I’m not alone!
It’s a damn shame this is happening because my CX7 is the fourth Mazda I’ve owned over the years (my first turbo) so obviously I’ve been happy with Mazda’s products. I’ve never had much to complain about at all, frankly, about any of the previous Mazda’s I’ve owned. My 2004 Mazda3 was a TERRIFIC car and I’d buy one again, in fact it’s a major reason I traded it in for the CX7.
Sadly though, I’ve had a couple of complaints about my CX7, not the least of which is it’s MISERABLE gas mileage. But that is a well documented complaint and this is not the forum for that. This smoking issue is only the latest worry. Honestly, since this issue, and seemingly related issues with the turbo, I’ve come to question the reliability of my CX7 and may well trade it in before the year is out, regardless of what happens with getting the turbo replaced. It’s too bad because all in all, I believed Mazda had a winner with this car (mostly) but with time it’s cache has worn a little thin. Frankly speaking, the horsepower and torque output from this motor should be closer to the original MZR-DISI spec (in the Mazdaspeed6) of 280+ horses & 280+ ft/lbs of torque. Why they detuned it I’m not sure because it certainly didn’t help the fuel mileage … whoops! Sorry, there’s that complaint again. On a somewhat related note: If they came out with a MSpeed version in the 330+ hp range with intercooler, factory 20″ wheels, driver controlled AWD bias and bolstered sport seats, I’d seriously consider one. Just my two cents.
Back to the turbo issue … I can’t seem to find the TSB (technical service bulletin) for the turbo issue. Does anyone know if one exists or, barring that, know what the magic words are with the service people?
James,
Here’s a link to the TSB in regards to the Turbo Issue ( http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4686921 ). Feel free to complaint all you want on my blog. My only purpose for this blog was to get the attention of my dealership to let them know that I was not crazy about the smoking issue. As far as the magic words, that’s a tough one because various attempts to have them correct the issue was meet with ‘we couldn’t reproduce the problem’ even after I posted the videos on youtube and send it to them they refuse to contact corporate about the problem.
I think what finally did it for them was I parked a block away from the dealership, let it idle for about 20 minutes when the smoke was nice and heavy and pulled right up to the dealership full of other customers, and the tech came right out with the camera to document the issue. They contacted corporate right on the spot, and that afternoon they called me to let me know a homeoffice approved a new turbo to be shipped.
Good luck!
BTW, totally agree with you on your complaints, this is is my first Mazda and I was pretty happy with the way it handle despite the terrible MPG. It’s a fun ride to drive, but like you I think this will be my last Mazda.
Nice site, I actually have a 2008 CX-7 AWD that I just purchased 3 weeks ago. The car started smoking as well and now have videos/pictures identical to yours! My problem is that there are no service records for the cars oil changes so the dealer is not going to honor the power train warranty for the new turbo. The total repair is going to cost around $2500 bucks. I just called Mazda corporate, but i’m not sure what is going to come out of that.
Anyone out there have any luck getting the turbo replaced without the maintenance records?
Thanks,
Rob
Rob,
I would try to get as much records as you can find, carfax, contacting to seller and ask where they got their oil changed (places like jiffy lube will have complete records)
I handed my records in and there were quite a few gaps in bewteen the recommended 3,000 mi per oil change, I had a gap that was almost 7,000 miles.
And they replaced my turbo anyways, I think if you keep bugging them and keep documenting your problems with pictures and videos, they will eventually give in.
I ahve a speed 6 which is still smoking. I had to produce oil change records at 48K miles and they replaced my turbo and engine. At around 80K miles the smoking came back, dealer could not reproduce the problem, got it back after they changed my oil to the 5w40W (designed for turbo diesel engines) and it was smoking a few days later. I captured it with pictures and video. I’ve brought my car to the dealer but they won’t even bother looking at it without charging me diagnosing fees even though they admit mazda still does not have the PCV fix ready yet. My extended waranty ran out so now I wait while I pollute the enivornment. This really should be a recall since it affects emissions. The TSB has been out sine Jun 2009 and has been pushed back over and over past the original 90 day timeframe. I know the dealer is at the mercy of Mazda NA but I think the only way to get Mazda to do anything is either start getting lots of bad publicity or start hurting their pocket book. The speed6 and sped3 are small numbers but the CX-7 sharing the same engine makes a lot bigger case. Lots more info here:
http://mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?s=ce3bc9d62056cbb6f6138239461cb607&t=123748050
http://forum.mazda6club.com/speed6-engine-drivetrain/189263-exhaust-smoke-vin-list.html
Thanks for the added links to the extra info!
The smoking is due to a poor PVC design that blows the turbo’s seals.
Should be covered under powertrain warranty. Mazda knows all about this as it has been going on for years with the Speed 6 and Speed 3 cars.
Only happens to some cars.
Check out MCX7.com they have all the TSBs listing this issue.
Mazda does not respond then I would suggest you take the TSBs and visit a lawyer.
Note a catch can can help to catch the over flow and may alleviate the problem if the seals are leaking due to pressure and not blow.
But cat in down tube is most likely ruined by oil by now and will also have to be replaced by Mazda….
I have actually owned 2 Cx-7′s the first one was a 2007 and after 22,000 miles the car started to smoke horribly while on vacation. So I called the roadside assistance and had it towed to the local Mazda dealership. After almost 2 weeks waiting for the parts to come in they had to replace my turbo and my Cat converter. Then I felt I didn’t want a car that was going to have more problems so I went to the dealer ship and they gave me what I felt was an Alright deal on a 2008. Now after 31,000 miles I am having the same issue after taking it in 3 times they could not reproduce the problem basically calling me a liar. so I had them keep the car over night then in the morning let it idle for a while with the A/c blowing about an hour later I got a call saying they had seen it smoking and they had the same issue the turbo had gone bad. At this point I am fed up with this issue. If anyone want to ban together and get organized please e-mail me Sprintsam@yahoo.com I would like to get rid of this car and want to bring it to Mazda’s corporate office to have them buy my car back. I have a couple of contacts within the company and want to mobilize unhappy customers to follow this cause. I have spent way too much time in making sure that I have a working “brand new” car this is ridiculous.
i just bought a 2007 mazda cx7 turbo and in the first week it was smoking like crazy. when i went back to get my plates i told the dealer and he said to leave it here.its been there for 2 weeks now and they finally decided to put a new turbo on, but the parts wont be in for another 10 days…. ive had a loaner car for longer then i had the car i bought…. does anyone know if changing the turbo works??????
Yes the change in turbo was what took care of the issue for me. It’s been about 4 months since they replaced it and haven’t had an issue since.
James and everyone else
I had smoke and the smell of burning oil. Had my turbo replaced. Havent had any issues except more recently when going around a corner accelerating in probably 3rd gear I get a rattle just like James described, it is really hard to reproduce, It happens almost everytime around a certain corner near my house. Ive heard it may be an engine mount…..I took it to the dealer and of course they played dumb….you work on cars all day, youre basically a car doctor, I do the best possible job explaining a sound and they tell me they have no idea…..basically play dumb, well what goes around comes around and I hope they all get screwed!
I’ve had the same rattle/clicking noise, but it did stop after the turbo was replaced (knock on wood). I am curious to find out what caused that noise.. anyone?
thanks guys… I’ll let u know what happens when i get it back on aug 11th…because they cant get the parts till then..ha
Ok I got the car back and the smoke is gone…… It seems to be running really great and it is as fast as ever. Only other question I have now is the gas mileage really that bad? I think i see the fuel gauge moving as Im driving..I just filled it and im gonna see what i get per gallon but it dont look good…
Let me add to this list. I am a owner of 2007,CX7 and I have only 14,000 miles on my car. The first time I experience the smoke was coming out of the dealership in May after the oil change. It was smoking so bad that I was embarrassed because all the other cars were looking at me like I was super charged ready to take off to the moon. I turned around and went back to the dealer and they checked and couldn’t find nothing wrong with the car. So I went on my way. August 8,2010, I was sitting in my car talking with a friend for about 20 minutes and the smoke started again. I took off for home and before I got there it stopped. Like everyone else I went to the dealer and they tried to reproduce the smoke but it didn,t happen.I was told to take pictures when it happened again and come right in and bring the oil change history of the car. Like crazy. What if I’m driving on the highway? Am I suppose to STOP in a lane of traffic and take pitures? Something has to be done with all these cars and real soon.
Nancy, I found the easiest way to duplicate the problem is start it up in the morning and just let it run. For me sometimes the smoke will start in less then 2 minutes, and sometimes it can take as long as 15 minutes. That’s how I got the videos for this post. Chances are even after you get pictures and videos of it the dealership will still give you the run around and say their mechanics will have to duplicate the problem. So this is how I resolved that problem
I drove to the dealership one day and stopped about a block away from the dealership and just let it idle for about 20 minutes before I was engulfed in a cloud of smoke. Then I pull right into the dealership, and they were right on it! Nothing like pulling into a lot of potential buyers with smoking car!
Hope they get it fix for you soon, because it will only get worse.
To those experiencing the same issue and frustration w/ Mazda/ extended warranty, here is what worked (albeit through plenty of frustrated calls)
1) don’t deal with the dealership or extended warranty people, they are both useless. The only time we got any action was after we called Mazda corporation – although others have said it’s just as useless…perhaps we lucked out?
2) have all your items and do your research. After getting the numerious documented cases of the same problem and misstreatment by the Mazda company, state such with the Mazda Corp rep and be prepared to contact your attorney general office and a lawyer (and so threaten as such).
It took me a month to get my car back with new engine after another month of random issues. I had to take my car in three times within a span of a weeks before they admitted it to being an engine problem, then had to go through countless hours of obtaining service history from when i bought the car (2006) which is ridiculous to me. Then even after producing all this, they tried to blame and say I neglected the car. Having a mechanic husband to argue helped, but at the end of the day, if you get this car save and document everything and anything done to it because they will try all to avoid liability on the car.
good luck nancy. i bought the car used and it happpened, but the dealer took it in when i went back to get my plates …. it took then a month but they replaced the turbo and i havent had any problems since then…
CHECK THIS OUT!
My parents bought a 2007 CX-7 brand new and I just found out from my dad, that he’s been having the same problem with blue/black smoke. To make things worse, the Turbo just went out and the vehicle is sitting at the Mazda dealership in Selma, CA waiting to be worked on. They already had their District Service Manager look at the vehicle and when the took the Valve cover off, they found sludge in the engine and want my parents to pay for a new Turbo and possible a NEW ENGINE! Not sure if it matters or not, but they also received a recall letter for the A/C compressor about 5 days before this happened. (and they did not run the A/C after they got that notice.) I’m just trying to help my parents out, but don’t know exactly what route to take here. ANY IDEAS?
Blake (707)849-8512 or blaketee2002@yahoo.com
Blake, they need to replace what is wrong if its still under warranty… if not mazda knows that there is a problem with the turbo and they could fight it and get it fixed for free.. just search it and u will see all the problems other people had
Gee ‘mazda CX-7′, you are a bloody whinger, YES, it is well known that there is and WAS an issue with the Turbo, sometimes a fix can take time. Your Privately Owned Mazda DEALER like all CAR Dealers may have let you down. But, looking at your vid, the “smoke” you show is bloody condensation, it is cold and SNOWING outside you MORON!….ANY car will smoke condensation when it is that cold, there is NO BLUE smoke in this vid of yours…So YES, now there is a fix, happy now, Mazda are one of the few Car Companies that DO NOT Walk away from their “good” customers, if you go to a dealer and DEMAND things to be done, then you may deserve the treatment you got…But all is well now..I hope…what a a PITA.
Reply to ‘ASH’
You’re right ‘Mr.Bloody I’m good at talking trash and too much of a chicken shit to leave your real email’ There was snow, and it was winter but if I remember correctly you weren’t standing next to me that day, I would remember if there was a jackass next to me. Yes condensation does happen so what you’re telling me is that it’s normal for your ‘condensation’ to be so thick that cops pull you over to see if you need help?
Condensation is normal when you idle for a few minutes and your car is surrounded by it? Or is your comment based on that fact that I do not have a Hollywood production studio to reproduce the exact color of the ‘blue smoke’?
As you stated.. ‘it is a well know’ that there is and Was an issue.. so why does the dealership tries to play dumb and deny it didn’t exist? After a few visits to them to get the run around, you damn right i’m going to DEMAND my shit to be fixed. I don’t know how things are done where you come from, but over here we don’t like to just bend over and take it from the behind.
I can assure you if this problem comes back I will hire an production to video tape it just for you, happy?
Same problem with my wife’s CX 7 – On Friday afternoon I was sitting in the car waiting for her to come out of the house. Wanting to charge my cell phone (and not being able to have a ‘live’ outlet if the car isn’t running) I started the car. It idled for 5 – 10 minutes. She got in the car and I checked in the rear view mirror to back up. What a damned cloud of smoke and stink! I drove it for about 5 minutes and stopped to take another look – still smoking. I checked the oil – it was down a hair, probably not actually down, just hadn’t drained back down from the head.
Besides taking it to the stealership in January for an oil change (I’d had my left shoulder replaced in December and couldn’t crawl under the car) I’ve always changed the oil myself. (Yes, it’s a PITA but on the other hand it gives me a chance to see if there’re any leaks or other ‘stuff’ going on with the car.) Every time I change the oil and filter I save the receipt from Wally World and staple it to a sheet of paper containing my notes about the oil change and my observations. I also include a date of the change.
In any event, I took the car to the stealership on Sunday and dropped off a copy of my service records – complete, 16 pages! Yesterday they called saying that they were going to try to duplicate the problem and, if they could, they’d run by Corporate for the approval to replace the turbo. They told me to keep a camera handy just in case they can’t duplicate the smoke.
They also told me that the TSB (that I’d included with the paperwork) had been superseded by a new one that didn’t include the heavier weight oil. If I can finagle a copy I’ll post it for the rest of you.
In the meantime I’ll await their call. By the way, I also let them know that I taught power mechanics and auto mechanics. That, when added to my pages of documentation concerning all of the oil changes may have helped me out.
Sorry you’re having the same problem but few people took my suggestions and it worked great. Simply park your car somewhere near the dealership.. let it idle till the problem starts (and it will once you’ve started to experience it) then pull right into the dealership in a trail of smoke. They will take care of it really quick especially when other customers are there
Late this afternoon they told me that there was no problem found. (They also told me that they had a call into Corporate in order to get approval for repair. Zowie! It appears that the snow-job has begun.)
I’ll call in the Smoke Gods tomorrow and settle the issue. About 45 years ago my brother backed up to the front door of a grocery store that I worked in with a ’55 Chevrolet and really lit up the tires. The store quickly filled up with tire smoke. When I get the Mazda smoking I’ll try to relive the ‘glory days’ of my youth.
The stealership couldn’t duplicate the problem today so I brought the car home and tried to invoke the Smoke Gods a couple of times with no luck. So, I changed the oil (Mobil 1 5W-30) and took it out for a test drive to check for leaks. Up the driveway “Houston, we have smoke!” I took a couple of pictures (would be happy to post them if there’s a way) and brought them back to Mazda. They claimed that it was condensation from a cold ‘first-of-the-day start’. It wasn’t – It ran for at least an hour total before the oil change. Besides, the smoke ‘hung’ in the trees (and smelled like a 1960 GMC bus) unlike condensation. The stealership said that they’d send the photos to Mazda with the recommendation that the turbo be changed out. Will keep you posted.
Mark , just copy and paste my posts. Its whats happening to ur car. they had mine for a month but it was eventually fixed and now it runs great with the new turbo
Bill
Well, they took the car in on Tuesday AM and we had it back on Wednesday PM. Replaced the turbo. My wife is currently zipping across the countryside – hopefully without a hitch.
LOL this is just too perfect! I’ve been dealing with this stupid smoke issue and stupid mazda’s techs for months, and I can’t believe the first google search I made brought me right to this blog. (I also can’t believe it took me so long to google it
). Anyways, same as everyone, brought it in but it wasn’t smoking at the time so they “couldn’t diagnosis it”. But I can’t wait to pull into the dealer monday with a blazing blue trail of smoke and see how they try to blow that up my ass!
Nice! What did they say? Cuz they ‘took care of my problem’ really fast when I did that!
From the Canada’s Capital Ottawa, got the same. Even though critics say regular gas is the same as high test. My Mazda disagrees. After going back to high test and mid grade, smoke appearance has decreased. However, it does come back instantly if the gas cap was not put on tight. I smoke screened a cop car a while back, and she was not impressed. Next on the list is bearings.
Very nice blog. I have been experiencing the same issue with my 2008 CX7 here in hot, humid New Orleans. I noticed the smoking when I would wait in my car for my wife to come down from work. I had to turn off the engine and roll the windows down to make sure that it would not be smoking in between all of the stop & go traffic in the city. I also started avoiding lines in fast food places because it would sometimes smoke in the drive-up lane if I had to wait too long or pull up to the “line” to wait for my food. I brought it to the dealership my last oil change & they were unable to reproduce the smoke. I am guessing it is because they didn’t wait until the car was completely cooled down. When I picked it up, they told me that I should probably take pictures & a video with my cell phone the next time it happened. They did tell me that it was a known issue and didn’t try to give me the run-around; maybe sites like this are making progress???? I brought it into the dealership’s service center today & they are replacing my turbo. I mentioned that I have it all on video but they said that they did not need to see it. I will have to pick up my car tomorrow afternoon . . but other than that this has not been too unpleasant. Hopefully this solves the issue but I still wonder if anybody on this forum has had a recurring issue even after the problem was fixed? What is the root cause of this issue & does the replacement of the turbo prevent it from happening again?? Thanks everyone!
Thanks BReal1, I started this blog to let my dealership know that I was not going to play their game of ignoring what they knew was an issue, even though my CX-7 has been fixed for some time now (and have not had any issues since they replaced the turbo) I am still amazed how many people are commenting with the SAME exact problem and getting the SAME run around.
Regarding having the problem reappear after the replacement of the turbocharger, we’ve put about 1500 miles on ours since the work was done. So far, so good – no smoke.
Hi there Ive got a CX7 just like this one, goes fine then at the lights you pull away and leave the people behind in a cloud of smoke, I totally fogged out McDonalds yesterday at the drive through, went to local dealer and they are looking next week they say they have been talking to Mazda tech support? it looses no oil or water what so ever, I thnk it could be air cond related but it smells terrible some days then nothing for a week, too weird I just bought it 4 months ago 2007 model only done 34,000 kms.
Great site. I experienced the same with my 2010 Cx-7, dealer turned me away back in Oct ’10 and said they didn’t find anything wrong. Today, the smoke got so bad that when i dropped off at the dealer, the smoke actually blew into the service dept’s office. They collected my maintenance history and are now replacing the Turbo. This car only had 15k on it the fist incident. Also, not sure if its related, when i drove this car off the lot on day one, there was a terrible plastic burning smell that came through the ventilation system, lasted for almost a month.
It sounds like everyone else that owns a cx7 is having the same problem.
My wife drives one and we have taken it in to the dealership for an oil leak problem, It has come to light that it is the turbo leaking oil into the exhaust and dripping out when it is not running. The smoke we all see while the car is running is oil being pumped past the turbo shaft seal and burning in the exhaust . I am a licenced heavy truck mechanic and have had some concerns about the engine start up on the cx7.1500-2000 rpm on start up is not good for a turbo charger.Explanation,your turbo on your car is a compressor that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases out of the engine spining a turbine whitch then compresses clean air on the intake side of the engine giving it more power. It is a very effective system and are very reliable when designed properly.See a turbo charger when working at max potential can spin in access of 20000 RPM agin 20000 rpm ,so to handle that kind of speed they are pressure fed oil from the engine to lubricate the shaft bearings . It is my opinion that the cause of the premature turbo falure is caused by excessive engine rpm on start up.Whats happening is the turbo is spinning to fast on start up without any oil pressure for the short time it takes for the oil to reach the turbo. The time delay only increases in cold weather.The lack of lubrication can cause bearing failure and excessive shaft play and or seal damage causing the oil leak or worse complete failure of the turbo. Rule of thumb with any turbo charged engine is start at low idle ,allow to warm up before driving and ALWAYS allow 30 seconds or more of idle time before shutting the engine off. The turbo can keep spinning for quite a while after the engine is shut off, if the engine is not running there is no oil pressure . meaning no oil to the turbo shaft bearings. I have been told by the dealer ship that MAZDA wants to see all the service records,of coarse we have not kept them all but the car has been serviced well because of the turbo. I cant wait for the battle ,it sould be a good one . Oh ya we payed 3000 for the extended warrenty and ive heard that the big M has turned down alot of claimes . If we have to pay it will be the last Mazda ever to park in my driveway and word of mouth is a great influence on people . I wont have anything good to say . Ive voiced my concern about the excessive start up rpm and the dealer told me there all like that dont worry about it.Hummmmm Problem? Good luck .
I’m having the same exact issues. But my factory warranty has expired & my ext warranty is thru another company that will not cover this problem. My turbo has gone bad. It only has 62k miles on it. But it’s considered a aftermarket add on. Why I have no idea! But I had it @ Mazda 3 times for the same problem. Repair bill will be about 3k! Seriously I just bought it used in Nov. I will nvr buy another Mazda!
I’m amazed that people are still having this issue, as of this week I got rid of my smoking mazda!! Trade it in for a Honda Accord, I know one thing is for sure is I will be glad to get 30mpg vs the 18 I was getting on the HIGHWAY with my CX-7!
Apparently the 2007 models have a poor turbo design that builds up sludge. They fixed this problem in the following year. The blue smoke would be the burning oil from the turbo. A lot of reviews have stated the turbo being a big failure. Replacing the turbo would cost a lot and only pause the issue. Even with an extended warranty Mazda may not grant your service on the turbo.
If your exhaust shows white smoke and smells, that could be the cheap gas your filling up with. Some fueling plants don’t properly refine what they process from the ground. Besides you should be filling up with premium gas.
Overall the 2007 models are a let down.