slipping/squeaking sound when accelerating in low gears and around corners

[sandiegolove]

I have a 2006 mazda 3i automatic with about 60k on it. No real mechanical problems (yet... Knock on wood!) and take it for oil changes pretty regularly.

It has been making an odd squeaking sound almost as if belts were slipping or not catching. The noise started by my house and only happened on a right turn up a big hill. I drive this hill several times a day and the sound is getting much worse.

It is now accompanied by a slipping feeling in the gears (only low) and is worst right after I turn and try to accelerate up the hill. I have to press the gas VERY slowly and creep up the hill to avoid this terrible noise.

It has begun to happen more often such as pressing the gas after a stop sign or light and it is TERRIBLE on hills.

Help :( My dad thinks its the transmission but I can't afford to fix that right now. YIKES!

[Zotaga]

I don't think it's the transmission. If it was, you would experience the problems in other gears as well. It's probably the drive belt + tensioner which is the same issue that I am experiencing. Go look under your hood and see if the tensioner at the top is moving back and forth as the car is running. If it is, you have a bad tensioner. If you then press down on the belt and there is a lot of slack, then your belt is also stretched. To replace the two costs $200 from the Mazda dealership + labor. I also had the gears slip on me, but once I put on my K&N air filter, the slipping was gone. Now it flows through the gears without a problem. That's around $70 for the Mazda3's.. I hope that helps.

[FastEdward]

I think I'm having the same issue on my 2006 mazda 3 automatic.

It's a resonating high pitched moan that happens at low speeds, particularly when turning. If it is in fact the belt+tensioner, is this covered under Mazda's basic warranty?

What's truly shocking is that this is a used car that I purchased after having Mazda (Yonge and Steeles dealership) complete a pre-purchase mechanical inspection. No report was made about this issue. I'll probably try to use that fact as leverage for a service discount in the event it's not covered under warranty.