[dk0280]

ok, so i just got this car this past friday and already i made a mistake.. tonite, as i was driving home, i decided to try out my sport shifter.. but didn't realize i wasn't in that mode and actually shifted up to neutral for about a second before i realized what i did and shifted back to drive.. so, did i just mess up my engine? i had just pulled out of the driveway and was was accelerating.. i was probably at around 20 mph when i did the shift.. i could see the pin of the tach go up to about 5 to 5 1/2 before i could get it back to drive though.. what did i do? at least it's under warranty....

on another note... do any of you notice a very soft and medium to high pitched humming coming from the engine? it stays at the same pitch.. when the engine is on, you can hear the motor running but then theres this hum.. seems to be coming from the front right side of the engine area.. i don't know if that sound was there before my "neutral" incident, but i think i do remember noticing that sound when i first test drove the mz3 a few weeks ago.. i'm not sure what that sound is. anyone know?

 

[rpc180]

You've had the car a couple of weeks? Nothing bad happened letting the engine rev to 5.5k especially if it was only for a second or two.

The hum could be a lot of things. Do you hear it when you're in your driveway and in park? It could be the power steering assembly cause it controls the hydrolic pumps have been known to make noise when active.

 

[LeeLee]

Dude, relax, it's no biggie. While shifts between neutral and drive may be a bad idea if you do it all the time, say every time you come to a stop light, it's okay to do it.

In fact, if your engine ever stalls while moving, you are supposed to shift it into neutral, restart the car, and shift back into D. Of course if your engine stalls while moving, you've got bigger problems...

You are allowed to shift freely between Neutral, D, 3, 2, 1 and sports shift mode. Just remember to never put the car in R while moving forward. And if you ever put it in P while the car is moving... well, just don't do it.

So it's all good. I have no idea about the hum.

 

[dk0280]

thanks guys.. that's more reassuring.. i got pretty freaked when i did that... i kno it's controversial, but i'm gonna do a more harsher break-in than what the manual says.. my last few cars, i've broken in by babying them.. and feel the performance wasn't up to par after that period.. so i'm changing it up this time... hopefully, revving across the board, except for redline..

about the hum.. next time you guys turn on your car, turn off all the music and just listen.. let me know if you hear a slight hum... it's not a muffled hum but more of a long tone... kinda like that tone you hear when they do one of those emergency broadcast system tests on tv.. only, not as loud.. it's pretty faint, but if you ignore the sound of the engine and just listen for that tone, then you may hear it.. if not, it's just my car and i'll have to have the dealer check it out..

 

[MGB]

I see you're in Houston - and it's been warm enough lately for A/C - was your A/C on while this was happening? if so it could be the compressor. (I had to have mine replaced in my last vehicle and the new one was LOUD.)

 

[dugrant153]

You are allowed to shift freely between Neutral, D, 3, 2, 1 and sports shift mode. Just remember to never put the car in R while moving forward. And if you ever put it in P while the car is moving... well, just don't do it.

I did that before in my 85 Corolla (going from Drive to Reverse). Loud "CRUNCH" was heard. But these 80s Corollas are built tough, so I just restarted the car (after stalling it cuz of my "downshift") and it still drove like normal.

But yeah... don't do it.

 

[budgy]

I wouldn't worry about it, these cars are pretty tough man, my brother was driving my car and he mis shifted into second gear and my tach read about 6900 for half a second, nothing wrong with it But he caught the clutch really quickly so it is hard to say the car could take much of that shit and abuse.

 

[stevefl]

The hum you hear is from the power steering pump. Mazda3 gives you variable pump pressure depending on your speed. The pressure is greatest, and the pump works hardest, when you are standing still. That's when you need the most power assist. Don't worry about the hum. It's normal, and should be the same on all Mazda3's.

 

[TellyDSP]

IS this hum, the same as the whining noise i thought as coming from my PS. I assumed hats what it was,but it's more of a whining noise than a hum.

 

[DJ Spencer]

OMFG!! TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER!! HURRY!!!

Wait... You said you only hit nuetral and 5.5k rpms?? Bahh... That's nothing... You've done nothing more than maybe give a good rubbing to the engaged parts of nuetral...

I used to rev a lot in nuetral in the P5, no biggie. Actually, I used to forget that I turn sport shift off and accidently pop in nuetral on the freeway - thinking I downshifted to pass a car - wait until that happens. You'll just kick yourself in the ass for a few days.

 

[stevefl]

Yeah, some call it a hum and some call it a whine, but it's from your power steering pump and it's normal. Just ignore it.

 

[SBTanMan]

It's interesting. The only other vehicle I've driven that makes a similar noise from the power-steering pump is a Ford E-350 Econoline (15 passenger), and it's almost the exact same noise. The first time I heard it in the van, I thought I was doing something wrong, so when I heard it in my Mazda, I was worried. But then, I drove the big van again, and it reminded me that the power-steering made that noise at the extreme points of turning while at slow speeds.

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

thanks guys.. that's more reassuring.. i got pretty freaked when i did that... i kno it's controversial, but i'm gonna do a more harsher break-in than what the manual says.. my last few cars, i've broken in by babying them.. and feel the performance wasn't up to par after that period.. so i'm changing it up this time... hopefully, revving across the board, except for redline..

Um, note that the manual never says baby it, it says do exactly what you just said you're going to do - rev it across the board.

 

[DJ Spencer]

Funny, I don't recognize a power steering hum/whine...

I do, on occasion, notice a sound that seems like I have a sever grounding issue with my radio though!

 

[bman]

Don't worry, that hum you're hearing is from the power steering. I think the biggest reason it sound like that is because it is running of an electric motor. Most electric motor seem to sound like this, you should try out one of the new hybrids.

As mentioned before when you are stopped the pressure in the pump is the highest to allow you to turn easily at slow speed. Therefor you electric motor is also working very hard to keep up the pressure, that why you can really hear it at low speeds or stopped.

I can of like the sound myself, make me feel like I'm driving a futuristic car.

 

[rsx_r04]

Just remember to never put the car in R while moving forward. And if you ever put it in P while the car is moving... well, just don't do it.

I once put my brother's car in reverse while going forward at really high speed. I think i was going around 90 km/h. The result? Car stalled. The car still works perfect. Oh, it was a late 90's Civic Si, auto.

 

[DJ Spencer]

According to the manual, the Mazda3 will not go in reverse if the car is in 5th gear.

I think that is true with most cars though.