Skip to content
KickTyres
CriticalCommonEngine

Mazda Mazda3: 2.2 SKYACTIV-D (SH-VPTS) diesel intake shutter carbon and engine wear (2019 recall)

2.2 SKYACTIV-D (SH-VPTS) diesel intake shutter carbon and engine wear (2019 recall) is a common engine fault on the Mazda Mazda3 on the 2014–2016 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $0 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 37 documented faults on the Mazda Mazda3.

Vehicle
Mazda Mazda3
Engine
SH-VPTS
Years
2014–2016
Fuel
diesel
System
Engine

This page covers the Mazda Mazda3 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Mazda Mazda3 faults37 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph for this fault yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of something else.

What goes wrong

BM Mazda3 models with the 2.2 SKYACTIV-D diesel (SH-VPTS) were recalled in October 2019 (PRA 2019/17867) because carbon builds up in the intake shutter valve and can cause early wear of engine parts. Symptoms include a gradual loss of power, several warning lights, and at worst the engine stalling and not restarting, sometimes with smoke from the engine bay. Mazda inspects and replaces affected parts and updates the engine software free under the recall, but engine damage outside the recall is expensive. Recall lists cover cars sold new in Australia, so for an NZ-new or imported car ask a franchise dealer to check the VIN.

What you would notice

  • Gradual loss of power
  • Several dashboard warning lights at once
  • Engine stalls and will not restart
  • Smoke from the engine bay

How to check it

Where to look. Engine intake system, intake shutter valve on the 2.2 diesel

Ask the seller for the recall completion record or a dealer service invoice showing the recall work. Type the VIN into the manufacturer recall check or the Australian vehicle recall site on your phone while standing at the car. Cold start the engine and watch for warning lights, then on the test drive check it pulls cleanly through the gears without going into reduced power. If a workshop inspection is possible: ask a Mazda dealer to confirm the diesel carbon recall inspection and software update are recorded for this VIN.

What it costs to put right

$0 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the diesel carbon recall been done, including any parts replaced?”
  • “Has the engine ever lost power or gone into limp mode?”

Now check the Mazda Mazda3 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Mazda Mazda3 buyer questions

Is 2.2 skyactiv-d (sh-vpts) diesel intake shutter carbon and engine wear (2019 recall) serious on a Mazda Mazda3?

We rate it critical and common on the Mazda Mazda3. BM Mazda3 models with the 2.2 SKYACTIV-D diesel (SH-VPTS) were recalled in October 2019 (PRA 2019/17867) because carbon builds up in the intake shutter valve and can cause early wear of engine parts. Symptoms include a gradual loss of power, several warning lights, and at worst the engine stalling and not restarting, sometimes with smoke from the engine bay. Mazda inspects and replaces affected parts and updates the engine software free under the recall, but engine damage outside the recall is expensive. Recall lists cover cars sold new in Australia, so for an NZ-new or imported car ask a franchise dealer to check the VIN.

How much does it cost to fix on a Mazda Mazda3?

$0 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Mazda Mazda3 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2014–2016 Mazda Mazda3. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Ask the seller for the recall completion record or a dealer service invoice showing the recall work. Type the VIN into the manufacturer recall check or the Australian vehicle recall site on your phone while standing at the car. Cold start the engine and watch for warning lights, then on the test drive check it pulls cleanly through the gears without going into reduced power. If a workshop inspection is possible: ask a Mazda dealer to confirm the diesel carbon recall inspection and software update are recorded for this VIN. Look here: Engine intake system, intake shutter valve on the 2.2 diesel