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Mazda BT-50 2017

Mazda BT-50 2017

FROM
$13,090

The 2017 Mazda BT-50 range of configurations is currently priced from $8,999.

Our most recent review of the 2017 Mazda BT-50 resulted in a score of 7.8 out of 10 for that particular example.

Carsguide Contributing Journalist Marcus Craft had this to say at the time: The BT-50 is a smooth-driving, versatile workhorse with great off-road ability and it offers real passenger-car levels of comfort. Faced with a wide variety of terrain, including a few brief but punishing sections of potholes, it was never troubled during this trip.

You can read the full review here.

This is what Marcus Craft liked most about this particular version of the Mazda BT-50: Ride and handling, Roomy inside, Off-road efficacy

The 2017 Mazda BT-50 carries a braked towing capacity of up to 3500 Kg, but check to ensure this applies to the configuration you're considering.

Read more
8.9L/100km (combined)
Dual Cab
6 Speed Automatic
Diesel
Rating Summary
Price and features
8
Practicality
8
Driving
8
Safety
8
Overview
Likes
Ride and handling
Roomy inside
Off-road efficacy
Dislikes
No USB port for rear-seat passengers
No major revisions apart from touchscreen
Six month service intervals

Mazda BT-50 2017 FAQs

Why does the transmission in my 2017 Mazda BT-50 take so long to engage?

My take on it is that dealers should stop telling lies to their customers. Take your problem straight to Mazda Australia’s customer service division and side-step what is clearly a smoke-screen from your dealer. It is ridiculous to suggest that a relatively new vehicle needs ten seconds to engage a gear after it’s been sitting for a few days.

As for the problem itself, start with the basics. Check for a blocked filter in the transmission (which can slow down the flow of fluid) and make sure that the fluid itself is not just the correct grade and type, but also the proper brand. These modern transmissions are complex and intricate, and even something as simple as the incorrect fluid can create chaos. Beyond those simple fixes, the problem could also be caused by a few other faults. For starters, it could be an accumulator inside the transmission that is failing. The accumulator’s job is to store some hydraulic pressure (created by the transmission’s pump) so that the transmission always has enough pressure and fluid volume available to effect gearshifts. If this accumulator is bleeding off pressure when the car sits, it will need time to refill (again, from the pump) before the unit will be able to select Drive. The other possibility is that the pump itself is slacking off and taking too long to build up pressure within the gearbox. You could also be looking at a pressure valve that has lost the plot and supplying the part of the gearbox it’s responsible for with an incorrect line pressure. Either way, a gearbox that is slow to select gears is often headed for the scrap-bin.

Given that it’s possibly a fairly major problem, it isn’t going to get any better. Your problem is that Mazda didn’t introduce its five-year warranty until August 1, 2018, and vehicles sold before that date were covered only for three years. That said, you’re BT-50 might squeak in, particularly if you pointed this problem out to the dealer some time ago (within the first three years). At that point, it’s a pre-existing condition, and it will be covered by the factory warranty as it occurred within the warranty period, even if the dealer – as it appears in this case – elected to spin you a yarn and do nothing about it.

Mazda BT-50 2017: How should I be towing with my car?

Opinions are divided on this subject, Steve, but there’s a school of thought that says you shouldn’t tow anything heavy in an overdrive gear. Manual-gearbox Toyota LandCruisers of the last 30 years or so are prime examples of this, and hauling a heavy load in fifth gear in these can destroy a gearbox real quick. But all vehicles will be better off with overdrive locked out while towing; it’s just kinder to the driveline. So, your decision to tow in fifth gear rather than sixth is a sound one.

The only catch with some vehicles is that both fifth and sixth gears are overdriven. But fifth gear in the BT-50’s automatic gearbox is not, it’s 1:1, so you should be fine as long as you don’t exceed the manufacturer’s towing limits at any stage.

As for putting bigger wheels and tyres on the BT-50, you’d actually be altering the gearing, making it taller, which means the vehicle may not cover ground as effortlessly as it does now. Hills and headwinds might require more throttle, too, and that will mean higher fuel consumption.

Mazda BT-50 2017: Is there a safety recall?

There is a current recall affecting 30,505 MY 2016-2018 BT-50s. It relates to two front brake issues, one for a potential front brake hose failure, the other for possible front brake calliper cracking. Both could affect the car’s braking. To see if your BT-50 is one of those affected phone Mazda Customer Support (1800 034 411).

See all Mazda BT-50 2017 FAQs
Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. CarsGuide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.