Customer Reviews

Mazda 626 & MX-6, and Ford Probe (1993-2001) Automotive Repair Manual (Haynes Repair Manual)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This manual suffers the same problems most consumer car repair manuals suffer from.

It is not well illustrated: the illustrations are scanty, and sometimes confusing. For example: trying to locate the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve and related solenoids was an exercise in frustration. The illustration shows the EGR valve for a 4-cylinder car, but not one for the V-6 (which I have), except for a view from the bottom of the car. So locating it involved getting under the car, and looking with a light for about 15 minutes -- peering through the gaps in the exhaust system, frame braces, etc. Then, after I identified it, I had to somehow find it again from the top, because it can't be reached from the bottom except by dismantling a frame brace and assorted other stuff. I was finally able to locate it by touch.

Locating and identifying the little solenoid that sends vacuum to the EGR valve proved almost as frustrating. The manual doesn't show where it is located, or what it looks like. There is an illustration purporting to show it, but it doesn't match. I could go on.

To make this book really useful for the user, it should have well-drawn line drawings supplemented with numerous CLEAR photos showing the part in question in its many versions and forms, from different angles, etc. I'm sure this would make a larger, more expensive book, but it would also make it worth the money.

The second problem is the lack of sufficient instructions on how to get to or remove parts. The manual will say something like "remove the whatchamacallit cover." It doesn't tell you that to do it you have to remove 7 bolts, three of which are hidden, so that after removing the 4 visible ones you have to grunt and swear and curse until you finally figure out that there are more bolts to take off, AND that you have to slide the cover a certain way to make it come off. It also doesn't say that the whole job would be a lot easier if you take off something else first. I still haven't figured out how to take off the EGR valve without first removing the frame brace, air cleaner, throttle body, and perhaps even the entire intake manifold first -- about NONE of which the manual offers any hint.

The third problem is that some of the information is just wrong, at least for my car. The manual shows an electrical connector on the EGR valve lift sensor that has 6 terminals. It gives very precise instructions on how to test the sensor by checking resistance between terminals. The only problem is that the sensor on my car has only three terminals. How do I check the resistance on the sensor? I have no clue.

The previous reviewer's complaints about switching back and forth between different sections to get a job finished are on the mark also.

All in all, this is a frustrating book to depend on for information on repairs and trouble shooting. However, it is pretty much all that is out there, and it is useful for help in a number of small procedures, most of them not having to do with the engine. You can use it to troubleshoot engine problems, but it takes a lot of patience and a willingness to figure a lot of stuff out on your own, with only broad hints and inadequate illustrations for help.

Haynes manuals are good and very useful, but a lot of important details are omitted. And, a lot of important details are grouped together in statements like; "remove all lines, electrical connectors, and hoses" which is the largest part of the job! Or, "take this part to a professional mechanic for repair", if I wanted to do that I would not have bought your manual!
The Haynes manual is good, but far short of great.

I wasted a good deal of time following the instructions to remove and replace the starter motor on my 2000 Mazda 626 4-cylinder. What the authors chose not to mention was that the starter in the Mazda 626 is not in the same place as in the example car (Ford Probe), so the Mazda starter cannot be removed and replaced by following the instructions. I removed the entire air intake housing, as instructed, before I figured out that there's no way in hell you can get to the starter from that direction. Ingenious!

Maybe this manual is useful for the Ford Probe or MX-6, but it is useless if you want to fix your Mazda 626. I really want to find the publishing executive responsible for this nonsense and throw my old starter through his windshield. Until then, I'll just try to find a manual that is specifically written for my Mazda.

I bought this manual to provide instructions on how to replace the rack and pinion on my car. The instructions worked perfectly. The only problems I had were due to my trying to skip or avoid some of the steps (like dropping the sub-frame). If I had followed the recommendations in the manual, I would have saved time. In the end I did the job just as described in the manual and it worked perfectly. I highly recommend this repair manual.

Like most car repair manuals this one is not very helpful. This manual is for two very different cars that have the same engine....Talk about cheap. The steps are not always well documented and the few pictures are never of the part you need to see to finish the job and most of the pictures are not even for my car. I hope that someone will make an online or CD-rom version of car repairs that is actual usefully.

Even though the book was labeled as used, the book I received is brand new and carefully wrapped. This seller can be trusted.