Service bulletin 02-003-14-2954B

A bulletin is a manufacturer's communication to its dealers, as NHTSA indexes it. The summary is NHTSA's. The document is the manufacturer's: read it at NHTSA. A bulletin is not a recall, and listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned.

The communication, as NHTSA indexes it (as of 2026-10-19)
Type	Service bulletin
NHTSA id	10099703
Published by NHTSA	2017-05-19
Manufacturer's number	02-003-14-2954B
Manufacturer's date	2014-12-30
NHTSA component	SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER

NHTSA's summary

SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CHIRP/CLUNK TYPE NOISE FROM THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS (A) WHEN DRIVING ON A ROUGH ROAD OR PASSING OVER A SPEED BUMP. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE SHOCK ABSORBERS SHOW NO EXTERNAL DAMAGE.

The document

No address for NHTSA's copy can be built for this communication. Ask the dealer for it by the manufacturer's number.

Components

Suspension, Shocks and struts

Vehicles listed
MAZDA CX-5	2013, 2014, 2015
MAZDA MAZDA6	2014, 2015

Listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned: the document says which.

Other bulletins for the same vehicles and component
0200416	2022-06-06. Service bulletin. SHOCK ABSORBER REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES
02-009-17-3392	2021-03-08. Service bulletin. Some vehicles may exhibit a crack on the front shock absorber dust boot (A). This may be caused by dust boot insufficient resistance to cold. The shape and material of the dust boot has been changed to improve the resistance to cold.
02-010-16-3170	2021-01-28. Service bulletin. Some vehicles may exhibit a knocking / squeaking noise from the front shock absorber when driving on rough roads and/or when turning the steering wheel while the vehicle is stopped.
02-016-18-3495	2018-10-09. Service bulletin. Some vehicles may exhibit a rattle noise from the rear of the vehicle while driving. The noise may be caused by a rear shock absorber mounting bracket that is heavily corroded and broken. Due to insufficient durability of the bracket in certain environments, such as where road salt is used, corrosion and breakage can occur. To eliminate this concern, the material and the shape of the bracket (service parts) has been modified.
02-006-18-3449	2018-04-23. Service bulletin. Some customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most cases the oil that is present is normal, and a result of the oil that remains on the shaft during the normal sweeping process of the shaft seal. Follow the inspection guidelines to determine if the condition is a result of the normal sweeping process or a failure of the shaft seal.
02-002-18-3300d	2018-03-05. Service bulletin. Some vehicles may exhibit a knocking / squeaking noise from the front shock absorber when driving onrough roads and/or when turning the steering wheel while the vehicle is stopped.The noise may be due to: Upper front strut bearing (A) damage. (CX-5 and Mazda6) Squeak type noise between the front strut bearing and coil spring. (CX-3, CX-5 and Mazda6) The bump stopper (C) may be contacting the strut bearing when the front shock absorber is compressed, causing a popping noise. (Mazda6 only) The front lower arm bushing (D) is making a creak type noise in wet road conditions. (CX-5 and Mazda6).Front Shock Absorber Front Lower Arm To eliminate the noise, the following mass-production changes have been made: 1. The material and production method of the front strut bearing (A) has been changed. (CX-5 and Mazda6) 2. A protector has been installed onto the coil spring. (CX-5 and Mazda6) 3. The shape of the bump stopper (C) will be modified in the future. (Mazda6 only) 4. The shape of the coil spring has been changed. (CX-3 only) 5. Friction of the lower arm bushing has been reduced by adding a dry coating. (CX-5 and Mazda6). NOTE: The piston rod nut (B) requires replacement.
02-003-17-3300b	2017-10-21. Service bulletin. Some vehicles may exhibit a knocking / squeaking noise from the front shock absorber when driving on rough roads and/or when turning the steering wheel while the vehicle is stopped.The noise may be due to:? Upper front strut bearing (A) damage. (CX-5 and Mazda6)? Squeak type noise between the front strut bearing and coil spring. (CX-3, CX-5 and Mazda6)? The bump stopper (C) may be contacting the strut bearing when the front shock absorber is compressed, causing a popping noise. (Mazda6 only)? The front lower arm bushing (D) is making a creak type noise in wet road conditions. (CX-5 and Mazda6).
02-003-17-3300a	2017-08-10. Service bulletin. Some vehicles may exhibit a knocking / squeaking noise from the front shock absorber when driving on rough roads and/or when turning the steering wheel while the vehicle is stopped. The noise may be due to: upper front strut bearing (A) damage. (CX-5 and Mazda6) squeak type noise between the front strut bearing and coil spring. (CX-3, CX-5 and Mazda6) the bump stopper (C) may be contacting the strut bearing when the front shock absorber is compressed, causing a popping noise. (Mazda6 only) The front lower arm bushing (D) is making a creak type noise in wet road conditions. (CX-5, Mazda6 and CX-9).
02-003-15-2990A	2017-06-08. Service bulletin. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A KNOCKING / SQUEAKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER WHEN DRIVING ON ROUGH ROADS AND/OR WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. THE NOISE MAY BE DUE TO: • UPPER FRONT STRUT BEARING (A) DAMAGE. (CX-5 AND MAZDA6) • STICK/SLIP BETWEEN THE FRONT STRUT BEARING AND COIL SPRING. • THE BUMP STOPPER (C) MAY BE CONTACTING THE STRUT BEARING WHEN THE FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER IS COMPRESSED, CAUSING A POPPING NOISE. (MAZDA6 ONLY) TO ELIMINATE THE NOISE, THE FOLLOWING MASS-PRODUCTION CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE: 1. THE MATERIAL AND PRODUCTION METHOD OF THE FRONT STRUT BEARING (A) HAS BEEN CHANGED. (CX-5 AND MAZDA6) 2. A PROTECTOR HAS BEEN INSTALLED ONTO THE COIL SPRING. (CX-5 AND MAZDA6) 3. THE SHAPE OF THE BUMP STOPPER (C) WILL BE MODIFIED IN THE FUTURE. (MAZDA6 ONLY) 4. THE SHAPE OF THE COIL SPRING HAS BEEN CHANGED. (CX-3 ONLY) NOTE: THE PISTON ROD NUT (B) REQUIRES REPLACEMENT.
02-005-15-3044	2017-06-07. Service bulletin. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CHIRP/CLUNK TYPE NOISE FROM THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS (A) WHEN DRIVING ON A ROUGH ROAD OR PASSING OVER A SPEED BUMP. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE SHOCK ABSORBERS SHOW NO EXTERNAL DAMAGE.