I narrowed it down to a bad thermostat and bad radiator. I ordered the OEM Mazda parts for $450.00
I only use Gates now after some cheap ones failed but didn't leak. Gates are very good. I have not had to replace one.
Some of the newer Mazda Skyactives have thermostat issues, but it's a minor problem (only symptom is taking longer to warm up) and Mazda extended the warranty on them. It's the only issue I've brought the car to the dealer for on my 21 Mazda 3 without roughly 50k on it.
Your 2013 ford escape is actually built on the same platform as a 2013 cx-5, different engine though. Earlier ford models would actually use Mazdas engines like the escort, focus, and fusion. Mazda and ford had a long partnership that ended around 2013 and since then Mazdas quality and reliability has steadily increased. For the price ranges they are solid cars, I think the mazda3 shines here, it’s pretty competitive and affordable in its class. Also one of the few eco cars that has a real automatic. They don’t have any major issues, my 21 3 has been solid. It needed the thermostat replaced, but Mazda covered me since they have a lengthy extended warranty for that specific part.
Read about the recall, had dealer swap thermostat. Had a reason to leave right away with outside temp at 38 F. Warm air by the stop sign.
I have the ‘19 CX-5, live in NH. Seems normal to me, when it’s below zero outside and the at idle, it should not be hot. Warm after 5-10 yes, but not warm as it would be after driving for 10 minutes.
Common for the thermostat and/or coolant control valve to fail on newer Mazda 3s. It's not a big deal but you might have more coolant loss and it takes longer to warm up.
Batteries crap and so is the thermostat / heat and the trim on the steering wheel and gear shifter is thin and cheap and will come off everything else. Car is great
I just got this fixed at the dealer on my 21. Its the thermostat. They put in over a million bad ones and don't want to own it with a recall so they sent out a TSB. There's also an extended warranty for all the cars for this part/labor.
I replace thermostat even the whole block. Same issue. This fucking car don’t heat.
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If choosing thermostat across many manufacturers, check the part ranking. If your choice is down to two brands, the PartReview part comparisons help.
We compare thermostat across these categories:
In March 2026 on PartReview, thermostat Gates were overall better than OEM Mazda.
Thermostat Gates and OEM Mazda were equally popular according to data in March 2026.
By vote balance, thermostat Gates surpassed OEM Mazda:
By number of reviews, thermostat OEM Mazda surpassed Gates:
In March 2026, according to PartReview, thermostat Gates led more car-specific ratings than OEM Mazda:
Gates are chosen by owners of cars such as: Dodge RAM, and others.
Thermostat OEM Mazda have not yet taken leading positions in car-specific ratings. You can help by adding a review and specifying your car.
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of thermostat Gates with: MotoRad, Wahler, OEM Volkswagen, Mahle, MOPAR, MISHIMOTO, OEM BMW, OEM Nissan, OEM Audi, Duralast.
Also available: comparisons of thermostat OEM Mazda with: MotoRad, Wahler, OEM Volkswagen, Mahle, MOPAR, MISHIMOTO, OEM BMW, OEM Nissan, OEM Audi, Duralast.
You can also see who is better among other thermostat manufacturers: Wahler or MotoRad, OEM Volkswagen or MotoRad, Mahle or MotoRad, OEM Mazda or MotoRad, MOPAR or MotoRad.
