1. Verify that the joint shaft is not twisted or cracked.
2. Turn the joint shaft by hand and verify that the bearing rotates smoothly and freely.

Drive shaft
Joint shaft removal/installationMazda 6 Service Manual: Technical data
ENGINE
LUBRICATION SYSTEM
Note
The maintenance intervals on scheduled maintenance table (See
SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE TABLE) can only be supported by the use of following
oils.
Recommended engine oil
COOLING SYSTEM
FUEL AND EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS
ENGINE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
...
Mazda 6 Service Manual: No.4 air intake mode does not change
When performing an asterisked (*) troubleshooting inspection, shake the
wiring harness and connectors while performing the inspection to discover
whether poor contact points are the cause of any intermittent malfunctions.
If there is a problem, check to make sure connectors, terminal ...