2009 MAZDA MAZDA3 Complaints

WHILE DRIVER WAS BACKING CAR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM THAT HOLDS THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND AXLE BROKE IN TWO, TOTALLY DISABLING THE CAR. ACCORDING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, HAD THIS OCCURRED ON THE ROAD, THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE: THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SLAMMED TO THE GROUND, THE LEFT CONTROL ARM WOULD HAVE OVER-COMPENSATED AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO SWERVE SUDDENLY INTO THE LEFT LANE, GOING INTO A SKID AND THEN FLIPPING END-OVER-END THROUGH TRAFFIC, KILLING THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS OF THIS CAR AND CAUSING A MULTI-CAR PILE-UP. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE BROKEN CONTROL ARM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THIS PART, FACTORY ORIGINAL, WAS MADE OF WELDED METAL, AN INHERENTLY DANGEROUS CONCEPT, SINCE WELDED METAL IS WEAKER THAN A SOLID PIECE OF STEEL. OBVIOUSLY, MAZDA CARES MORE ABOUT COST-CUTTING THAN THE SAFETY OF ITS CUSTOMERS. UPON CONTACTING MAZDA, THEIR ANSWER: POWERTRAIN WARRANTY (THAT WOULD NOT INCLUDE THIS PART) WAS EXPIRED; MAZDA REFUSED TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS POOR DESIGN. *JS

2009 MAZDA3. THE WHEEL END OF THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM SNAPPED OFF. UPDATED 02/13/15*BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS MELTED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TAIL LIGHTS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE LIGHTS OPERATED AT RANDOM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

I HEARD A BRIEF AUDIBLE ALARM AND NOTICED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING SYMBOL ON THE DASH WAS LIT. AFTER ADDING AIR TO ON OFF THE TIRES WITH A HAND PUMP, IN REMOVING AIR PUMP NOZZLE FROM TIRE VALVE, THE VALVE BROKE AND ALL AIR LOST FROM THE TIRE. THIS WAS THE SECOND SUCH OCCURRENCE THIS YEAR. A REPAIR SHOP PERSON SAID THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR ON THE VALVES TEND TO RUST AND CAN BREAK AFTER A FEW YEARS. AS THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS OCCURRED TO ME IN RECENT MONTHS, I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD REPORT IT. BEYOND MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS CAR, I CAN'T RECALL EVER HAVING A VALVE STEM BREAK OFF WHEN FILLING A TIRE WITH AIR AND I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AND ADDING AIR TO TIRES FOR A LONG TIME. OTHERWISE, MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE CAR HAS BEEN FINE. *TR

2009 MAZDA3. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A DEFECT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED IT APPEARED TO BE A DEFECT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE APPEARED TO BE GAPS DEVELOPING ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL HUB. THE CENTER PANEL WHERE THE HORN AND AIR BAG WERE LOCATED. THE GAPS WERE BECOMING INCREASINGLY WIDER TO THE POINT WHERE SHE COULD ACTUALLY SEE MECHANISMS THROUGH THE GAP. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED , BECAUSE THE HUB SEEMED TO BE DETACHING AND SHE FEARED IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY, OR INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY. THE DEALER INSISTED IT WAS A COMMON COSMETIC ISSUE DESCRIBING IT AS TRIM DETERIORATION. *JB

WHILE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHTAWAY PORTION OF A STATE HIGHWAY WITH NO TRAFFIC OR ROAD PROBLEMS (NO POTHOLES OR UNEVEN PAVEMENT), I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN OBJECT HIT THE UNDERSIDE OF MY VEHICLE. UPON LOOKING IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY ITEM ON THE ROAD. AFTER THAT HAPPENED, I STARTED HEARING METAL GRINDING SOUNDS UNDER THE CAR WHEN DRIVING ON UNEVEN ROADS. AFTER REMOVING ALL THE ITEMS IN THE TRUNK, INCLUDING THE SPARE TIRE, THE SOUND WAS STILL EVIDENT OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT A PART OF ONE OF THE REAR COIL SPRINGS HAD BROKEN OFF AND HAD GOTTEN LODGED UNDER THE CAR. THE COIL SPRING LOOKED NEW ON 2/3 OF THE SPRING AND RUSTED THROUGH ON THE PART THAT BROKE OFF (THE OTHER 1/3). THE OTHER REAR COIL SPRING LOOKED LIKE IT WAS STARTING TO RUST IN THE SAME AREA AND WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURE. WE LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST, BUT MAKE IT A HABIT TO CLEAN THE UNDERCARRIAGE DURING THE WINTER SEASON. AS OWNERS OF A 2009 SUZUKI AND 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY, MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THIS PART SINCE THIS TYPE OF FAILURE HAS NOT OCCURRED WITH ANY OF OUR OTHER VEHICLES. THE MAZDA IS A COMMUTER VEHICLE USED BY ONE PERSON AND RARELY HAS ANYTHING MORE IN THE TRUNK THAN GROCERIES ONCE IN A WHILE, SO OVERLOADING IS A NON-ISSUE. WE ARE IN POSSESSION OF THE COIL SPRINGS THAT WERE REMOVED IF INSPECTION IS REQUIRED. *TR

THE TIRE SENSORS VALVE STEMS CRACKED AND THE TIRES WOULDN'T HOLD AIR IN THE TIRES. MAZDA DID REPLACE 2 BUT SAID IT WAS DONE AS A ONE TIME OFFER. NOW THE OTHER STEMS WON'T HOLD AIR PRESSURE THE TIRES ARE ALWAYS LEAKING AIR. I AM AFRAID THAT THE STEMS MIGHT BREAK OFF AS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THESE ARE DEFECTIVE STEMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA, MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNT AND POWER STEERING LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V374000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES NOW SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR THIS SUMMER. I ALL OF A SUDDEN LOSE STEERING CONTROL (FEEL LIKE IT HAS STALLED BUT IT HASN'T) THIS LASTS FOR A FEW SECONDS AND CONTINUES ON WITH NORMAL STEERING.....BUT VERY HARD TO EVEN PULL OVER WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I HAVE ASKED THE DEALERSHIP IF THEY HAVE HEARD OF THIS AND THEY SAY NO---SAY I HAVE TO PAY 150 TO GET IT CHECKED (THAT WILL COME OUT OF MY POCKET-AND AS A SINGLE MOM-I CAN'T DO THAT)---FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON HERE SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ON IT: SEARCH RESULTS REPORT DATE :JANUARY 4, 2014 AT 12:37 AM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER :10V374000 VEHICLE MAKE / MODEL: MODEL YEAR(S): MAZDA / MAZDA3 2007-2009 MAZDA / MAZDA5 2007-2009 MANUFACTURER: MAZDA MOTOR CORPREPORT RECEIPT DATE: AUG 12, 2010 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V374000NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE10021 COMPONENT: STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 215,000 SUMMARY: MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 MAZDA3 AND MAZDA5 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 2, 2007 THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2008. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. CONSEQUENCE: POWER STEERING ASSIST IS SUDDENLY LOST REDUCING THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE AS TYPICALLY EXPECTED, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. REMEDY: MAZDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND LINES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-222-5500. NOTES: THIS IS NOT MY ACTUAL ADDRESS BELOW-BUT IT WOULD NOT LET ME ENTER IN A CANADIAN POSTAL CODE AND CITY (WHICH IS IN ABBOTSFORD, BC V3G 3E3 AND SUMAS IS CLOSEST TO US. *TR

I CONSTANTLY HAVE ISSUES WITH MY TIRE PRESSURE BEING LOW. I WENT TO FILL MY TIRES UP FOR THE 3RD TIME IN 4 MONTHS AND AS I PUT THE COMPRESSOR TO THE TIRE VALVE, THE VALVE SNAPPED OFF. ALL THE AIR POURED OUT OF MY TIRE. LUCKILY I WASN'T DRIVING AT THE TIME. I CHANGED THE TIRE TO MY DONUT AND DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO MY TIRE CENTER. THEY LOOKED AT THE BROKEN VALVE AND TOLD ME IT HAD CORRODED AND THAT THE WHOLE TPM SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. HE ALSO WENT ON TO TELL ME THAT THIS IS COMMON. I ASKED HIM "SO, SHOULD I BE WORRIED ABOUT THIS HAPPENING AGAIN WITH A DIFFERENT TIRE?" AND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD BE LYING TO ME IF HE TOLD ME THAT I SHOULDN'T BE CONCERNED. $150 AND 4 HOURS LATER, I HAD A NEW TPM SYSTEM IN THAT TIRE. KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED EVERY DAY THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR