2004 MAZDA MAZDA3 Complaints

I HAVE CAR JM1BK12F64[XXXX], MAZDA 3, 2004, 2.0L. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE AXLE SHAFT OF MY CAR. I NEED TO KNOW IF THIS CAR HAS RECALLS OR WARRANTY. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN DEALER OF PUERTO RICO BUT IT WAS AN IMPORT FROM THE USA. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH AT NIGHT, MY LOWER DASH (RADIO, HVAC) AND STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS LIGHTING WENT OUT FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES, AND THEN CAME BACK ON. THIS STARTED HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY FROM THAT POINT ON, SHUTTING OFF AND COMING BACK ON RANDOMLY, WITH THE LIGHTS BEING OUT CONTINUOUSLY ONCE FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN TRAFFIC. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT I JUST DISCOVERED THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE ALSO GOING OUT AT THE SAME TIME. INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE CAUSE IS A DEFECTIVE PASSENGER JUNCTION BOX (PJB). THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND AN UNACCEPTABLE ENGINEERING FLAW WHICH APPEARS TO AFFECT OTHER DRIVERS OF THIS VEHICLE MODEL AS WELL. DUE TO PROHIBITIVE COST OF JSB REPLACEMENT AND UNCERTAINTY OF THE INTEGRITY OF THAT PART ITSELF, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO INSTALL A FAILSAFE INDEPENDENT WIRING SOLUTION FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO ENSURE REQUIRED RELIABILITY

ISSUE: ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ALONG WITH POWER STEERING SHUTTING OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST INSTANCE OF THIS ISSUE HAPPENED WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT. AS I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN MY VEHICLE SHUT OFF, ALONG WITH THE POWER STEERING. ABOUT A SECOND LATER EVERYTHING CAME BACK ON AND OPERATING NORMALLY. THIS SAME ISSUE WOULD HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY, USUALLY WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS. THERE WAS NEVER ENOUGH OF A PATTERN TO SAY THAT IT WAS HAPPENING EVERY WEEK OR MONTH, ETC. I TOOK VEHICLE TO MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS BATTERY CABLES NEEDING TO BE REPLACED, AFTER IT STARTED HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY A FEW MONTHS LATER. THE ISSUE STOPPED FOR A COUPLE MONTHS, BUT THEN BEGAN AGAIN. THIS TIME IT STARTED HAPPENING JUST BY TAPPING ON THE BRAKES AS WELL AS MAKING A TURN. ALL THE ELECTRICAL ON THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF, ALONG WITH THE POWER STEERING AGAIN; AND THEN IT WOULD COME BACK AFTER A SECOND BEING OFF. THIS TIME IT BEGAN HAPPENING MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY, AT LEAST A COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK; MOST RECENTLY IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND THIS TIME MY POWER STEERING WAS OFF FOR MY ENTIRE 30 MILE DRIVE HOME FROM WORK. I TOOK IT AGAIN TO A DIFFERENT MAZDA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED, AND THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THEY NEEDED TO CHANGE THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR AND POWER STEERING PUMP FOR STARTERS; BUT WAS NOT GUARANTEED THAT WOULD RESOLVE THE ISSUE AS THE TECHS HAD NEVER SEEN THIS ISSUE BEFORE AT THEIR SITE; THEY SAY THEY CALLED THEIR CORPORATE TECH LINE AND WERE ADVISED TO REPLACE THOSE ITEMS FIRST. I EVEN SHOWED THEM A VIDEO I HAD TAKEN OF THIS HAPPENING IN MY CAR ONE NIGHT AS I DROVE AROUND MY BLOCK IN ORDER TO DOCUMENT THE ISSUE. THERE IS NO PATTERN WITH REGARDS TO SPEED OF VEHICLE, OR WHETHER THE ENGINE IS COLD OR HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE, AS THE ISSUE CAN HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS. *TR

I WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH ON I-35W JUST OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS. I WAS TRAVELING AT 60MPH AND HIT A CONCRETE WALL. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. UNACCEPTABLE!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA MAZDA3 . THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONSOLE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V468000 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL: SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPY ROADS, MY POWER STEERING LIGHT COMES ON, SOMETIMES LOSING POWER STEERING MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE THE CAR. IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT THERE'S NO RHYME OR REASON FOR WHEN IT WILL COME BACK ON OR WHY THE STEERING GOES OUT OR NOT. TWO MECHANICS I'VE TAKEN IT TO CAN'T SEEM TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND ONE THINKS IT COULD BE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE ILLUMINATION OF THE AIR BAG LIGHT INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT WITHIN THE AIR BAG OR THE AIR BAG SENSOR, WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTIONING DURING A CRASH. THE CONTACT NOTICED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V468000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE) AND CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AROUND THE AIR CONDITIONER CONTROLS WERE NOT ON, THOUGHT IT WAS A SHORT OR A BLOWN FUSE, PLANNED ON CHECKING ONCE RETURNING HOME THAT NIGHT. HOWEVER WAS PULLED OVER BY LOCAL POLICE DEPT AND TOLD I DIDN'T HAVE ANY TAIL LIGHTS. CHECKED ALL FUSES RIGHT THEN, ALL FUSES WERE GOOD. DROVE HOME WITH EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON TO AVOID BEING HIT. TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY THEY CHECKED ALL FUSES AND FOUND THE FUSES WERE GOOD BUT FOUND THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS HAD BLOWN. TWO WEEKS LATER THE SAME THING, NO LIGHTS AROUND AIR CONDITIONER CONTROLS SO I IMMEDIATELY GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND DISCOVERED NO TAIL LIGHTS. TOOK CAR BACK TO SAME MECHANIC AND UPON RESEARCHING HE FOUND THAT THIS MODEL HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE PASSENGER JUNCTION BOX (FUSE BOX) HAVING SHORTS. WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE JUNCTION BOX AND THE REPLACEMENT BOX IS APPROXIMATELY $800. WITH THIS BEING A KNOWN PROBLEM THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO REPLACE ALL PASSENGER JUNCTION BOXES! I COULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT FROM NOT HAVING TAIL LIGHTS AND NOT KNOWING IT!!!!! *JS

2004 MAZDA 3. PURCHASED CAR USED IN MARCH 2007. PER OWNER SERVICE RECORDS, MOTOR MOUNT #3 FAILED AND IN 11/2006, PER SERVICE BULLETIN, AND WARRANTY, LOCAL DEALER PERFORMED PARTIAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT, INCLUDING RUBBER ON MOUNT #3. NO PROBLEMS WITH CAR LEADING UP TO INCIDENT, REGULAR MAINTENANCE PERFORMED DURING OWNERSHIP 2007 - CURRENT. CAR USED PRIMARILY TO AND FROM WORK, APPROX. 12K PER YEAR DRIVEN. ON 8/29, CAR JUST STOPPED, MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION FELL OUT OF CASING, CAR CRASHED ON HWY 9. TOWED TO MAZDA DEALERSHIP. INITIAL ESTIMATE OF REPAIR $990 APPROX. ESTIMATE REVISED TO $3500 APPROX. TRANSMISSION BRACKET SHEARED/BROKEN AT METAL. MOTOR MOUNT #4 & TRANSMISSION MOUNT SCREW COMPLETELY DISLODGED. RECOMMENDED REPAIR INCLUDES COMPLETELY NEW TRANSMISSION CASE AND MOUNTS. NOT SURE IF ANY DAMAGE DONE TO TRANSMISSION ITSELF. FAILURE REPORTED TO DSM AND MAZDA CORPORATE. DUE TO CAR OUT OF WARRANTY AND MILEAGE ON CAR $100K, DENIED ANY RECOURSE FROM MAZDA FOR STRUCTURAL FAILURE. *TR

FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILS PREMATURELY. MY RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT 58K MILES AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MY LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING IS FAILING AT 68K MILES AND NEEDS REPLACING. MY MECHANIC STATED THAT THESE PARTS SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER, AND THAT CONTINUED DRIVING WITH A BAD BEARING COULD LEAD TO WHEEL LOCKUP AND AN ACCIDENT. MANY OTHERS ARE COMPLAINING OF SIMILAR FAILURE ON INTERNET FORUMS. MAZDA WON'T REPAIR THIS FREE OF CHARGE SINCE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR