2009 MAZDA MAZDA3 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD ON. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CRASH CAUSED HEAD INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS ON FILE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 38,000.

POWER STEERING INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AFTER COMING TO A STOP ON A HOT DAY. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD, PLACED THE CAR IN PARK, AND THEN TURNED OFF THE CAR. THE LIGHT WENT AWAY, AND THE CAR'S POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED. I THE PROCEEDED DOWN THE ROAD AND THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND I LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN - THIS TIME WHILE MOVING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND REPEATED THIS PROCESS. AS OF NOW, I'VE BEEN HAVING TO REPEAT THIS PROCESS WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE. *TR

POWER STEERING INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AFTER COMING TO A STOP ON A HOT DAY. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD, PLACED THE CAR IN PARK, AND THEN TURNED OFF THE CAR. THE LIGHT WENT AWAY, AND THE CAR'S POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED. I THE PROCEEDED DOWN THE ROAD AND THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND I LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN - THIS TIME WHILE MOVING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND REPEATED THIS PROCESS. AS OF NOW, I'VE BEEN HAVING TO REPEAT THIS PROCESS WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE. *TR

I SUBMITTED A REIMBURSEMENT APPLICATION FORM FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF MY WIPER MOTOR $438.07. THE MOTOR WAS REPLACED ON JANUARY 4, I SENT IN THE REIMBURSEMENT APPLICATION ON JANUARY 5, AND WAS DENIED ON JANUARY 10. I RESUBMITTED IT TWO MORE TIMES, BECAUSE I BELIEVE I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE PRICE OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WIPER MOTOR DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE RECALL ON THE GROUND HARNESS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE WIPER MOTOR FAILING OVER TIME. I NEVER RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE, AND THEREFORE NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO FIX THE HARNESS BEFORE IT CAUSED THE WIPER MOTOR TO STOP WORKING. I HAVE PLACED NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS, BUT EACH TIME I AM TOLD THAT THEY WILL INVESTIGATE AND GET BACK WITH ME. NO ONE EVER CALLS BACK. *JS

AUG 2011, I WAS DRIVING ON THE AUTOBAHN IN GERMANY WHEN MY REAR TIRE SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY DEFLATED AT HIGH SPEED. THE MECHANIC SAID THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS VALVE HEX NUT BROKE OFF AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO DEFLATE, ALSO DESTROYED MY TIRE. JAN 2012, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS TIME THE FRONT TIRE WAS NEARLY FLAT AND THE SENSOR HEX NUT WAS BROKEN AND BARELY ATTACHED. I TOUCHED THE NUT AND IT DISINTEGRATED IN MY HAND. THE TIRE IMMEDIATELY LOST PRESSURE AND DEFLATED. THE INSIDE OF THE NUT WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED, ALONG WITH THE SENSOR VALVE. I WROTE MAZDA AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T HELP ME BECAUSE THE MILEAGE WAS PAST MY WARRANTY AND THEY DO NOT GUARANTEE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF ANY PART. THEY DIDN'T ADDRESS MY SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT A TIRE SUDDENLY DEFLATING AT HIGH SPEED. I STRONGLY SUGGEST MAZDA INVESTIGATE THIS CORROSION PROBLEM WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS. ANY PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE THE TIRE TO SUDDENLY DEFLATE AT HIGH SPEED IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. I REPLACED ALL MY SENSORS AT A COST OF AROUND $450, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL $180 FOR A NEW TIRE. *TR

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS THE THIRD INSTANCE OF THIS PART/SYSTEM FAILURE! THE ALUMINUM TIRE AIR VALVE IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO CRACKING AND BREAKING! THE METAL TIRE VALVE CRACKED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING A SUDDEN AND INSTANT LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE. THESE ARE FAULTY VALVES, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED ON DIFFERENT TIRES. IF THE TEMPERATURE DROPS THE CHANCES OF THIS FAILURE ACCRUING IS SEVERELY MULTIPLIED. THESE VALVES ROT AND JUST GIVE OUT WITH NO WARNING. PLEASE RECALL THIS PART! THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF REPORTS AND VIDEOS ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED MAZDA AFTER ALL THREE OF THESE OCCURRENCES AND THEY ARE CLAIMING "DRIVER ERROR"! THEY REFUSE TO ADMIT THIS IS A PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE VALVES. *TR

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE IN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. THE TPMS WARNING CAME ON. ON INSPECTION THE TIRE VALVE WAS MISSING, IT LOOKED SHEERED OFF. TOOK THE CAR INTO A TIRE REPAIR/REPLACEMENT CENTER AND HAD A NEW TPMS VALVE INSTALLED. I'VE SINCE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON FAILURE IN MAZDA 3'S, AND LIKELY MANY MAZDA'S. AT THE TIME, I CONTACTED A MAZDA DEALER WHO OFFERED NO EXPLANATION AS TO HOW A VALVE STEM CAN SHEER CLEAN OFF WHILE DRIVING ON A FLAT, CLEAN HIGHWAY. ALL THEY OFFERED WAS A REPLACEMENT PART, NOT WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS UNDER THE BASIC WARRANTY AT THE TIME. SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD ANOTHER TIRE AIR VALVE SHEER OFF ON A SECOND MAZDA 3 (2009) WE HAVE. WE BOUGHT 2 - 2009 MAZDA 3'S AT THE SAME TIME. THE SECOND MAZDA 3 HAD LOW TIRE PRESSURE. ON INSPECTION, THE VALVE CAP WAS REMOVED AND THE VALVE BROKE OFF. IT BROKE WAS THE CAP WAS BEING REMOVED. THIS IS A VERYDANGEROUS CONDITION AS THESE THINGS CAN SHEER OFF ANY TIME WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, AND YOU HAVE A SUDDEN LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. WE'VE NOW EXPERIENCED 2 FAILURES ON 2 CARS, AND ONE FAILURE OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED THAT RESULTED IN A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE FOR A YOUNGER LADY OF COLLEGE AGE. THIS IS DANGEROUS. MAZDA NEEDS TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM AND MANUFACTURE A PROPER VALVE THAT CAN BE USED IN A VERY COMMON USE SCENARIO, NAMELY, DRIVING DURING THE WINTER MONTHS WHEN SALT IS BEING USED FOR SAFETY REASONS. THAT SHOULD NOT BE USED AS AN EXCUSE AS TO WHY THAT PART FAILS. HERE ARE AT LEAST A COUPLE OF WEBSITES WHERE YOU CAN SEE THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON. HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2009/MAZDA/MAZDA3/TIRES/PROBLEM.ASPX HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2009/MAZDA/MAZDA3/TIRE+PRESSURE+MONITORING+SYSTEM. *TR

MAZDA3 HATCHBACK 2009. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WAS ON FIRST TIME AROUND 15000 MILES. AFTER THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND I GOT MAIL FROM MAZDA3 SAID THIS CAR NEED A RECALL FOR POWER STEERING ISSUE. I RETURNED THE CAR TO DEALER AROUND 36000 MILES AND THOUGHT EVERYTHING IS GOOD. HOWEVER, STARTED FROM THIS JUN, THE CAR BECAME MUCH WORST. IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF DURING DRIVING AND THE SITUATION HAPPENED OFTEN. I EVEN VIDEO RECORD THE INCIDENT FOR THE DEALER. I RETURNED MY CAR TO DEALER ONCE EVERY MONTH FROM JUN, THIS IS THE 3RD TIME. I GUESS THE DEALER DON'T KNOW HERE IS THE PROBLEM IS. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. HAPPENED TO MY ONCE IN THE EXIT OF HIGHWAY, ONCE WHEN I TURN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION. NOTE: BEFORE IT SHUT OFF, EVERY INDICATOR LIGHT WILL TURN ON.

2009 MAZDA 3. CONSUMER STATES THE GLOVE BOX BEGAN TO RATTLE NOT LONG AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER NUMEROUS VISITS TO THE DEALER, THE ENTIRE GLOVE BOX ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER 2010. THE PROBLEM RESURFACED FIVE MONTHS LATER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT MAZDA WOULD NOT AGREE TO REPLACE THE GLOVE BOX AGAIN. THE CONSUMER STATED THE GLOVE BOX IS NOW DIFFICULT TO CLOSE AND IT OPENS AT RANDOM WHILE DRIVING. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA MAZDA 3. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THE PRESSURE SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THE VALVE STEMS ON ALL FOUR WHEELS HAD CORRODED AND THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE VALVE STEMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED BECAUSE THE CORROSION WAS DUE TO SALT ON THE ROAD THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,110. UPDATED 08/31/11 *BF UPDATED 09/07/11