2009 MAZDA MAZDA3 Complaints

I BOUGHT 2009 MAZDA 3 AND HAS 18,700 MILES ON IT AS OF TODAY NOV 2010. I NOTICED TPMS SIGN COME ON YESTERDAY AND GOES OFF AND COMES BACK ON WITHOUT ANY BEEPING SOUNDS. TIRE AIR PRESSURE IS SHOWING ACCEPTABLE LEVELS AND AT 18K MILES I DON'T EXPECT TO CHANGE TIRES FOR SURE. NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON. MAZDA MUST ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA, MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR RECALL 10V374000 (STEERING: ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM). UPDATED 02/09/11*LJ UPDATED 03/03/11

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

MY 2009 MAZDA 3 GR TOURING HAS TWICE LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST. FIRST: WHEN IDLING ON VERY HOT DAY. RESTARTING THE CAR RESTORED POWER. SECOND, WHILE IDLING IN TRAFFIC JAM ON PA TURNPIKE. RESTARTING DID NOT RESTORE POWER. THE CAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. I'M A HEALTHY MAN AND I MANAGED TO GET IT INTO THE SERVICE PLAZA. AFTER SITTING, POWER ASSIST CAME BACK. I'M NOT AN OPTIMIST ABOUT GETTING DEALERS TO FIX INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS. I NEVER TOOK THE CAR IN. IN MY OPINION, THE CAR IS ONLY CAPABLE OF MILD AND MINIMAL STEERING DURING THIS FAILURE. MAZDA'S STATEMENT THAT IT POSES NO SAFETY PROBLEM IS WRONG. IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MANEUVER THIS CAR QUICKLY UNDER THIS FAILURE. *TR

1. I WAS STUCK IN A TRAFFIC JAM IN MAY 31ST AND WHEN I HAD TO TURN AFTER A WHILE, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS NO LONGER WORKING. 2. THIS WAS THE ONLY TIME THE POWER STEERING FAILED, IT FAILED UNTIL I PARKED THE CAR ABOUT 1/2 HOUR LATER. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN, THE POWER STEERING WORKED FINE. IT HAS WORKED FINE SINCE THEN. 3. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE. THE CAR IS A 2009 MAZDA 3, 4-DOOR, TR VE. *TR

ON A FEW SEPARATE OCCASIONS (APPROXIMATELY THREE) DURING ESPECIALLY HOT WEATHER, THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED WHILE DRIVING MY 2009 MAZDA 3. ONE ESPECIALLY CONCERNING INSTANCE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY IN VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC. EACH TIME I HAVE PULLED OVER, SHUT THE CAR OFF, AND TURNED IT BACK ON, FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THIS HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL FOR THE MOST PART. HOWEVER, ON ONE OCCASION, WHICH OCCURRED IN 100+ DEGREE WEATHER, THE POWER STEERING DID NOT RETURN AND THE CAR HAD TO BE LEFT IN A PARKING STRUCTURE TO COOL DOWN. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED AND ULTIMATELY CORRECTED. *TR

POWER STEERING HAS FAILED ON MY 2009 MAZDA 3 GT SPORT IN 2 INCIDENTS - JULY 14, 2010 AND AUGUST 11, 2010. IN BOTH CASES, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE CAR. ONCE I SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WAS NO LONGER LIT AND THE POWER STEERING WAS OPERATIONAL AGAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA, MAZDA3. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, PROCEEDED INTO THE LEFT LANE AND THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY SWAYED FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT DIRECTION WITHOUT ENGAGING THE STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE EXHIBITED A LOUD ROARING NOISE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GAIN STEERING CONTROL AND CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TWO FRONT WHEEL BALL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. THE NOISE STOPPED AFTER THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DROVE AT LOW SPEEDS TO AVOID THE UNINTENDED SWAYING MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,681.

I HAVE A 2009 MAZDA 3 WITH 9200 MILES. THEIR HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES INDICATING THE GAS CAP IS NOT SECURE. TODAY, 8/11/2010 THE GAS CAP WAS STUCK AND HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TO GET REMOVED AND INSTALL A NEW GAS CAP. THE SERVICE MAN, JIM COLTREP SAID THAT HE HAS HEARD ABOUT GAS CAPS SEIZING. MY DAUGHTER IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER SHE DOESN'T NEED THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER CAN'T GUARANTEE ME THAT I WON'T HAVE A PROBLEM IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I SEE ON THE WEB A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE MAZDA 3 GAS CAP PROBLEM. WHEN IS THIS GOING TO BE CORRECTED ON A NEAR PERMANENT BASIS? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA3. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING HAD SUDDENLY STOP FUNCTIONING CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A NEARBY POLE, SECONDS LATER, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT HAD APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED FOR THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WAS 22500.