1997 MAZDA MPV Complaints

ON FOUR OCCASSIONS MY STEERING WHEN GOING FROM A COMPLETE STOP TO CHANGING LANES TO THE RIGHT LANE AND THEN CORRECTING BACK TO THE LEFT, GOT STIFF AND WOULD NOT TURN. SUBSEQUESTLY THIS LAST TIME I ENDED UP ON THE SHOULDER OF A BUSY FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR. I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN AS I HAD TWO TIMES PREVIOUSLY, TO HAVE THEM TELL ME THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND FIND THAT OTHER 1997 MADZA MPV'S ALSO REACTED THE SAME. IT WAS A "NORMAL STEERING FUNCTION". I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND I CAN NOT AFFORD TO HAVE THEIR SAFETY JEOPORDIZED. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO MAZDA ON TWO OCCASSIONS AND THEY CLAIM THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO. I KNOW THAT IF I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN FOUR TIMES, SOMEONE ELSE HAS HAD TO HAVE IT HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN ON THE OTHER MPV'S THAT WERE TESTDRIVEN. *AK

HAVE COLD ENGINE KNOCK SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW. DEALER SAYS KNOCK IS NORMAL FOR THAT ENGINE. KNOCK IS CONSISTENTLY GETTING WORSE AS ENGINE WEARS AND GETTING CLOSE TO THE THREE YEAR EXPIRATION OF WARRANTY. I DO NOT FEEL THE MANUFACTURER WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THE ENGINE PROBLEM AND MAKE APPROPRIATE REPAIRS &/OR ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THEY SEEM TO BE ATTEMPTING TO ALLOW THE WARRANTY PERIOD TO EXPIRE CAUSING UNECESSARY EXPENSES TO BE PAID BY THE OWNER. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT 55 MPH TO 60 MPH FRONT WHEELS ARE VIBRATING AND THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO THE RIGHT. CAUSING UNEVEN WEARING OF TIRES. DEALER NOTIFIED, BUT UNABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM TO CONSUMER'S SATISFACTION. *AK *ML

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 30 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 25 MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A TREE, AND BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THE ACCIDENT. DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED IN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE SLID ON ICY ROAD, SKIDDING 200 FEET INTO A TREE, HIT TREE AT 40 MPH. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 30 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, ALSO THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLASPED FORWARD, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO SUSTAIN INJURIES. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES AT 20 MPH THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH RESULTED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. THE DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE AND 5-10 MINUTES LATER WAS TOLD THAT VAN WAS ON FIRE. FIRE DEPT. SAID REAR TAIL PIPE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH PINE STRAW THAT WAS ON THE GROUND WHERE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CONTACTS PINE STRAW, STARTING A FIRE. FIRE DEPT. PH. #770-513-5500. *AK

BENCH SEAT CENTER SEAT BELT MECHANISM SLIDES UP AND DOWN. CAUSE: IMPROPER ENGAGEMENT OF LOCK POSITION. *AK