2000 Mazda B-SERIES Truck

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MAZDA B3000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. A POLICE/FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400,000.

THE VEHICLE HAS SEVERAL SAFETY ISSUES. 1. THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT ON DASH REPEATEDLY COMES ON AS WELL AS INSIDE LIGHT WHILE DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW AND NEVER REPAIRED CORRECTLY BY MAZDA FACILITY. 2. TRUCK HAS ORIGINAL WILDERNESS HT TIRES FROM FIRESTONE, WITH 22,000 MILES ON THEM, AND JUST HAD VIBRATION AND VEERING TO RIGHT. FOUND BALL ON TREAD OF DRIVERS SIDE STEER TIRE, WHERE APPARENTLY THE TREAD IS SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE. THE DOT CODE ON THESE TIRES IS W2UU IPO479, P225/70R15 100S. THIS MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE 2000 RECALL, ALTHOUGH I RECENTLY LEARNED THE HIGHWAY SAFETY BOARD FOUND THESE TIRES TO HAVE MORE COMPLAINTS THEN THE AT AND ATX THAT WERE RECALLED. 3. I TOO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE OIL PRESSURE NOT REGISTERING UNTIL THE VEHICLES WAS WARMED UP AFTER TRAVELING A COUPLE MILES. DEALER SAID I HAD TO REPLACE SENDING UNIT WHICH THEY DIDN'T HAVE IN STOCK. I REMOVED OLD SENDING UNIT AND TURNED OVER ENGINE UNTIL IT BLEW OIL OUT THE POST THE SENDING UNIT GOES IN, AND ITS BEEN WORKING FINE EVERY SINCE USING THE SAME OLD SENDING UNIT. 4. THE BRAKE LIGHT ON TOP OF CAB, STARTED LEAKING WATER INTO CAB AROUND THE GASKET, SO I HAD TO SILICONE AROUND GASKET TO STOP LEAK. 5. HAD PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING AND WOULD GO INTO NEUTRAL. THIS HAPPENED ON INTERSTATE DOING 70 MPH. PULLED OVER TO SHOULDER AND AFTER TRIAL AND ERROR, FOUND THE ONLY WAY VEHICLE WOULD MOVE WAS TO PUT IT INTO DRIVE 1. DEALER SAID SENSOR WAS BAD IN TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED, AND NO PROBLEMS SINCE. 6. TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY WHEN TRAVELING UP A HILL, ESPECIALLY IF PULLING A TRAILER, EVEN WHEN TRAILER IS EMPTY AND THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER. THE ENGINE RPM GAUGE SHOWS THE ENGINE RUNNING AT 5000 RPM AND TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT UNTIL YOU GET TO TOP OF HILL AND START DOWN OTHER SIDE. *TR

CONSUMER INSPECTED VEHICLE AFTER HEARING A LOUD SQUEAKY NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDES. WHEN INSPECTING HE FOUND A LOOSE PREMATURELY RUSTED LOWER BALL JOINT WITH NO LUBRICATION AND REPLACED THE PART. DEALER STATED THERE WAS NEVER ANY TYPE OF GREASE FITTING WHICH CAUSED RUSTING. CONSUMER SAVED THE OLD RUSTED LOWER BALL JOINT PART.*AK *SB *NM