2004 Mazda MAZDA3

I OWN A 2004 MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK THAT I PURCHASED NEW. THE CAR HAS 74,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED FAITHFULLY BY MAZDA TECHNICIANS. DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE. TO REITERATE, THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE. HAD MY WIFE NOT NOTICED, AND HAD WE PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE, IT WOULD HAVE BURNED DOWN THE HOUSE WITH US IN IT. WE MANAGED TO PUT THE CAR OUT AND TOOK IT TO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD US THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR FROZE AND THE BELT CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE FRICTION; THIS THEN IGNITED PLASTIC SPLASH GUARDS UNDER THE VEHICLE. ALL TOTAL - $1500 IN DAMAGE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE COMPRESSOR SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED A FIRE, AND IN FACT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME HE HAD SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. I CONTACTED MAZDA AND ASKED THEM TO RECOMPENSE THE DAMAGE FROM THE FAILED COMPRESSOR AND THE FIRE, AND THEY REFUSE TO ASSIST ME (OR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ONE OF THEIR PRODUCTS' SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION IS A PROBLEM), OR COMPENSATE ME. I AM LESS CONCERNED ABOUT COMPENSATION THAN I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THESE CARS ON THE ROADS, BEING DRIVEN BY FAMILIES, WAITING TO CATCH FIRE AND BURN. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND ADDRESSED QUICKLY BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS OR EVEN WARNINGS FROM MAZDA THAT THIS IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM. PLEASE, I AM ASKING THAT THE NHTSA ASSIST IN DOING SOMETHING BEFORE THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL MANUFACTURER DEFECT COSTS SOMEONE THEIR LIFE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TRANSMISSION OF MY 2004 MAZDA 3 WITH ONLY 84,000KM DIED AS IT LOST THE ABILITY TO REACH 3RD AND 4TH GEAR. THIS INCIDENT NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE YET MAZDA CANADA WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. WHAT KIND OF COMPANY CAN NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AFTER SUCH A NEAR-FATAL INCIDENT. SUFFICE TO SAY THAT MAZDA WILL NEVER GET MY BUSINESS AGAIN. $3,200 LATER, I'M STILL ALIVE NO THANKS TO MAZDA. *TR

RANDOM POWER STEERING FAILURE. WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY APPROX 65MPH, THE YELLOW DASH INDICATOR WARNING LIGHT FOR THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM ILLUMINATED AND POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND PULLED INTO A SIDE ROAD (WITH NO POWER STEERING), AND THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE POWER STEERING LIGHT EXTINGUISHED AND IT WORKED FINE AGAIN. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE MORE THAN AVERAGE STRENGTH TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT POWER STEERING!! *TR

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN VAN HOLLEN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE SAFETY PROBLEMS (RANDOM STALLING) WITH HIS 2004 MAZDA3 *TGW THE CONSUMER WENT TO SEARS TO PURCHASE A BATTERY THINKING THAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE RANDOM STALLING, BUT WAS TOLD THE BATTERY WAS FINE AND IT APPEARED THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. THE CONSUMER THEN WENT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD DIFFERENT THINGS WERE WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, WHICH WAS CAUSING IT TO STALL. THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIRS, BUT WEEKS LATER THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 04V468000, AIR BAG SENSOR, CONTROL MODULE WAS A PART OF HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS NOT ALTHOUGH IT WAS EXHIBITING THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHENEVER WAS RAINING OR WET OUTSIDE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED BUT THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. MAZDA WAS NOT CONTACTED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 87,000.