2006 Mazda MAZDA3

I STARTED NOTICING A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE CAR WHENEVER I TURNED ON AC. I THOUGHT IT COULD BE BECAUSE OF SOME LEAK BUT THERE WAS NO LEAK ANYWHERE OUTSIDE THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN USING THE CAR FOR THE COMMUTE JUST WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. WHEN THE SMELL CONTINUED TO EXIST I TOOK IT TO EARNHARDT MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN SCOTTSDALE AZ WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. BUT TO MAKE SURE I WENT TO FIRESTONE AS WELL WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAS A LEAK AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. I HAD TO STOP DRIVING THIS CAR FURTHER BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS. THIS CAR NEVER WENT THROUGH ANY CRASH AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED REGULARLY. THE SUMMERS IN AZ ARE REALLY HOT SO I'M NOT SURE IF THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT MAZDA CAN INVESTIGATE THIS AND PROVIDE A REPLACEMENT FOR THIS COMPONENT?

CAR CONTINUINGLY SHOWS EVAP DTCS INCLUDING P0443 AND P0446 AS WELL AS EITHER TOO RICH OR TOO LEAN FUEL MIXTURE AND AND O2 SENSOR ISSUE CODE. BOTH O2 SENSORS WERE REPLACE PREVIOUSLY. THE MAIN CONCERN IS DANGEROUS AND HAS ALREADY ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS WHILE THE ISSUE HAS OCCURRED AFTER DRIVING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THE ISSUE IS, WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPS AT 0 MPH, THE NORMAL IDLING RPM SPEED IS AROUND 750RPM. DURING STOPS LONGER THAN A SECOND, THE CAR WILL LOWER THE IDLE RPMS TO ABOUT 500RPM AND STAY UNTIL THE THROTTLE IS ENGAGED. WHEN THE THROTTLE IS ENGAGED THE VEHICLE HESITATES AND COMES CLOSE TO STALLING. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT POWER THE WHEELS ABOVE ABOUT 1000RPMS WHEN THE THROTTLE IS FULLY DEPRESSED AND THE CAR WILL HESITATE UNTIL THE CAR STARTS TO GRADUALLY MOVE FORWARD. THIS ALL IS HAPPENING IN THE INTERSECTION. AS THE CAR GETS TO THE INTERSECTION, THE CAR STARTS TO PICK UP TO ABOUT 1000 TO 1500RPM AND ONLY THEN WILL THE CAR START TO FULLY DRIVE FORWARD WITHOUT RELATION TO DRIVER'S FORCED DEPRESSION OF THE THROTTLE. BASICALLY THE VEHICLE IS DEFIANTLY NOT GOING ABOVE 1500RPM UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS A CERTAIN WAYS FORWARD. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I HAVE ALREADY HAD VERY CLOSE CALLS WITH A DODGE DURANGO, A TRACTOR TRAILER, AN UNIDENTIFIED SEDAN, AND A TOYOTA PRIUS (OF ALL THE VEHICLES IN THE WORLD). I WAS ALMOST "T-BONED" BY A PRIUS. THIS ISSUE IS I BELIEVE TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM OR ENGINE AS THIS ISSUE ONLY REALLY OCCURS WHEN IT IS VERY VERY HUMID OR HOT OUT. USUALLY ABOVE 80 DEGREES WITH ANY HUMIDITY AT ALL. COULD BE A VAPORLOCK, ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL FOR A FUEL INJECTED VEHICLE, IT ISN'T IMPOSSIBLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL ODOR EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.