2006 Mazda MAZDA3

MY CAR IDLES REALLY ROUGH. ONCE I GET CLOSE TO FREEWAY SPEED MY CAR CONSTANTLY SHIFTS GEARS FROM 3 TO 4 TO 3, SO ON. THIS CAUSES MY CAR TO JERK, IT REVS FROM 3,000 TO 1,000 AND EVEYTHING IN BETWEEN. DURING THIS MY BRAKES BECOME PRACTICALLY USELESS, I HAVE TO COMPLETELY PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE IT DECELERATE. AND BRAKING DISTANCES ARE DRASTICALLY INCREASED. IT FURTHER WORRIES ME THAT I DONT HAVE ANY DASH LIGHTS ON SUCH AS CHECK ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, ABS, ETC.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

PART 2 -(CONT.) RE: COMPLAINT FILED ON 8/21/15 (ARFC/NHTSA ID NO: 10750380) (DENISE FROM ARFC REF NO: 902722). LETTERS FROM MY VEHICLE MANUFACTURER PROVIDING NECESSARY REPAIR INFORMATION ETC. I AM ADDING THESE COMPLAINTS TO MY EXISTING COMPLAINT, AS DURING MY INITIAL DIAGNOSTIC REPORT, DATED 8/24/15, I FAXED AND MAILED TO YOU, IT STATES HOW MY VEHICLE'S AIR BAG CRASH SENSOR IS NOT WORKING AND IS IN THE WRONG POSITION, WHICH I HAD TO DECLINE TO HAVE FIXED, AS I AM FINANCIALLY UNAVAILABLE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR COST. I FEEL THIS ISSUE SHOULD ALSO BE ADDRESSED AND COVERED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE DUE TO THE ALARMING ABOVE-MENTIONED E-MAILS I HAD RECEIVED AND BELIEVE THAT THOSE ISSUES ARE CLEARLY RELATED. AND 3. (PART 1) RE: UNKNOWN/OR OTHER: AS A RESULT OF HAVING MY POWER STEERING ISSUE REPAIRED (INITIAL COMPLAINT), I WAS TOLD AFTER THE REPAIR BY A MR. CARLETON AT LIBERTY MAZDA, WAKEFIELD, MA, THAT WHEN MY RIGHT DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL IS TURNED ON, IT NOW CONTINUOUSLY CLICKS EXTREMELY FAST (CODE B2899 RT DIRECTIONAL - EST FOR DIRECTIONAL WIRING TO JUST START TO LOCATE THE ISSUE IS LISTED ON THE SUBMITTED DIAGNOSTIC REPORT IS $220.00) BUT THAT IT SHOULDN'T EFFECT ME GETTING A NEW CAR INSPECTION STICKER OR ANYTHING, SO I HAD TO DECLINE FIXING DUE TO COST. (THIS ISSUE IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL DIAGNOSTIC REPORT AS WELL, THAT I HAVE FAXED AND MAILED TO YOU.) I AM ALSO UNABLE TO AFFORD TO HAVE THIS ISSUE FIXED AS WELL, AND FOR THE FACT THAT THIS PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST AT ALL BEFORE I ORIGINALLY BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING FIXED AND THIS ISSUE APPEARED AFTER THAT, THIS SHOULD BE COVERED IN FULL AND FIXED BY MANUFACTURER; 3. (PART 2.) CONTINUOUS ISSUE BEGINNING ROUGHLY 3-4 WEEKS OF PURCHASE (BOUGHT BRAND NEW, NOT USED): CLOCK IN VEHICLE IS SET TO THE PROPER TIME, BUT WILL ONLY LAST A MONTH MAYBE AT VERY MOST BEFORE IT CHANGES AUTO AND DISPLAYS A RANDOM TIME.

PART 1 - 1. RE: COMPLAINT FILED ON 8/21/15 (ARFC/NHTSA ID NO: 10750380) (DENISE FROM ARFC REF NO: 902722). AS PER INSTRUCTION, I BROUGHT MY CAR TO AN OFFICIAL, AUTHORIZED REPAIR MAZDA DEALER ON 8/24/15 (LIBERTY MAZDA, WAKEFIELD, MA) FOR A DIAGNOSTIC REPORT TO BE DONE, WHICH WAS COMPLETED. AFTER THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT WAS COMPLETED, I KEPT MY VEHICLE THERE FOR REPAIR OF THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY NOT WORKING. I FAXED AND MAILED TO THE NHTSA, THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT, THE TOTAL INVOICE OF REPAIR, PROOF OF PAYMENT IN FULL, AS WELL AS 3-4 MORE DOCUMENTS PROVIDED BY LIBERTY MAZDA, AND I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED ANY UPDATE AS OF YET. I WAS TOLD THAT DUE TO MY LOW MILEAGE, MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS BY 2006 MAZDA 3 OWNERS FOR THE SAME ISSUE HAVE BEEN FILED, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THIS CLEARLY IS A "SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE OR EQUIPMENT" (DIRECT QUOTE FROM ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV UNDER "WHEN IS A RECALL NECESSARY?, PAGE 6 OUT OF 20) WAS TOLD THAT REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS COSTLY REPAIR WOULD BE ISSUED BY RECALL OR BY WARRANTY DUE TO MY LOW MILEAGE. ALSO QUOTING FROM ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV UNDER "EXAMPLES OF DEFECTS CONSIDERED SAFETY-RELATED", (PAGE 7 OUT OF 20), WHICH STATES "STEERING COMPONENTS THAT BREAK SUDDENLY CAUSING PARTIAL OR COMPLETE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.", I ABSOLUTELY FEEL THAT THIS REIMBURSEMENT ISSUE BE ADDRESSED TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 2. RE: AIR BAGS: I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM U.S. DOT NHTSA, DATED FRIDAY, 1/08/16 STATING MY CAR MAKE/MODEL/YEAR MAY BE INVOLVED IN A SAFETY RECALL BASED ON NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NO: 15V869; SUBJECT: PASSENGER AIR BAG INFLATORS MAY RUPTURE. I THEN RECEIVED ANOTHER EMAIL ON 2/6/16 STATING MY CAR MAKE/MODEL/YEAR MAY BE INVOLVED IN ANOTHER SAFETY RECALL: MANUFACTURER: MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS; MAKE / MODEL YEARS : MAZDA / 2004-2006, SUBJECT: DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG FRONTAL INFLATOR MAY RUPTURE.. AND I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE ANY SEPARATE

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.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY CAR WENT FROM 5TH GEAR TO NEUTRAL...THE CAR JERKED/BUCKED AND I WAS THROWN INTO THE LANE NEXT TO ME. THANK GOODNESS I DID NOT HIT ANYONE ELSE OR CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. EVEN DRIVING IN TOWN THE CAR DOES NOT GET INTO GEAR LIKE IT SHOULD AND STALLS OUT THEN BUCKS ABRUPTLY. THE AT LIGHT FLASHES AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. HAD THE CAR DIAGNOSED BY 3 DIFFERENT SHOPS AND THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TCM (TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE). MY 2006 MAZDA3 HAS BEEN MAINTAINED EXTREMELY WELL AND ALWAYS SERVICED WHEN SUGGESTED. I JUST HIT 95K MILES. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY OTHER PROBLEMS BESIDES THIS ONE. I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SO I HAVE TRIED TO GET IT FIXED PROMPTLY BUT NONE OF THE AUTO SHOPS CAN ORDER THIS PART. THEY ALL HAVE TOLD ME IT'S ON "BACK ORDER". EVEN THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO GET THIS PART FOR ME. IT'S BEEN 3 WEEKS NOW SINCE MY CAR STARTED HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND I'VE HAD TO GET A RENTAL CAR TO GET TO WORK SINCE IT'S UNSAFE TO DRIVE MY CAR. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT MAZDA CAN'T SEEM TO TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE. ALL THE AUTO SHOPS I'VE SPOKE TO INCLUDING MY LOCAL DEALER HAVE SAID THIS TCM PART IS THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINT AND PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL. IF THIS IS SO COMMON WHY CAN THEY NOT GET THE PART NECESSARY TO FIX THE PROBLEM? AND WHY HAS THIS PART NOT BEEN RECALLED BY MAZDA?... ARE THEY NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR DRIVERS?... I CANNOT KEEP PAYING FOR A RENTAL CAR ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND A TON TO HAVE THIS PART FIXED ONCE THE PART IS ACTUALLY AVAILABLE. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS? I THOUGHT I HAD A RELIABLE CAR FROM A RELIABLE AND DEPENDABLE MAKER BUT NOW I'M WORRIED I MADE A MISTAKE PURCHASING THIS CAR.

I WAS ON A FREEWAY OFF-RAMP AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, WHEN LOUD GRINDING AND CRASHING NOISES CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR THEN BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER, AND WOULD NO LONGER PROPEL ITSELF. I COASTED INTO A DRIVEWAY NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE OFF-RAMP. UPON INSPECTION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION "MOTOR MOUNT" HAD BROKEN. THE ENGINE APPARENTLY LUNGED FORWARD, SHEERING OFF BOLTS TO THE OTHER MOTOR MOUNTS, AND LANDED ON THE SUSPENSION, SEVERELY DAMAGING MANY FRONT-END PARTS. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST MAZDA DEALERSHIP, WHOSE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED MY ASSESSMENT OF WHAT HAD OCCURRED. THE REPAIR ESTIMATE IS APPROXIMATELY $3,000. BEFORE THE INCIDENT, THE CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, HAVING BEEN WELL-MAINTAINED. (I HAVE SERVICE RECORDS.) I DISCOVERED THAT MAZDA HAD RECALLED A NUMBER OF MAZDA 3'S FOR MOTOR MOUNT PROBLEMS, BUT MY CAR WAS NOT AMONG THOSE RECALLED. WHILE THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL TYPE OF FAILURE, WHICH, UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS COLLISION. I HAVE OWNED NUMEROUS CARS OVER THE YEARS, WITH FAR MORE MILES ON THEM, AND NEVER HAD A MOTOR MOUNT FAIL IN SUCH A CATASTROPHIC MANNER. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DESIGN/ENGINEERING FLAW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT FLASHED AND REMAINED LIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TIGHT AND EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. THE LAST TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,162. UPDATED 1/19/16 LN *CN

VEHICLE HAS HAD, ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, BEEN DRIVEN, NOT AT ANY PARTICULAR SPEED AND LOST 4TH GEAR, THE ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS, AN AT LIGHT APPEARS, AND THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED TO DOWNSHIFT THE CAR DOWN TO 3RD GEAR. UPON ME NOTICING THIS. I WAIT UNTIL IT IS SAFE TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN AND MAKE A COMPLETE STOP SHIFT THE CAR INTO PARK AND BACK INTO DRIVE. THIS SEEMS TO FIX THE DISAPPEARANCE AND REMOVAL OF THE 4TH GEAR AS WELL AS THE AT LIGHT, BUT ONLY OCCASIONALLY. IT DOES NOT HOWEVER REMOVE THE ENGINE LIGHT. THOUGH AFTER A FEW DIFFERENT TRIPS ON DIFFERENT DAYS THE LIGHT WILL NOT APPEAR ON START UP AND DOES NOT SHOW UP UNTIL THIS ISSUE HAPPENS AGAIN. THE CAR SHOWS ERROR CODE P0715 AND IS POSSIBLY NEEDING A NEW TRANSMISSION SPEED SENSOR. THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED.