2010 Mazda MAZDA3

CLUTCH FAILED AT 19.5K MILES. IVE ONLY HAD HER SINCE NOVEMBER, AND WITH THE WAY I DRIVE THERES NO WAY IN HELL THE CLUTCH SHOULD GO OUT THIS SOON... NOW AS TO EXPLAIN AS TO WHAT HAPPENED, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY ENGINE STARTED REVING A BIT ODDLY WHEN I BARELY PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL. IT WENT FROM THE NORMAL 2900 RPM IN 6TH GEAR AT ABOUT 65 MPH AND SHOT UP TO 3500 WAY TO QUICKLY THEN DROPPED BACK TO 2900 AND SLOWLY ROSE HOW IT SHOULDVE TO GET ME TO 70MPH...IT CONTINUED DOING THIS WHEN I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, GROWING STEADILY WORSE UNTIL I WAS UNABLE TO GET INTO ANY GEAR AT ALL. THERE WAS NEVER A SMELL OF CLUTCH INSIDE THE CAR THE ENTIRE TIME, NO ODD NOISES, NO GRINDING, AND THE CLUTCH WAS ABOUT HALF AS STIFF AS IT NORMALLY WAS. SO I CALLED DEALER, THEY TOWED MY CAR(COURSE IT TOOK FOREVER BECAUSE THEY SENT THE TRUCK TO THE WRONG LOCATION HAHA). IT TOOK 2 DAYS BEFORE THEY EVEN GOT TO GLANCE AT THE CAR TO SEE WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE(NOT TAKE APART MIND U, JUST LOOKED), AND SAID THE CLUTCH WAS "SMOKED" NO OTHER SPECIFICS BUT WANTED ME TO AUTHORIZE THEM FOR 525 WORTH OF LABOR PLUS PARTS -_-. SO NOW IM STUCK FIGHTING THEM TO REPAIR THIS UNDER WARRANTY(I KNOW THERES USUALLY NOT A WARRANTY UNLESS MANUFACTURERS DEFECT..BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY DEFECTIVE). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FAILURE TO DATE, HOWEVER, ADDING MY VEHICLE TO THE OTHER MAZDA3'S IN THE DATA BASE WHERE THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE IS CREATING UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. AS I HAVE READ IN NO LESS THAN 5 BLOGS, THE MANUFACTURER INTENTIONALLY CAMBERS THE REAR TIRES TO INCREASE THE PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING AND UPON NORMAL ROTATION OF THE TIRES, A "BUMPING" NOISE CAN BE HEARD AND FELT. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WILL DO NOTHING AND STATES IS A DESIGN ISSUE AND MAZDA STATES I MUST DEAL WITH THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. THIS UNEVEN TIRE WEAR AND VIBRATION COULD LEAD TO ADDITIONAL TIRE WEAR AS NOTED BY OTHER OWNERS. AT 11,000 MILES, I SHOULD NOT BE FACED WITH REPLACING THE TIRES.

WHILE I WAS MAKING A EXIT FROM THE FREEWAY ONTO A LOCAL ROAD, I LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE SLOWLY BRAKING. AFTERWARDS MY CAR SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND I WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH THE GUARD RAIL FOR THE HIGHWAY RAMP. THIS HAPPENED WITH MY CAR LOGGING CLOSE TO 21500 MILES. INSPECTION AT THE BODY SHOP DETERMINED THAT ISSUES BETWEEN THE BRAKE PADS AND STEERING WHEEL LED TO THE STEERING WHEEL STOPPING. FIXING THIS PROBLEM INVOLVES REPLACING BRAKE AND POSSIBLY STEERING COMPONENTS ACCORDING TO THE BODY SHOP. *TR

TIRE PRESSURE AND REGULATING SYSTEMS - I OWN A 2010 MAZDA 3 AUTOMATIC (14,542 MILES) --ALSO PURCHASED JUST OVER A YR AGO. I HAVE NOW HAD "THREE" VALVE STEMS THAT HAVE BROKEN; WITH SLOW LEAKS AND FLAT TIRES. THE LAST ONE LEAVING ME STRANDED FOR 2 HRS UNTIL HELP ARRIVED. THIS ALSO HAPPENED 2 DAYS AFTER I HAD MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE FOR ANOTHER TIRE WITH A "VALVE" STEM REPLACEMENT--COSTING ME $198.00. ALSO TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL AND IT APPEARS MAZDA HAVING PROBLEMS NOW WITH THIS FOR A FEW YEARS. ALSO THOUGHT IT FUNNY THAT WHEN DEALERSHIP COMPLETING MY PAPERS THEY COMMENTED THAT THEY JUST COMPLETED EXACT SAME PAPERS FOR CAR BEFORE MINE !!!! I AM A CAUTIOUS DRIVER AND I KNOW MY WHEEL/TIRES WHERE NOT DAMAGED AND THAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE VALVE STEM. I NOW HAVE 3 NEW VALVES STEMS THRU MY COST ---JUST WAITING FOR LAST ONE TO GO AND THEN WILL SEE HOW LONG THE "NEWER" ONES LAST. HAVE A FEELING THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM. AT LEAST DEALERSHIP CHANGED THE ONE TODAY AS A GOOD WILL FREE OF CHARGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA, MAZDA3. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD A HUMMING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT AUTO MECHANICS AND THEY BOTH RECOMMENDED THAT THE TIRES NOT BE ROTATED BECAUSE OF POOR TREAD. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, BOTH REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUSPENSION WHICH CAUSED THE TIRES TO PREMATURELY WEAR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLE, IT WOULD LUNGE FORWARD AND THE RPMS WOULD INCREASE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO PUSH THE SHUT OFF BUTTON TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 14,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 600.

I OWN A 2010 MAZDA SPEED 3. PURCHASED JUST OVER A YEAR AGO. I HAVE A VALVE STEM THAT HAS BROKEN, WHICH RELEASED PRESSURE. THE VALVE STEMS USED ON THE VEHICLE ARE INCORPORATED INTO TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TMPS), AND THE DEALER REQUIRES THAT BOTH ITEMS BE REPLACED FOR $125. AFTERMARKET COMPANIES, SUCH AS DORMAN OFFER REPLACEMENTS THAT ARE MODULAR, AND ALLOW THE CONSUMER TO REPLACE JUST THE STEM, IF BROKEN. THE FACTORY, CONVENIENTLY DOES NOT OFFER THEM COMPONENT INDIVIDUALLY. BY THE LOOKS OF ONLINE FORUMS, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. I HAVE OWNED VEHICLES FOR 30 YEARS NOW, AND I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED A BROKEN VALVE STEM LIKE THIS. THERE IS NO TRAUMA TO THE WHEEL ITSELF THAT WOULD EXPLAIN A BUSTED STEM THAT DOES NOT PROTRUDE BEYOND THE RIMS OUTER EDGE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM COULD BE ELIMINATED IF MAZDA WERE TO REDESIGN THE THREADED PORTION OF THE STEM TO BE THICKER. THE ALUMINUM STEMS ARE MACHINED SO THINLY, THAT THEY FAIL, OR ARE EASILY DAMAGED WHILE PERFORMING BASIC MAINTENANCE. THE MAZDA DEALER DOES NOT FEEL THAT THE PARTS ARE FAULTY, AND THEY REFUSE TO COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAYS THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS BROKEN STEM PROBLEM. I FIND THAT EXTREMELY HARD TO BELIEVE. RESOLUTION: I NEED TO GET MY SPARE TIRE OFF THE CAR, SO I WILL BE DROPPING THE WHEEL OFF AT A TIRE SHOP TO REPLACE THE UNIT WITH A STANDARD METAL STEM UNTIL I DECIDE WHAT ROUTE TO TAKE. MY RESEARCH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL NOT BE THE LAST PROBLEM I HAVE LIKE THIS, UNTIL I GET THE DANGEROUS FACTORY ONES OFF OF MY VEHICLE. *TR

I OWN A 2010 MAZDA3. A FEW WEEKS AGO WHILE DRIVING MY FRONT SEAT MADE A POPPING SOUND AND BEGAN ROCKING BACK AND FORTH CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR MOMENTARILY. I TOOK IT INTO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN ALEXANDRIA VIRGINIA (BROWNS MAZDA ON ROUTE 1) AND ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT IT. THEY DETERMINED THAT WELDING ON MY SEAT BOTTOM HAD COME UNDONE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR'S WARRANTY IS FOR 3 YEARS/36 THOUSAND MILES AND AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT MY CAR HAD 45 THOUSAND MILES. MAZDA DECLINED TO FIX THE SEAT AND STATED THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. MY CONTENTION IS THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IF INVOLVED IN A COLLISION THE SEAT MAY DISLODGE AND CAUSE ME MORE BODILY INJURY THAN IF THE SEAT WERE PROPERLY ANCHORED. I HAVE CONTACTED MAZDA'S CUSTOMER CARE LINE AND ALSO E-MAILED THEM AND ON BOTH OCCASIONS THEY HAVE IMMEDIATELY DISMISSED MY CLAIM STATING THAT MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE REPAIRS ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY. THE DRIVERS SEAT OF A VEHICLE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SAFETY IN THE CAR AND DUE TO A MANUFACTURER ERROR MY SEAT IS NOW LOOSE AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA, MAZDA3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WITH A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING TO ITS SPECIFICATIONS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE PASSENGER'S WEIGHT AS THEY WEIGHED 105 POUNDS. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING PROPERLY. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND HAD BEEN ONGOING SINCE 2010. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,400. UPDATED 03/29/11*LJ