2014 Mazda MAZDA3

About a month ago I got into my vehicle and noticed a corner of my infotainment screen was cracked. The cracking is internal and seems to spider around the corner. It cannot be felt externally in any way. Doing some research, I came across multiple other owners displaying similar problems. I was also able to find Service Alert No. SA-008/18 which pertained to the same issue even labeling it as (spider cracking). Calling Mazda's customer experience department, I was informed (and knew) that a service alert is not a recall. While this is true it is something that occurs due to normal temperature changes in a product (vehicle) that should be able to withstand such conditions. I was also informed that the Service Alert did not include my VIN even though my vehicle is inside the year, make, and model the service alert pertains to. I was encouraged to reach out to NHTSA if I had further concerns. While the spider cracking was more of an aesthetic issue since then I have noticed the infotainment will often rapidly change through various menus and apps. This causes both a sudden distraction to the driver as well as potentially making unknown changes to the vehicle systems maintained through the infotainment package. While my wife was driving the vehicle last week and trying to use the navigation, she was consistently having the directions break up and display change causing her to need to pull over. Given that both the aesthetic cracking and the menu/apps changing problems began at the same time it seems that the internal crack may have thrown off some pressure/contact the display relies on. The vehicle is available for inspections upon request. Aesthetic problem was seen by the dealer on July 7, 2021 however the function changes were not observed until just after.

My 2014 Mazda 3 had very bad wear on the rear brakes, but not on the front. I took them apart, and both calipers were frozen. I contacted the dealership and they told me that there was a recall, but only for the cars manufactured in Mexico, not in Asia. The recall needs to be expanded, as Mazda denied there was any problem with these calipers. Clearly there is a more widespread problem than Mazda will admit.

AROUND 68,000 MILES, I BEGAN TO HEAR A SUBTLE WHINING NOISE COMING FROM MY 2014 MAZDA MAZDA3. I WAS UNSURE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM AND ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TIRES. AS TIME PASSED, THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER, EVENTUALLY TO THE POINT WHERE I FELT I NEEDED TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. A MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE SOUND WAS EMITTING THERE. HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN POSTED BY MAZDA THAT DESCRIBED THE EXACT ISSUE, AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S SURE IT IS. I GOT A SECOND OPINION FROM ANOTHER MECHANIC AND HE EXPLAINED THE SAME THING. THE COST TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A REMANUFACTURED MODEL IS SOMEWHERE IN THE BALLPARK OF $2,000 - $3,500. THE SECOND MECHANIC I WENT TO SHOWED ME THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. AFTER THE DESCRIPTION, THE BULLETIN STATES, "THIS IS CAUSED BY A DAMAGED BEARING IN THE TRANSAXLE DUE TO IMPROPER CONFIGURATION OF THE TRANSAXLE CASE." THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY; UNFORTUNATELY, THE ISSUE IS KNOWN ONLY TO HAPPEN RIGHT AROUND 65,000 + MILES, AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. BECAUSE THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN STATES THE ISSUE IS "DUE TO IMPROPER CONFIGURATION", TELLS ME THAT IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. IT ONLY HAPPENED BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO THE MAZDA SERVICE CENTER, AND BEING TOLD THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AS WELL AS SPEAKING WITH MAZDA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND EXPLAINING THE SITUATION, MAZDA WAS UNWILLING TO HELP BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER IN WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THIS ISSUE WAS DUE TO 'IMPROPER CONFIGURATION' MAZDA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO REFERENCE FOR THIS COMPLAINT IS BULLETIN NO: 05-005/15 OR NHTSA TSB # 10105626.

WHEN DRIVING ON CITY STREETS ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT, THE CAR EMITS POPPING AND SQUEAKS FROM THE SUSPENSION. WHEN GETTING IN INTO A PARKING LOT, THE CAR PRODUCES A CLUNKING NOISE THAT EMANATES FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. ALSO WHEN WINDING AND UNWINDING THE STEERING WHILE PARKING THE CAR OR MOVING SLOWLY, AGAIN THE VEHICLE EMITS CLUNKING NOISES FROM THE SUSPENSION. TODAY IS 10/7/2020, I HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR WHO WAS THE FIRST OWNER OF THIS CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED REGULARLY AT THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND HAS NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP, THEY INFORMED THAT THERE IS A TSB SINCE 2016 ON THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE AND WILL COST $600 TO REPAIR.