2006 Mazda MAZDA5

I HAVE A 2006 MAZDA 5 THAT HAS AN ENGINEERING FAULT IN THE SUSPENSION/STEERING SYSTEM. THIS DEFECT LEADS TO INTENSE UNEVEN WEAR IN TIRES,WHICH LEADS TO A HAZARDOUS SITUATION ON THE ROAD. THE DEALERS MASK THE PROBLEMS BY OVERINFLATING THE TIRES (EVEN MORE DANGEROUS) AND MAZDA NORTH AMERICA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE FROM UK CANADA AND USA THAT I'VE COMMUNICATED WITH AND THEY HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCES WITH THEIR MAZDA 5. THE ORIGINAL TOYO TIRES FAILED IN THE FIRST YEAR, A SECOND SET OF TIRES PROVIDED BY MAZDA FAILED AFTER THE FIRST 20000 MILES AND EVEN THE MOST EXPENSIVE HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES FROM GOODYEAR CAN NOT PROVIDE MORE THAN 2 YEARS OR 20000 MILES OF USAGE. I HAVE GONE TO MULTIPLE DEALERS AND SHOPS, THEY ALL SAY THE ALIGNMENT AND BALANCE ARE OK BUT NO ONE CAN IMPROVE THE TIRE SAFETY SITUATION. I USE THIS CAR TO DRIVE TO WORK AND BACK EVERY DAY AND TO TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL AND THEIR ACTIVITIES, ABOUT 12000 MILES / YEAR AND I AM AFRAID THAT SOMETHING BAD MIGHT HAPPEN. I DO NOT USE THE CAR FOR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES AND I AM NOT AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER. THE CONSTANT REPLACEMENT OF TIRES AND THE EXPENSE INCURRED DID NOT PUT ME IN A SAFER POSITION. ONLY ADDRESSING THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEMS CAN MAKE THIS VEHICLE SAFER FOR ME, MY KIDS AND EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND DILIGENCE IN SOLVING THIS PROBLEM! *TR

THE 2006 MAZDA5 CAUSES EXCESSIVE WEAR ON TIRES QUITE FREQUENTLY. I PURCHASED MY MAZDA5 NEW IN AUGUST 2006, AND SINCE THEN, I'VE HAD TO PURCHASE 2 SETS OF TIRES FOR THIS CAR DUE TO THE TIRES WEARING ON THE INSIDE EDGE. THE 2ND SET OF TIRES THAT WERE REPLACED WERE SO BAD, THAT THE SERVICE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP RECOMMEND THAT I DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT BECAUSE THE TIRES HARD WORN SO BADLY AND COULD BLOW OUT AT ANY MOMENT. THOSE TIRES HAD ONLY ABOUT 26000 MILES ON THEM! THE LAST SET OF TIRES THAT WAS PURCHASED IN FEBRUARY 2008 ARE NOW BEGINNING TO SHOW THE SAME WEAR ON THE INSIDE EDGES OF ALL TIRES. THESE TIRES HAVE ONLY ABOUT 18000 MILES ON THEM. THE TIRE WEAR OCCURRED EVEN AFTER I HAD THE RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE (ROTATION, BALANCE, ALIGNMENT) PERFORMED. I'VE READ FORUMS ONLINE WHERE SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2006 MAZDA5 ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I'VE CALLED MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE TO SEE IF THE MANUFACTURER HAS REPORTED ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CARS SUSPENSION, TOE, ANGLES, ETC, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN REPORTED, NOR HAS THE CAR BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. MAZDA CORP NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS TRAGICALLY HURT DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. IF I HAD NOT BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ANOTHER MECHANICAL REASON IN FEBRUARY 2008, I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT MY TIRES HAD WORN SO BADLY, ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE TIRES. I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TIRES, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE CAR. I'VE HAD 3 DIFFERENT NAME BRAND TIRES ON THIS CAR, SO THE PROBLEM IS DEFINITELY NOT THE TIRES. IT'S THE CAR! *TR

I BOUGHT A 2006 MAZDA 5 IN JULY 2007, IN NOVEMBER HAD TO BUY ALL NEW TIRES($618). IN MAY, HAD A FLAT. IN JULY 2008 , THE UNDER GUARD SCREWS FELL OUT AND HAD TO PAY $180 FOR A NEW GUARD, AND THE FRONT STRUTS WERE LEAKING. SEPTEMBER2008 ROTATED THE TIRES BECAUSE OF THE NOISE,WHICH MADE THE NOISES WORSE. THE TIRES HAD UNEVEN WEAR AND CUPPING. ALSO, IN SEPTEMBER 2008, COMPRESSOR AND CLUTCH FAILED BECAUSE OF THE COMPRESSOR. R&R COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY, CLUTCH AND BELT COST ME $1397.40. OCTOBER 2008, THE UNDER GUARD WAS COMING OFF AGAIN AND THE FOUND THE BEARINGS NEED REPLACING. THEY HAD TO ORDER THEM BECAUSE EVERYONE IS GETTING THEM REPLACED. I'M READY TO SELL THIS CAR!. I DID SO LOVE IT. I CAN'T AFFORD CAR PAYMENTS AND ALL THE REPAIRS. *TR

STARTED WITH A RUBBING NOISE IN SUSPENSION, DEALER SAID IT WAS NOTHING. SEEMED TO GO AWAY BUT RETURNED EARLY IN 2007 AS A CREAKING. TOOK IT IN 3/31/2007 AND THE DEALER SAID THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS HAD TO BE LUBED. CREAKING RETURNS IN JULY OF 2007. THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER/BUSHING AND DAMPER ON ONE SIDE. OCTOBER OF 2007 A KNOCKING CAME FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT STABILIZER BUSHING AND THE LOWER RIGHT AND LEFT ARMS. JANUARY OF 2008 KNOCKING RETURNS TO THE REAR OF CAR AND FRONT END NOISY. FRONT STABILIZER BUSHINGS REPLACED. RIGHT REAR STUD THAT HOLDS THE DAMPER FAILED. REMAINING PORTION HAD TO BE BURNED OUT AND A NEW STUD WELDED ON. CRUNCHING NOISE FROM FRONT END SOON AFTER PICKING UP CAR. I FEAR THAT THIS CAR IS NO LONGER SAFE TO PUT MY WIFE OR FOUR KIDS INTO. I ONLY DRIVE IT ALONE WHEN POSSIBLE. *TR

I RECENTLY NOTICED SEVERE WEAR ON THE INSIDE SHOULDERS OF BOTH REAR TIRES ON MY 2006 MAZDA 5. LOOKING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, THE REAR TIRES APPEAR TO LEAN IN AT THE TOP. I BELIEVE THE FAILURE OF THE TIRES TO CORRECTLY CONTACT THE ROAD CONTRIBUTES TO POOR HANDLING, AND THE SEVERE TIRE WEAR WILL LEAD TO UNEXPECTED BLOW-OUTS. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN NOV. 2005 AND CURRENTLY HAS 23,000 MILES. IT HAS NOT BEEN WRECKED OR OTHERWISE ABUSED IN A MANNER WHICH WOULD AFFECT THE REAR ALIGNMENT. THE DEALER HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR OR ALIGN THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY WHEN PRESENTED THIS PROBLEM ON OCT. 30, 2007. I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR ISSUES LOGGED UNDER SUSPENSION AND TIRES ON THIS SITE. *TR

TIRES-PREMATURE WEAR. TIRES BECOME CUPPED. I HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE FOR 26,000 MILES AND HAD TO REPLACE ALL TIRES AT 21,000 DUE TO NOISE. PROBLEM WAS FIRST REPORTED AT 17,000 MILES. I HAVE 5,000 ON THE NEW TIRES AND THE NOISE IS BACK. NOISE SOUNDS JUST LIKE BAD BEARINGS. DEALER SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND CAN NOT EXPLAIN THE REASON FOR THE ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH ON DRY ROAD CONDITIONS, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THIS OCCURRED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ON 08/16/06, THE STABILIZER BAR BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED. ON 10/21/06, WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND THE VEHICLE WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK, ARM AND HEAD. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS CONTACTED, AND DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTALED. PICTURES AND A POLICE REPORT WERE TAKEN.*AK UPDATED 11/17/06. *JB