2014 Mazda MAZDA6

FOR SEEMINGLY NO REASON, THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART AND STALL WHILE DRIVING AND MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS WILL ILLUMINATE. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING SLOW, FAST AND WHILE TURNING. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I NEED TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER AND RESTART THE ENGINE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON AND INDICATES AN ABRUPT VOLTAGE CHANGE ISSUE, BUT SOON TURNS OFF AFTER A FEW POWER CYCLES. THIS STARTED TO HAPPEN MORE AND MORE OFTEN, AND MORE RECENTLY, I HAD THE CAR NOT ABLE TO START AS IF THE BATTERY DIED. ALL MY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, SUCH AS HEADLIGHTS AND HAZARD LIGHTS SHUT OFF AND AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS, THEY ALL TURNED BACK ON AND RUNNING NORMALLY. AT THIS POINT MY VEHICLE STARTED UP AGAIN JUST FINE. THIS HAS NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT A COUPLE TIMES AND NO MECHANIC HAS BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE YET. ALTHOUGH, THIS ISSUE SEEMS ALARMINGLY CLOSE TO A RECENT RECALL THAT WAS ANNOUNCED FOR 2018-2019 MAZDAS RELATING TO A SOFTWARE ISSUE THAT CAUSES UNEXPECTED ENGINE STALLING RELATING TO THE FUEL-SAVING CYLINDER DEACTIVATION TECHNOLOGY. UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE CONTAINS THE SAME TECHNOLOGY, IT WASN'T INCLUDED ON THIS RECALL LIST.

AFTER A YEAR OR SO OF OWNING THE VEHICLE, THE MOISTURE AND FOG APPEARED IN THE INNER TAIL LIGHT HOUSING, PASSENGER SIDE. I HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO A MAZDA DEALERSHIP BUT THEY SAID IT IS NORMAL AND MAZDA WILL NOT REPLACE THE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING. EVENTUALLY, MORE AND MORE WATER STARTED TO ACCUMULATE INSIDE, WHERE AT POINTS THE HOUSING WOULD BE COMPLETELY FOGGY AND EXCESSIVE LIQUID WOULD BE VISIBLE IN THE CORNER OF THE HOUSING FROM FEW FEET OF DISTANCE. IT'S ONLY MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE WATER CAUSES ADDITIONAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, NOT TO MENTION THE COMPLETE LOSS OF LIGHT VISIBILITY AND HOUSING TRANSPARENCY, TO ALL OTHER DRIVERS WHO ARE IN THE REAR. MAZDA NEEDS TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE INSTEAD OF SAYING IT IS NORMAL. MY CAR IS PARKED IN A GARAGE AND IT IS NOT EXPOSED TOO OUTSIDE WEATHER FACTORS AT ALL TIMES, DURING THE DAY. IT IS WELL PROTECTED. I HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUE TO MAZDA SEVERAL TIMES BUT WITH NO SUCCESS.

A YEAR AGO I TOOK MY CAR FOR A RECALL THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE HANDBRAKE SOMEHOW RUSTING OUT WHERE IT SITS IN THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS. THEY INSPECTED THE CALIPERS AND TOLD ME THEY HAD TO ORDER PARTS. I NEVER RECEIVED A CALL. THE NEXT TIME I WENT BACK I ASKED ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID IT WAS FIX. AFTER THE VISIT THEY RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS. THE VEHICLE IS A MANUAL AND IS TO THE POINT WHERE THE HAND BRAKE DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. IT RUNS THE RISK OF ROLLING AWAY IF THE TRANSMISSION FAILS OR IT COMES OUT OF GEAR. IT IS CLEARLY STATED IN NHTSA #17V-393 AND I HAVE CALLED MAZDA CORPORATE WHO TOLD ME IT DOESN'T HAVE TO DO WITH THE CALIPERS ("YOUR MAZDA DEALER WILL CHECK THE PARKING BRAKE ACTUATOR SHAFTS INSIDE THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR BRAKE CALIPERS."). MAZDA REFERENCE NUMBER [XXX]. ALSO BECAUSE OF THE RUST THE HANDBRAKE IS LOSE SO IF YOU USE CRUISE CONTROL THE HANDLE CAN ACCIDENTAL PULL UP ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE HANDBRAKE LIGHT AND MAKE THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY TURN OFF CRUISE CONTROL WHICH IS SURPRISING AND COULD CAUSE THE DRIVER TO CRASH. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

INTERMITTENTLY, THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS DO NOT PERFORM THEIR PROPER FUNCTION. WHEN EXPERIENCING THE ISSUE, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING OCCUR: 1) CANCEL BUTTON FUNCTIONS AS THE MINUS (DECELERATE) BUTTON, 2) THE MINUS BUTTON FUNCTIONS AS THE PLUS (ACCELERATE) BUTTON, 3) THE PLUS BUTTON DOESN'T WORK, AND 4) THE OFF BUTTON DISENGAGES THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT DOES NOT SHUTOFF THE CRUISE CONTROL MAIN POWER. THIS BEHAVIOR IS AN ISSUE BECAUSE WITH THE CANCEL BUTTON ACTING AS THE MINUS BUTTON, THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL ACTIVATE WITH THE CANCEL BUTTON. IN ADDITION, HAVING THE MINUS BUTTON FUNCTION AS THE PLUS BUTTON COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF THE CAR BEHAVES IN THE OPPOSITE MANNER AS EXPECTED. THE ISSUE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING.

EARLY 2014 MAZDA 6'S WERE EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS. TO THE BEST OF MY UNDERSTAND A BEARNING OF THE WRONG DIAMETER WAS INSTALLED LEADING TO AN INITIAL SYMPTOM OF A HIGH PITCHED WHINE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MAZDA'S SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, BUT IF IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY THIS COMES AT THE CUSTOMER'S OWN COST (~$5,000). THERE HAS BEEN A TSB ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS NOW #05-005-15-3027A. THE ISSUES ARE THAT THERE IS NO TELLING WHEN THE SYMPTOMS WILL OCCUR AND WHEN I ASKED MAZDA WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE TRANSMISSION IF I WASN'T REPLACED, THEY DECLINED TO GIVE ME AN ANSWER. IT IS OF CONCERN TO THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS THAT MAZDA DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM.