2008 Mazda MAZDASPEED3

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA, MAZDASPEED3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE, THE GEAR LEVER BECAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO A SAFE LOCATION WHERE A TEMPORARY REPAIR WAS PERFORMED BY THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE PART WAS ORDERED FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THEN A FLOPPING NOISE. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED THERE WAS OIL LEAKING FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND WHITE SMOKE. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DESTROYED. AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REMOVED, THE REPAIR TECHNICIAN SHOWED ME THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH WAS LITERALLY BREAKING IN PIECES. HE SAID THAT I WOULD ALSO NEED A NEW CLUTCH ASSEMBLY AND FLYWHEEL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. I DO NOT ABUSE THE CAR AND MAINTAIN IT WELL. I WASN'T EVEN SHIFTING GEARS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. JUST DRIVING ALONG IN 6TH GEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED (OF COURSE) AND MAZDA WOULD NOT HELP COVER ANY COSTS FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR

WHILE SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR MY SHIFT STALK FELL OFF IN MY HANDS. I HAD TO TURN MY EMERGENCY BLINKERS ON AND PULL OVER WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. I WAS ABLE TO REACH BELOW THE SHIFT BOOT AND FEEL THE SHIFTING BASE MECHANISM TO MOVE THE CAR BACK IN TO GEAR ONCE OFF OF THE ROAD. I AM CURRENTLY UNABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR AS THE SHIFT CONTROL WILL NOT STAY IN PLACE. *TR

THE SHIFT LEVER BROKE OFF DURING A SHIFT WHILE DRIVING, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT GEARS AFTER THIS OCCURRED. THE FAULT SEEMS TO LIE IN THE DESIGN. THERE IS A HOLE IN THE LEVER TO ACCOMMODATE A PIN WHICH PREVENTS ACCIDENTAL SHIFTING IN REVERSE. HOWEVER THE HOLE IN THE LEVER IS A WEAK POINT AND IT IS EASY TO SEE HOW THE LEVER SHEARED OFF AT THAT POINT. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER DRIVERS VIA ONLINE MESSAGE BOARDS. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO RECALL. THIS FAILURE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. HOWEVER, THIS COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN A COLLISION. *TR

BROKEN SHIFT LEVER. COMING OFF OF FREEWAY, DOWNSHIFT TO THIRD AND IT SNAPPED. SHIFT LEVER BROKE AT A KNOWN STRESS POINT IN THE DESIGN. RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LEVER WHERE THE REVERSE LOCKOUT PIN IS LOCATED. THE MANUFACTURER IS CLAIMING THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. WHILE I DID HAVE IT REPLACED UNDER THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY, OTHERS WHO ARE OUT OF THE STANDARD WARRANTY ARE BEING DENIED REPLACEMENTS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE STILL COVERED UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS THIS IS A KNOWN FLAW AND COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTS IN THE FUTURE. HAVING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFTER BREAK OFF IN YOUR HAND WHILE DRIVING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. NOW, SEEING THAT YOU CAN'T OPERATE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE SHIFT LEVER, THAT SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY IT AS POWERTRAIN. LET'S BE LOGICAL HERE. *TR

I WENT TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR FROM A STOP (AT A RED LIGHT,) AND MY SHIFTER FELL OFF IN MY HAND. UPON DISASSEMBLING THE CENTER CONSOLE AT THE LIGHT, I FOUND THAT THE CAST-ALUMINUM SHIFTER ARM HAD BROKEN AT THE INSERTION POINT FOR THE RETENTION PIN. NOT ONLY AM I NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE, BUT IT HAPPENED TO ANOTHER PERSON TODAY (WHOM I'M FORWARDING TO THIS SITE.) MAZDA SAID IT'S NOT UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY AND BECAUSE I HAVE AN AFTERMARKET TRANSMISSION MOUNT AND A COLD-AIR INTAKE, THEY WON'T MAKE A GOODWILL ADJUSTMENT (IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT NEITHER OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BREAK IT....) THEY HAVE NO CONCERN OVER THE CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE, REFUSE TO DISCUSS OTHER INCIDENTS AND SPOKE TO ME AS IF THIS IS THE FIRST CAR I'VE OWNED AND MY TIME WOULD BE BETTER SPENT COLORING ON THE BUS. *TR

2008 MAZDA 3. CONSUMER STATES PERSISTENT CLUNKING NOISE FROM THE SUSPENSION AND TWO OF ENGINE MOUNTS ARE COMING LOOSE *TGW THE DEALER DETERMINED THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR SHOCKS AND REPLACED THEM. THE NOISE, HOWEVER PERSISTED. THE CONSUMER DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THEY DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONT AXLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE CV BOOT. THE CONSUMER THEN WENT BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE STRUTS MOUNTS, REAR SWAY BAR LINKS, BUSHINGS AND CLAMS ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB