2002 Mazda Mpv

GEAR SHIFT DETENT AT DRIVE IS TOO EASY TO MISS WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK - LEVER SKIPS DRIVE AND GOES INTO HIGHER (LESS POWERFUL) GEAR. WHEN AT REST AND PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, THERE IS INSUFFICIENT POWER TO ACCELERATE AS EXPECTED, SO ONCOMING TRAFFIC GETS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE BEFORE YOU REALIZE THE GEAR SHIFT IS NOT IN DRIVE. NEED WARNING THAT CAR IS NOT IN LOWEST GEAR WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK OR REVERSE. *NLM

THIS IS ABOUT A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD AND A COUPLE OF NEAR ACCIDENTS. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT MY NEW MPV EXCEPT FOR THE INCREDIBLY POORLY DESIGNED STEERING COLUMN MOUNTED SHIFTER. IT IS UNNECESSARILY LONG AND INTERFERES WITH ACCESS TO AND VIEW OF THE CLIMATE AND AUDIO CONTROLS. I HAVE KNOCKED IT OUT OF GEAR MORE THAN ONCE (INCLUDING ONCE WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STEEP DOWNHILL GRADE OF THE I-5 GRAPEVINE) REACHING TO TURN ON OR OFF THE RADIO, AND I HOPPED A SHOULDER ONCE ON THE FREEWAY WHEN TRYING TO LOOK AROUND IT TO FIND THE A/C BUTTON. MY HUSBAND ALSO KNOCKED THE SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL WHEN REACHING TO TURN THE RADIO ON. THE PROBLEM IS THE BRACE ON MY RIGHT WRIST, WHICH I WEAR WHEN DRIVING DUE TO A RECENTLY BROKEN/SEVERELY SPRAINED WRIST . *JB I ASKED THE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER IF THEY COULD REPLACE, SHORTEN OR BEND THE HANDLE AND HE REFUSED. (MY HUSBAND WOULD EVEN TRY TO BEND THE HANDLE, BUT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT DAMAGING THE SHIFTER AND/OR VOIDING THE WARRANTY) I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTS POSED BY THIS POORLY THOUGHT OUT LEVER (THE ONLY BAD DESIGN ON THIS WONDERFUL VAN). I HOPE THAT YOU CAN CONVINCE MAZDA TO CORRECT IT.

CONSUMER NOTICED A "ROTTEN EGG" ODOR IN CABIN. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. THE MANUFACTURER SENT CONSUMER A LETTER STATING THAT SEVERAL MODELS EXHIBIT THE ODOR. CONSUMER BELIEVES VEHICLE HAS AN EXHAUST LEAK INTO CABIN WHICH INCLUDES CARBON MONOXIDE. CONSUMER HAS EXHIBITED SYMPTOMS OF BREATHING THOSE PARTICULAR FUMES. PH

OIL BURNING SMELL WAS FILLING THE CABIN OF THE VAN WHENEVER IT WAS RUNNING. BROUGHT THE VAN IN TO HAVE THEM FIND OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING, THEY PUT DYE IN THE OIL TO TRACK AN OIL LEAK WHICH WAS LEAKING ON THE EXHAUST DIRECTLY BEHIND THE ENGINE. RETURNED A WEEK LATER TO FIND OUT THEY BELIEVED IT WAS THE TIMING COVER AND ORDERED PARTS TO REPLACE THE GASKET. RETURNED A WEEK LATER AND LEFT VAN TO BE REPAIRED. TWO DAYS LATER WE PICKED THE VAN UP AND DROVE HOME. THE NEXT DAY THE SMELL WAS BACK. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BACK AND HAD TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER APOINTMENT (A WEEK LATER) WHICH THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAK. THERE IS FLUID (POSSIBLY TRANSMISSION FLUID ) LEAKING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. I HAVE ANOTHER APOINTMENT SCHEDULED TO RETURN FOR OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKERING ON AND OFF WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD, AND A THUMPING NOISE IN THE FRONT OF VEHICLE. THIS VAN ONLY HAS 14000 MILES ON IT AND I DO NOT NEED IT TO CATCH ON FIRE...