2009 Mazda Mazda3 Complaints

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND MY ENGINE SHUT OFF ABRUPTLY. I CHECKED THE ENGINE AND FOUND A HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. OIL TRAILS OUT OF THE HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE BAY.

MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE A KEY LOCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DOOR CAN ONLY BE UNLOCKED BY THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR BY A KEY REMOTE. I DO NOT HAVE A REMOTE. BECAUSE THE PASSENGER SIDE CAN ONLY BE OPENED BY THE DRIVER'S SIDE THIS CREATES A RISK OF INJURY FOR THE DRIVER, AS WELL AS PASSENGERS WHO ARE DEPENDENT ON THE DRIVER. FOR EXAMPLE, MY MOTHER IS 80 YEARS OLD AND DEAF. SHE NEEDS ASSISTANCE WALKING. WHEN I NEED TO UNLOCK THE CAR, I HAVE TO LEAVE HER UNATTENDED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OR BRING HER WITH ME TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE THEN WALK BACK TO THE PASSENGER SIDE. ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE IF I NEED TO UNLOCK MY CAR WHEN THERE HEAVY TRAFFIC ON THE STREET SIDE (DRIVER'S SIDE) BEFORE I CAN PUT MY DOG'S IN THE CAR, I HAVE TO LEAVE MY DOGS UNATTENDED, OR BRING THEM INTO THE STREET WITH ME. WHEN TRAFFIC IS HEAVY, MY ONLY METHOD TO UNLOCK THE CAR IS TO GO INTO HEAVY TRAFFIC. I HAVE NOTICED THERE ARE MANY CAR MANUFACTURERS NOT INSTALLING A KEY LOCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE REASON FO...

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I HEARD A LOUD CLATTER LIKE A ROCK IN THE WHEEL WELL AND THE SAW SOMETHING BOUNCE OUT FROM THE SIDE OF MY CAR. MOMENTS LATER THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AND VEER TO THE LEFT. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE OVER AND PULL OF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO FIND THAT MY VALVE STEM ON MY WHEEL HAD LOST THE NUT HOLDING IT IN PLACE SO THAT THE VALVE FELL INTO THE TIRE LEAVING A LARGE HOLE. AFTER HAVING THE TIRE REPLACED (IT WAS DESTROYED) I SAW THAT THE VALVE (WHICH WAS PART OF THE TPMS) WAS CORRODED AND COULD BE EASILY SNAPPED IN HALF. ANOTHER OF THESE VALVES HAD FAILED FOUR MONTHS PRIOR SO I THINK THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. MAZDA REFUSES TO BELIEVE THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THEIR PART AND SUGGESTS THAT I CONTINUE TO DRIVE WITH THE REMAINING SENSORS.

WHILE DRIVER WAS BACKING CAR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM THAT HOLDS THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND AXLE BROKE IN TWO, TOTALLY DISABLING THE CAR. ACCORDING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, HAD THIS OCCURRED ON THE ROAD, THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE: THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SLAMMED TO THE GROUND, THE LEFT CONTROL ARM WOULD HAVE OVER-COMPENSATED AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO SWERVE SUDDENLY INTO THE LEFT LANE, GOING INTO A SKID AND THEN FLIPPING END-OVER-END THROUGH TRAFFIC, KILLING THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS OF THIS CAR AND CAUSING A MULTI-CAR PILE-UP. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE BROKEN CONTROL ARM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THIS PART, FACTORY ORIGINAL, WAS MADE OF WELDED METAL, AN INHERENTLY DANGEROUS CONCEPT, SINCE WELDED METAL IS WEAKER THAN A SOLID PIECE OF STEEL. OBVIOUSLY, MAZDA CARES MORE ABOUT COST-CUTTING THAN THE SAFETY OF ITS CUSTOMERS. UPON CONTACTING MAZDA, THEIR ANSWER: POWERTRAIN WARRANTY (THAT WOULD NOT INCLUDE THIS PART) WAS EXPIRED; MAZDA REFUSED TO ACCEPT...

2009 MAZDA3. THE WHEEL END OF THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM SNAPPED OFF. UPDATED 02/13/15*BF