1992 Mazda Protege Complaints

LETTER FROM SENATOR GILLIBRAND ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 1992 MAZDA PROTEGE. *SMD THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR AN IGNITION SWITCH REPLACEMENT HE PAID FOR OUT-OF-POCKET. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MAZDA PROTEGE. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.

1. AUTOMATIC/PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELT FOR DRIVERS SIDE HAD BEEN ACTING SLUGGISH E.G. BELT WOULD HESITATE WHEN OPENING/CLOSING DOOR BEFORE MOVING TO FULL OPEN/CLOSED POSITION. 2. BELT IS STUCK/FROZEN IN MIDWAY POSITION OF DOOR. DRIVER HAS NO ADEQUATE SHOULDER RESTRAINT IN EVENT OF COLLISION. 3. CONTACTED MAZDA MANUFACTURE BUT THEY STATE CAR VIN IS NOT IN U.S. DATABASE. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V211000 THAT IDENTIFIES A PROBLEM WITH MAZDA VEHICLES 323 AND MX3 THAT USE THE IDENTICAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM. MY CAR WAS BUILT IN JAPAN, SHIPPED TO EUROPE AND PURCHASED NEW IN MONTHS, BELGIUM AS U.S. SPEC VEHICLE. THIS PUTS MY CAR IN A LIMBO STATUS OF IT IS A U.S. SPEC CAR BUT WAS SOLD IN EUROPE AND ISN'T COVERED BY A U.S. ONLY RECALL. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT IF CAR MANUFACTURERS ARE SELLING VEHICLES OVERSEAS TO U.S. MILITARY MEMBERS WHO BRING THE CARS BACK TO THE STATES THEN THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED COVER THOSE VINS AS WELL FOR SAFETY RECALLS ETC. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, ROAD DEBRIS RUPTURED THE VEHICLE FUEL TANK WHICH RESULTED ON A FIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS SEVERELY BURNED ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF HER BODY. *LA

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTOR BROKE. THE CABLE HAS COME COMPLETELY OFF THE TRACK. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS INOPERABLE. *LA