2002 Mazda MPV Complaint Log

EXHAUST SYSTEM: CATALYTIC CONVERTOR VEHICLE EMITTING STRONG SULFUR ODER FROM CATBACK SYSTEM. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, ESPECIALLY AT 20,000 MILES. DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT. NOTED THIS WAS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THIS VECHICLE ( MPV). DEALER SAID- "THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE COMMON IN NEW V6 AND V8 ENGINES.- SOMETHING IN THE DESIGN OF LOWER EMMISSIONS. AGAIN, UNRESOLVED- THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE (FOR ANY VEHICLE). *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A CHECK UP. DEALER DETERMINED THAT PCV HOSE SPLIT. CONSUMER REPLACED PCV HOSE TWO TIMES IN THE LAST 9 MONTHS. *AK *PH

A STRONG CHEMICAL FUME ENTERED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

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

THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

04/02 DRIVING VAN . ENGINE LIGHT/ TRANSMISSION STALL CAR WOULD NOT PULL COMPLETE LOST OF DRIVING A;SO CAME TO A SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN. 002/03 DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT / ODRIVE SYSTEM LIGHT / DOOR WONT OPEN OFF TRACK

ROTTEN EGG SMELL COMING FROM EXHAUST SYSTEM. VEHICLE HAS 13,000 MILES ON AND ODOR SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE.*JB

BRAKE PAD DESIGN FAULT RESULTING IN LOOSENING OF BRAKE PADS AND GIVING CRANKING NOISE WHILE BRAKING. VEHICLE IN COMPLAINT -- 2002 MAZDA MPV. *JB

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.

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...

I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR 6 MONTHS, THE ENGINE LIGHT ON TWICE, DIDN'T FIX IT FIRST TIME, THE ADVISOR SAID THE GAS TANK CAP IS NOT CLOSE TIGHT ENOUGHT. COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ONE AGAIN, THIS TIME THEY FOUND CONTROL SYSTEM INCORRECT FLOW, SMALL LEAK, HOSE OFF OF PURGE VALVE AT AIR CLEANER HOUSING. CAR PULLS TO LEFT ON HIGHWAY AND RIGHT ON LOCAL STREET. BROUGHT IN 4 TIME, ADMIT ALIGNMENT ON THE 3RD TIME AND FIX IT, BUT STILL PULL. BROUGHT IN AGAIN THE FOURTH TIME, SAID FOUND NO PULLING PROBLEM. WE COMPLAINT THAT THE CAR OCCASIONALLY JERK WHEN PRESS GAS PADDLE, THE JERK FEELING SIMLIAR TO THE WAY THE CAR GOT HIT IN BEHIND. THEY FOUND NO CODE FOR IT. THE CAR BEEP, THEY CAN'T FIND ANY CODE FOR IT. THERE ARE MANY PROBLEM WE FOUND IN THE CAR, BUT THEY SAID THEY CAN'T FIND THE CODE. ONE ADVISOR THINK THAT THE CAR'S PULLING BECAUSE THE CAR IS TOO HIGH. ALSO, IT HAPPEN 3 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR THAT AFTER I PLACED THE GEAR TO REVERSE, THEN PLACE IT BACK TO DRIVE, THE CAR WON'T GO BUT THE ENGINE RUN. TO FIX IT, THEN I PLACE THE GEAR BACK TO PARK AND TO DRIVE, THEN THE CAR BACK TO NORMAL RUN. I'M VERY REGRETFUL TO HAVE BOUGHT THIS CAR. IT HAS SO MANY PROBLEM AND THE DEALEAR DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM EITHER. I'M, THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PAID FINANCIALLY, AND MENTALLY FOR THIS CAR. IT IS A DISASTER.

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

THE EXHAUST SYSTEM RELEASED A BAD ODOR.*JB THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED THE CONSUMER CHANGE THE TYPE OF GAS WHICH WAS BEING USED, HOWEVER THE ODOR STILL EXISTED. *JB

THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MALFUNCTIONED AND AS A RESULT A FOUL ODOR SEEPED THROUGH THE VENTS AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE COMPARTMENT. *AK THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE SMELL IS VERY FOUL AND HAS CAUSED PROBLEMS FOR THE CONSUMER'S ASTHMATIC CHILD. *PH *NLM

DRIVING VAN ON MAJOR HWY (H-2 FREEWAY) AT 50MPH, SUDDENLY A DECREASE IN POWER AND ENGINE DIED . PRIOR TO THE ENGINE INCIDENT, NOTICED MY DASHBOARD GOT FAIRLY HOT AND RADIATED HEAT IN THE INTERIOR AREA.*AK

WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER'S STAINLESS STEEL WRISTWATCH TOUCHED THE THREE PRONGS THAT PROTRUDED FROM THE DOOR OPENING AT THE POINT WHERE THE AUTOMATIC SIDE DOORS CLOSE. CONSUMER WAS ELECTROCUTED AND LATER REALIZED HER WRIST HAD BURNED. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT A SMALL CHILD WITH METAL IN THEIR HAND OR AN AGED PERSON WITH A HEART CONDITION MIGHT FIND THEMSELVES INJURED IN THE SAME WAY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED OF INCIDENT. *TT

WHEN SHIFTING THE INDICATOR WILL INTERMITTANTLY NOT SHOW WHAT GEAR VEHICLE IS IN. OVERDRIVE LIGHT WILL BEGIN TO BLINK. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOR A TOTAL OF 9 DAYS FOR TESTING. PROBLEM IS NOT REMEDIED. NLM

FRESH AIR VENTILATION WOULD ALLOW HOT AIR TO COME INTO VEHICLE WHEN OPENED. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS WARM AIR COMING FROM EVERY VENT OF THE VEHICLE, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ENGINE WARMED UP AND AIR GETS HOT AS THE ENGINE APPROACHING NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE RECIRCULATING AIR AND FRESH AIR VENT CONTROL HAVE NO CONTROL. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. *SCC

WHILE COMING TO A RED LIGHT AND APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLES ENGINE DIED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK CONSUMER CLAIMS THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT. MAZDA OFFERED CONSUMER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. *JG

THE TRANSMISSION "BUCKS" WHEN SHIFTING OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THIS HAPPENS MAINLY AFTER ACCELERATING, LETTING YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS, AND THEN RE-ACCELERATING. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE, AND IT CONTINURES TO OCCUR. THE DEALERSHIP DOES NOT CONSIDER THIS A WARRANTY ISSUE, THOUGH WE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CAR SINCE WE THE 2ND WEEK WE OWNED THE VEHICLE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF TRANSMISSION "UPDATES" THAT THE VEHICLE HAS GONE THROUGH AS PART OF SERVICE. IN ADDITION THERE IS A SULFUR SMELL EMITTED BY THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. WE WERE TOLD TO CHANGE TO "GOOD GAS" WHICH WE DID AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SMELL. WE WERE THEN TOLD THAT MAZDA WOULD NOT LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM AGAIN UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAD 10K MILES ON.

VAN HAS A HORRIBLE SULFUR SMELL. IT IS WORSE WHEN STOPPED AT STOP SIGNS AND RED LIGHTS. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE DEFROSTER IS SHUT OFF TO KEEP SMELL OUT CREATING BAD VISIBILITY AND POSSIBLE DANGEROUS SITUATION. ALSO SMELL IS SO BAD DRIVER IS DISTRACTED AND/OR NAUSEOUS.

WE HAVE HAD A TERRIBLE "ROTTEN EGG" SMELL COMING FROM OUR EXHAUST SINCE WE HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE VAN WOULD BE REPLACED WITHOUT ANY INCONVENIENCE TO US. THE DEALER LATER WITHDREW THAT OFFER BECAUSE MAZDA CORPORATION FELT THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. WE WERE ALSO INFORMED BY THE DEALER TO TRY 3 TAN FULLS OF THE SAME GASOLINE AND THE SMELL WOULD GO AWAY. THEY TOLD US IF THIS DID NOT WORK TO GO TO OTHER GAS STATIONS AND START THIS PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN UNTIL WE FOUND A BRAND THAT WOULD WORK. WE HAVE TRIED THIS AND HAVE NO IMPROVEMENT IN THE SMELL. WE WERE ALSO TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY (WHO MAKES THE ENGINE) ISSUED A STATEMENT TO MAZDA SERVICE CENTERS THAT THIS SMELL WILL GO AWAY BETWEEN 8,000 TO 12,000 MILES. I ASKED THE DEALER, MAZDA CORP., AND FORD MOTOR CO. FOR A WRITTEN COPY OF THIS STATEMENT, AND NO ONE COULD PROVIDE ONE FOR ME. HAVE YOU HAD OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS DEFECT? I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS REASONABLE TO EXPECT A CUSTOMER TO PUT UP WITH THIS SMELL FOR UP TO 12,000 MILES. IT IS VERY EMBARRASING WHEN PEOPLE PULL UP NEXT TO YOU IN TRAFFIC AND HOLD THEIR NOSE BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE SMELL FROM OUR EXHAUST (THIS HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED.) HAVE THEIR BEEN ANY RECALLS ISSUED TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT? THANK YOU.*AK

THE EXHAUST SYSTEM EMITTED BAD FUMES.*JB

VEHICLE SHIFTED VERY HARD WHEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. CURRENTLY, THE PROBLEM MOVED TO SECOND AND THIRD GEARS. MECHANIC INDICATED THERE WAS A COMMUNICATION ERROR WITH THE CHIP AND THE VEHICLE. DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK