2003 Mazda MPV Complaint Log

1 MONTH AGO (4/10/06) I EXPERIENCED THE FIRST OF MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES. WHILE DRIVING AT ONLY 30 MPH MY VEHICLE'S RPM GAUGE WENT UP TO 4.5 ON THE SCALE AND STAYED THAT WAY FOR 15 MINUTES. PRODUCING THE SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER OR METAL. CARS AND TRACTOR TRAILERS WERE APPROACHING ME FASTER THAN I COULD MOVE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. MANY TIMES I CAN SIT IDLE AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKES STICK SO MUCH THAT I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO APPLY THEM IN ORDER TO STOP. THE CAR ABRUPTLY STOPS WHEN I RELEASE PRESSURE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT WAS SUGGESTED BY A CERTIFIED MAZDA TECHNICIAN THAT I MUST HAVE MY CALIPERS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE LOCKING. AND SO I DID ON 5/8. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ONE WEEK, THE VERY SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. ON 5/16 MY CAR WAS REPAIRED BY THE SAME TECHNICIAN WHO SAID THAT WE MUST REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES BECAUSE THEY COULD HAVE COLLAPSED. AND SO I DID ON 5/22. BEFORE DRIVING OFF, I TEST DROVE THE CAR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED. LITTLE TO MY SURPRISE TWO SHORT DAYS LATER ON 5/24 AT 11:00 PM ON BLADENSBURG ROAD AND NEW YORK AVENUE IN WASHINGTON, DC MY CARS' SPEED WAS REDUCED TO 15 MPH WITH AN RPM READING OF 5! THIS SCARED ME AS IT WAS LATE AND I WAS IN A NOT SO DESIRABLE NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG WITH MY MOTHER WHO WALKS WITH A CANE AND I AM 3 MONTHS PREGNANT. DRIVERS WERE BLOWING THEIR HORNS AND YELLING OBSCENITIES TO US TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. FINALLY I REACHED AN AREA WHERE THERE WAS A SHOULDER TO PULL OFF ON. I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY FOR EMERGENCY ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE AND IT TOOK 1 1/2 HOURS & $125.00 CASH FOR AN EMERGENCY TOW VEHICLE TO COME PICK US UP. IN SUMMARY, I HAVE RECEIVED NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN SERVICED. I'VE HAD MULTIPLE DAYS OFF OF WORK AND A TREMENDOUS DENT IN MY PURSE. I WAS TOLD MY CAR DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THIS RECALL. I AM IN DESPERATE NEED OF SOME SORT OF ASSISTANCE. IS THERE ANYTHING NHTSA CAN DO??*JB

BAD VIBRATION CAUSED BY THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS BEING OUT OF ROUND. DEALER RESURFACED ROTORS TWO TIMES AND NOW NEEDS RESURFACING A THIRD TIME. THE MPV ONLY HAS 31,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AT APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10,000 MILES. IT IS A 2003 PURCHASED NEW IN 2004. THE TIRES ARE WEARING IN THE FRONT DUE TO THE ALIGNMENT TO THE POINT OF NEEDING REPLACED. THE ALIGNMENT SHOULD NOT OF GONE BAD IN THIS SHORT OF TIME. *JB

2003 MAZDA MPV BEGAN TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE WHILE ENTERING MY DRIVEWAY. EVEN THOUGH APPLYING BRAKES AT FULL FORCE, MY VEHICLE CRASHED INTO MY GARAGE DOOR. WHILE TRYING TO PUT GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, I ACCIDENTALLY SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE AGAIN ACCELERATED, THE WHOLE WHILE I HAD BOTH FEET PUSHING ON THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I WAS ABLE. THE MINIVAN THEN SHOT OUT IN REVERSE AND HIT MY NEIGHBORS' CAR PARKED ON THE STREET IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE. *NM

I WAS GOING 55 MPH, SUDDENLY THE STEERING WHEELED PULLED TO THE RIGHT. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED IT BACK TO THE LEFT. ONCE AGAIN, THE WHEEL PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT. I TRIED TO PULL IT BACK TO THE LEFT BUT COULDN'T. IT FELT LIKE A 500 POUND GORILLA WAS SITTING NEXT TO ME TUGGING THE WHEEL. I GOT SCARED AND SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. THE CAR WENT ROUND IN CIRCLES AND SPUN OUT INTO THE JERSEY BARRIER. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRE WAS VERY LOW AND SEEMED TO BE FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AND THE TIRE WAS INFLATED. IN JULY, ONE OF THE OTHER TIRES WERE VERY LOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE TIRE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE TREAD WAS WORN OUT AND THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE TIRE DEALER ALSO DETERMINED THAT ALL THE TREAD ON ALL TIRES WERE WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ONLY ONE TIRE WAS REPLACED AT THAT TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER FOR A SECOND OPINION WHO AGREED THAT THE TREAD OF THE TIRES WERE WORN AND RECOMMENDED NEW TIRES. THE OTHER THREE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT THE TIRE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SERVICE DEALER FOR AN ALIGNMENT. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVEN FOR 14,500 MILES BEFORE THE TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO TREAD WEAR. THE TIRES HAD BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY FOR TIRE PRESSURE AND TIRE ROTATION. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DETERMINED THAT THEY WOULD REIMBURSE FOR THE TIRES. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. VEHICLE STUTTERS AND SOMETIMES DIES. DEALER REPLACED IGNITION COILS ##1 AND #3. BIG SAFETY ISSUE WHEN DIES IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. VEHICLE MILES 27673. SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM 2002-2006 MPV OWNERS ABOUT THE IGNITION COILS GOING BAD. *TR

TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND THEN SLAMS INTO GEAR. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THIS RESULTED IN A CRASH. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN THE CONTACT PROPERLY. THE LAP PORTION OF THE BELT SEEMED TO WORK FINE, BUT THE SHOULDER STRAP DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY.*AK UPDATED 01/19/06. *JB

MY 2003 MAZDA MPV, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. YOU CAN FEEL THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND THEN IT HITS HARD INTO THIRD GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE THREE TIMES TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. FIRST TIME THEY UPDATED COMPUTER INFO, SECOND TIME THEY REPLACED THE TCM, AND THIRD TIME THEY REPLACED THE TRANNY FLUID WHICH I PAID FOR AND THE PROBLEM STILL HASN'T BEEN SOLVED. *JB

2003 MAZDA MPV. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD FROM 2ND TO 3RD. YOU CAN ACTUALLY FEEL THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND THEN IT WILL SLAM INTO 3RD GEAR. IT FEELS AS IF YOU ARE BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. VERY DANGEROUS! THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND UNPREDICTABLE. *NM

AT SPEEDS OF 25 - 35 MILES PER HOUR, OUR 2003 MAZDA MPV LX STALLED FOR NO APPARENT REASON IN TRAFFIC. ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WAS LOST WHEN IT STALLED, LUCKILY, WE WERE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS AND IN A LANE THAT NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, HOWEVER, IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. WE HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT A DEALER LOCAL TO WHERE WE WERE VACATIONING. THE DEALERSHIP, HOLMAN MAZDA IN EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, NJ, REPLACED AN AIR BYPASS VALVE, WHICH THEY STATED WAS THE REASON FOR STALLING AT APPROXIMATELY 2500 RPM. WHEN ASKED IF THIS WAS A NORMAL FAILURE, THE DEALER DID NOT BELIEVE SO. *NM

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT INTO GEARS WELL. IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT MAZDA CLAIMS THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE OR FIX. HOWEVER, ALL THE VANS APPEAR TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I OWNED MINE SINCE JULY 2003, AND ONLY TOOK IT IN ONCE, SINCE THEY SAY THEY STILL CAN'T FIX IT. VEHICLE DOES THIS EVEN AT SLOW SPEEDS . IT FEELS AS IF I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND, AND PUT PEOPLE AT RISK OF AN ACCIDENT WHEN SURGING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC! PLEASE GET THIS FIXED, I"M NOT ALONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. *AK

I HAVE HAD FOUR DIFFERENT COILS REPLACED ON A 2003 MAZDA MPV VAN, EACH COSTING OVER $1,000 IN TOTAL AND FOUR DIFFERENT VISITS AND RENTALS. I SEEM TO NOTICE THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT. THIS HAS HAPPENED FROM ABOUT 2 YEARS UNTIL 4 YEARS AFTER PURCHASE. *TR

IN MARCH 2005, I NOTICED THAT THE REAR BUMPER HAD CRACKS IN IT APPROXIMATELY 6 - 8 INCHES IN LENGTH ON BOTH SIDES, DIRECTLY IN LINE WITH THE TIRES. THE CRACKS WERE NOT PUSHED IN AS WOULD BE INDICATIVE OF AN IMPACT BUT THE TOP OF THEM CAME OUT OVER THE BOTTOM OF THE CRACK. WHEN I TOOK IT TO MAINLINE MAZDA IN SASKATOON, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CAUSE WAS ROCKS ON GRAVEL ROADS POUNDING THE INSIDE OF THE BUMPER. THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN AREA ON INSIDE OF BUMPER WHICH ALLOWED THE ROCKS TO GET IN. THEY SAID THAT SOME VEHICLES THEY HAD PUT A PIECE OF FOAM INSIDE TO PROTECT THE BUMPER. THEY WOULD NOT FIX UNDER WARRANTY AS THEY SAID WHEN YOU GET ROCK CHIPS ON YOUR WINDSHIELD, THAT'S NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I TOLD THE SERVICE MAN THAT THE MPV SHOULD COME WITH A WARNING - VAN NOT SUITABLE FOR GRAVEL ROAD DRIVING. WE LIVE ON A FARM AND CAN NOT GET AWAY FROM DRIVING ON GRAVEL. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. THIS LED TO THE VEHICLE BEING UNDRIVABLE. TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 65,000 MILES AT A COST OF $3500 AT HAMILTON MAZDA IN NJ. MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OP REFUSED TO COVER REPLACE/REPAIR. SERVICE MENTIONED THAT THIS WAS THE THIRD TRANSMISSION FAILURE FOR MPV THIS YEAR. THIS WAS THE FIFTH TIME VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPAIRED DUE TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION COMPUTER MODULE FAILED ON JAN 19, 2005. *AK

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT REGARDING MY MINI VAN. I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH WHEN THE RIM ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED. THE RIM COMPLETELY CAME APART, AND THE TWISTED METAL CUT MY TIRE. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE RIM COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED THE VAN LIFTED OFF THE GROUND. I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND SKIDDED ACROSS TWO LANES OF THE INTERSTATE. LUCKILY, THE INCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR DURING A BUSY TIME. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT, AND THE DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE RIM, TIRE, AND HUBCAP. WE DID NOT HIT A POT HOLE OR ANY OTHER OBJECT IN THE ROAD. I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH FAULTY RIMS. I HAD MY 16 MONTH OLD CHILD IN THE CAR AT THE TIME. THE FAULTY RIM COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT, IF IT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED DURING A BUSY TIME OF DAY. THE VEHICLE HAS 18,500 MILES, AND HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED. THE TIRES WERE CHECKED AND ROTATED TWO MONTHS AGO. ALSO, I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO HAVE TWO SEPARATE RECALLS REPAIRED IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS. NEITHER OF RECALL NOTICES WERE RELATED TO THE WHEELS NOR THE AXLES. THE MAN WITH THE TOWING SERVICE SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN A RIM DAMAGED LIKE THIS ONE WITHOUT BEING INVOLVED IN SOME TYPE OF ACCIDENT. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOMEONE LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER.*AK *TC

DT: THE CONTACT STATES ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS HIS WIFE WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND THE VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT BOTH TIMES. THE LAST TIME CAR WAS IN DRIVE WHILE SHE WAS PUTTING FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO PUT IT IN DRIVE SHE NEVER TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR. THE SAME THING HAD BOTH TIMES. THE FIRST TIME SHE HIT A CAR AND A TREE AND THE SECOND TIME SHE HIT A TREE IN THE SAME PARKING LOT. THE SECOND ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON APRIL 30, 2005. *AK

1) TRANSMISSION HAS VERY HARD SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. 2) OCCURRED AT LEAST ONCE A DAY AND MOSTLY IN LOCAL TRAFFIC. 3) TOOK IT TO THE LONG BEACH MAZDA DEALER TO REPROGRAM THE TCM BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING.*AK

FOR OVER 6 MONTHS, MY 2003 MAZDA MPV'S DRIVER'S SIDE BACK SEAT PASSENGER DOOR HAS BEEN OPENING SPONTANEOUSLY AND HAS NOT BEEN CLOSING CORRECTLY. IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO BE REPAIRED TWICE, AND THE SAME PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE LOCKING MECHANISM, BUT THAT HAS NOT CORRECTED IT. WITH CHILDREN IN THE BACKSEAT, THIS POSSES A GREAT DANGER AS IT HAPPENS NEARLY EVERY TIME THAT DOOR IS OPENED.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PCV VALVE ON 10/5/2004. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER 2010. THE IGNITION COILS WERE ALSO REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AGAIN ON 9/28/2010; HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,427. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106478. THE WATER PUMP WAS CRACKED, AND THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR FAILED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE IGNITION COIL THAT WAS REPLACED IN SEPT 2010 HAD GONE BAD AND THE IGNITION COIL THAT WAS REPLACED IN APRIL OF 2008 HAD ALSO GONE BAD. UPDATED EVOQ 03/25/11 UPATED 04/15/11

2003 MAZDA MPV DEVELOPING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE VAN WOULD SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, THEN THERE WAS A HARD JERK/SHIFT AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A SHIFT SHOCK RECALL AT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO BE SERVICED. ALTHOUGH THE REFLASH WAS UPDATED THE PROBLEM WAS NOT ALLIEVIATED. THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO PINPOINT AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WASI NVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE DEALER REPAIRED THE DOOR, BUT DAMAGED THE SIDE BODY MOLDING. SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO REPAIR WHAT WAS DAMAGED, AND ASKED CONSUMER NOT TO RETURN. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS IN FOR A TIRE ROTATION. CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW HOW THEY GAINED ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT HAVING THE KEYS. CONSUMER WAS VERY ANGRY BECAUSE IT WAS A FORMER EMPLOYEE WHO DID THIS. THE SERVICE MANAGER DENIED THE INCIDENT, AND ASKED CONSUMER AGAIN NOT TO RETURN TO THIS DEALERSHIP. *AK

2004 MAZDA MPV EX. WHILE PARKED IN A PARKING LOT (CAR TURNED OFF), IN PASSENGER BUCKET SEAT BEHIND DRIVER, I SAT DOWN MY 2 YEAR OLD IN ORDER TO CHANGE HIS DIAPER. I KNEW THAT THE SEATS RECLINED USING THE LEVER ON THE SIDE. WHILE MY SON SAT ON THE SEAT, I TURNED THE LEVER, EXPECTING SEAT TO RECLINE, HOWEVER, THERE IS A SPRING MECHANISM (?) THAT AUTOMATICALLY TRIES TO CLOSE THE SEAT, FOLDING THE BACK OF THE SEAT FORWARD, FOR STORAGE AND REMOVAL. I WAS NOT EXPECTING THE AUTOMATIC FOLDING OF THE SEATBACK AT THE FORCE AT WHICH IT CLOSED. WHEN I PULLED THE LEVER THE LEAT BACK CLOSED ON MY SON AND PUSHED HIM INTO THE BACK OF THE DRIVERS SEAT (WHICH HAS A HANDLE ON THE BACK OF IT). HE HIT HIS MOUTH AND FOREHEAD ON THE BACK OF THE DRIVERS SEAT AND COMPLAINED OF A SORE MOUTH/TONGUE AND HAD AN ABRASION ON HIS FOREHEAD. *LA

1. USE OF CRUISE CONTROL ON WEST VIRIGINA TURNPIKE WITH MPV 2. CRUISE CONTROL FAILS TO MAINTAIN SET SPEED. SPEED WILL VARY +/- 3 MPH. IN GOING UP HILL CRUISE CONTROL OVER SPEEDS SET SPEED BY 3-4 MPH, SOMETIMES ACCELERATING AT THE INCREASED SPEED BY SEVERAL SECONDS. AT 70 MPH THIS CAUSES THE DRIVER TO HAVE TO BRAKE TO AVOID REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT EVEN THOUGH THE CAR AHEAD MAY BE 8 OR MORE CAR LENGTHS AWAY. THIS IS A TOTALLY UNSAFE CONDITION. 3. DEALER WOULD DO NOTHING TO REPAIR SAYING THAT THE SPEED VARIATION WAS WITHIN MFG. LIMITS?*AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK INTO DRIVE. VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH BRICK BUILDING . AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED, ALSO HAS PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER DOOR LOCKING AND UNLOCKING FOR NO REASON WHILE DRIVING. *AK

ON MAY 13, 2004, MY 33-WEEK PREGNANT WIFE PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY WITH OUR DAUGHTER SLEEPING IN BACK OF OUR 2003 MAZDA MPV. MY WIFE PUT THE CAR IN PARK, ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND LEFT THE CAR RUNNING. PSE&G WORKERS REQUESTED THAT MY WIFE TALK WITH THEM. WHILE SHE DID SO, THE CAR REMAINED STATIONARY FOR 5-10 MINUTES. MY WIFE THEN ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE REAR AUTOMATIC DOOR. IT BEEPED INSTEAD. MY WIFE OPENED THE FRONT DOOR AND PUSHED THE BUTTON THERE TO OPEN THE REAR DOOR. IT BEEPED AGAIN. MY WIFE CHECKED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT WAS IN PARK. IT WAS. THE CAR THEN STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS. WITNESSES SAY THEY HEARD A RATCHETING NOISE WHEN THE CAR STARTED ROLLING. MY WIFE PULLED UP THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS FULLY ENGAGED. THIS DID NOT STOP THE CAR. MY WIFE WAS KNOCKED TO THE GROUND AND THE DOOR CAUGHT MY WIFES ABDOMEN AND CONTINUED TO ROLL OVER HER, SCRAPING HER AS SHE TRIED TO PROTECT OUR BABY. THE CAR ROLLED INTO THE STREET WITH OUR DAUGHTER IN IT. THE CAR HIT THE CURB AND JUST MISSED BEING HIT BY A CAR. THE REAR DOOR THEN POPPED OPEN. A PSE&G WORKER TURNED OFF THE CAR AND STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD INDICATED THAT THE MPV WAS STILL IN PARK WHEN HE DID SO. ON MAY 14, OUR MAZDA DEALER RAN DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND ADVISED US THAT IT WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE ACCIDENT. MAZDA TOOK THE POSITION THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. MAZDA SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE MY WIFE FAILED TO PUT THE CAR FULLY IN PARK. I ADVISED MAZDA THAT THIS MADE NO SENSE BECAUSE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN OUR DRIVEWAY FOR 5-10 MINUTES AND IT WAS STILL IN PARK WHEN IT STOPPED. THE NOTION THAT THE MPV SLIPPED INTO REVERSE AND THEN BACK INTO PARK MAKES NO SENSE. MAZDA HAS GIVEN US NO ADEQUATE EXPLANATION FOR WHY THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT 2003 MAZDA MPVS ON THE NHTSA'S WEBSITE ABOUT THEIR TRANSMISSIONS, INCLUDING DOWN SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS AND GEAR SLIPPAGE. *AK

VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED BACKWARDS OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND HIT THE CONSUMER'S PREGNANT WIFE. *MR THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SC *JB

WHILE BRAKING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

CARBON MONOXIDE WAS RELEASED INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT DUE TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER MALFUNCTIONING. THIS PART WAS REPLACED SEVEN TIMES. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

ENGINE/SPARK KNOCKING. TAKEN TO DEALER IN CHARLOTTE. THEY COULD NOT DETECT NOISE. TAKEN BACK A SECOND TIME. DEALER CALLED HQ IN CALIFORNIA FOR INSTRUCTIONS. VAN IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP. THIS IS THE SECOND ATTEMPTED FIX ON THIS PROBLEM. 2003 MAZDA MPV OWNER.*AK

TRANSMISSION SHIFTING ROUGH. IT SEEMS THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND THEN SLAMS INTO GEAR. IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY, SOME DAYS MORE THAN OTHERS AND SOME DAYS HARDER THAN OTHERS. SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I AM GOING TO GET WHIPLASH WHENEVER IT SLAMS INTO GEAR. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE LATE LAST YEAR BUT THE DEALER CANNOT SEEM TO FIX IT. THEY KEEP REPLACING THE COILS BUT THAT DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY SEEM TO BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF 2003 MPV'S. IT HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP FIVE TIMES SINCE JANUARY AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED.*AK

TRANSMISSION BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR- IN THE LAST MONTH OR SO, WE HAVE NOTICED A HESITATION AND THEN HARD SHIFT INTO THIRD GEAR DURING REGULAR CITY DRIVING. WE SPENT 2/16/2004 AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE, TIRE ROTATION, AND EXAMINATION OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY PERFORMED A REFLASH OF THE TCM/PTM AND LEFT THE DEALERSHIP SATISFIED. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER, IT STARTED AGAIN. WE CALLED BACK AND AS OF THIS MORNING, WE HAVE SCHEDULED A DRIVE WITH THE TRANSMISSION MECHANIC. I HAVE NOTICED A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS HERE AND ON EDMUNDS.COM. I REALLY HOPE THIS CAN BE SOLVED FOR AN OTHERWISE GREAT MINIVAN.*JB

THE CAR HAS A HESITATION WHEN ITS ACCELERATING FROM 20 MPH TO 30 MPH, AFTER THE HESITATION IT HAS A SLIGHT SURGE IN SPEED AND A KNOCKING SOUND. IT HAPPENS IN AN INTERMITTENT MANNER. DEALER KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM FROM OTHERS WHO HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS BUT SAID IT'S NORMAL. MECHANIC KNOWS THE CONDITIONS OF HOW IT OCCURS BUT CLAIM IN THE TEST DRIVE NOT TO BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS ONLY 2,500 MILES AND WAS HAVING THIS PROBLEM FROM 200 MILES ON.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTED WITHOUT WARNING. CONSUMER STATED THE PART WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. *LA

TRANSMISSION LAGS, THEN SLAMS INTO GEAR ON 2-3 SHIFT, PARTICULARLY UNDER INCONSISTENT ACCELERATION (SUCH AS IN TRAFFIC). CAUSES NOISE, UNCOMFORTABLE JERK, POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION WHEN OTHER VEHICLES ARE CLOSE. *LA

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 2003 MAZDA MPV IN AUGUST. WE ARE VERY HAPPY OVERALL WITH THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, ABOUT 70% OF THE TIME WHEN THE VAN IS SHIFTING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS THE TRANMISSION HESITATES AND SHIFTS HARD. THE TRANMISSION MAKES A CLUNKING SOUND. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE CRYSTAL AUTO MALL ON NOVEMBER 28TH AND THEY SAID THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE UPDATED AND THAT IT WAS FIXED. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS WE REALIZED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. WE RECEIVED A SURVEY FROM MAZDA TO MEASURE OUR SATISFACTION OF THE REPAIR AND IT WAS INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. WE NEVER HEARD FROM MAZDA. WE BROUGHT THE VAN BACK TO THE DEALER ON DECEMBER 30TH AND WERE TOLD THAT THE TECHNICIAN NEEDED TO SPEAK WITH MAZDA TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION. AS OF TODAY (JANUARY 2ND) THEY STILL HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH MAZDA ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I MENTIONED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE SEEM TO BE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND HE ADMITTED THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS FOR SOME MPVS. MY WIFE CALLED MAZDA TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SERVICE TAKING SO LONG AND THAT THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THE VAN WAS BROUGHT IN, BUT MAZDA'S RESPONSE WAS THAT THE DEALER WAS WORKING ON THE PROBLEM. THE VAN HAS LESS THAN 6,000 MILES ON IT, SO HOPEFULLY THE PROBLEM WILL BE FIXED OR WE WILL BE LOOKING INTO INVOKING OUR STATE'S LEMON LAW.*AK

NOT A COMPLAINT-MERELY A QUESTIONABLE VEHICLE SAFETY/DESIGN INQUIRY: I BOUGHT A 2003 MAZDA MPV IN DECEMBER. RECENTLY, WHILE UNDER THE VEHICLE DOING AN OIL CHANGE, I NOTICED A TROUBLING DESIGN IN THE GAS TANK LOCATION. IT IS RIGHT UP AGAINST THE DOOR SILL/ROCKER PANEL AREA ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS LOCATION LOOKS VERY VULNERABLE TO RUPTURE AND FIRE IN CASE OF A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION. HAS THIS DESIGN BEEN TESTED AS SAFE? IT REMINDS ME OF THE OLD PINTO DESIGN WITH THE TANK RIGHT AHEAD OF THE REAR BUMPER.*AK

THE CONSUMER SMELLED A STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE SMELL CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO FEEL NAUSEOUS AND MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEATHER SEAT AND OTHER ACCESSORIES YET THE SMELL WAS STILL PRESENT. *NLM *SC *JB

ON OCCASION, UPON ACCELERATION, ENGINE SLIPS, THEN BANGS INTO GEAR. TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE AND THEY FOUND NOTHING. PULLING OUT OF THE SERVICE PARKING LOT IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. ALSO MAN IN FRONT OF ME IN THE SERVICE LINE HAS THE SAME YEAR MODEL AND IS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME THING. *AK

I HAVE A 2003 MAZDA MPV WITH 8,000 MILES ON IT. MY TRANSMISSION (2ND TO 3RD SHIFT) STARTED SHIFTING WITH A JOLT FROM ABOUT 1,000 MILES. IT ONLY HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY AT FIRST BUT NOW IT IS EVERY DAY. HAVE TAKEN IT TO MALLOY MAZDA. THEY CALLED MAZDA AND TOLD ME TO WAIT UNTIL MAZDA GETS A FIX. THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO CALL ME. *AK

WHILE SLOWLY ACCELERATING, THE RPM JUMPS UP ABOUT 600-800 RPM AND THE TRANSMISSION JUMPS, SOMEWHAT VIOLENTLY, INTO 3RD GEAR. IT ONLY OCCURRS FROM 2ND TO 3RD. IN DOES NOT MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER IS OR HOW LONG THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OPERATING. IT HAPPENS ABOUT 70% OF THE TIME. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN TWICE AND THE DEALER (SHERRITS SIC.) STATE THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE NOT FOUND ANY FAULT CODES, THEREFOR, THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I AM TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROBLEM. OUR VAN HAS 6010 MILES ON IT.*AK

2003 MAZDA MPV - TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY ROUGH FROM 2ND TO 3RD. YOU CAN FEEL THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING THEN IT SLAMS INTO 3RD GEAR. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND UNPREDICTABLE. DEALER SAYS THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE DIAGNOSED AND FIXED UNLESS IT CAN BE DUPLICATED IN THE REPAIR SHOP. I PRINTED 30 PAGES FROM THE EDMUNDS.COM BOARD AND MAZDAUSA.COM BOARD AND HANDED IT TO THE SERVICE MANAGER TO SHOW THAT YES THIS IS A PROBLEM. THE VAN ONLY HAS 4100 MILES ON IT AND HAS DONE THIS SINCE PURCHASED. I WILL NOW KEEP A RECORD OF THE INCIDENTS. **RIVERSIDE, CA. *LA

2003 MAZDA MPV. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD FROM 2ND TO 3RD. YOU CAN ACTUALLY FEEL THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND THEN IT WILL SLAM INTO 3RD GEAR. IT FEELS AS IF YOU ARE BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. VERY DANGEROUS! THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND UNPREDICTABLE. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE MORE APPARENT WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMP IS MILD AND THE ENGINE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR MORE THAN 15-20 MINUTES. PROBLEM MUST BE DUPLICATED IN ORDER FOR MAZDA TO REPAIR. MY VAN HAS 6500 MILES ON IT. *AK

MAZDA MPV 2003 PURCHASED IN FEB 03. SINCE THEN, HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH PASSENGER POWER SLIDING DOOR NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES FOR REPAIR. EACH TIME, DEALER CLAIMS IT'S "FIXED." SYMPTOMS INCLUDE: DOOR WILL NOT SHUT PROPERLY, WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL OR DOES NOT CLOSE FLUSH WITH VAN. INITIATED STEPS TO CLAIM VA LEMON LAW ON NOV 21, 2003. *LA

THERE IS A SULFUR SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, DEALER SAID ITS THE ETHANOL GAS THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND THAT IT IS SEASONAL; DEALER SAID TO TRY OTHER GAS; DEALER HAS SAID THEY HAVE RECEIVED OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME SMELL AND THAT AT LEAST ONE (PREGNANT) OWNER CANNOT DRIVE HER CAR WITHOUT BECOMING SICK. *LA

THIS CAR HAS NOT DRIVEN IN A SAFE MANNER SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES (WHICH BY THE WAY WAS A TOTAL PAIN). AFTER FIVE MONTHS OF 'RESEARCH' INTO THE PROBLEM MAZDA CLAIMS THAT IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. ALSO THE BRAKES MAKE A VERY UNSAFE NOISE AND DON'T SEEM TO STOP THE CAR VERY GOOD. THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED FOR MONTHS, AS I DO NOT TRUST DRIVING IT ANYMORE. MAZDA HAS NOT BEEN HELPFUL AND HAS NO CARE FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY OR ME.

YOU CAN ADD ME TO THE LIST OF PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE HARD SHIFT PROBLEM THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE DESCRIBED AS AN INTERMITTENT HARD SLAM OF THE TRANS IN MY NEW $30,000 MAZDA MPV. IT OCCURS WHEN THE VAN HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A WHILE AND HAPPENS WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD AROUND 30MI PER HR. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER AND THEY ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT THEY WON'T TRY TO FIX IT BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY CURRENTLY THEY HAVE NO FIX FROM MAZDA. I EMAILED MAZDA AND THEY ADMIT THAT THERE IS NO FIX BUT THEY ARE WORKING WITH THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TRANSMISSION. I AM TRYING TO FILE FOR LEMON LAW ARBITRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AT THIS TIME. I NEED FOUR WORK ORDERS FROM THE DEALERS WHICH MEANS 4 DAYS WITHOUT A CAR AND TIME OFF WORK . THE SECOND DEALER I TOOK IT TO SAID MY VAN WAS WORKING AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO EVEN THOUGH I TRIED TO SHOW THE SERVICE MANAGER THE EMAIL FROM MAZDA THAT AS GOOD AS CONFESSES THAT THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS ON 2003/2004 MPV'S. THE AREA DEALER SERVICE REP FOR MAZDA WOULDN'T HELP ME EITHER. I THINK IT'S TIME FOR ME TO CALL MY FRIENDS AT CBS NEWS AND GET MAZDA ON 20/20 AND HAVE THEM ANSWER SOME POINTED QUESTIONS, LIKE WHY DON'T THEY STAND BEHIND THEIR CARS AND GIVE US THE SERVICE WE ALL DESERVE. IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE COMPLAINTS GO TO EDMUNDS.COM THERE ARE OVER 3000 + COMPLAINTS AND COUNTING. I THINK MAZDA WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS UNTIL SOME ONE IS EITHER IN AN ACCIDENT OR HURT AS A RESULT OF THE TRANS. PROBLEM. MY RECOMMENDATION IS DON'T BUY A MAZDA MPY VAN. *JB

THE REAR BRAKES SQUEAKED VERY LOUDLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THE CONSUMER HAD THE BRAKES INSPECTED BY THE DEALER THREE TIMES BUT THE DEALER HAS NOYT BEEN ABLE TO FIND OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK *NLM

THROTTLE REVVED, BUT VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. PRIOR THIS TO INCIDENT TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY SHIFTED INTO GEAR. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE MANUFACTURER DECIDED ON A REMEDY.*AK

WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH OUR 2003 MAZDA MPV ES VAN THAT WAS REPORTED ON THIS SITE ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTING HARSHLY BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM, OUR DEALERSHIP FINALLY TOLD US THE MAZDA HAS IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM. THEY CALL IT SHIFT SHOCK AND IT REQUIRES A REPROGRAMMING OF THE COMPUTER.*AK