2010 Mazda MAZDASPEED3

BLINKING AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT SHORTLY AFTER MAZDA SERVICE RECALL FOR SEAT REPLACEMENT. MAZDA DEALER REFUSED TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE WHICH LATER FOUND TO BE LOOSE CONNECTOR UNDER THE SEAT. CONNECTOR WAS UNCLIPPED DURING ASSEMBLY OF NEW VEHICLE BRACKET AND NOT REINSTALLED PROPERLY. OWNER ALSO HAD U0100 CODE PENDING NO PCM COMM. REFERRED TO WS MANUAL FOUND OUT LOOSE WIRE FROM AIR BAG COULD'VE BEEN THE PROBLEM, BUT LATER FOUND MOISTURE UNDER STEERING COLUMN. LED TO FINDING LEAKING BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER ONTO ENGINE FIREWALL PCM MAIN HARNESS CONNECTION/PLUG. THIS CAUSED CORROSION, POOR CONTACT WITH GROUND WIRING, AND VEHICLE ELECTRICAL "GREMLINS". SUCH AS HATCHBACK DOOR INDICATING 'OPEN' ON DISPLAY UPON START WITH NO CAUSE. RESTARTING VEHICLE SOLVED THAT.. INTERMITTENT TCS/DSC FLASHLIGHT LIGHT DRIVING UNDER 10MPH IN PARKING LOT. OWNER ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS @ 400 MILES. 1ST AND 2ND GEAR SYNCHRO REPLACED. LATER TURBO @ 15K MILES AND AGAIN AT 40K. DEALERSHIPS INEXPERIENCED WITH HANDLING MS3. MIGHT AS WELL HAVE GONE TO FORD SINCE MAZDA DEALERS WERE OF NO HELP GIVEN "CONVENIENCE" IN MILEAGE. BAD STRUT BEARINGS AT 50K, NEW STRUTS AND SHOCKS AT 35K. ENGINE MOUNT REAR AT 10K MILES. THE OTHER 2 MOUNTS FAILED, DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER. PASSENGER MOUNT LEAKED HYDRAULIC OIL ON TO SERPENTINE BELT AND PULLEY TENSIONER. COME ON! WHEN THE ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED, THE ENGINE TILTED BACKWARDS, CRACKING EXHAUST, CAUSING MISFIRE AND BURNING UP AT LEAST 1 IGNITION COIL. I COULD KEEP GOING..

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A MINOR BRUISE TO THE RIBS. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (FAIRWAY MAZDA OF SAVANNAH 10101 ABERCORN STREET, SAVANNAH, GA, 31406), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SENT OUT AN ENGINEER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SUSPENSION DAMAGAE, WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000.

THE SEAT HEIGHT ADJUSTER IS OPERATED BY A LEVER ON THE SIDE OF THE SEAT. THE LEVER ROTATES A ROD WITH TWO BRACKETS (ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE SEAT) WHICH ARE WELDED TO THE BAR ON ONE END AND PINNED TO THE SEAT ADJUSTER BASE. THE BRACKET CRACKED AT THE BASE OF THE WELD ON THE OUTBOARD SIDE OF THE SEAT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP; HOWEVER, I HAD NOTICED SOME A RATTLE OR CREAKING SOUND FROM THE SEAT FOR A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE FINAL FAILURE OCCURRED. THE SEAT IS NOT COMPLETELY LOOSE AT THE FRONT LEFT CORNER. THE SEAT HAS SIDE AIRBAGS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THEY WILL ACCIDENTALLY DEPLOY DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE SEAT MOVEMENT IN A PANIC BREAKING EVENT. MAZDA HAS CHANGED THE PART DESIGN, BUT THE REPAIR IS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH A DEFECTIVE SEAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE ONLY REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE SEAT ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY OR ENTIRE SEAT.