2008 Mazda Mazda3 Other / unspecified Problems

I WAS DRIVING AROUND A TURN GOING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH WHEN I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE TIRE SUDDENLY LOST AIR PRESSURE AND RAN ME OFF THE ROAD. I WAS LEFT IN THE CREEK WITH MY TWO AND THREE YEAR OLD. TWO GUYS HELPED ME GET THE KIDS AND MYSELF OUT THE CAR SAFELY. MY CAR IS NOW TOTALED DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. TIRE SIZE WAS 205 55 16. THERE WAS NO PUNCTURE HOLES ON THE TIRE SO NO REAASON FOR THE SUDDEN LOSS OF AIR.

NHTSA ID

11015056

Incident

Aug 7, 2017

Mileage

126,471 mi

2 TPMS SENSOR VALVE STEMS WERE CORRODED, WHILE FILLING THE TIRES WITH AIR THE STEMS BROKE OFF CAUSING TIRES TO GO FLAT. THE REMAINING 2 DID NOT LOOK ANY BETTER. HAD TIRE DEALER REPLACE ALL 4 AT $280 DOLLARS

NHTSA ID

10873709

Incident

Jun 10, 2015

Mileage

70,000 mi

IN THE SUMMER OF 2014, I WAS TRAVELING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY GOING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH. MY TIRE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AND, WITHIN JUST A FEW MILES, MY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GUIDE MY CAR TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT HAVING AN ACCIDENT. UPON EXITING MY CAR AND LOOKING AT MY TIRE, I NOTICED THE AREA AROUND MY VALVE STEM WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. HOW I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT IS AN ABSOLUTE MIRACLE. ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2015, MY TIRE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON. KNOWING I WOULD BE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 150 ON THAT SATURDAY, I CHECKED MY TIRE PRESSURE TO SEE MY FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE WAS DOWN APPROXIMATELY 5 PSI FROM THE RECOMMENDED 32 PSI. I PUT AIR IN MY TIRE FRIDAY NIGHT AND WENT AWAY ON SATURDAY. ON MY MORE THAN 1 HOUR DRIVE, MY TIRE SENSOR CAME BACK ON. I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION TO FIND MY TIRE PSI WAS IN THE TEENS. I FELT ALL AROUND MY TIRE BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I FILLED MY TIRE BACK UP TO 32 PSI AND CONTINUED ON MY WAY. SHORTLY AFTER, MY TIRE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON YET AGAIN. WHEN I STOPPED AT THE NEXT GAS STATION TO PUT MORE AIR IN IT, I NOTICED THE AREA AROUND MY VALVE STEM WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. IT WAS SO CORRODED I COULD MOVE THE VALVE STEM AND ALLOW LARGE AMOUNTS OF AIR TO COME OUT. I ULTIMATELY WAS ABLE TO PUT ON MY SPARE TIRE BUT AM NOW LOOKING AT A MORE THAN $200 VALVE STEM/SENSOR REPLACEMENT PER A PHONE QUOTE FROM MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP. AS I SPOKE TO DIFFERENT MECHANICS, THEY ALL SEEM TO BE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM SO IT'S A BIT FRIGHTENING THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10744117

Incident

Jul 25, 2015

Mileage

94,700 mi

WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE VALVE STEM COVER THE VALVE STEM CRACKED AND CAME APART. I HAD TO HAVE THE COMPLETE TPMS VALVE REPLACED. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE OTHER VALVE STEMS LOOKED IN THE SAME CONDITION. THE MAZDA DEALER SAID THAT THIS WAS JUST AGING AND THAT THE REST WERE O.K. I AM NOT SURE IF THEY ARE. I SAID THAT THE STEMS SHOULD NOT CRACK JUST BY REMOVING THE COVER.

NHTSA ID

10723748

Incident

May 30, 2015

THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS I HAVE HAD THE TPMS SENSORS BREAK OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING THE TIRE TO RUN FLAT INSTANTLY POSING A SAFETY THREAT. EACH TIME I TAKE THE TIRE TO THE SHOP AND NOBODY CAN FIND ANYTHING IN THE TIRE AND THE CONCLUSION IS THAT THE TPMS WAS BRITTLE AND BROKE OFF. I AM NOW UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING MY MAZDA 3 BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN MY TIRE IS GOING TO BLOW -- NOT TO MENTION I'VE HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE PERFECTLY GOOD TIRES EVERY TIME ONE OF THE TPMS GO BAD. *JS

NHTSA ID

10661912

Incident

Dec 3, 2014

Mileage

65,000 mi

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VALVE STEMS THAT CONTAINED THE TPMS (TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM) SENSORS BECAME CORRODED AND FELL APART. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WENT TO FILL TIRES WITH AIR BECAUSE THEY APPEARED TO HAVE LOW AIR PRESSURE. EACH TIME, AS SOON AS I APPLIED SLIGHT PRESSURE FROM THE AIR HOSE TO THE VALVE STEM, THE VALVE STEM DISINTEGRATED AND WAS PUSHED INSIDE THE TIRE. IT TOOK VERY LITTLE PRESSURE TO PUSH THE STEM INSIDE THE TIRE. THE TIRE THEN IMMEDIATELY DEFLATED BECAUSE AIR ESCAPED THROUGH THE OPEN HOLE. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS STATIONARY (BECAUSE I WAS FILLING THE TIRE WITH AIR). BUT, JUDGING FROM THE FACT THAT ONLY A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF PRESSURE WAS NEEDED TO PUSH THE VALVE STEM INTO THE TIRE, I BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED VERY EASILY WHILE IN MOTION AT ANY SPEED. I FEEL THAT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT I WAS NOT WARNED ABOUT AT ANY POINT AND, AFTER TELLING THE COMPANY ABOUT IT, I FEEL THAT MY CONCERNS WERE NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY. *JS

NHTSA ID

10661399

Incident

Nov 1, 2012

Mileage

45,000 mi

THE TIRE VALVE STEM CRACKED WHILE CHECKING AIR PRESSURE ON ONE OF THE TIRES. AFTER THAT THE OTHER STEMS LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE READY TO FAIL. HAD THEM ALL REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10660965

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I STOPPED TO FILL MY TIRES, THE FORCE OF THE AIR HOSE BLEW THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR INTO MY TIRE. I HAD TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE OTHER 3 SENSORS WERE CLOSE TO WEARING THROUGH AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649322

Incident

Aug 18, 2014

Mileage

82,000 mi

FEBRUARY 2014 1ST VALVE STEM AND SENSOR BROKE. THIS WEEK 2ND AND 3RD VALVE STEM AND SENSORS BROKE. $90-100 EACH TO FIX. RUINED ONE TIRE AND CAUSED SUDDEN FLAT WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10639650

Incident

Feb 10, 2014

Mileage

98,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH WHEN MY TIRE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY MY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE GOING COMPLETELY FLAT. LUCKILY THERE WAS NOBODY TOO CLOSE TO ME, SO THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT WHEN I SWERVED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I CHANGED MY TIRE AND MADE IT TO A SERVICE CENTER WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS MY TPMS AND VALVE STEM ASSEMBLY THAT HAD CORRODED AND FAILED, CAUSING MY TIRE TO IMMEDIATELY GO FLAT. NOT ONLY DID I HAVE TO PAY TO INSTALL A NEW TIRE ($300) I HAD TO REPLACE THE DESTROYED TPMS SENSOR AND REPLACE ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS ALSO CORRODING. ($100 EA). THE ENTIRE INCIDENT COST ME ABOUT $500 DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW FROM MAZDA THAT I HAVE NO POWER TO AVOID. THE ISSUE IS THAT IT IS ILLEGAL TO REMOVE OR NOT HAVE THE SENSORS RE-INSTALLED, AS THEY ARE A SAFETY FEATURE. THE IRONY IS THAT I HAVE TO PAY $100 EACH TO INSTALL A COMPONENT THAT CAUSES ONE OF MY TIRES TO IMMEDIATELY DEFLATE RANDOMLY IN THE NEXT 3-5 YEARS, DEPENDING ON WHEN IT CORRODES AGAIN. IT IS INFURIATING THAT I HAVE TO INSTALL A "SAFETY FEATURE" THAT WILL RANDOMLY CAUSE ME TO LOSE CONTROL OVER MY CAR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, I WILL BE FORCED TO DRIVE WITH A COMPONENT THAT, OVER TIME, WILL CORRODE AND FAIL, CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR, THEN RE-INSTALL THE EXACT FAULTY COMPONENT. THE SENSOR / VALVE ASSEMBLY SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN MADE OF A MATERIAL THAT IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION IN THE FIRST PLACE. I WAS LUCKY THIS TIME THAT THIS DIDN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, BUT IF THE SITUATION WERE DIFFERENT I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED OR HAVE KILLED SOMEONE. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. BOTH MAZDA AND THE GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME NOW. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN SOMEONE DOES DIE FROM THIS, AND IT COMES OUT THAT THE ISSUE HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR YEARS, BUT NOBODY DID ANYTHING? *TR

NHTSA ID

10629128

Incident

Jun 28, 2013

Mileage

79,855 mi

TPMS VALVE STEM BROKE WHILE CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE. TOOK VEHICLE TO TIRE DEALER AND FOUND THAT 3 TPMS SENSORS HAD CRACKS IN VALVE STEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10627164

Incident

Aug 13, 2014

Mileage

64,009 mi

ABOUT A YEAR AGO I BOUGHT 4 NEW TIRES FOR MY MAZDA 3. SIX MONTHS LATER I WENT IN FOR MY ROUTINE ALIGNMENT AND TIRE ROTATION. THEY SAID MY TWO REAR TIRES WERE WORN DOWN TO SHOWING THE WIRING AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A BLOW OUT. THEY REFUSED TO PUT THE TIRES BACK ON FOR SAFETY CONCERNS. I HAD TO PURCHASE TWO USED TIRES THAT HAD ABOUT THE SAME MILEAGE MY OTHER TIRES HAD ON THEM. AGAIN 5-6 MONTHS LATER I GO INTO LES SCHWAB FOR MY TIRE ROTATION AND ALIGNMENT AND AGAIN THEY TELL ME MY TWO REAR TIRES ARE SHOWING EXCESSIVE WEAR. WHEN COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING TO GET TIRES SO SOON THEY STATED THAT MAZDA DESIGNED THE CAR THIS WAY TO HAVE A TOE IN ALIGNMENT. BASICALLY THIS WILL BE A RECURRING ISSUE UNLESS I PUT A $500 CAMBER KIT ON THE BACK. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THAT THEY SAID IT MAY CHANGE THE WAY THE CAR HANDLES AND HAVE LOUDER ROAD NOISE. NONE OF THIS WAS MENTIONED BY MAZDA WHEN I PURCHASED THAT CAR BACK IN 2008. NOT ONLY IS THIS ISSUE CAUSING ME TO SPEND MONEY EVERY 5-6 MONTHS BUT IF I WERE TO GO TO LONG WITHOUT CHECKING MY TIRES I COULD HAVE A BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING, POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, INJURY OR DEATH. I SEE THIS AS BEING A VERY BIG ISSUE WITH THE MAZDA AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MAZDA HAVE TO RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10567928

Incident

Mar 3, 2014

Mileage

90,420 mi

TPMS LIGHT ALERTED LOW TIRE PRESSURE CONDITION. FOUND TIRE WITH LOW PRESSURE. DURING INSPECTION OF TIRE, A SMALL AIR LEAK WAS DISCOVERED AT THE VALVE STEM MID SECTION OF THREADS DUE TO CORROSION. THE TPMS SENSOR ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT WAS NECESSARY TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. APPROXIMATELY EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTERWARDS, THE SAME EXACT FAILURE RE-OCCURRED IN ANOTHER TPMS SENSOR. THE ALUMINUM ALLOY VALVE STEMS ON THESE SENSORS ARE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION DAMAGE AND NEED TO BE RE-CALLED. THIS FAILURE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE SENSORS, ESPECIALLY WHERE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THESE ARE DRIVEN WHERE ROAD "SALTING" IS ROUTINE. THE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS LOW TIRE PRESSURE CONDITION CAUSED BY THESE FAULTY STEMS MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN DEATH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563553

Incident

Mar 8, 2012

Mileage

56,000 mi

THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE OVERSENSITIVE THE WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN WHEN THE TIRES ARE PROPERLY INFLATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563021

Incident

Feb 1, 2014

Mileage

77,784 mi

APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS AFTER PURCHASE, I GOT A FLAT TIRE DRIVING ON 1-290 IN CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE ISSUE, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE TIRE SENSOR VALVE HAD GONE INTO THE TIRE. I REPLACED SAID TIRE, AND SINCE THEN I HAVE THE ISSUE THREE MORE TIMES ON ALL FOUR TIRES TOTAL. THE SECOND AND THIRD TIME WERE TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS APRIL 2013 AND THE FOURTH ONE TODAY 12/17/13. THE SENSORS SEEMED TO BE ROTTING OUT AND THE STEM ENDS UP CORRODING. I HAVE SPENT AT LEAST 1,000 IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF FIXING THIS ISSUE AND IT IS VERY INFURIATING TO SAY THE LEAST. IT SEEMS THAT LOOKING ONLINE THIS IS AN ISSUE WHICH MANY HAVE HAD, YET THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10556330

Incident

May 11, 2012

Mileage

45,000 mi

I GOT A FLAT TIRE YESTERDAY BECAUSE MY TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR VALVE HAD FALLEN INSIDE MY TIRE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2008. THANKFULLY, I WAS STUCK IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND ONLY GOING 20 MPH. I REALIZED MY TIRE WAS FLAT WHEN THE SENOR LIGHT WENT OFF AND MY CAR VEERED TO THE LEFT AND FORTUNATELY IT WAS THE EMERGENCY LANE OR I WOULD HAVE HIT A CAR. TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE SHOP AND THE TPS SENSOR NOW NEEDS REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD CORRODED AND DAMAGED THE INSIDE OF MY TIRE AS WELL. WHEN THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT MY OTHER TIRES AND TPS SENSOR/STEM VALVE WAS CORRODED. THE THIRD TIRE IS FINE FOR NOW BUT IS SHOWING SIGNS OF CORRODING AS WELL. THE 4TH ONE WAS REPLACED A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND APPEARS OK. MAZDA NEEDS TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM ASAP AND REIMBURSE EVERYONE THAT HAS HAD TO FIX THIS ISSUE. I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF I WAS GOING ANY FASTER THAN 20MPH. ITS SAD THAT SOMEONE HAS TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT OR DIE FOR A RECALL TO HAPPEN. TO REPLACE BOTH SENSORS AND FIX MY TIRE I GOING TO BE PAYING OVER $300 FOR MAZDA'S ISSUE. I TAKE GREAT PRIDE AND CARE OF MY CAR, I BOUGHT IT NEW; NOTHING ON THAT CARE SHOULD BE CORRODING WHEN IT IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. NOT OUR FAULT AS CONSUMERS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING, FIX THIS NOW MAZDA!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10545674

Incident

Sep 26, 2013

Mileage

89,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA, MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS HE SAT IN THE VEHICLE, THE VALVE STEM BECAME FRACTURED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR REPAIR AND DIAGNOSED AS VALVE STEM CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

NHTSA ID

10534458

Incident

Apr 15, 2013

Mileage

58,000 mi

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT MAZDA HAS NOT RECALLED THE TPMS ON THE 2008 MAZDA 3'S. ALL OF THE TPMS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED ON MY VEHICLE. CURRENTLY, I WILL BE GETTING THE LAST TWO FIXED/REPAIRED COMING THIS MONDAY. ALL OF THEM WERE EITHER CRACKED OR CORRODED. THE FIRST INCIDENT RESULTED IN ONE OF MY TIRES BEING "SHREDDED" ON THE INSIDE. PART OF THE KIT BROKE OFF AND WAS INSIDE THE RIM. I WAS ACCUSED BY A DEALERSHIP THAT I MUST HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON A FLAT TIRE. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY TIMES THE TPMS WARNING LIGHT HAS COME ON. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE PART. MAZDA SHOULD BE RECALLING THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10534316

Incident

Aug 3, 2013

Mileage

72,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ON JULY 29, 2013 I HAVE EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY 2008 MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK. THE ISSUE RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT PULL TO THE LEFT SIDE AND LOST OF AIR/FLAT TIRE ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. THE REASON BEHIND THIS FAULT WAS A DEFECTIVE VALVE STEM. AFTER INSPECTING ALL THE OTHER WHEELS, IT TURNS OUT ALL THE VALVE STEMS ARE CRACKED. SOME INITIAL RESEARCH TELLS ME ITS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THOSE CARS AND MAZDA WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX IT. AT THIS POINT I HAVE CALLED MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND MAZDA CORPORATE OFFICE AND NONE OF THEM WILL DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE. TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WILL BE 4X $120 FOR ALL TPMS SENSORS WITH VALVE STEMS AND 2X $115 FOR BOTH FRONT TIRES. HOPEFULLY THERE IS A RECALL COMING SOON... *TR

NHTSA ID

10532748

Incident

Jul 29, 2013

Mileage

51,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ON JULY 29, 2013 I HAVE EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY 2008 MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK. THE ISSUE RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT PULL TO THE LEFT SIDE AND LOST OF AIR/FLAT TIRE ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. THE REASON BEHIND THIS FAULT WAS A DEFECTIVE VALVE STEM. AFTER INSPECTING ALL THE OTHER WHEELS, IT TURNS OUT ALL THE VALVE STEMS ARE CRACKED. SOME INITIAL RESEARCH TELLS ME ITS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THOSE CARS AND MAZDA WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX IT. AT THIS POINT I HAVE CALLED MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND MAZDA CORPORATE OFFICE AND NONE OF THEM WILL DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE. TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WILL BE 4X $120 FOR ALL TPMS SENSORS WITH VALVE STEMS AND 2X $115 FOR BOTH FRONT TIRES. HOPEFULLY THERE IS A RECALL COMING SOON... *TR

NHTSA ID

10532747

Incident

Jul 29, 2013

Mileage

51,000 mi

TIRE VALVE STEMS FALL OUT OF THE TIRES: MY TIRES HAVE BEEN LEAKING AIR PERIODICALLY FOR ABOUT A YEAR. I NOTICED ONE OF THE TIRE VALVE STEMS WAS MISSING THE OUTER NUT COVER. WHEN I WENT TO ADD AIR TO THE TIRE, AIR CAME OUT AROUND THE VALVE STEM. I CAREFULLY DROVE TO MY GARAGE AND BEFORE I GOT THERE, THE ENTIRE VALVE STEM HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE TIRE. THE MECHANIC SAYS THE THREADS ON THE VALVE STEM WERE ALL OXIDIZED AND THE NUT ROTTED OFF. AFTER INSPECTING THE OTHER TIRES, WE NOTICED ANOTHER ONE WAS MISSING THE OUTER NUT ALSO AND HEAVILY OXIDIZED. I HAD THE MECHANIC PULL OFF ALL 4 TIRES AND INSTALL NEW VALVE STEMS TO ALL TIRES. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE WITH MAZDA AND SEE PEOPLE COMPLAINING ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND A RECALL SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523437

Incident

Jul 6, 2013

Mileage

67,955 mi

THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH IN THE CENTER LANE OF AN EXPRESS ROAD. WHILE DRIVING, THE TPMS SENSOR WARNING LIGHT/SOUND CAME ON AND THE TIRE WENT IMMEDIATELY FLATE - TOTAL CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE TIRE, THE TPMS SENSOR HAD FALLEN OUT CAUSING THE TIRE TO GO FLAT (IT IS ATTACHED TO THE VALVE STEM) THE TREADS WERE CORRODED AND THE NUT CRACKED CAUSING THE SENSOR FALL OUT AND THE TIRE TO GO FLAT. THIS ONE WAS REPLACED. 8 MONTHS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED BUT THIS TIME ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE. THE NUT CRACKED AND THE SENSOR FELL OUT CAUSING THE TIRE TO GO FLAT. THANKFULLY THIS TIME IT HAPPENED JUST AFTER I HAD PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY FOR A BATHROOM BREAK AND WAS NOT DRIVING AT SPEED WHEN THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED - ALTHOUGH IF IT HAD HAPPENED A FEW MINUTES PRIOR, I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH IN WET ROAD CONDITIONS. UPON EXAMINATION WE FOUND THAT THE THREAD WERE AGAIN CORRODED, CAUSING THE NUT TO CRACK AND THE SENSOR TO FALL OUT. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION - CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF A TIRE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. THIS SITUATION SHOULD BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY BY MAZDA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10513744

Incident

Sep 29, 2012

Mileage

31,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT THE FULL SPEED LIMIT ON THE HIGHWAY IN TRAFFIC, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR BLEW OFF AND THE TIRE IMMEDIATELY WENT FLAT. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID HITTING CARS WHILE VEERING ACROSS 3 LANES TO GET TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE AND CALL FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE REMAINING 3 TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS WERE CORRODED & PARTIALLY BROKEN, AND WERE IN JEOPARDY OF BLOWING OFF. CALLED MAZDA'S CUSTOMER LINE, ARGUED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MAZDA AGREED TO REPLACE ALL 4 SENSORS AT NO CHARGE, EVEN THOUGH MY CAR WAS PAST WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THEY KNEW THAT THIS WAS DUE TO DESIGN FLAW. I WAS DISTURBED THAT NO ALERT HAS BEEN ISSUED TO WARN CONSUMERS AND CAR REPAIR SERVICE TO SPECIFICALLY CHECK FOR WEAR - THIS IS DANGEROUS. I COULD EASILY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR THE SENSOR COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY OR WORSE WHEN BLOWING OFF AT HIGH SPEED. MAZDA DEALER SAID THAT THIS DESIGN WAS USED ON MANY MAKES AND MODELS IN 2008 (NOT JUST MAZDA), WHICH IS EVEN MORE DISTURBING. PLEASE CONSIDER ISSUING AN ALERT AT A MINIMUM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10511552

Incident

May 4, 2013

Mileage

36,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTER MOVING OFF THE ROADWAY AND INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WAS LOW. THE CONTACT TRIED TO ADD AIR TO THE TIRE WHEN THE VALVE STEM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE TPMS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER TPMS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,000.

NHTSA ID

10490206

Incident

Dec 1, 2009

Mileage

30,000 mi

THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM IS UNRELIABLE. SPECIFIC INCIDENTS: 1. WARNING LIGHT FLASHES OR LIGHTS WHEN THE TIRE PRESSURE IS WITHIN THE SPECIFICATION LIMITS. THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM FOR AT LEAST A YEAR. 2. ONE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR FELL APART ON INSPECTION, AFTER WARNING OF A LEAK. DEALER REPLACED IT AT NO CHARGE. 3. ONE OF THE TIRE VALVES (AND HENCE PRESSURE SENSOR) WAS LEAKING AIR WHEN THE VALVE CAP WAS REMOVED, REPLACING THE VALVE CAP HELD THE AIR IN THE TIRE. DEALER ADJUSTED THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR AT NO CHARGE. 4. ONE OF THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS FAILED. DEALER STATED IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND CHARGED ME FOR REPLACEMENT. CAR IS NOT DRIVEN OFF ROAD. SENSORS SEEMED TO BE MORE IRREGULAR AFTER DRIVING ON ROUGH HIGHWAY ROADS, WHERE A LAYER OF ASPHALT HAD BEEN REMOVED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10484070

Incident

Oct 1, 2012

Mileage

40,000 mi