2007 Mazda Mazdaspeed3

ON JULY 2, 2007 MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT TO NHTSA REGARDING THE LEFT HAND SIDE (LHS) ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS IN APPROXIMATELY 5,700 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 MAZDASPEED3 VEHICLES BUILT FROM JUNE 26, 2006 THROUGH MAY 19, 2007 (MAZDA RECALL 4607F, NHTSA RECALL 07V-295).ACCORDING TO MAZDA, THE LHS ENGINE MOUNT COULD LOOSEN UNDER REPEATED LOADS PRODUCED DURING RAPID ACCELERATIONS.LOOSE BOLTS COULD PULL OUT OR BREAK, ALLOWING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO DROP ON THE LEFT SIDE.WHEN THE ENGINE DROPS, THE DRIVESHAFT MAY BECOME DETACHED AND DISABLE THE VEHICLE.MAZDA WILL REPLACE THE LHS ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS IN THE RECALLED VEHICLES.IN ADDITION, THE LHS ENGINE MOUNT RUBBER AND BRACKET WILL BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF NECESSARY.MAZDA STATED IN ITS LETTER THAT IT CONTINUES TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO UNREASONABLE RISK OF ACCIDENT OR INJURY ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONDITION, CITING THE LACK OF ACCIDENTS AND CONTENDING THAT MOST OF THE REPORTED INCIDENTS WERE IDENTIFIED BY OPERATORS BEFORE THERE WAS ANY EFFECT ON VEHICLE OPERATION. ODI DISAGREES WITH MAZDA.ALTHOUGH ONLY ABOUT HALF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAD ENTERED SERVICE BY THE CUTOFF DATE OF THE FAILURE DATA SUBMITTED BY MAZDA, ODI'S ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA IDENTIFIED A TOTAL OF 36 SUBJECT VEHICLES WITH REPAIRS FOR LOOSE OR BROKEN LHS MOUNTING BOLTS.ODI VERIFIED 17 INCIDENTS OF BOLT FRACTURE RESULTING IN THE ENGINE DROPPING IN THESE VEHICLES, INCLUDING AT LEAST 10 THAT RESULTED IN VEHICLE DISABLEMENT.ALL OF THE BOLT FRACTURES OCCURRED IN THE FIRST 7 MONTHS OF VEHICLE SERVICE, WITH 8 FAILING WITHIN 4 MONTHS.THESE FAILURES RESULT IN A RELATIVELY HIGH FAILURE RATE WHEN COMPARED WITH OTHER ODI INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING DEFECT CONDITIONS WITH SIMILAR SAFETY CONSEQUENCES THAT RESULTED IN SAFETY RECALLS, PARTICULARLY WHEN CONSIDERING THE VERY SHORT SERVICE LIFE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION. ODI INTERVIEWED OWNERS TO FURTHER ASSESS THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE LHS BOLT DEFECT.MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THOSE INTERVIEWED WHO EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FALL INCIDENT INDICATED THE EVENT DISABLED THE VEHICLE, SOME BEING STRANDED IN THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC.AT LEAST THREE-QUARTERS OF THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHEN THE DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO INCREASE SPEED, RESULTING IN A SUDDEN CHANGE IN ACCELERATION.EACH OF THESE DRIVERS EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING STRUCK BY TRAILING OR CROSSING TRAFFIC.IN ONE INCIDENT THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANES AFTER THE LHS MOUNT BOLT BROKE, STOPPING IN THE ROADWAY AFTER STRIKING A CURB. BASED ON THIS INFORMATION, ODI STRONGLY DISAGREES WITH MAZDA'S CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SAFETY RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEFECT IN THE LHS ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN CLOSED BASED ON MAZDA'S RECALL.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MAZDA'S CAMPAIGN REMEDY AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ON MY WAY TO WORK AND I WAS GOING ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY JERKED AND DROPPED INTO 3RD GEAR FROM 5TH GEAR.IT HAPPENS AT RANDOM TIMES MY A.T. LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND NOW MY CAR IS STUCK IN 4TH GEAR. I HAVE HAD MY TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AND MY SPEED SENSOR REPLACED BUT IM STILL HAVING ISSUES WITH IT I DONT LIKE TO TAKE MY KIDS IN MY CAR DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THAT DOES OCCUR I AM SCARED THAT I AM GOING TO GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS ISSUE. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A USED DEALERSHIP IN FONTANA CA ON APRIL 19 2016 THE VERY NEXT DAY THE CAR STARTED TO TRIP UP FROM 4TH TO 3RD GEAR. THE A.T LIGHT CAME ON AND SINCE THEN IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE I CALLED THE GENTLEMAN WHO SOLD ME THE CAR AND TOLD HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE CAR HE TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN AND HAVE THE FLUIDS FLUSHED AND IT WAS PROBABLY JUST A SENSOR . SO I TOOK IT IN AND THE DROVE FINE FOR A LITTLE WHILE THEN OUT OF NO WHERE THE CAR STARTED TO GO FROM 5TH GEAR TO 3RD GEAR VERY VIOLENTLY SO I REPLACED THE OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR AND IT STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED AGAIN AND THE TRANSMISSION FILTER REPLACED AND MY CAR IS STILL GOING FROM 5TH GEAR TO 3RD GEAR ERATICALLY.

NHTSA ID

10893328

Incident

Apr 20, 2016

Mileage

138,120 mi

TAIL LIGHT DOME ASSEMBLY IS MELTED BY THE BULB FROM BOTH SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649006

Incident

Oct 14, 2014

Mileage

63,000 mi

ON SATURDAY 19 JULY 2014, MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING NORTH ON HIGHWAY 131, 18 MILES SOUTH OF GRAND RAPIDS, MI WHEN WITHOUT NOTICE THE ENGINE'S NUMBER 1 CYLINDER BLOW A HOLE THROUGH THE CASTING AND DAMAGING THE INNER AXLE SHAFT CARRIER BEARING. WHEN THE ENGINE BLEW, IT CAUSED THE CAR TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY CAUSING ME, THE DRIVER, TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE CAR SWERVED INTO AN ADJACENT LANE. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD RUNNING CONDITION AND HAD JUST PASSED THE VIRGINIA STATE INSPECTION A FEW MONTHS PRIOR. ALL OF THE REGULAR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED ACCORDING TO THE VEHICLES MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. EACH SERVICING THAT WAS COMPLETED WAS DOCUMENTED IN MY OWN PERSONAL RECORDS FOR REFERENCE. THIS BEING SAID, THIS VEHICLE CAUSED A MAJOR SAFETY INCIDENT WITHOUT NOTICE, WHICH UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE OR EVEN A FATALITY. THERE ARE SEVERAL CASES OF THESE MAZDA 2.3 LITER TURBO MRZ ENGINES BLOWING UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. THERE IS A MAJOR DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH MAZDA NEEDS TO ADDRESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10625871

Incident

Jul 19, 2014

Mileage

74,200 mi

ON SATURDAY 19 JULY 2014, MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING NORTH ON HIGHWAY 131, 18 MILES SOUTH OF GRAND RAPIDS, MI WHEN WITHOUT NOTICE THE ENGINE'S NUMBER 1 CYLINDER BLOW A HOLE THROUGH THE CASTING AND DAMAGING THE INNER AXLE SHAFT CARRIER BEARING. WHEN THE ENGINE BLEW, IT CAUSED THE CAR TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY CAUSING ME, THE DRIVER, TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE CAR SWERVED INTO AN ADJACENT LANE. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD RUNNING CONDITION AND HAD JUST PASSED THE VIRGINIA STATE INSPECTION A FEW MONTHS PRIOR. ALL OF THE REGULAR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED ACCORDING TO THE VEHICLES MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. EACH SERVICING THAT WAS COMPLETED WAS DOCUMENTED IN MY OWN PERSONAL RECORDS FOR REFERENCE. THIS BEING SAID, THIS VEHICLE CAUSED A MAJOR SAFETY INCIDENT WITHOUT NOTICE, WHICH UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE OR EVEN A FATALITY. THERE ARE SEVERAL CASES OF THESE MAZDA 2.3 LITER TURBO MRZ ENGINES BLOWING UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. THERE IS A MAJOR DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH MAZDA NEEDS TO ADDRESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10621872

Incident

Jul 19, 2014

Mileage

74,200 mi

I WAS USING A MICHELIN GREEN X TIRE FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS AN MILEAGE OF 50000. IN A 45 DEGREE CURVE SUDDENLY MY TAIL WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND I RAN INTO THE MIDDLE SEPARATE OF ROAD,CAUSED A LOT OF WRECKAGE . I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS BECAUSE OF LOW REAR TIRE GRIP TO THE ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10549666

Incident

Oct 23, 2013

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA MAZDA SPEED3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT OIL PRESSURE MODULE HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

NHTSA ID

10532479

Incident

Jul 23, 2013

Mileage

96,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA, MAZDASPEED3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: 10023313 (SUSPENSION: FRONT). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

NHTSA ID

10406246

Incident

Mar 4, 2011

Mileage

41,000 mi

I OWN A 2007 MAZDASPEED 3, PURCHASED FROM A DEALER IN , LANGLEY BC., IN JUNE 2008. IT WAS A US IMPORTED CAR ( BY THE DEALER) AND I WAS TOLD I INHERITED THE BALANCE OF THE WARRANTY. IT WAS BUILT IN MAY 2007, AND HAD APPROX 22,646 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ON FRIDAY 27 MAY AT ABOUT 7 AM, I HAD JUST ACCELERATED FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN AN ENGINE MOUNT SUDDENLY FAILED, PITCHING THE COMPLETE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FORWARD AND DOWN ONTO THE ROAD , WITH DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. I WAS REALLY FORTUNATE TO BE TRAVELING QUITE SLOWLY ( ABOUT 20 MPH) AS THE 'CV' JOINT DISINTEGRATED AND THE CAR SLEWED ALARMINGLY TOWARDS THE KERB. I DID NOT HAVE MUCH DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, BUT MANAGED TO STEER THE CAR TOWARDS THE KERB WHERE IT (RAPIDLY ) CAME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY, I WAS TRAVELING SLOWLY ENOUGH FOR THIS NOT TO BE SERIOUS ACCIDENT, BUT IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT 70 MPH DOWN THE FREEWAY, I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY TO WRITE THIS. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A MAZDA DEALERSHIP ( AT MY EXPENSE ) WHERE A INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE #4 ENGINE MOUNT HAD FAILED, DROPPED THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION AND DESTROYED THE 'CV' JOINT, IN THE PROCESS DAMAGING THE TURBO WASTEGATE VALVE. THEY CHECKED THE VIN AND FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INDEED BUILT MAY 2007, AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL TO CHANGE THE ENGINE MOUNT, ALSO IN 2007 ( BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR). THIS CHANGE WAS PRESUMABLY DONE AT A US DEALER AS IT DID NOT COME TO THE IN BC DEALER UNTIL JUST BEFORE I PURCHASED IT IN 2008. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO OVERT WARNING SIGNS- THE ONLY THING WAS THE DAY BEFORE WHEN I NOTICED A FAINT VIBRATION COMING FROM THE FRONT , WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A PIPE CLAMP OR SOMETHING VIBRATING. I STOPPED AND MADE A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE BAY AND UNDERNEATH , BUT COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING. BANG AS IT LET GO. THE PARTS WERE REPLACED FREE UNDER MAZDA WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10405516

Incident

May 27, 2011

Mileage

22,600 mi

In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealer’s responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometer and related documentation requirements when providing a repair or replacement. Mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers. When a speedometer is replaced, the new speedometer will read zero (0) miles. This procedure is extremely important to accurately represent actual vehicle mileage. Prior to speedometer removal, complete the information required on the “Speedometer Replacement Label”. Labels can only be ordered through Mazda eStore. In an effort to achieve a higher level of Customer Experience and retain the value of Mazda’s vehicles, MNAO Warranty Operations is allowing all Mazda dealers to utilize a third party, SPECMO Enterprises, Inc., for Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) odometer setting service. With the use of SPECMO’s services, it is possible that the odometer will be set between 10 to 31 miles over the odometer mileage at the time of replacement for both warranty and customer pay repairs. Please make sure that the customer is aware that there may be a slight variance to the odometer, in which case the customer may have to accept the slightly higher mileage. Since odometer setting service is not part of the warranty repair, it is not warrantable nor required, but optional. However, Mazda Warranty policy provides after- warranty assistance (AWA) or DSA that can be utilized to cover this service expense.

Speedometer replacement procedure

This service bulletin provides information regarding the proper use of the driver’s floor mat to avoid any potential interference with the foot pedals. The following are possible causes of floor mat interference, which can be avoided with proper usage.

This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost. For new vehicles in stock at the dealer, inspect and maintain the battery periodically according to the repair procedure.

The Mazda DCA-8000PM is required for all warranty battery testing. If the Mazda DCA-8000PM is not used, incorrect battery testing may result in unnecessary battery replacement. Use the following test procedures in this Service Bulletin to test Mazda vehicle batteries and to generate a Warranty Code.

A musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system is operating. It is most noticeable when the A/C is first turned ON. This odor is the result of mold growth in the A/C evaporator/cooling unit which is caused by condensation, dust, and pollen within the cooling unit. This condition is usually worse during high humidity conditions. “Mazda Air Cooling Coil Coating” is available to encapsulate the mold to reduce odors. If the product is properly applied, it can effectively reduce the musty/mildew odor for up to three years.