Mazda MPV fuel system problems

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

ACCELERATOR (GAS PEDAL) STOCK OPEN WHEN PEDAL PRESSED FOR ACCELERATION ONTO INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO VERY HIGH SPEED. PRESSING BRAKE SLOWED VEHICLE TO 55 MPH. SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, HEARD A LOW POP AND ACCELERATOR MECHANISM DISENGAGED.

NHTSA complaint #10811389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE ON THESE VANS IS SERIOUSLY FLAWED AND IS PRONE TO FAILURE WHICH STALLS THE ENGINE AND PUTS OCCUPANTS IN PERIL AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED WITHOUT POWER BRAKING OR STEERING. ONCE STALLED, THE ENGINE CAN OFTEN FAIL TO RESTART, LEAVING THE DRIVER UNPREPARED AND PARALYZED TO REACT. BACKGROUND - APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING OUR VAN USED (2-3 YRS OLD / 30K MILES), WE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE STALLING RANDOMLY AFTER 6 MONTHS OF OWNING. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ENGINE STALLING WAS NOT A RESULT OF NOT MAINTAINING AN IDLE WELL ON A REGULAR BASIS. IT WAS RANDOM AND OFTEN FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE RUNNING EXTREMELY ROUGH, ONCE THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESTART (BUT THEN WOULD GO AWAY COMPLETELY UNDETECTED). I CANNOT STRESS HOW UNPREDICTABLE THE ENGINE WAS OVER THE YEAR WE EXPERIENCED THIS INTERMITTENT STALLING. EVERY 1-3 WEEKS IT WOULD STALL AND SOMETIMES WE'D BE STRANDED 1-30 MINUTES BEFORE STARTING AND RUNNING NORMALLY (NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AFTER ENGINE SAT AND RESTARTED. LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHEN PROBLEMS STARTED AND WOULD CYCLE OFF ONCE ENGINE RAN AND COMPUTER CHECKED SENSORS. WHY THE CONTACT TO THE NHTSA? REAL ISSUE I HAVE WITH HERE IS THAT THE VAN WOULD RANDOMLY FAIL TO IDLE AND STALL THE MOTOR WHEN AT FREEWAY SPEEDS OVER THE YEAR (6/2009 - 6/2010) THIS WENT UNIDENTIFIED. AS A PRIMARY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION IN OUR HOUSEHOLD FOR FOUR CHILDREN (AS MOST VANS ARE), MY WIFE REFUSED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE STARTING IN BEGINNING OF 2010 BECAUSE OF HER EXPERIENCES AND SUBSEQUENT FEARS AFTER MANY CLOSE CALLS IN WHICH SHE COULDN'T STEER OR BRAKE IN A SAFE OR RELIABLE MANNER. THE DRIVER MUST SHIFT TO NEUTRAL (WHILE AT 70+ MPH), AND ATTEMPT TO TURN THE ENGINE OVER, TO GAIN CONTROL AGAIN. TAKE ACTION ON THIS AS IT IS FAR TOO COMMON AND DANGEROUS TO IGNORE. MAZDA MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE SAFE OPERATION OF THESE VEHICLES.

NHTSA complaint #10498330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE DEALER REPLACED THE FILLER TUBE FOR FILLING UP THE GAS TANK. EVERY TIME I PUMP GAS INTO THE VEHICLE I GET BACK SPLASH THAT GOES ALL OVER MYSELF AND THE GROUND. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER DON'T WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY WHEN THE PROBLEM STARTED. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE FILLER TUBE TWICE AND THE GAS TANK, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THIS BACK SPLASH IS DANGEROUS TO MY HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW. THE PROBLEM WASN'T THERE WHEN I BOUGHT THE VAN.

NHTSA complaint #10489191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I WAS ON I-75 WHEN I ACCELERATED HARD WHILE TRYING TO MERGE INTO A GAP IN HEAVY, MERGING TRAFFIC. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR MY VAN CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AS THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AT A HIGH RPM. I STABBED AT THE ACCELERATOR WITH MY FOOT TO SEE IF I COULD UNSTICK IT, BUT IT ONLY CAUSED THE ENGINE TO REV EVEN HIGHER - TO FULL-THROTTLE. I JABBED AT IT MULTIPLE TIMES TO NO AVAIL. I TRIED TO LIFT THE GAS PEDAL WITH MY FOOT BY JAMMING IT UNDERNEATH THE PEDAL AND PULLING IT UP, BUT IT FLOATED FREELY AND CONTINUED TO FALL BACK TO ITS FULL-THROTTLE POSITION. ALTHOUGH I WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE FLOOR MAT WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM I PULLED IT AWAY FROM THE PEDALS AND, AS EXPECTED, THERE WAS NO EFFECT. I WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF MY VAN BY APPLYING EXTREMELY HEAVY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE WHILE SHIFTING BETWEEN NEUTRAL AND DRIVE. DURING THAT TIME I WAS STILL JABBING AND LIFTING THE ACCELERATOR WITH MY RIGHT FOOT TRYING TO 'UNSTICK' THE GAS PEDAL. I WAS ENTERING AND CROSSING AND OVERPASS THAT WAS UNDERGOING CONSTRUCTION. CONCRETE BARRIERS LINED BOTH SIDES OF THE HIGHWAY AND BRIDGE WHERE THE EMERGENCY LANES WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN LOCATED. I HAD TO MAINTAIN SOME SPEED, FOR FEAR OF BEING REAR-ENDED, WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO PULL OVER. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST MAZDA DEALERSHIP WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY ASCERTAIN THAT THE SCREWING MECHANISM FROM AN UNSECURED AIR HOSE CLAMP HAD SNAGGED THE THROTTLE ARM - THE CLAMP ATTACHES THE HOSE TO THE ENGINE. AS I PUSHED HARDER ON THE GAS PEDAL IT FURTHER EXACERBATED THE PROBLEM BY LOCKING THE ARM IN A MORE WIDE-OPEN THROTTLE POSITION. THE CLAMP HAD BEEN LEFT UNSECURED FROM PREVIOUS WORK DONE AT A MAZDA DEALERSHIP. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, THIS COULD HAVE ALSO OCCURRED IF THE CLAMP HAD BEEN SECURED, BUT NOT POSITIONED OUT OF THE WAY OF THE ARM.

NHTSA complaint #10468926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT STATED WHENEVER FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE VEHICLE IT SPILLED BACK OUT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FILLER TUBE TWICE AND THE FUEL TANK ONE TIME SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FUEL CONTINUED TO SPILL OUT ON THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WROTE A LETTER AND A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED HIM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,944.

NHTSA complaint #10405322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CAR IS RUNNING FINE, AND THEN ENGINE STOPS. AFTER SETTING FOR A MINUTE OR SO, ENGINE WILL START AGAIN AND RUN FINE FOR DAYS ...THEN THE ABOVE RECURS. REPLACED IDLE CONTROL VALVE...NO MORE TROUBLE.

NHTSA complaint #10295816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

MAZDA 2004 MPV WITH JUST UNDER 68,000 MILES HAS 3 FUEL INJECTORS(CEL) REPLACED BY LOCAL MECHANIC- 2 WEEKS LATER JERKY MISFIRES WITH CEL REQUIRED #5 COIL REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP, LESS THAN A MONTH LATER #4 COIL REPLACED BY LOCAL MECHANIC IN TOWN WE WERE VACATIONING IN-NO CEL, NOW SAME JERKY MISFIRES STARTING AGAIN A MONTH AFTER LAST REPLACEMENT. RECENT FORUM ENTRIES SEEM TO INDICATE A GROWING PROBLEM OF THIS TYPE FOR 2004 MPV. EXCEPT FOR TOWING CHARGES, EXPENSIVE REPAIRS, AND INCONVENIENCE- NO INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #10241191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

SINCE NEW, HESITATES BETWEEN 40-50 MPH, CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, HIGH RPMS BUT NO ACCELERATION. REMOVING FOOT FROM GAS VAN SOMETIMES RECOVERS. HAS HAD TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE REPLACED AS A RESULT, THEN IGNITION COILS WERE BLAMED AND THOSE WERE REPLACED ONE BY ONE, SOMETIMES MORE THAN ONCE, THEN COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR WENT, NOW AT 85,000 TRANSMISSION WENT. EACH EVENT STRANDED MY FAMILY BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CAR HAD TO BE TOWED.

NHTSA complaint #10234245 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE BLADDER SEPARATED IN THE FUEL TANK AND WAS GETTING INTO THE FUEL PUMP. THE GAS TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10172767 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

THE SEAT BELTS ON MY 1991 MAZDA MPV ARE SIMPLY FALLING APART. THE FUEL VAPOR SEPARATOR DOES AN INADEQUATE JOB OF KEEPING GASOLINE FUMES OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ON BOTH OF THESE ITEMS. WHEN I TOOK IT IN TO THE LOCAL DEALER THEY ONLY PERFORMED AN INSPECTION. BOTH ISSUES REMAIN UNRESOLVED. BESIDES NOT EVER BUYING ANOTHER MAZDA EVER. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE SAFETY ISSUES RESOLVED.

NHTSA complaint #10157444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

AFTER REFILLING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER SMELLED FUMES INSIDE THE CAR. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10103350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS STATED IN RECALL 99V170000 CONCERNING FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT REPAIR VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED.

NHTSA complaint #10101273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

SINCE WE GOT THE VAN IT WAS A NEW VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS CONSISTENTLY COME ON. THE DEALER TRYED TO TELL US WE WERE NOT TIGHTENING THE GAS CAP. THEN IT WAS WE NEEDED A NEW GAS CAP. YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE SHOP EVERY TIME THE LIGHT COMES ON. ONE MECHANIC STATED IT WAS AN 02 SENSOR THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN REPLACED AFTER MUCH HASSLE. NOW 10 DAYS LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT IS BACK ON. THE WARRANTY IS ABOUT TO RUN OUT.

NHTSA complaint #10074576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

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.

NHTSA complaint #10069630 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE

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.

NHTSA complaint #10066476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

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.

NHTSA complaint #10030485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE AN ODOR SMELL. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH

NHTSA complaint #10002061 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE FUEL TANK HAD CRACK CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK OUT AND CONSUMER CAN STRONGLY SMELL GAS FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE DEALER NOTIFIED. NLM

NHTSA complaint #8020038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

WITH THIS VAN THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS SINCE AUGUST OF 1993. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS A TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE VAN WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 3 MONTHS WHILE THEY DALLIED AROUND TO FIX IT. I HAD IT TAKEN TO NORTHTOWNE MAZDA AND IT TOOK THEM A WEEK TO FIX IT. THE SECOND PROBLEM WAS A CONSTANT BREAKAGE OF THE LITTLE PIN THAT SHIFTS THE GEARS. THE THING BREAKS CONSTANTLY AND CAUSES THE GEAR DIAL LETTERS TO BE OFF BY ONE LETTER FOR INSTANCE THE R FOR REVERSE IS D FOR DRIVE. THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS A GAS LEAK THAT I TOOK IN TO HAVE FIXED THREE TIMES BEFORE IT WAS FINALLY FOUND. I WAS TOLD ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THAT IT WAS JUST EXHAUST AND THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FOUND. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO MEMPHIS AND LIKED TO GAS MYSELF TO DEATH FROM THE FUMES ON THE WAY THERE AND BACK. UPON RETURN TO KCMO I TOOK IT DIRECTLY BACK TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID JUST LEAVE IT OUTSIDE AND WE WILL BRING IT IN AND CHECK IT. I MADE HIM COME OUTSIDE TO THE CAR. YOU COULD SMELL THE GAS FROM 50 FEET AWAY. WHEN HE TOOK IT IN THERE WAS A RUPTURE INTHE FOURTH QUARTER PANEL HOSE THAT WHEN YOU TOOK A LEFT TURN IT SPILLED GAS INTO THE PASSENGER REAR SEAT. THE NEXT PROBLEM THAT I HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE WAS THAT THE CALIPERS, ROTORS AND BRAKES WORE CLEAN THROUGH AFTER ONLY 20,000 MILES OF WEAR ON THE NEW BRAKES. FIRESTONE FIXED THEM. THEN I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT NOW 5 TIMES. I HAD THE FIRST TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AT 66,000 MILES, THE SECOND AT 78,000 MILES, THE NEXT AT 108,000, AND THEN 138,000, NOW AT 139,463. S MEMO CAME OUT FROM MAZDA TO SERVICE REPAIR SHOPS THAT THE SPACERS ARE DEFECTIVE AND THAT WHEN THE TIMING BELT IS CHANGED THESE NEED TO BE REPLACED ALSO. THIS MEMO JUST CAME OUT IN JUNE 2002. THE OTHER PROBLEM THAT I HAVE HAD IS THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BECAUSE MAZDA HAS A DEFECTIVEPART THAT WON'T LET ENOUGH OIL IN TO ALLOW THE ENGINE TO RUN, THIS CAUSES A LOUD TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS THE SWAY BAR.

NHTSA complaint #764617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.