NHTSA Complaint #10054673 — 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE

I HAVE A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE. RECENTLY I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE STARTING THE VEHICLE. IT STARTED BUT IMMEDIATELY STOPPED. I HAD TO LEAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS FOR AWHILE BEFORE IT WOULD RESPOND NORMALLY. THIS PROBLEM WAS COMPLETELY RANDOM, NOT OCCURRING EVERYDAY. THE CONDITION INCREASED IN FREQUENCY AND FINALLY MY CAR STARTED TO DIE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT (IF I RELEASED THE GAS FOR A TURN, IT WOULD OCCASIONALLY DIE). THIS ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS I HAD NO STEERING OR BRAKING WHEN THE CAR DIED. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY SAID THERE WERE NO RECALL NOTICES. THEIR DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS, BUT THE MANAGER SAID THIS WAS HAPPENING TO SEVERAL EARLY TRIBUTES AND I SHOULD REPLACE THE IDLE AIR VALVE. REPLACING THIS HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED.