NHTSA Complaint #10106174 — 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE

WE HAVE A 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE LS. WHILE ON VACATION THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR BECAME PERMANENTLY LOCKED. THE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK USING THE REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY OR MANUAL BUTTON. THIS PRESENTED A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IN THE EVENT ONE WOULD NEED TO USE THE DOOR TO EXIT THE CAR FOLLOWING A CRASH, AND ALSO CREATED AN INCREDIBLE NUISANCE FOR THE PASSENGER. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND AFTER DESTROYING THE SIDE PANEL, REPLACING THE ENTIRE LOCK MECHANISM AND CHARGING US NEARLY $600 WE CAN OPEN THE DOOR AGAIN. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE PART, BUT MAZDA NOR THE DEALERSHIP WAS WILLLING TO ASSIST IN THE REPAIR OF A PROBLEM THAT WAS IN NO WAY DUE TO OUR NEGLIGENCE OR MIS-USE. THE CAR IS EXTREMELY WELL CARED FOR AND DRIVEN ONLY BY MYSELF AND WIFE (MATURE ADULTS). SUBSEQUENTLY, MAZDA ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE BACK HATCH LOCKING MECHANISM. WE FEEL THESE LOCKS ARE DEFECTIVE AND THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF A DEFECTIVE PART. AT THIS POINT WE HAVE PAID $600 AND THE DOOR WORKS AGAIN, BUT WE ARE SERIOULSY CONSIDERING GETTING RID OF THE VEHICLE AS WE DON'T TRUST THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.*AK