NHTSA Complaint #10128196 — 2001 MAZDA MPV

TRANSPORT CANADA HAS ISSUED TC RECALL #: 2004376 FOR A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT. MY WIFE ANDI WERE INVOLVED IN THREE SEPARATE INCIDENTS INVOLVING AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCES, NEARLY RESULTING IN CRASHES! IN SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES, (MINUS 25 DEGREES FARENHEIT), I ATTEMPTED TO STOP WHILE APPROACHING A LINE OF VEHICLES STOPPED AT A TOLL BOOTH. MY VEHICLE BEGAN SLOWING WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT AT AN UNEXPECTEDLY REDUCED AND INADEQUATE RATE. MY VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED VIRTUALLY ONE INCH FROM THE STOPPED VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME AT THE TOLL BOOTH! I RELAYED THIS EXPERIENCE TO MY WIFE. SHE THEN REPORTED TO ME THAT ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASSIONS, SHE HAD SIMILAR VEHICLE STOPPING PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING LOCALLY. SHE CLEARLY REMEMBERS EXCLAIMING TO MY DAUGHTER (A PASSANGER) AT THE TIME OF ONE OF THOSE INCIDENTS: "WE HAVE NO BRAKES!" BOTH MY WIFE AND I ARE VERY EXPERIENCED IN DRIVING IN "WINTER CONDITIONS," AND BELIEVE THE VEHICLE'S BEHAVIOR WAS MARKEDLY DIFFERENT FROM REDUCED STOPPING DISTANCES CAUSED BY POOR WINTER ROAD CONDITIONS. SINCE THE AFOREMENTIONED PROBLEMS MIMICKED PARTIAL 'BRAKE FAILURE,' I HAD A LOCAL GARAGE CHECK THE BRAKE SYSTEM FOR ANY PROBLEMS. ALSO, WHILE AT THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN SO. BURLINGTON, VT ON FEB. 11, 2005, I EXPLAINED THE STOPPING PROBLEM, AND REQUESTED AN EXAMINATION OF THE VEHICLE. BOTH NOTED THAT THE BRAKES SEEMED TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. SINCE WE: 1) OPERATE SAME VEHICLE/ MODEL/ AND ENGINE ; 2) RECURRINGLY EXPERIENCE THE IDENTICAL DRIVING CONDITIONS LISTED IN THE RECALL; AND 3) HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL NEAR-ACCIDENTS, I REQUEST THAT YOUR OFFICE TAKE ACTION SO THAT MANDATORY REPAIRS OF THIS APARENT DEFECT (A SAFETY HAZARD IN CANADA!) BE IMPLEMENTED BEFORE WINTER SET IN AGAIN! MAZDA NATIONAL CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, AT 1-800-222-5500, ON JUNE 7, 2005 RESPONDED THAT THERE IS NO US RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE; THE RECALL APPLIES ONLY TO CANADIAN VEHICLES.