NHTSA Complaint #10160054 — 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FAILED, I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR ON THE DRIVER SIDE. I HAD TO LOWER THE POWER WINDOW, REACH OUTSIDE OF THE CAR AND OPEN THE DOOR. I PURCHASED A HANDLE AND PAID TO HAVE THE DOOR HANDLE REPLACED ON 6/29/2005. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FAILED , LEAVING THE PASSENGER TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. PASSENGERS HAD TO LOWER THE POWER WINDOW, REACH OUTSIDE THE CAR AND OPEN THE DOOR. I PURCHASED A HANDLE AND PAID TO HAVE THE DOOR HANDLE REPLACED ON 3/13/2006. RECENTLY, EVERY TIME I CRANK MY CAR A LARGE CLOUD OF GRAY SMOKE COMES FROM THE TAILPIPE. TODAY, 6/16/2006, I WENT TO PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND THE KEY WOULD NOT GO IN. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE KEY WENT INTO THE IGNITION BUT, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR. WITH ASSISTANCE FROM A LOCAL MECHANIC, AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THE KEY WENT IN, TURNED AND THE CAR STARTED. IT WAS SUGGESTED TO ME, DO NOT MAKE ANY STOPS ON THE WAY HOME THAT WOULD REQUIRE TURNING THE CAR OFF. ONCE I ARRIVED AT HOME I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AGAIN. THE KEY WILL GO IN BUT, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN TO START THE CAR. WITH THE MAZDA BEING MY ONLY VEHICLE I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY SON AND I. WHILE DRIVING THE MAZDA THE REAR GLASS ON THE HATCH OPENED. I PULLED OVER TO CLOSE THE GLASS AND IT WOULD NOT CLOSE AND LATCH. WITH THE HELP OF A LOCAL MECHANIC HE WAS ABLE TO CLOSE AND ENGAGE THE LATCH ON THE GLASS DOOR. WE AVOID OPENING THE REAR GLASS BUT ON ACCIDENT THE GLASS DOOR WAS OPENED AND IT WAS THE SAME SCENARIO. *NM