NHTSA Complaint #10182974 — 2006 MAZDA MAZDA5

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, NOTICED WHEELS SLIPPED ON RAINY DAYS. ASKED DEALER ABOUT LACK OF TRACTION, ESPECIALLY WHEN STARTING TO ACCELERATE, THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE POWER OF THE ENGINE. SOME CUSTOMERS HAD THE SAME COMPLAINT, OTHERS DIDN'T. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS, I DEFINITELY DID NOT FEEL THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE FOR MY TEENAGERS TO DRIVE, AS THE LACK OF TRACTION ON WET ROADS WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. ASKED DEALER TO SWITCH TIRES, WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT THE TIRE MANUFACTURER IF IT WAS A TIRE DEFECT, BUT THIS WAS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CAR. CONTACTED MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHO ALSO WOULD NOT ADDRESS THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT AND TOLD ME I COULD PURCHASE DIFFERENT TIRES. BROUGHT TO A SECOND DEALERSHIP TO ASK ABOUT ISSUE, SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THIS WAS DUE TO A TURBO IN THE ENGINE CREATING ALOT OF POWER AT LOW GEARS. I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY TURBO...MECHANIC SUGGESTED THE TRACTION CONTROL MODEL WOULD HAVE HELPED THIS ISSUE..THERE IS NO TRACTION CONTROL MODEL AVAILABLE, AS FAR AS I KNOW. I LIKE MANY THINGS ABOUT THIS CAR, BUT REALLY FEEL THIS LOSS OF TRACTION UPON ACCELERATION WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT--WE LIVE ON A BUSY ROAD AND TIMING IS CRUCIAL TO PULL OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY. WE HAVE OWNED OVER 15 CARS AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS LACK OF SAFETY ON A VEHICLE--EVEN ON THE TURBOS WE HAVE OWNED! THIS IS A NEW MODEL, AND I THINK MORE PEOPLE WILL NOTICE THE TIRES SLIPPING AS MORE OF THESE ARE SOLD. I WISH THERE WAS A TRACTION CONTROL OPTION, OR THAT MAZDA WOULD HAVE AGREED TO TRY DIFFERENT TIRES. WE HAVE 5500 MILES ON THE CAR AND I DO NOT WANT MY TEENS IN IT ON RAINY OR SNOWY DAYS. *NM