NHTSA Complaint #10254213 — 2002 MAZDA MPV

2000-2003 MAZDA MPV MODELS HAVE A COOLANT SEEPAGE FROM REAR HEATER PIPE WHICH CAN CAUSE SEVERE ENGINE FAILURE AND TRAFFIC HAZARD DUE TO NON-DRIVABLE VEHICLE. MAZDA MPV 2002 WAS FOUND TO HAVE A COOLANT LEAK IN REAR HEATER PIPES AND WAS TAKEN TO MAZDA REPAIR CENTER. MAZDA ADVISED A VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE RUN WITHOUT COOLANT SINCE IT CAN DAMAGE THE ENGINE, AND REPLACED THE LINES FOR A COST OF $1000 (PARTS + LABOR). MPV WAS DRIVEN 18 MILES AFTER COMPLETED REPAIR, THEN THE ENGINE SUFFERED A COMPLETE FAILURE IN TRAFFIC AND VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION, POSING A DANGER TO MPV PASSENGERS AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES. MAZDA REPAIR CENTER CLAIMS THE ENGINE FAILURE IS DUE TO DRIVING WITH LOW/NO COOLANT PRIOR TO REPAIR. REGARDLESS, IF THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAILED REPAIR OR DUE TO THE REASON MAZDA STATES, THIS IS A KNOWN PRODUCT DEFECT BY MAZDA THAT SHOULD BE ISSUED AS A RECALL NOTICE TO ALL AFFECTED MPV OWNERS. MAZDA HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (US BULLETIN NO: 07-002/05) STATING THAT WARRANTY REPAIR IS APPROVED ONLY IF THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS COOLANT LEAKAGE AND THE VEHICLE IS WITHIN THE EXTENDED 7-YEAR WARRANTY FROM VEHICLE IN-SERVICE DATE. TSB REFERENCE: HTTP://MAZDA5CLUB.COM/TSB.PHP?ID=168 THIS KNOWN PRODUCT DEFECT SHOULD BE ISSUED AS A RECALL NOTICE FOR ALL AFFECTED MAZDA MPV MODELS DUE TO THE HIGH RISK THAT COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE POSES WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC. *TR