NHTSA Complaint #10288860 — 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE

INTERIOR DRIVER DOOR HANDLE DISENGAGED (BROKEN CABLE ATTACHMENT), HANDLE NO LONGER OPENS DOOR. MUST LOWER WINDOW AND OPEN DOOR FROM EXTERIOR HANDLE, NOT SAFE IN CASES WHERE PASSENGERS (DRIVER) NEED RAPID EGRESS. WEAK DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY AT POINT OF CABLE ATTACHMENT SEEMS LIKE A DESIGN FLAW/SHORTCUT. THIS ISSUE WAS COMMON ON THE WEB-BASED REPAIR SITES WITH OVER 50 OWNERS REPORTING ISSUES ON 1 SITE ALONE. FACTORY CERTIFIED REPAIR IS $350! CONSEQUENTLY A WORK AROUND HAS BEEN POSTED ON THE INTERNET THAT IS DANGEROUS. INVOLVES DRILLING A HOLE IN THE HANDLE BASE AND REROUTING THE CABLE TO THIS NEW (LESS EFFICIENT) LOCATION. THE POOR DESIGN, WEAK BREAK-STRENGTH AND CRITICAL NATURE OF THE COMPONENT (DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY) ALMOST ENSURES THIS COMPONENT WILL FAIL. THE OUTRAGEOUS COST TO REPLACE ALMOST GUARANTEES A STEADY RELIABLE SOURCE OF INCOME FOR MAZDA DEALER RARE DEPT. THE FACT THAT THIS COMPONENT FAILURE DEGRADES THE RAPID EGRESS IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, IT SEEMS LIKE AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR YOUR AGENCY TO ADDRESS. *TR