NHTSA Complaint #10402016 — 2008 MAZDA MAZDA3

ON 4/19/2011 I WAS DRIVING WHEN MY TPMS WENT OFF. I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION TO PUT AIR IN MY TIRE. AS I PUT THE AIR PUMP TO THE VALVE, THE VALVE SIMPLY DISAPPEARED AND THE TIRE WENT COMPLETELY FLAT. I CALLED AAA AND TOOK THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP. THEY SAID THE TIRE WAS PERFECTLY FINE AND REPLACED IT (WITHOUT THE TPMS). I EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE TPMS, WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ON 4/25/2011, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE TPMS WENT OFF AGAIN. THIS TIME ANOTHER TIRE HAD GONE COMPLETELY FLAT. WHEN AAA ARRIVED, THE SERVICEMAN FOUND THE BROKEN PARTS OF THE PIECE THAT HOLDS THE VALVE STEM (AND THE TPMS) IN THE WHEEL. WITHOUT THIS PIECE, THE VALVE WAS ABLE TO SLIP INTO THE WHEEL (WHICH IS WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME ON 4/19). THE PIECES WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED AND HAD CRACKED IN 3 PLACES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TPMS (WHICH WAS NOT, AGAIN, COVERED UNDER WARRANTY). ONLY AFTER I INSISTED DID THEY REPLACE THE REMAINING TWO VALVE STEMS WHICH ALSO HAD CLEAR SIGNS OF CRACKING. THIS WILL MOST LIKELY HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE FUTURE AS THE TWO METALS OF THE VALVE STEM AND THE PIECE HOLDING IT ON BEGIN TO CORRODE. UPDATED IVOQ 06/28/11 *TR