NHTSA Complaint #10450774 — 2009 MAZDA MAZDA3

AUG 2011, I WAS DRIVING ON THE AUTOBAHN IN GERMANY WHEN MY REAR TIRE SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY DEFLATED AT HIGH SPEED. THE MECHANIC SAID THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS VALVE HEX NUT BROKE OFF AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO DEFLATE, ALSO DESTROYED MY TIRE. JAN 2012, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS TIME THE FRONT TIRE WAS NEARLY FLAT AND THE SENSOR HEX NUT WAS BROKEN AND BARELY ATTACHED. I TOUCHED THE NUT AND IT DISINTEGRATED IN MY HAND. THE TIRE IMMEDIATELY LOST PRESSURE AND DEFLATED. THE INSIDE OF THE NUT WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED, ALONG WITH THE SENSOR VALVE. I WROTE MAZDA AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T HELP ME BECAUSE THE MILEAGE WAS PAST MY WARRANTY AND THEY DO NOT GUARANTEE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF ANY PART. THEY DIDN'T ADDRESS MY SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT A TIRE SUDDENLY DEFLATING AT HIGH SPEED. I STRONGLY SUGGEST MAZDA INVESTIGATE THIS CORROSION PROBLEM WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS. ANY PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE THE TIRE TO SUDDENLY DEFLATE AT HIGH SPEED IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. I REPLACED ALL MY SENSORS AT A COST OF AROUND $450, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL $180 FOR A NEW TIRE. *TR