NHTSA Complaint #10563553 — 2008 MAZDA MAZDA3

TPMS LIGHT ALERTED LOW TIRE PRESSURE CONDITION. FOUND TIRE WITH LOW PRESSURE. DURING INSPECTION OF TIRE, A SMALL AIR LEAK WAS DISCOVERED AT THE VALVE STEM MID SECTION OF THREADS DUE TO CORROSION. THE TPMS SENSOR ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT WAS NECESSARY TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. APPROXIMATELY EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTERWARDS, THE SAME EXACT FAILURE RE-OCCURRED IN ANOTHER TPMS SENSOR. THE ALUMINUM ALLOY VALVE STEMS ON THESE SENSORS ARE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION DAMAGE AND NEED TO BE RE-CALLED. THIS FAILURE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE SENSORS, ESPECIALLY WHERE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THESE ARE DRIVEN WHERE ROAD "SALTING" IS ROUTINE. THE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS LOW TIRE PRESSURE CONDITION CAUSED BY THESE FAULTY STEMS MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN DEATH. *TR