NHTSA Complaint #10701578 — 2005 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA

I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHT COMBINATION SWITCH, PART NUMBER NC11-66-122 FAIL IN THIS MAZDA MIATA 6 TIMES. AFTER THE FIRST REPLACEMENT I NOTICED ALL THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURES WERE DUE TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE SWITCH AND NOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM CAUSING THE FAILURE. WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS, I TURN IT TO EITHER PARKING LIGHTS OR HEADLIGHT POSITION AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON UNLESS I PHYSICALLY CONTINUE TURNING THE SWITCH PAST IT'S "ON" POSITION. SOON AS I RELEASE THE SWITCH AND IT FALLS BACK INTO THE "ON" POSITION, THE LIGHTS GO OFF. THE FIRST 4 REPLACEMENTS WERE PERFORMED BY MAZDA DEALERS UNDER WARRANTY. OF COURSE, THEY DO NOT TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, THEY MERELY REPLACE IT. THE FIFTH REPLACEMENT I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE DEFECTIVE PART AND I DISASSEMBLE IT AND FOUND THE CONTACTS WERE NOT TOUCHING UNLESS THE SWITCH WAS TURNED PAST THE "ON". I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE 6TH COMBINATION SWITCH REPLACED. ON THIS PRESENT FAILURE I CAN ALSO PHYSICALLY PUSH THE SWITCH INWARD AND THE LIGHTS MOMENTARILY COME ON THEN TURN OFF WHEN I RELEASE THE INWARD PRESSURE. MY ASSESSMENT OF THE PROBLEM IS A POORLY MANUFACTURED SWITCH. IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD SHOULD THE SWITCH FAIL AT NIGHT. FAILURE DATE MILEAGE SERVICED BY 02-25-2008 13737 MAZDA OF LONGMONT 05-26-2009 23744 SPRADLEY BARR MAZDA 01-18-2010 29206 SPRADLEY BARR MAZDA 06-01 2010 35084 SPRADLEY BARR MAZDA 10-25-2012 58656 COYOTE MOTORS 03-??-2015 72300 PART ON ORDER BY COURTESY MAZDA, LONGMONT