NHTSA Complaint #10838657 — 2010 MAZDA MAZDA3

[I BOUGHT MY CAR USED, AND IT CAME WITH THE TPMS LIGHT ON. I WAS TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE THE PASSENGER REAR SENSOR WASN'T TRANSMITTING. I CHECK MY TIRE PRESSURE OFTEN, AND IGNORE THE TPMS LIGHT BECAUSE THOSE SENSORS ARE EXPENSIVE! MORE ON THIS LATER.] AS I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT A FEW WEEKS AGO, I REALIZED I WAS GETTING A FLAT TIRE ON THE DRIVER FRONT. I PULLED OVER AND, AS I WAS TAKING THE LUG NUTS OFF, NOTICED THE VALVE STEM HAD DISAPPEARED. AFTER I GOT TO THE TIRE SHOP AND THEY WERE INSPECTING THE TIRE, THE TECH INFORMED ME THE FLAT WAS BECAUSE THE ENTIRE VALVE HAD FALLEN OUT OF THE TIRE! THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE DID NOT HAVE A FAULTY SENSOR; THE VALVE HAD BEEN REPLACED (BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER) WITH A NON-SENSOR VALVE. I FOUND IT STRANGE THAT NOW TWO TIRE VALVES HAD BEEN REPLACED ON MY CAR. WHEN I RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE, I DISCOVERED MY MODEL YEAR HAS SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THE VALVES BREAKING OR FALLING OUT! AND NOW MY DRIVER REAR TIRE IS LOSING AIR, SO I SUSPECT THAT VALVE NEEDS REPLACED, AS WELL. I CONTACTED MAZDA AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THEIR EMAIL RESPONSE INCLUDED NO MENTION AT ALL OF THE TIRE VALVES - THE ENTIRE POINT OF MY CONTACTING THEM. I FOUND OTHER OWNERS ONLINE STATING MAZDA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL. AT THIS POINT, I HAVE ONE REPLACED VALVE WITHOUT A SENSOR (COURTESY OF THE PREVIOUS OWNER), THE $80 VALVE I JUST REPLACED (WITH A SENSOR), ONE VALVE I SUSPECT IS LEAKING AND NEEDS REPLACEDN, AND ONE VALVE THAT MAY FAIL AT ANY TIME LIKE THE ONE A FEW WEEKS AGO. MAZDA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS AND RECTIFY IT. THEY'RE LUCKY THAT VALVE FAILED BEFORE MY ROAD TRIP ON THE 9TH, WHEN I WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY! AND I DON'T APPRECIATE HAVING TO SPEND $320 TO CORRECT MAZDA'S MISTAKES.