NHTSA Complaint #11048713 — 2013 MAZDA MAZDA3

PCM DOES NOT REGULATE ALTERNATOR OUTPUT CORRECTLY CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO FLASH/STROBE AND HORN TONE TO FLUCTUATE WHILE BRAKING IN MOTION. THE HEADLIGHTS FLASHING COULD LEAD OTHER DRIVERS TO BELIEVE YOU ARE SIGNALING THEM, AND LACK OF POWER TO HORN REDUCES THE AUDIBILITY AND MAY NOT BE HEARD BY OTHER DRIVERS. DEALERSHIP/MAZDA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND HAS PROVIDED A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" TO FIX THE ISSUE, BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL, THUS REQUIRING CONSUMERS TO PAY $60-$100 USD FOR THE UPDATE IF OUT OF WARRANTY. ON NOVEMBER 22TH 2017 I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND WAS BRAKING COMING TO THE RED LIGHT WHEN A VEHICLE ON A SIDE STREET WAVED AT ME AND PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME I USED MY HORN OF WHICH FLUCTUATED WITH POWER, I WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE CRASH BUT IT WAS A CLOSE CALL. I SUSPECT THE OTHER VEHICLE THOUGHT MY FLASHING HEADLIGHTS WERE SIGNALING THEM TO "GO AHEAD". I BELIEVE THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL AS THIS ISSUE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE.