NHTSA Complaint #11052303 — 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE SUBFRAME FRACTURED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO MOMENTARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REGAINED CONTROL AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SOME MINOR BRUISING AND SWELLING TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE BODY, BUT DID NOT RECALL HOW THEY OCCURRED. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT AT THE SCENE AND RETRIEVED BY AN EYEWITNESS. THE CONTACT LATER VERIFIED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS FRACTRURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME VERY SLOWLY. THE LOCAL DEALER (OAK LAWN MAZDA, 6750 95TH ST, OAK LAWN, IL, 60453) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN VERY SLOWLY TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME HAD FRACTURED. A REMEDY WAS NOT PROVIDED DUE TO THE DEALER AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR COST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS REMEDIED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V174000 (STRUCTURE) ON JULY 11, 2014, AND THE CROSS BRACE (BRACKET) WAS REINFORCED AT THAT TIME. THE REMEDY FAILED TO RECTIFY THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 165,000. *BF CONSUMER STATED ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO DEALER CJ WILSON NOT REPLACING THE SUB-FRAME AND ONLY REINFORCING IT WITH A BRACKET. UPDATED 9/13/18*JB