NHTSA Complaint #11055068 — 2015 MAZDA CX-5

WHILE CLEANING OUR 2015 MAZDA CX-5 THAT WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY, I RAN THE SEAT FORWARD TO VACUUM UNDER IT. WHEN MOVING IT BACK, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT WOULD NOT BUDGE. WHEN WE INSPECTED ALL OVER UNDERNEATH THE SEAT WE COULD FIND NOTHING IMPEDING THE SLIDING MECHANISM. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC AS IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITH THE SEAT ALL THE WAY FORWARD. AFTER SOME RESEARCH AND HARD WORK, OUR MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE SEAT AND SLIDING COMPONENT AND REPLACE THE ENTIRE POWER SLIDE UNIT (PART # KDY2-88-4FOA POWER SLIDE LF-S ) FOR THE DRIVER'S SEAT. HE FOUND THAT THE CABLE TO THE POWER UNIT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT HAD BROKEN. THE RIGHT SIDE APPEARS TO BE WEAKENING AS WELL. THROUGH HIS RESEARCH, OUR MECHANIC FOUND A TSB BULLETIN ON THIS EXACT SAFETY ISSUE. (TSB #09-006-16) HE EXPLAINED THAT THE NTSB HAD TOLD MAZDA TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM IN SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS BUT THAT LEAVES US, AND PROBABLY OTHERS, IN THE LURCH FOR A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.