NHTSA Complaint #11100333 — 2009 MAZDA MAZDA6

BROUGHT VEHICLE IN TO A MECHANIC TO REPLACE RIGHT-SIDE INNER/OUTER TIE RODS DUE TO KNOCKING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO ONE SIDE. MECHANIC GOT IT ON A LIFT AND SHOWED ME THE TIE RODS WEREN'T THE PROBLEM, IT WAS THE FACT THAT THE FRONT SUBFRAME WAS SO ROTTED THAT THE TIE RODS WEREN'T ATTACHED TO IT ANYMORE, THEY WERE JUST FREE FLOATING. MECHANIC SAID THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACE ASAP. AFTER REMOVING THE ROTTED SUBFRAME, IT WAS OBVIOUS TO SEE THAT THE LARGE AMOUNT OF RUST THAT HAD FORMED WAS DUE TO THE POOR DESIGN OF THE A/C WASTE WATER PORT. IT'S JUST A PLASTIC OPENING STICKING OUT OF THE FIREWALL, SO ALL THE WASTE WATER IS DRIPPING/POURING DOWN FROM THE OPENING AND ENDS UP SITTING ON THE SUBFRAME AND CAUSING RUST. THERE IS ALSO AN INTENTIONAL HOLE IN THE SUBFRAME RIGHT BELOW THE WASTE WATER PORT, SO THE WATER ALSO GETS INTO THE FRAME AND TRAVELS DOWN ITS LENGTH TO SPREAD OUT ALL THE RUST AND CORROSION. I HAD TO BUY SOME HOSE CLAMPS AND A PLASTIC ELBOW AND SOME VINYL TUBING TO DIRECT THE WASTE WATER DOWN BELOW MY BRAND NEW SUBFRAME SO THAT I DON'T END UP RUSTING IT OUT AS WELL.