NHTSA Complaint #11230137 — 2010 MAZDA MAZDA3

MY DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS OUT FOR AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME UNTIL A POLICE OFFICER KINDLY PULLED ME OVER AND TOLD ME. WHEN I WENT TO HAVE THE LIGHT REPLACED, THE PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT WAS OUT, NOT THE DRIVER SIDE. I ASSUMED THE OFFICER HAD MADE A MISTAKE. THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED. A FEW MONTHS LATER I WAS DRIVING APPROX 40MPH ON AN UNLIT ROAD WHEN BOTH MY HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THE PASSENGER SIDE LIGHTBULB MYSTERIOUSLY CAME ON AGAIN BUT THE DRIVER SIDE DIDN'T. SO THEN THE DRIVER SIDE LIGHT WAS REPLACED AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY INSPECTED THE PASSENGER SIDE ONE AND REPORTED IT 'CHECKED GOOD'. IT WAS ONLY GOOD FOR A FEW MONTHS BECAUSE IT'S OUT AGAIN. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN EXCESSIVE CONDENSATION IN THESE LIGHTS BUT I DISMISSED IT - MAZDA OR THE MECHANICS WOULD TELL ME IF IT COULD BE A PROBLEM, RIGHT? I'VE RESEARCHED NOW AND FOUND THE ISSUE IS REPORTED ON ALL THE MAZDA3 MESSAGE BOARDS AND TO YOU AT THE NTSB (THESE ARE JUST THE ONES I FOUND: 11044247,11015855,10865541,10849726,10823321,10723613, 10715457,10683926,10640462,10632527,10573945,10558974,10554823, 10548296, 10443658,10914541,10874861,10865443,10853089). THERE ARE AT LEAST NINE MAZDA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. NEITHER MAZDA ITSELF NOR THE MAZDA SERVICE DEPARTMENTS WHERE MY CAR WAS SERVICED MANY TIMES HAD TOLD ME ABOUT IT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE. THE NEXT PERSON WHO HAS BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAIL ON THEM MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCKY. I HAVE TALKED TO MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY INSIST THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR AND NORMAL. DO I NEED TO MOVE TO A CERTAIN ENVIRONMENT, A DESERT MAYBE, TO HAVE RELIABLE HEADLIGHTS? *TR