NHTSA Complaint #11267345 — 2009 MAZDA MAZDA6

WHILE PULLING DOWN MY STREET AFTER BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, I HEARD A NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR THAT WAS NOT NORMAL. IT WAS MORE EVIDENT GOING OVER BUMPS. MY CAR WAS DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE ANYWAY SO I WENT TO MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND ASKED THEM TO INVESTIGATE. THE REAR CROSS MEMBER IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING A NEARLY CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE RIGHT REAR SECTION, INCLUDING A PIECE THAT RUSTED OFF AND IS FLOATING WITHIN THE SPRING. MAZDA DID ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS VERY ISSUE, BUT IT ONLY COVERS THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER, WHICH IS ABSURD. I CALLED MAZDA TO CONFIRM THAT THE RECALL DOESN'T APPLY TO THE REAR, AND JOSE, THE REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE TO BY PHONE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT DOES NOT. I AM IN A RUST BELT STATE, AND IF SALT CAN AFFECT THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER, OBVIOUSLY IT CAN AFFECT THE REAR IN THE SAME NEGATIVE FASHION. JUST BECAUSE THE REAR DOESN'T TURN THE CAR, DOESN'T MEAN IT POSES LESS OF A DANGER AS EVIDENCED BY MY VEHICLE.