NHTSA Complaint #764617 — 1992 MAZDA MPV

WITH THIS VAN THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS SINCE AUGUST OF 1993. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS A TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE VAN WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 3 MONTHS WHILE THEY DALLIED AROUND TO FIX IT. I HAD IT TAKEN TO NORTHTOWNE MAZDA AND IT TOOK THEM A WEEK TO FIX IT. THE SECOND PROBLEM WAS A CONSTANT BREAKAGE OF THE LITTLE PIN THAT SHIFTS THE GEARS. THE THING BREAKS CONSTANTLY AND CAUSES THE GEAR DIAL LETTERS TO BE OFF BY ONE LETTER FOR INSTANCE THE R FOR REVERSE IS D FOR DRIVE. THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS A GAS LEAK THAT I TOOK IN TO HAVE FIXED THREE TIMES BEFORE IT WAS FINALLY FOUND. I WAS TOLD ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THAT IT WAS JUST EXHAUST AND THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FOUND. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO MEMPHIS AND LIKED TO GAS MYSELF TO DEATH FROM THE FUMES ON THE WAY THERE AND BACK. UPON RETURN TO KCMO I TOOK IT DIRECTLY BACK TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID JUST LEAVE IT OUTSIDE AND WE WILL BRING IT IN AND CHECK IT. I MADE HIM COME OUTSIDE TO THE CAR. YOU COULD SMELL THE GAS FROM 50 FEET AWAY. WHEN HE TOOK IT IN THERE WAS A RUPTURE INTHE FOURTH QUARTER PANEL HOSE THAT WHEN YOU TOOK A LEFT TURN IT SPILLED GAS INTO THE PASSENGER REAR SEAT. THE NEXT PROBLEM THAT I HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE WAS THAT THE CALIPERS, ROTORS AND BRAKES WORE CLEAN THROUGH AFTER ONLY 20,000 MILES OF WEAR ON THE NEW BRAKES. FIRESTONE FIXED THEM. THEN I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT NOW 5 TIMES. I HAD THE FIRST TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AT 66,000 MILES, THE SECOND AT 78,000 MILES, THE NEXT AT 108,000, AND THEN 138,000, NOW AT 139,463. S MEMO CAME OUT FROM MAZDA TO SERVICE REPAIR SHOPS THAT THE SPACERS ARE DEFECTIVE AND THAT WHEN THE TIMING BELT IS CHANGED THESE NEED TO BE REPLACED ALSO. THIS MEMO JUST CAME OUT IN JUNE 2002. THE OTHER PROBLEM THAT I HAVE HAD IS THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BECAUSE MAZDA HAS A DEFECTIVEPART THAT WON'T LET ENOUGH OIL IN TO ALLOW THE ENGINE TO RUN, THIS CAUSES A LOUD TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS THE SWAY BAR.