NHTSA Complaint #767094 — 2002 MAZDA MPV

WE HAVE HAD A TERRIBLE "ROTTEN EGG" SMELL COMING FROM OUR EXHAUST SINCE WE HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE VAN WOULD BE REPLACED WITHOUT ANY INCONVENIENCE TO US. THE DEALER LATER WITHDREW THAT OFFER BECAUSE MAZDA CORPORATION FELT THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. WE WERE ALSO INFORMED BY THE DEALER TO TRY 3 TAN FULLS OF THE SAME GASOLINE AND THE SMELL WOULD GO AWAY. THEY TOLD US IF THIS DID NOT WORK TO GO TO OTHER GAS STATIONS AND START THIS PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN UNTIL WE FOUND A BRAND THAT WOULD WORK. WE HAVE TRIED THIS AND HAVE NO IMPROVEMENT IN THE SMELL. WE WERE ALSO TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY (WHO MAKES THE ENGINE) ISSUED A STATEMENT TO MAZDA SERVICE CENTERS THAT THIS SMELL WILL GO AWAY BETWEEN 8,000 TO 12,000 MILES. I ASKED THE DEALER, MAZDA CORP., AND FORD MOTOR CO. FOR A WRITTEN COPY OF THIS STATEMENT, AND NO ONE COULD PROVIDE ONE FOR ME. HAVE YOU HAD OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS DEFECT? I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS REASONABLE TO EXPECT A CUSTOMER TO PUT UP WITH THIS SMELL FOR UP TO 12,000 MILES. IT IS VERY EMBARRASING WHEN PEOPLE PULL UP NEXT TO YOU IN TRAFFIC AND HOLD THEIR NOSE BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE SMELL FROM OUR EXHAUST (THIS HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED.) HAVE THEIR BEEN ANY RECALLS ISSUED TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT? THANK YOU.*AK