2012 MAZDA MX-5 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MAZDA MZ5 (NA). THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V644000 (STRUCTURE); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MAZDA MX-5. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MAZDA MX-5. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON SAYING THE AIR BAG IS NOT ON. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. MY WIFE WEIGHS 101 LBS. I HAVE CONTACTED MIATA USA TODAY AND MY DEALER (3RD TIME). SO FAR NO SATISFACTION. I'M BRINGING THE CAR IN 08/01/2014 AGAIN. I SPOKE TO MAZDA USA TODAY (07/09/14). IN NOT SO MANY WORDS I WAS TOLD THAT MY WIFE WASN'T POSITIONED PROPERLY IN THE SEAT OR THAT SHE DOESN'T WEIGH ENOUGH. THAT IS AN ABSURD ANSWER. I THEN ASKED WHAT IF A CHILD WAS IN THE SEAT. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT CONJECTURE ON THAT POSSIBILITY. THEY SAID IT WAS UP TO THE DEALER TO FIND A SOLUTION. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I PURCHASED THE NEW MIATA ON 4/23. WHEN GOING OVER THE FUNCTIONS WITH THE SALESMAN, HE PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE UP VERY HARD. I WAS NOT ABLE TO RELEASED IT WITH BOTH HANDS. HE APOLOGIZED FOR PULLING IT UP TOO FAR & SAID THAT WAS NOT NECESSARY. I USED THE BRAKE A NUMBER OF TIMES AS I DROVE THE CAR WITH HIM AND THERE WAS A DISTINCT SPOT WHERE THE BRAKE WOULD STOP, WHICH I ASSUMED MEANT IT WAS ENGAGED. I ASKED THE SALESMAN FOR ANY FEEDBACK HE HAD ABOUT HOW I WAS DRIVING. HE WAS POSITIVE. THE NEXT DAY, WITH 77 TOTAL MILES ON THE ODOMETER, AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED, THE CAR ROLLED FROM A RELATIVELY FLAT AREA WHERE IT WAS PARKED, DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, INTO THE WOODS AND THE FRONT END IS DESTROYED. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME HE DIDN'T THINK THE BRAKE WAS FULLY ENGAGED, GOT INTO THE CAR & PULLED THE BRAKE INTO THE POSITION AGAIN THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO UNLOCK EVEN WITH BOTH HANDS. I SHOWED HIM THE POSITION I HAD PUT IT IN. HE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THE PROBLEM'THAT THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE FARTHER BACK TO GET A GOOD POSITION TO RELEASE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND WITH THE FORWARD SEAT POSITION I USED TO REACH THE CLUTCH, THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO PULL BACK HARD ENOUGH ON THE BRAKE. I'M 5'3". THIS IS A PROBLEM. I SHOULD ADD THAT THE CAR WAS NOT IN GEAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, WHICH I UNDERSTAND NOW IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. HOWEVER, I HAVE TO BELIEVE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS DESIGNED TO HOLD A CAR ON A FLAT SURFACE WITHOUT ROLLING, OTHERWISE IT'S NOT MUCH GOOD IN AN EMERGENCY. IF WOMEN WITH THE SEAT IN A FORWARD POSITION ARE NOT ABLE TO SUFFICIENTLY ENGAGE THE BRAKE, I CONSIDER THIS A VERY DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW. I WISH THE SALE MAN HAD SPENT LESS TIME SHOWING ME HOW THE RADIO WORKS, AND MORE TIME EXPLAINING THE HAZARDS OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. *TR