1991 Mazda Mpv

Defect. Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.

Risk. If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

Remedy. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.

Defect. THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.

Risk. THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.

Defect. THE REAR BRAKE LININGS CAN CHANGE OVER TIME. AS THE BRAKES WEAR, THE COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION CAN INCREASE, PRODUCING INCONSISTENT REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE AND PREMATURE ACTIVATION OF THE ABS SYSTEM.

Risk. INCONSISTENT BRAKING AND PREMATURE ACTIVATION OF THE ABSSYSTEM CAN CAUSE SUDDEN STOPS OR INCREASED BRAKING DISTANCES, AND RESULT ININCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy. REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLIES WITH ASSEMBLIES WHOSE FRICTION CHARACTERISTICS DO NOT CHANGE. THIS WILL REDUCE THE RISK OF PREMATURE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATION.

THE FRONT WHEEL SKIDDED AND THE FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING ON LIGHT SNOW COVERED HIGHWAY. IT CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME IMMOBILIZED. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE CAR AND IT OVERTURNED. *TR

PAINT IS CHIPPING AND FADING ALL OVER THE VAN ESPECIALLY ON THE BACK AND THE ROOF. I SAW LOTS OF MODELS ON THE ROAD WITH THE SAME PAINT PROBLEM. *JB

THE SEAT BELTS ON MY 1991 MAZDA MPV ARE SIMPLY FALLING APART. THE FUEL VAPOR SEPARATOR DOES AN INADEQUATE JOB OF KEEPING GASOLINE FUMES OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ON BOTH OF THESE ITEMS. WHEN I TOOK IT IN TO THE LOCAL DEALER THEY ONLY PERFORMED AN INSPECTION. BOTH ISSUES REMAIN UNRESOLVED. BESIDES NOT EVER BUYING ANOTHER MAZDA EVER. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE SAFETY ISSUES RESOLVED. *NM

PAINT STARTED TO CHIP AWAY. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME.

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HAD TO STOP SUDDENLY AND APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL ABRUPTLY. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AND CONSUMER COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. TS

CONSUMER STATES THE RIGHT REAR AUDIO SPEAKER CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING.*JB

AT THE TIME I HAD THIS COMPONENT FAILURE, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I TOOK THIS VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED MAZDA DEALER WHO PROCEEDED TO TAKE A FULL 10 MINUTES TO LOOK AT THIS VEHICLE AND TELL ME THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH IT. I PREVIOUSLY FILED A COMPLAINT AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FEEDBACK. DURING THE TIME I HAD THIS FAILED COMPONENT ON MY FUEL SYSTEM, I DEVELOPED A CHRONIC ASTHMA CONDITION. ANOTHER DEALER FINALLY FOUND A CRACK IN THE FUEL VAPOR SEPARATOR ONE YEAR LATER WHEN I TOOK THIS VEHICLE BACK FOR ANOTHER INSPECTION. IT TOOK 4 MONTHS AFTER THE SECOND MAZDA DEALER FOUND THE CRACK FOR ME TO OBTAIN A REPLACEMENT PART FOR THE FAILED COMPONENT. THE DEALER NEVER INFORMED ME IT WAS UNSAFE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THIS CAR REEKING OF FUEL ODORS. I WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION TO BE CONDUCTED ON A FORMAL LEVEL. I BELIEVE MAZDA FAILED TO INFORM THEIR CUSTOMERS OF DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH DRIVING A CAR THAT MAY HAVE FUEL VAPORS LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THE AUTHOIRZED DEALER FAILED TO WARN OF THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF FUEL ODORS IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. IT SEEMS BY READING THE RECALL LETTERS ISSUED IN APRIL 1998 AND JAN 1999 THAT THE FIRST LETTER REFLECTED AN ATTITUDE OF NONCHALANCE, AND MAZDA IMPLIED THAT THERE WAS REALLY NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN, OR TRUE BELIEF THAT THIS RECALL SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. THOUGH I DID TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND HAD MY CAR INSPECTED FOR THE FAILED COMPONENT, THE AUTHORIZED MAZDA

WHILE TRAVELING AND WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKES THERE WAS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO RUN INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 45 MPH AT THE TIME THE BRAKE FAILED. *YH

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH AN OIL LEAK THAT IS CAUSING SMOKE AND A HORRIBLE SMELL, VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER 5 TIMES AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED, VALVE COVER GASKETS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, REAR CAP SEALS REPLACED, AND O RINGS WERE REPLACED. *SLC

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WHICH HAD A TRANSMISSION COOLER, FAILED PREMATURELY AT 64,000 MILES.*AK

REPAIR SHOP NOTIFIED ME THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS KNOWN TO MAZDA AND IS IN A TSB REGARDING ROCKER ARMS WHICH WERE MODIFIED . HOW CAN MAZDA BE ALLOWED TO SELL A KNOWN DEFECT TO CONSUMERS. IS THERE ANY REPAIR COMPENSATION ALLOWED TO OWNERS? THANK YOU.

FIRESTONE FR 680 ASRWS TIRE (P205 70 R14) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION ON BOTH FRONT TIRES, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING ALL 4 TIRE BE REPLACED. *SLC

KEY SWITCH GETTING HOT AND YOU CAN SMELL WIRES BURNING

WHILE DRIVING STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL, AND IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE HAS REAR ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM, BUT THE SYSTEM WILL LOCK UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED EACH TIME BRAKES WERE PRESSED HARD. LEFT REASR WHEEL LOCKS UP, AND APPLICATION OF BRAKES CAUSE SIDEWAYS SKID. PROBLEM REOCCURRED AFTER MANY BRAKE REPLACEMENTS. RECALL WAS RECEIVED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK *ML

THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING WATER / COOLANT LEAKAGE, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY DEALER AND INDEPENDENT SHOPS. *AK *YC

VAN HAS PAINT PRIMER FAILURE, AND THE PAINT JUST FLAKES OFF. I REALIZE THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT THOUGHT I WOULD REPORT IT ANYWAY. I HAVE HAD MY VAN TO TWO CAR PAINTING COMPANIES WHO HAVE CONFIRMED FOR ME THAT THE PAINT COMING OFF IS DUE TO PRIMER FAILURE. I HAVE WRITTEN THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY HAVE ADVISED ME THAT THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY OF WHICH I AM WELL AWARE, HOWEVER, THE HOOD HAS A LARGE AREA WHERE THE PAINT HAS COME OFF, AND THE HATCH HAS A LARGE STRIP WHERE THE PAINT HAS COME OFF, AND IT IS COMING OFF IN SMALLER SPOTS ALL OVER THE VAN. I AM LEFT WITH THE OPTION OF PAYING FOR THE PAINT MYSELF WHICH IS APPROX. $2,000 SINCE THE ENTIRE VAN HAS TO BE STRIPPED, OR SELLING OR TRADING IT IN AT A LOSS DUE TO THE CURRENT PAINT CONDITION. I KNOW MY VAN, WHICH IS WHITE, IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PAINT CONDITION AS I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHERS AROUND TOWN WHOSE PAINT CONDITION IS THE SAME AS MINE, COMING OFF IN THE SAME PLACES AS MINE. I MAY HAVE WASTED MY TIME FILLING OUT THIS REPORT, BUT FEEL I HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

PARKED VEHICLE. WAS GETTING OUT WHEN THE LOCKS FAILED TO RELEASE. HAD TO FORCE LOCK UP TO RELEASE. RELOCKED DOOR ONCE OUTSIDE. THEN TRIED TO UNLOCK DOOR AFTER RETURNING & LOCK WOULD NOT RELEASE. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED LOCKING MECHANISM INSIDE DOOR WAS BROKEN & NEED TO BE FIXED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY 40MPH HEARD A SNAP, VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING.CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE NOISE (TICKING LIFTERS & PISTON SLAP) AT 40K; DEALER REPLACED SHORT BLOCK ENGINE, BUT PROBLEM WAS BACK BY 60K. IN SPITE OF CHANGING THE OIL EVERY 2K, USING A SYNTHETIC (MOBIL 1 AND OTHER FRICTION REDUCERS - SLICK 50, PROLONG) MY PROBLEM PERSISTED. IF I ALLOWED THE OIL TO STAY IN W/O CHANGING FOR MORE THAN 2K I WOULD GET THIS LOUD, TERRIBLE TICKING NOISE WHEN I STARTED IN THE MORNING AND EVEN WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS YOU COULD HEAR THIS TICKING OVER THE HIGHWAY NOISE. I HAVE LIVED WITH THIS PROBLEM DURING THE LIFE OF THIS ENGINE FEELING POWERLESS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. EVEN THOUGH I WAS ABLE TO GET GOOD SERVICE FROM MY ENGINE, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IT COULD HAVE PERFORMED EVEN LONGER IF THIS PROBLEM DIDN'T EXIST.

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. TEMPERATURE READ HOT. ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND ALL INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE ON. THE CAR DIED. CAR TOWED TO DEALER, WOULD NOT START. DEALER DISCOVERED A HOLE IN RADIATOR AND BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. INTERNAL DAMAGE AND CONSUMER HAS NO CAR. *AK