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Mazda5: Recalls

pir8mattpir8matt Member Posts: 45
edited April 2014 in Mazda
Hello all. I'm a new Mazda5 owner (took delivery monday) with just under 200 miles on my car.

I have to say, I wish I had read this discussion group before purchasing my car. I have been encountering the A/C problems, mysterious engine noises, and other issues I wouldn't expect from a brand-new vehicle (nevermind the lack of an AUX jack for an external music player...they have a TAPE DECK option? What is this, 1982?)

Anyway, my dealer called me this afternoon to let me know about the recall, and they are trying to round up vehicles to swap out with. I don't know about them not being able to sell any more at my particular dealership, but it seems likely that is the case.

The service manager didn't give me any real timeframe as to how long it would take to get it fixed, but here's my real question:

Should I keep this car?

I have to admit, Im not terribly impressed with the small A/C vents, the fact that the compressor shuts down if the accelerator is pushed 2/3rds of the way down (the service manager told me this), the fact that the massive amounts of glass aren't factory-tinted, and the dearth of audio accessories someone living in the 21st century might actually use (minidisk option? Didnt that die 10 years ago?)

Since my car has very low mileage at this point, and the recall fix is of an indeterminate nature, I think I could probably make a case for the dealer to just take the thing back and cut my losses.

What do other owners think? If you had the chance to get out of your M5 free and clear, right now, would you do it?
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Comments

  • lolo2lolo2 Member Posts: 10
    I'm in the same boat as you..picked up my car on Monday..it has less than 70 miles on it...I spoke to someone in the service department and it sounded like they will be keeping the car for a month...right now they don't know how to solve the problem. Anyone else have more info.
  • bwatersbwaters Member Posts: 52
    We've got 400 miles on ours and our dealer called this afternoon about the recall. They left a message on our answering machine and didn't mention how long they would be keeping the 5. The service shop didn't tell us not to drive it this weekend, just to drop it off Monday for repair. Talk about a bad day, a Volvo SUV parked a foot from our 5 this afternoon and the child who opened the back door put the first dent in our driver side sliding door. It's a tiny dent but I found it right away when I noticed how poorly the Volvo was parked. :cry:
  • buckeye39buckeye39 Member Posts: 2
    I just told my wife about the recall after receiving an email from Mazda. She's so disappointed. She loves our Mazda5. I'd be willing to drive it for awhile until it can be fixed, but there is no way I'm letting her drive it with the kids strapped in car seats in the back. The Mazda center specified in the email is closed until Monday, so I guess we'll just have to remain patient over the weekend. We didn't purchase from the local dealer because they wouldn't come down on the price. I do not look forward to having to deal with them on this. They'll probably try to give us a Yugo for a loaner! :sick:
  • qddaveqddave Member Posts: 164
    Sounds like you should have test driven it before you purchased it, forget about reading Edmunds. All the things you complain about would show up plain as day in a test drive. Why blame Mazda for not including options you desire when you obviously bought it blind.
  • pir8mattpir8matt Member Posts: 45
    I did test drive a demonstrator. It was early in the day and the AC problem wasnt apparent, neither was the compressor cutoff.

    The test drive certainly didn't demonstrate that the car might potentially catch on FIRE.

    I don't know how long you normally go on test drives for, but mine was less than a 1 mile jaunt around a neighborhood behind the dealer. None of these things showed up 'plain as day'. As far as the options, I was willing to live without the missing AUX jack (which I did inquire about) because the CD deck supposedly played MP3 cd's. It wasnt until after I took delivery of mine that I realized that it was a single-CD model (non MP3).

    Thats a dealer issue, to be sure, but it still frustrates me that Mazda seems to want to ignore the fact that 1 in 11 americans own a personal audio player (iPod or similar) and add an AUX jack like scion, mazda, KIA, and a bunch of other competing companies do.

    But thanks anyway for your totally unhelpful comments.
  • lolo2lolo2 Member Posts: 10
    I just brought my Mazda5 to the service department..It sounded like they will be keeping it up to 30 days. They were able to give me a MPV with satellite radio to drive. They said because of Hurricane Katrina vans are hard to come by..The loner is through Hertz. This dealership (in Houston) only had 2 vans.
  • truckasaurustruckasaurus Member Posts: 44
    Took ours in this morning. The dealer tried to lend us a Mazda 3. Hold out for an MPV! They let us have one in the end. I guess this depends on the area and your dealer.
  • pir8mattpir8matt Member Posts: 45
    I went to my dealer today to see what was up. They really didnt seem to know much about the nature of the recall or the timeframe for repair. They were told not to sell 5's though, though they still had one in the showroom and out front.

    I tried to see if I could bail out on the deal, as my trade was being sold on the lot, but the site manager said everything was in process, so it would have to be treated as whole new deal, with me in essence trading in my 'used' (one week old) 5 and buying my 'new' trade-in.

    They were courteous though, and seemed genuinely eager to help, and did go ahead and take my 5 into service and gave me a loaner MPV for the weekend. I thought that was pretty nice and it made me feel better about the whole thing.

    I guess its wait and see what Monday brings. Good luck everyone.
  • ajpendoajpendo Member Posts: 19
    We have about 600 miles on our mazda5 and we were called Friday about the recall. The Chicago/Evanston dealership said they had no information about the nature of the recall and they seemed sincere in not knowing about the exhaust problem noted on this board. They offered a rental with Hertz (apparently a sister company to Ford (who have a significant share of Mazda USA). Mazda agreed to provide a minivan (we need space for 2 child and one baby car seat) but Hertz had a Ford Explorer that was inadequate for our needs. Hertz could not have been more unhelpful. Mazda kindly gave me a loaner of an MPV the next day. Mazda have been very helpful but dealing with Hertz was terrible. I believe it only fair that Mazda exchange the Mazda5 with a vehicle with at least equivalent seating. I also note that other mazda5 owners have been accomodated with minivans if that is what they needed space wise, sometimes, it seems, with "encouragement" needed. We love our Mazda5 and hope to have it fixed (and no longer a potential death trap) and back to us soon...
  • pagetunerpagetuner Member Posts: 41
    "If you had the chance to get out of your M5 free and clear, right now, would you do it?"

    No way! I just dropped off my 5 for the recall and got a Mazda Tribute loaner with 8200 miles. The difference was dramatic. The 5 is a light and crisp-handling car with about the same interior capacity as the comparatively clumsy truck.

    I'm sorry you are suffering Buyer's Remorse. I hope you either get a good windowtint job and come to love your 5, or get out clean and free it up for someone else.

    pagetuner
    http://pagetuner.com/mazda5
  • bypasskidbypasskid Member Posts: 57
    No way! We love our Mazda5. We got Buick Rendez Vous to drive until our is fixed, what a piece of crap... I really don't know why would anyone spend 20K + on this garbage. The radio looks like it came straight from a buick from the 60s.

    Just to add a note, whoever was in charge of the design should have put the arm rest on the passenger side in mazda5, not the drivers, what were they thinking???
  • atsowatsow Member Posts: 4
    I absolutely have no regrets about buying the M5. What other car seats 6 people, can get 31mpg (it's true!) of gingerly highway driving, has stick shift, and handles like a modern sedan? I'm sure they will fix the problem. I glad that they are recalling rather than stonewalling.

    Other companys have the luxury of denying problems when their products have a critical mass of popularity: e.g. Ford's tire problems, Toyota's engine sludge, GM's everything.

    I'm sure it's a matter of dropping some more expensive parts in place of ones that were carried over from the 3. I wonder if tuning the engine for better low end torque puts out more heat stress than other deplyments of the engine.

    Cheers,
    Alex
  • robby1robby1 Member Posts: 7
    what no one here seems to understand is that instead of complaining so hard (actually you should) be glad that Mazda is recalling the vehicles and being so proactive instead of denying everything. This makes me feel a lot better about any future safety issues. All dealers have been allowed to give MPV's to replace the 5's with mazda paying the dealer an additionnal $1,500 in incentives to put it in loaner service plus another $50 daily allowance while it's on the road. This will make it a lot easier for dealers who are willing to give NEW MPV's (unheard off before in the car business) to resell those cars one they come back with miles on them. For the recored, the A/C problem can be eliminited with a good tint and if you bought it for the right reasons the 5 is the best car out there and well worth a couple of launching quirks.
  • bypasskidbypasskid Member Posts: 57
    I completely agree. At least Mazda is not denying the problem.
    This is my second brand new car, they all get recalled for something at some point...

    Question about tinting though, has anyone tried "gila" tint? www.gilafilms.com?
    what is the best one (I'll have it professionally put it anyway), or the the "do it yourself" tint is better from pageturner.com?

    thanks
  • gwinchgwinch Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the information about the incentives Mazda is providing to dealers to put new MPV's into loaner service during the Mazda 5 recall. $1,500 + $50 per day is quite an incentive. Its interesting then that we were given a loaner MPV from the dealer's used lot which has 40,000 miles on the clock and shudders when idling! For a few days this would not be a problem, but for 30 days+ it is unacceptable. Now I know I shall be returning this used MPV on Monday.

    I am not mad with Mazda for not stepping up as they appear to be doing the right thing, however, I am mad with Mazda for the serious lack of information about the recall. Our dealer only told us it was to do with "emissions" and had no information about when our car would be ready. I checked Mazda's website for recall information but found nothing. It was only when I checked this message board that I learned the full facts about the recall and about dealer incentives.

    Mazda must ensure dealers do the 'right' thing with Mazda 5 customers and not try to pocket the incentives paid to them without having to actually spend anything.!!!
  • mrgarymrgary Member Posts: 33
    Well I see that we are all getting notified about the recall.
    Just finished a 1300 mile trip from Pa to WV , Va and Tenn.
    Averaged around 30 MPG. AC worked great. Just 2 people in it me and my wife.
    Still pretty impressed that I get thet kind of MPG with Ac on and temps in the mid 80's to low 90's. Good handling in the Mountains well also. I hate to give it back to the dealer but that's better then having it catch on fire. Well hope everyone makes the best of the renatl cars. On a side note I didn't notice not even one other M5 on the road..
  • aburgetaburget Member Posts: 1
    I've been reading these posts as a lurker, but since the recall, I've decided to dive right in.

    It seems that Mazda corporate is doing the right thing, but the implementation on the dealer side is what is making this process either horrible or tolerable. I was called directly by the sales manager who told me about the possibility of the car catching fire and offered to have it towed if I didn't want to drive it. They immediately offered a new MPV as a loaner. Very very wonderful service.

    The only problem is that the MPV is kind of a dog -- underpowered and really ordinary! Now I realize what makes the 5 so perfect (ok, not completely perfect) and highlights what I miss about it. The first MPV they gave me was a base model and it could barely take 3 adults and 2 children up a slight incline. So I returned it and asked for a V6 model, which is much better, but not as zippy as our 5. Since I live in the Washington, DC area, there are tons of Mazda dealerships, so I guess they have to keep a high level of customer service to stay competitive. They kept apologizing for the inconvenience.

    Now I'm the proverbial mom with 2 children and a minivan. The only thing missing is a soccer game. UGH.
  • prulexprulex Member Posts: 9
    Just dropped my 5 off at Fairbanks Mazda in Orlando. Only had it for 6 days and sad to see it go, if only for a while. I can definitely confirm that we know more than the dealerships, or at least more than they're letting on...maybe Mazda told them to keep their mouths shut until the actual recall is received by owners. Service guy was unsure how long I could expect to be without my 5, and had "no idea" what the recall was...apparently Mazda was sending them the paperwork today on what the problem/fix is. I'm a little bummed that no loaner Mazda was offered. I would've liked to drive a 6 wagon or a 3 5-door for a week or two. They shipped me off to Enterprise instead to rent a horrible GMC Envoy. Who buys these things? Well, at least I get to put 250 miles on a rental tomorrow instead of my 5. Just hope I don't get lost without my Nav...I was finally going to put it to the test.
  • pir8mattpir8matt Member Posts: 45
    Just FYI, information about the recall on the internet:

    http://www.autospectator.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2013

    http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2005/09/17/143253.html

    No new information, really, but at least now the dealers can't say they 'dont know' what the problem is.

    Just for the record, I was given a V-6 MPV, and while it certainly doesnt have the 'cool factor' of the 5, I find it a very capable and versatile minivan. I had some family in town over the weekend and it was very useful for carting people around.

    I still wouldnt want one myself, but I can see why people buy them.
  • thisisamericathisisamerica Member Posts: 25
    we drove in our 5 on Sat. morning after getting call from Mazda on Friday afternoon. I just requested we need 4 doors car and they said OK. They took us to Avis and gave us a small Pontiac Grand Pix rental car which is not comfortable.

    And I found everyone here is all having the loaner MPV. We are the only one who got such a small uncomfortable rental car. So I called service manager of our dealer this morning and requested a bigger loaner car. Still, they don't have loaner cars so they asked us to exchange the car at Avis. This time, we are getting Ford Freestar which is much bigger and more comfortable. However, the clerk of Avis sucks. The way she dealt with us was like we owed her hundred millions. Gee! I can't believe this is the way they do the business. We had several car rentals with Hertz and Hertz's cars and attitudes of clerks are much better than Avis. We had one experience car rental with NATIONAL and it is better than Avis too.

    I called the service manager and thank him. I also suggested him to give the 5 owners minivans instead of 4 door sedan cars. And he said he finally realized that most 5 owners are with a family. Of course, i don't think singles will buy 5. we just feel like at least they have to offer the same level cars to 5 owners at this kind of situation. 5 owners already feel unpleasant about the recall. Even depressed for getting a worse car than 5. So UNFAIR!!! :-(

    So YOU REALLY HAVE TO REQUEST
  • pagetunerpagetuner Member Posts: 41
    If you have the tinting done professionally, you probably will have very limited choice of tint manufacturers. The people who do the tinting will have chosen the product(s) they like to work with and that have given them the best results.

    The gilafilms link on my pagetuner page http://pagetuner.com/mazda5/windowtint.html
    about window tints was just so you could get more info about the particular product I used when I did it myself. I had purchased the gila film product at Autozone, and I specifically chose a tint that goes on without adhesive and that could thus be removed without trauma if I didn't like the job I did. It is not as clear as the adhesive films, but it allowed me to test drive the darker tint (which it turns out I like fine) while leaving myself an escape clause.

    pagetuner
    http://pagetuner.com/mazda5/
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    No new information, really, but at least now the dealers can't say they 'dont know' what the problem is.

    Don't make assumptions... The initial info from Mazda went out to us late friday via email. We all know alot of dealers arent real good with email.
    The folks on edmunds knew it before I did....I spoke to two other Mazda dealers today and they didn't know about the recall.
  • hkeoghhkeogh Member Posts: 14
    I called the NHTSA office of the Federal Trade Commision and there
    is no federal recall which means that Mazda is not looking to make
    this public. I also contacted the Georgia Governor's Office of Consumer
    Complaints in inquiring about the lemon law for this vehicle. Problem is
    Mazda has not attempted to notify either. Hmmmm. :lemon:
  • ffunffun Member Posts: 29
    I just talked to my dealer and he hadn't heard about it yet. He made some calls and got back to me in about 1 hour and told me to bring it in. That means this recall applies to Canada as well.
  • thisisamericathisisamerica Member Posts: 25
    Well, from my own experience, u better request that u want a new MPV because they are gonna fix the 5 up to a month. And they might give u small rental car if u don't request. Good luck
  • frybergfryberg Member Posts: 1
    I work at a dealer and we didnt hear about this until this morning. i just got done talking to someone from mazda and they said that it has something to do with the exhaust hanger. that is all i know.
  • frank4carsfrank4cars Member Posts: 98
    Ummm, this appears to be a voluntary recall on Mazda's part, not one that has gotten so bad that the NHTSA orders the manufacturer to issue one. So Mazda is doing the smart thing here. Also, lemon laws wouldn't apply here. I think Mazda gives you a copy of the lemon law with your owners manual so you can see where that might apply. I think it requires that the car be brought back 4 times for the same problem. Here is a link to an explanation of lemon law in layman's terms:
    http://autopedia.com/html/HotLinks_LemonSample.html
  • bwatersbwaters Member Posts: 52
    When I took our 5 in this morning we had a choice between the three remaining Mazda loaners on the dealer's lot, two 2004 3's and a 626. I was glad to get a yellow 3 with leather interior and moonroof. Even though it is an automatic, it is very fun to drive and the yellow is growing on me! The employee who handles loaners/rentals had just found out about the 5 recall this morning and mentioned to me the 3 was parked next to a new Strato Blue 5 the dealer had just purchased for loaner/rentals. Nice color in the sunlight! So, I'm wildly guessing this dealership has sold over 10 5's (It is one of the top 25 Mazda dealer's in the nation). I wonder if they will take the MPV $1,500 $50 a day incentive, and purchase several MPV's from their dealer stock for the other 5 owners. I'm happy to get the 3 :) .

    Of course, I don't have to sit in the back... sorry kids.
  • bjerrybjerry Member Posts: 59
    I called the NHTSA office of the Federal Trade Commision and there
    is no federal recall which means that Mazda is not looking to make
    this public.


    From the e-mail I received from Mazda:

    We sent you this letter before the official recall notification, which
    you’ll receive soon, because we wanted you to have the opportunity to
    begin the repair process on your MAZDA5 as soon as possible.


    I read this to mean Mazda has informed NHTSA (after all it is a safety issue) and in due time I'll be hearing from NHTSA. Also, I'm part of the public and I think Mazda was on top of letting owners know there was a problem and working to make sure this problem is address properly.

    Sounds like you want out of your vehicle.
  • ffunffun Member Posts: 29
    If you put an armrest on the left side of the front passenger seat you would not be able to open the center storage compartment in it's current configuration. Even if you changed the way it opens it would not be very accessible if there was another arm rest there.
  • qnyqny Member Posts: 3
    You must mention the 1,500 + 50/day mazda incentive to the dealer in order to get a better loaner car. We do not know how long we're going to be stuck with it.

    The dealer initially gave me an MPV with 12,000 miles but filthy interiors. After I complained and mentioned the Mazda incentive, they gave me a brand new Tribute-SUV with less than 300 miles. Mazda is trying to do things right. The dealer may not.
  • frank4carsfrank4cars Member Posts: 98
    I finally talked to somebody at the dealership who knew what to do about the recall. They told me to come straight in and they would take care of me. The dealership was very nice about the recall. The guy told me they would keep it in a protected part of the lot and he did a walkaround to note that there weren't any dings or scratches for me. I hate the thought of leaving my new baby there for as long as a month, but they assured me they'd take good care of it and keep me updated as they get new info.

    Now the not-so-good part. They don't have a loaner program but work with an adjacent Enterprise. They gave me the number and I set up an MPV loan. Got there and all they had was a Kia Sedona. I told the young lady at the desk that I had reserved an MPV and she told me that's what I was getting, a minivan. I explained to her that I had specifically asked for a MAZDA MPV and she said they don't have any, sorry. I had the choice of the Kia or a Chevy Aveo they had on hand if mileage was a concern. I took the Kia. I don't know if I'll be able to drive this thing for a month. What a piece of junk.

    The steering and brakes are horrible and it handles like my friend's Suburban. It has a bit more low-end power than the 5, but with all that extra weight and size, it's still a pig. Of course there isn't a sunroof or climate control and the rear seats don't fold flat, but I could deal with those issues if this thing was at least going to give me some driving enjoyment in the meantime. Alas, I might end up having to call Enterprise and exchange it for something smaller. :(
  • shoes4industryshoes4industry Member Posts: 18
    I too ended up at a nearby Enterprise. Right now I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee. All I can say is that this car really makes me appreciate the 5! The dealer was cool about everything and did their best to make it work smoothly. I miss my car already... :(
  • elzi121elzi121 Member Posts: 4
    Brought our car in this evening- as others have stated, the dealer has no information, though they were accomadating with a loaner. Originally they were going to give us an 6 Sedan, but I requested an MPV since I sometimes need to carpool. I hate minivans! The MPV is such a boat to drive- it makes me like my 5 even more than I did before. The only cool thing is the automatic sliding doors. Hopefully this will be resolved quickly.
  • driverinvadriverinva Member Posts: 14
    I feel sorry for you having to take a Rendezvous. That was one of the only cars that I test drove before I bought my 5 that I new instantly that I didn't want. I couldn't judge the distance of the front and when I looked out the side window I was looking straight into the side mirrors! It was a bad fit for me!

    I love my 5 and can't wait to get it back!
  • kevkkevk Member Posts: 4
    Got the call from my dealer this morning. Took my 5 in at noon and there were 5 other 5s in the service bay. I think Mazda is handling this efficiently and properly. They knew we were coming in and had brand new (mine had four miles on the odometer and all kinds of options) MPVs all lined up and ready to go for us. Obviously Mazda is reimbursing them for what will be "used" MPVs when they come back and handling this properly. If your dealer isn't providing you with an MPV or a nice alternative, I'd try taking it to another dealer. The sales guys were a bit upset because they have to fix all of our 5s before they even look to service the new ones on the lot and it sounds like they were doing brisk sales of the 5.

    On a side note, if you are looking for a great deal on an almost new MPV with a thousand or two mile on it - there should be a bunch showing up in a month! My service guy figures they'll be loaning out about 20! :)
  • doodydoody Member Posts: 8
    kevk,

    That's great service from your dealer. I learned about my recall from these boards over the weekend.

    Most of the posters here received proactive calls from their dealers about the recall.
    However, I had to call my service manager on Monday morning to talk about the recall and ask for a loaner for my Mazda5. I requested a MPV because I needed the space.

    When I arrived at the dealer, they were not a bit apologetic and treated my loaner car transaction as a matter-of-fact incident. When I picked up my car from the service bay, a service technician pointed to a Mazda 6 sedan and said 'this is all I got'. I said that can't be right because I arranged for a MPV. The service technician then picked up a key from the key box, walked me over to a MPV and just walked away, not even explaining why he offered me a 6 in the first place.

    The 2004 MPV LX had 10k miles on it, less than 1/4 tank of gas, and was filthy inside and and out. It also smelled of smoke. yech. It was a long day so I just drove away from the dealership.

    Today, I called the service manager and asked if he had new MPVs for me to switch and mentioned the $1500 incentive from Mazda. He got defensive and said 'Where did you hear that from!?". I explained to him that I heard it from the message boards and he said 'it's a choice they have and they do not plan to exercise that choice'. Well, I respect that but I just wish that they could make this experience a more pleasant one.

    I'm just going to take it to a carwash and clean it inside and outside and not ever take my car to the dealer/service station again. It's tough to get some love here in NYC Metro area.

    PS - I asked the service guy if they notified any other Mazda 5 owners, and the guy said 'No - not yet'. yikes!
  • smariasmaria Member Posts: 279
    After I complained and mentioned the Mazda incentive, they gave me a brand new Tribute-SUV with less than 300 miles.

    Just to clarify: the dealer only gets the $1,500 + $50/day incentive if he loans out a brand new 05 MPV, right? How does the dealer benifit by giving you a brand new Tribute? Or does the dealer get the $1,500 no matter what he loans out? I'm curious because the used Mazda6 that I got as a loaner certainty isn't worth $1,500 + $50 per day.
  • elzi121elzi121 Member Posts: 4
    The MPV I got also smells of smoke- it's just rude to smoke in a loaner, especially a minivan. I have a helpful hints book that says that you can put little bowls of vinegar in a room to get rid of smoke smell- we are going to leave a little cup of vinegar over night in the car and see if it helps. At least it is nice out and I can just leave the windows down all the time, though we miss being able to put down the windows in the back seat- such a great feature of the 5.

    We are also in NYC metro, wonder if it is the same dealer.
  • hkeoghhkeogh Member Posts: 14
    Well I do not know about you guys but the management
    at a local dealership just north of the Atlanta area do not
    seem to keen to following the procedures of the $1500 of
    incentives and the consumer is loosing out big time.

    There is a saying that once the car is off the lot, the value
    of the car is 20% less. With the fact that there is a recall
    on these depreciation just went through the roof. Case in
    point is the Nissan Quest which sold at $23,000 new and
    used with 3,000 miles sold for $16,500.

    Mazda is somewhat being proactive, but their efforts are
    being hampered by greedy dealerships who would prefer
    to pocket the money rather than use it for customer
    satisfaction. At the same time they are trying to keep the
    issue quiet on a national level.

    I do not know about others here but my dealership did not
    contact me at all even a day after the recall. Driving family
    in the vehicle that has the potential to overheat and catch
    on fire seems like good reason to contact the customer
    immediately.

    If there was a way to get an equivalent or better vehicle for
    the same price and take my check back, I would. Unfortunately,
    there are no other vehicles in this category. Mazda should be
    contacting us as to
    1) When the car will be repaired
    or
    1) Giving an option of a upgrade car replacement due to the
    indefinite time the car will be undergoing repairs.
  • mandate2servemandate2serve Member Posts: 14
    I have had my 5 about a month. I took a load of hurricane relief to a family in S.C. from Ohio and I noticed a "fume" smell and finally told myself that it was just a new car burn off smell. I guess not. My dealer called yesterday afternoon and they still have not found a rental car for me. They keep saying they will call me back. They claim not to know what the problem is - only that there is something that might start a fire.
    Given that I smelled fumes, should I ask them to tow it in - I live about 40 miles or more from the dealer?
    Thanks
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    their efforts are
    being hampered by greedy dealerships who would prefer
    to pocket the money rather than use it for customer
    satisfaction.


    What does that mean??

    Perhaps your local dealer isnt helping and I'm sorry about that....but let's try to keep things factual....Your speculating and at this point we don't need speculation.
  • bypasskidbypasskid Member Posts: 57
    Regarding car dealers in general, please do not feel the need to make them sound better than they are. I have bought many a car over the years and I have never, EVER! met a dealer who was not lying though his teeth, and saying that whatever incentives I found online are not applicable, etc... My recent experience bying Mazda5 only proves the point, I only got it because we loved it, the dealer was absolutely horrible and unhelpful (they did better with the recall though). I was not offerered an MPV btw (not that I would take it).
    I still do not quite understand the car industry need for a middleman. Perhaps that's why mercury's new mariner hybrid can only be orderered online, way to go!

    Incidently, not that I want to, many most states have a lemon law policy, stating that if a problem on a brand new car is not fixed within 30 days you are entitled to a full refund/replacement. I love my 5 and would not exchange it, but nonetheless...
  • bwatersbwaters Member Posts: 52
    I'm guessing you will get a call today. If you don't though, I wonder what would happen if you call Mazda USA and tell them this story. They may be better equipped to serve you than your dealer. Just a thought. Did the family relocate to South Carolina because of Katrina? Good luck and thanks for providing the hurricane relief.

    Bert
  • buckeye39buckeye39 Member Posts: 2
    I turned our 5 in yesterday afternoon (and left the fire extinguisher in the back!). I was directed to an Enterprise next door to the dealer. I had to pick between a Kia and Chevy Cobalt, as these were the only two cars available at the time (very small shop). I was in a hurry and picked the Cobalt. It was very small, dirty, and smelled like a urinal cake! I guess there are worse smells, but I didn't want to be the one to take the Cobalt home to my wife and tell her "this will be your car for the next 30 days." I stopped at another Enterprise on the way home and was able to trade the Cobalt for a 2005 Toyota Camry. The Camry's bigger, cleaner, and smells a little better (there is a strange, yet unidentifiable odor in this car too).

    I hope Mazda identifies the problem, comes up with a solution, and repairs our 5 soon!
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    I hope Mazda identifies the problem, comes up with a solution, and repairs our 5 soon!

    The good news is Mazda knows the exact problem...It's testing the fix and manufacturing the parts that will take a bit. Mazda dealers want the issue fixed as fast as you do...We still have to pay the expenses related to carrying the unsold MZ5 inventory.
  • mandate2servemandate2serve Member Posts: 14
    Bert - thank you for the Mazda USA suggestion, I will call if they don't call me soon. I am afraid to drive my 5, given the fumes I smelled on the trip and only knowing the limited info that I found here.

    The family I helped had fled to SC prior to Katrina (thank goodness) and found themselves stuck with nothing. Four kids, need I say more! Anyway, after I delivered it was so wonderful, I just told my Nav System - "Go Home" and it took me straight home. I will so miss my Nav system during repairs.

    Anyone think I should push for a tow since I did smell the fumes???
  • smariasmaria Member Posts: 279
    Anyone think I should push for a tow since I did smell the fumes???

    It's up to you, but you shouldn't have to "push" for a tow. MazdaUSA has already offered to tow your Mazda5 in if that's what you want. Here's a quote from an email I received from MazdaUSA:

    If for any reason you do not want to drive your MAZDA5 to the dealership, you may contact Mazda's 24-hour roadside assistance service at 800-866-1998 and have the vehicle picked up and delivered to the dealership. Again, the dealership will arrange a rental or loaner vehicle.
  • mandate2servemandate2serve Member Posts: 14
    Smaria,
    Thank you soooooo much for this information.

    I am not getting email from Mazda - would you mind telling me how to get set up for that?

    Thanks
  • smariasmaria Member Posts: 279
    I registered my car on the MazdaUSA web site. I think that's where they got my email address.

    Go to www.mazdausa.com, click on "owners", and click on "click to register".
    It'll ask you for things like your contact info and your car's VIN number. Then you should get any future notices from Mazda about your car.

    Steve
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