2008 Mazda Mazda3 Suspension Problems

Drivers side lower control arm failed at the lower ball joint mounting hole, allowing the ball joint to separate from the arm. All vehicle steering and control was lost due to the failure. This failure: 1. Has extreme danger for traffic fatalities. 2. Suggests substandard materials, design, or manufacturing. Control arm manufacturer: DLZ Sold by: partsgoing Vendor: Amazon.com

VIBRATION AT 55-63 MPH. TIRES WEARING ON INSIDE IN DIAGONAL PATTERN ON FRONT. WORN COMPLETELY TO THE CORE. THIRD SET OF TIRES. *TR

LIKE OTHER MAZDA 3 OWNERS, MY COMPLAINT CONCERNS THE REAR TIRE CAMBER. I NOTICED THIS CONDITION AFTER THE 2ND SET OF TIRES. I DIDN'T THINK THAT MUCH OF IT DURING THE FIRST SET OF TIRES AS THE TIRES LASTED FOR APPRX 50K MILES. BUT THE 2ND SET STARTED TO VIBRATE AND RUMBLE LOUDLY AFTER ABOUT 12K MILES. I HAD THEM ALIGNED AND ROTATED BUT THE NOISE AND WEAR BECAME WORSE. I PURCHASED A 3RD SET AND AGAIN HAD THE WHEELS ALIGNED AND THE SET LASTED FOR ABOUT 30K MILES. BUT I MUST STATE THAT THE VIBRATION AND NOISE WAS UNBEARABLE, AT THIS POINT. I FINALLY FOUND A MECHANIC THAT UNDERSTOOD THE PROBLEM. THE REAR CONTROL ARMS WERE FIXED (DID NOT HAVE AN ADJUSTMENT). THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WAS TO REPLACE THE CONTROL ARMS (WITH AN ADJUSTABLE SET). THE CAR NOW RIDES SMOOTH AND QUIET. MY QUESTION AND COMPLAINT...MAZDA MUST HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM, OTHERWISE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WOULD PROBABLY BE THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL, NONADJUSTABLE. SO WHY, DIDN'T MAZDA OFFER ASSISTANCE? THE REPAIR COST ME OVER $625, NOT INCLUDING THE PREMATURELY WORN TIRES. I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE CAR UNTIL THIS OCCURRED. NOW I QUESTION MAZDA'S INTEGRITY AND MAY NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER ONE. *TR

ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED. NOTICED VIBRATION IN THE CABIN WHEN THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE. THERE WAS NO NOTICED VIBRATION WHEN THE CAR WAS IDLING. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS IN DRIVE, WITH THE HOOD POPPED, THE ENGINE WAS NOTICEABLY PITCHING FORWARD AND RETURNING TO IT'S DEFAULT POSITION WHEN THE GAS WAS RELEASED. I CHECKED RECALLS AND THERE WERE NONE SHOWN, BUT THERE WERE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET. LOCAL MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN. *TR

REAR CAMBER ON LEFT WHEEL IS OFF -2.7. LOCAL SHOP SAYS THAT THIS IS TOO MUCH AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY INSTALLING AN ADJUSTABLE ARM SINCE THE STOCK PARTS HAVE NO ADJUSTMENT. LOCAL SHOP SAYS THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF ANY IMPACT SUCH AS A HARD HIT ON SOMETHING OR CURB STRIKE. MAZDA DEALERSHIPS SAY 99.9 PERCENT OF THE TIME THIS IS BECAUSE OF A CURB STRIKE AND IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I BECAME FRUSTRATED AND SUSPICIOUS AFTER READING MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE STOCK TIRES AFTER 19K MILES DESPITE CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE, ROTATING THEM, ETC. I THOUGHT THEN MAYBE IT WAS DUE TO POOR QUALITY TIRES BUT NOW SUSPECT IT IS MAZDA'S NEGATIVE CAMBER ISSUE. *LN

I OWN A MAZDA 3 5 DOOR HATCHBACK. I LOVE THE CAR. I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE REAR CAMBER OF THE CAR. I HAD TO PUT A NEW SET OF TIRES ON THE CAR AFTER 24,000 MILES. I ROTATED MY TIRES EVERY OTHER OIL CHANGE AND THE ROAD NOISE WAS UNBEARABLE BECAUSE THE REAR CAMBER IS TOO EXTREME AND WEARS THE INNER TREADS TOO FAST.SO WHEN YOU ROTATE THE REAR TIRES TO THE FRONT THEY MAKE VERY LOUD NOISE. I PUT A NEW SET OF TIRES ON AT 24,000 MILES AT THE DEALER AND WHEN I ROTATED THEM AT 27,000 MILES I HAVE EXTREME ROAD NOISE AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE REAR CAMBER ISSUE IS TO PURCHASE A CAMBER KIT. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR A FACTORY DEFECT. I'VE READ ON THE FORUMS AND MOST OTHER MAZDA 3 OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH REAR TIRES WEARING DOWN TOO FAST. PLEASE FIX MY PROBLEM. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL, BEING THAT THE TIRES WEAR DOWN VERY FAST. *TR

AFTER EACH TIRE ROTATION, ~EVERY 10,000 MILES, TIRE NOISE BECOMES PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. AT 47,000 MILES, MECHANIC STATES THAT TIRES ARE WORN UNEVENLY, DUE TO ALIGNMENT ISSUES. *TR

2008 MAZDA3, ALIGNMENT WITHIN MANUFACTURER SPECS, BUT THERE IS UNEVEN WEAR ON THE REAR DRIVERSIDE TIRE. AS GENERALLY A TIRE AS 4 PARTS OF TREAD, THE 3 OUTER TREADS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME SIDE AND THE 1 INNER TREAD IS EXCESSIVELY WORN. THERE IS NO ANGLED WEAR ON THE TIRE TOWARD THE EXCESSIVE WEAR, 3 HIGH TREADS AND 1 LOW TREAD. MAZDA APPARENTLY HAS A REAR CAMBER DEFECT ON 2008 MODELS WHICH THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIX. *TR

SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED MY VEHICLE I HAVE TO GET THE ALIGNMENT DONE AS OFTEN AS I GET THE OIL CHANGE DONE. WHEN YOU ARE GOING OVER 45 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES LIKE YOU ARE DRIVING A 4 X 4. THERE IS ALSO A HORRIBLE ROARING ONCE YOU GET TO 45 MPH. THE ROARING AND SHAKING GOES AWAY RIGHT AFTER I HAVE MY CAR ALIGNED, BUT, AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS IT STARTS COMING BACK. I HAVE CHANGED THE TYPE OF TIRES THAT I PUT ON MY CAR THINKING IT MAY HELP, BUT, IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY DIFFERENT WITH THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF TIRES I HAVE PUT ON MY CAR. *TR

IN EARLY AUGUST 2009 AT APPROX. 21K MILES WHEN I PERFORMED MY 7500 MILE TIRE ROTATION I NOTICED THAT ALL THE 4 OE GOOD YEAR RSA TIRES WERE VERY WORN ON THE INSIDE, NOT THE THREAD AREA BUT THE AREA WHERE THE SIDEWALL STARTS. I HAD NOTICED THIS BEFORE BUT HAD NOT THOUGHT MUCH OF IT AS IT WASN'T TOO BAD. I DROVE ON A 500 MILE TRIP SHORTLY AFTER THIS AND BECAME MORE CONCERNED . I HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED AT THE DESTINATION AND IT WAS WITHIN MFG. SPEC. THE ALIGNMENT PEOPLE SAID THE CAUSE WAS PROBABLY DUE TO THE NEGATIVE CAMBER ON THE REAR WHEELS WHICH AT -2.3 AND -1.7 WAS PROBABLY THE REASON FOR THE WEAR AND THAT I SHOULD REPLACE THE TIRES. MAZDA DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR ADJUSTING THE REAR CAMBER. NOT HAVING THE RESOURCES AT THE TIME, THINKING MAYBE IT WAS A OVERZEALOUS SALES EFFORT, AND TO ME THE TIRES STILL LOOKED USABLE I DIDN'T REPLACE THEM. NOW AT 27K MILES I HAVE THE RESOURCES TO REPLACE THEM AND THE AREA ON THE INSIDE CORNER IN MUCH MORE WORN. MAZDA GIVES NO EXPLANATION, ONE SAID SHOULD ROTATE @ 5K MILES, ANOTHER SAYS THEY PUT CRAPPY TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. ON THE INTERNET, PEOPLE WHO REPLACE THE TIRES SAY THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM AND THAT IT IS CAUSED BY THE EXCESSIVE NEGATIVE CAMBER THAT CANNOT BE ADJUSTED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT, WITH A SOUR ECONOMY MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD REPLACEMENT TIRES, MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO OR PAY TO ROTATE TIRES AND MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT CHECK THEM AT ALL. AT THE MINIMUM MAZDA SHOULD PROVIDE FOR ADJUSTMENT OF THE REAR CAMBER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA3 SEDAN. HE NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WERE WEARING FASTER THAN NORMAL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE NEGATIVE CAMBER CAUSED THE TIRES TO WEAR AND THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE DEFECT; HOWEVER, THEY CANNOT CORRECT THE DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THEY WILL NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 27,514. UPDATED 09/23/09. *LJ UPDATED 09/23/09

REAR CAMBER IS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT CAUSING PREMATURE TIRE WEAR. *TR

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING A 2008 MAZDA3 I 2.0L SEDAN, I BEGAN TO FEEL A SHAKE THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AND CHASSIS WHILE IDLING/DRIVING. DEALER VERIFIED SHAKE AND PER TSB DUE TO AN ONGOING PROBLEM, REPLACED MOTOR MOUNTS. CAR FELT BETTER BUT NOT COMPLETELY FREE OF ENGINE SHAKE AND NOW APPEARS TO BE GETTING WORSE. WHEN THE ENGINE IS STARTED COLD IT SHAKES THE ENTIRE CAR AND WHEN WARM A SUTTLE BUT NOTICEABLE SHAKE IS STILL FELT THOUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AND CHASSIS. AFTER READING NUMEROUS POSTS ON MAZDA3 ENTHUSIAST WEBSITES, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON AND ONGOING PROBLEM SPANNING SEVERAL YEARS. *TR

I PURCHASED A NEW 2008 MAZDA 3S IN OCTOBER 07 WITH TOYO TIRES. AT 12,000 MILES MY TIRES WERE DOWN TO SAFETY BAR...HAD TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES. THE TOYO TIRE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE REAR CAMBER ON THE CAR WAS THE PROBLEM. MAZDA SAYS CAMBER CANNOT BE ADJUSTED. TOYO TIRE PEOPLE SAY THE PROBLEM IS THE AGGRESSIVE REAR CAMBER AND THAT IS THE WAY MAZDA BUILT IT. I ONLY GOT 17,000 MILES ON NEW SET OF TIRES. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TRYING TO GET MAZDA TO FIX THE PROBLEM, AND THEM ALWAYS SAYING THE CAMBER WAS WITHIN SPECS. THE DEALER FINALLY ADMITTED THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IF THIS IS THEIR DESIGN FLAW, THEY SHOULD PUT A DISCLAIMER WITH THE CAR AT TIME OF PURCHASE THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE TIRES EVERY 15,000 MILES. AFTER REVIEWING ON LINE, I CAME ACROSS SEVERAL BLOGS OF MAZDA OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. MAZDA NEEDS TO PROVIDE THE PART TO FIX THE CAR. WHO EXPECTS TO HAVE TO PURCHASE TIRES EVERY 15,000 MILES WHEN THEY ARE RATED FOR 40-60,000 MILES. AT THIS TIME, MY CAR WILL NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE OF THE TIRES AND I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE NEW ONES. THIS IS WRONG....AND MAZDA NEEDS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS POOR ENGINEERING/DESIGN AND INFORM NEW BUYERS OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THEIR CAR. MAZDA ACTS LIKE THIS IS NORMAL TIRE WEAR BECAUSE THE MAZDA 3S HAS "SPIRITED HANDLING". *TR