2005 Mazda MPV Electrical System Problems

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RANDOM FAILURE AND VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS FLASHED, INCLUDING THE SERVICE ENGINE AND AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS. IN ADDITION, THE INTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V354000 (AIR BAGS) SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND WAS UNABLE TO SCHEDULE A REPAIR WITH A DEALER WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN OF WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE ON THESE VANS IS SERIOUSLY FLAWED AND IS PRONE TO FAILURE WHICH STALLS THE ENGINE AND PUTS OCCUPANTS IN PERIL AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED WITHOUT POWER BRAKING OR STEERING. ONCE STALLED, THE ENGINE CAN OFTEN FAIL TO RESTART, LEAVING THE DRIVER UNPREPARED AND PARALYZED TO REACT. BACKGROUND - APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING OUR VAN USED (2-3 YRS OLD / 30K MILES), WE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE STALLING RANDOMLY AFTER 6 MONTHS OF OWNING. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ENGINE STALLING WAS NOT A RESULT OF NOT MAINTAINING AN IDLE WELL ON A REGULAR BASIS. IT WAS RANDOM AND OFTEN FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE RUNNING EXTREMELY ROUGH, ONCE THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESTART (BUT THEN WOULD GO AWAY COMPLETELY UNDETECTED). I CANNOT STRESS HOW UNPREDICTABLE THE ENGINE WAS OVER THE YEAR WE EXPERIENCED THIS INTERMITTENT STALLING. EVERY 1-3 WEEKS IT WOULD STALL AND SOMETIMES WE'D BE STRANDED 1-30 MINUTES BEFORE STARTING AND RUNNING NORMALLY (NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AFTER ENGINE SAT AND RESTARTED. LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHEN PROBLEMS STARTED AND WOULD CYCLE OFF ONCE ENGINE RAN AND COMPUTER CHECKED SENSORS. WHY THE CONTACT TO THE NHTSA? REAL ISSUE I HAVE WITH HERE IS THAT THE VAN WOULD RANDOMLY FAIL TO IDLE AND STALL THE MOTOR WHEN AT FREEWAY SPEEDS OVER THE YEAR (6/2009 - 6/2010) THIS WENT UNIDENTIFIED. AS A PRIMARY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION IN OUR HOUSEHOLD FOR FOUR CHILDREN (AS MOST VANS ARE), MY WIFE REFUSED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE STARTING IN BEGINNING OF 2010 BECAUSE OF HER EXPERIENCES AND SUBSEQUENT FEARS AFTER MANY CLOSE CALLS IN WHICH SHE COULDN'T STEER OR BRAKE IN A SAFE OR RELIABLE MANNER. THE DRIVER MUST SHIFT TO NEUTRAL (WHILE AT 70+ MPH), AND ATTEMPT TO TURN THE ENGINE OVER, TO GAIN CONTROL AGAIN. TAKE ACTION ON THIS AS IT IS FAR TOO COMMON AND DANGEROUS TO IGNORE. MAZDA MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE SAFE OPERATION OF THESE VEHICLES. *TR

WE OWN A 2005 MAZDA MPV. FOUR YEARS AFTER PURCHASING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE CONTINUOUSLY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. ALSO WHEN GOING UPHILL IT ALMOST CAN' T MAKE IT TO THE TOP. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE MECHANIC IT TURNS OUT THE ENGINE WAS MISFIRING DUE A BAD IGNITION COIL. WE REPLACED THE COIL. A FEW WEEKS LATER IT STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. THIS TIME WE CHANGED THE SIX IGNITION COILS. A FEW WEEKS LATER IT STARTED AGAIN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT AS BAD AS IT WAS BEFORE. WE KEPT USING THE VEHICLE LIKE THAT, FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. NOW THE PROBLEM WAS WORSE, THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING AND IT STARTED HOLDING BACK. WE TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AGAIN. HE CHANGED ONE IGNITION COIL. IT WORKED FOR A FEW DAYS. THEN IT STARTED SHAKING AGAIN. THE MECHANIC CHANGE ANOTHER ONE, THE SIX SPARK PLUGS AND ONE INJECTOR. IT KEPT WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SO THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED TO CHANGE THE SIX IGNITION COILS, AND WE DID. THE NEXT DAY THE CHECK ENGINE TURNED ON AGAIN. I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG AND SPEND A GREAT AMOUNT OF MONEY ON TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE FIXED. I HAVE CHANGED THE IGNITION COILS AND STILL THE VEHICLE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. AFTER RESEARCH ONLINE, WE FOUND OUT WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR