NHTSA complaint: 1991 MAZDA MPV — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
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 AUTHOR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation