2008 Mazda MAZDA3 wheels problems

Filed Aug 14, 2017 · Wheels · 126,471 miles · VA · crash · 1 injury

I was driving around a turn going approximately 25-30 MPH when I lost control of the car. It is believed that the tire suddenly lost air pressure and ran me off the road. I was left in the creek with my two and three year old. Two guys helped me get the kids and myself out the car safely. My car is now totaled due to the failure of the passenger side tire. Tire size was 205 55 16. There was no puncture holes on the tire so no reaason for the sudden loss of air.

Filed Jun 10, 2016 · Wheels · 70,000 miles · NJ

2 TPMS sensor valve stems were corroded, while filling the tires with air the stems broke off causing tires to go flat. The remaining 2 did not look any better. Had tire dealer replace all 4 at $280 dollars

Filed Jul 28, 2015 · Wheels · 94,700 miles · PA

In the summer of 2014, I was traveling on a major highway going approximately 60-65 MPH. My tire sensor light came on and, within just a few miles, my front driver's side tire blew out. I was able to safely guide my car to the shoulder without having an accident. Upon exiting my car and looking at my tire, I noticed the area around my valve stem was completely corroded. How I did not have an accident is an absolute miracle. On wednesday, july 22, 2015, my tire sensor light came on. Knowing I would be traveling approximately 150 on that saturday, I checked my tire pressure to see my front passengers side was down approximately 5 psi from the recommended 32 psi. I put air in my tire friday night and went away on saturday. On my more than 1 hour drive, my tire sensor came back on. I stopped at a gas station to find my tire psi was in the teens. I felt all around my tire but found nothing wrong. I filled my tire back up to 32 psi and continued on my way. Shortly after, my tire sensor light came on yet again. When I stopped at the next gas station to put more air in it, I noticed the area around my valve stem was completely corroded. It was so corroded I could move the valve stem and allow large amounts of air to come out. I ultimately was able to put on my spare tire but am now looking at a more than $200 valve stem/sensor replacement per a phone quote from my local mazda dealership. As I spoke to different mechanics, they all seem to be well aware of the problem so it's a bit frightening there has not been a recall.

Filed Jun 6, 2015 · Wheels · OH

When I attempted to remove valve stem cover the valve stem cracked and came apart. I had to have the complete TPMS valve replaced. I then noticed that the other valve stems looked in the same condition. The mazda dealer said that this was just aging and that the rest were o.k. I am not sure if they are. I said that the stems should not crack just by removing the cover.

Filed Dec 3, 2014 · Wheels · 65,000 miles · OH

Three times in the last 18 months I have had the TPMS sensors break off while driving on the highway causing the tire to run flat instantly posing a safety threat. Each time I take the tire to the shop and nobody can find anything in the tire and the conclusion is that the TPMS was brittle and broke off. I am now uncomfortable driving my mazda 3 because I never know when my tire is going to blow -- not to mention I've had to pay to replace perfectly good tires every time one of the TPMS go bad.

Filed Dec 1, 2014 · Wheels · 45,000 miles · NY

On two separate occasions, the valve stems that contained the TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) sensors became corroded and fell apart. This happened when I went to fill tires with air because they appeared to have low air pressure. Each time, as soon as I applied slight pressure from the air hose to the valve stem, the valve stem disintegrated and was pushed inside the tire. It took very little pressure to push the stem inside the tire. The tire then immediately deflated because air escaped through the open hole. This happened when I was stationary (because I was filling the tire with air). But, judging from the fact that only a slight amount of pressure was needed to push the valve stem into the tire, I believe that this could have happened very easily while in motion at any speed. I feel that it was a very dangerous situation that I was not warned about at any point and, after telling the company about it, I feel that my concerns were not taken seriously.

Filed Nov 25, 2014 · Tires, Wheels · 60,000 miles · NJ

The tire valve stem cracked while checking air pressure on one of the tires. After that the other stems looked like they were ready to fail. Had them all replaced.

Filed Oct 22, 2014 · Tires, Wheels · 82,000 miles · MA

The tire pressure light came on as I was driving on the highway. When I stopped to fill my tires, the force of the air hose blew the tire pressure sensor into my tire. I had to have the sensor replaced, and was told that the other 3 sensors were close to wearing through as well.

Filed Sep 28, 2014 · Tires, Wheels · 98,000 miles · WI

February 2014 1st valve stem and sensor broke. This week 2nd and 3rd valve stem and sensors broke. $90-100 each to fix. Ruined one tire and caused sudden flat which could have resulted in accident.

Filed Aug 28, 2014 · Tires, Wheels · 79,855 miles · MN

I was driving on the highway traveling about 65 MPH when my tire warning light came on, followed immediately by my front driver's side tire going completely flat. Luckily there was nobody too close to me, so there was no accident when I swerved onto the shoulder of the road. I changed my tire and made it to a service center where I was informed that it was my TPMS and valve stem assembly that had corroded and failed, causing my tire to immediately go flat. Not only did I have to pay to install a new tire ($300) I had to replace the destroyed TPMS sensor and replace another one that was also corroding. ($100 ea). The entire incident cost me about $500 due to a design flaw from mazda that I have no power to avoid. The issue is that it is illegal to remove or not have the sensors re-installed, as they are a safety feature. The irony is that I have to pay $100 each to install a component that causes one of my tires to immediately deflate randomly in the next 3-5 years, depending on when it corrodes again. It is infuriating that I have to install a "safety feature" that will randomly cause me to lose control over my car in the near future. As it is right now, I will be forced to drive with a component that, over time, will corrode and fail, causing me to lose control of my car, then re-install the exact faulty component. The sensor / valve assembly should have never been made of a material that is susceptible to corrosion in the first place. I was lucky this time that this didn't cause an accident, but if the situation were different I could have easily been killed or have killed someone. This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. Both mazda and the government have been aware of this issue for a long time now. What is going to happen when someone does die from this, and it comes out that the issue has been known for years, but nobody did anything?