THERE WERE 2 SEPARATE TIRE DEFECTS THAT AFTER GOIN FROM 1 MAZDA DEALER TO 1 FIRESTONE DEALER BACK TO A SECOND MAZDA DEALER THEN FINALLY HAD THE PROBLEM TIRE REPLACED FEE OF CHARGE BY A SECOND FIRESTONE DEALER. THE DEFECTIVE TIRE FIRST DROPPED A 2INCH BY 2INCH SECTION OF TREAD RIGHT OFF OF THE TIRE. IT WAS LOCATED ON THE INSIDE TREAD SECTION AND ONLY IN ONE SPOT. WHILE I WAITED FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRE TO BE ORDERED AND RECEIVED AND GUARANTEED BY THE FIRESTONE DEALER(2210 W RIDGE RD ROCHESTER NY 14626)THAT THE TIRE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE ON AND NO OTHER PROBLEMS SHOULD ARISE THE TIRE BEGAN TO RIP ALONG A SEAM ON THE SIDEWALL DIRECTLY OPPOSITE FROM THE MISSING SECTION OF TREAD. THIS OBVIOUSLY COULD OF LEAD TO A TIRE FAILURE OR WORSE. THE DEALER APPOLOGIZED AND QUICKLY REPLACED THE TIRE WITH A SIMILIAR TIRE EXCEPT THE NEW ONE HAS WHITE OUTLINED LETTERS AS PER FIRESTONE DEALER ORIGINALS DON'T AND THEY ARE ONLY AVALABLE FROM THE MAZDA/FORD FACTORY????*AK (DOT NUMBER: 0211224 TIRESIZE: P235/70R16)
2008
STEERING
WE WERE ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY GO APPROX. 55 MPH ON OUR WAY TO A VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT WHEN WITHOUT WARNING THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING THEN THE VEHICLE PULLED HARD TO THE LEFT. WE PULLED OVER, SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, AND RESTARTED IT TO SEE IF IT WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL. UPON RESTART THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE AND VIBRATE AT IDLE AND WHILE MOVING. THEN THE POWER STEERING WOULD GO OUT AGAIN AND THE PATTERN WOULD START OVER. *TR