— Mazda has ordered a stop-sale and recall of over 19,000 Mazda3 cars to fix problems that could cause the cars to catch on fire. Mazda3 owners are warned not to drive their cars until repairs are completed.
The automaker says 2015-2016 Mazda3 cars have a defect in the gas shut-off valve that can allow fuel from the gas tank to enter the charcoal emissions canister.
Mazda didn't explain what is allowing the gas to enter the canister, but if too much gas fills the canister the car could stall or fuel could leak from the canister. The automaker says a driver should have warning of a problem because the check engine light should illuminate.
Mazda told dealers that special tools that require a nitrogen gas bottle are needed to perform a test of the fuel system. Mazda is shipping those tools to dealers in October. Dealers have been informed to store affected Mazda3 cars on the car lots and provide rental or loaner cars to customers until all repairs are completed.
The recalled 2015-2016 Mazda3 cars were built May 21, 2015, through August 24, 2015. About 14,270 of the cars are in the U.S., 5,349 are in Canada and 136 cars are in Puerto Rico.
Although it could be a dangerous situation, Mazda says it has received no reports of accidents or injuries related to the defect.
The recall will begin in October when Mazda dealers will inspect the car's fuel shut-off valve and replace the fuel shut-off valve and the affected fuel tank emissions system components. Again, owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the repairs have been completed and to contact the automaker to get a rental vehicle.
For a tow to the dealership, Mazda’s 24-hour Roadside Assistance service can be contacted at 800-866-1998, and owners with questions can contact the automaker at 800-222-5500. The Mazda3 recall number is 8615J.
