— A Mazda fuel pump recall has led to a lawsuit which alleges the recall is "woefully inadequate" for customers.
The Mazda fuel pump class action lawsuit was filed four days after Mazda announced a recall of these vehicles.
- 2018 Mazda Mazda3
- 2018 Mazda Mazda6
- 2019 Mazda CX-3
- 2018-2019 Mazda MX-5
- 2018-2019 Mazda CX-5
- 2018-2019 Mazda CX-9
- 2019-2020 Mazda Mazda2
According to information Mazda submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 121,038 vehicles are recalled in the U.S. to replace the DENSO fuel pumps.
Mazda estimates 1% of the vehicles are equipped with defective fuel pumps, and the automaker told NHTSA four vehicles had fuel pump problems as of September 2021.
Mazda also informed NHTSA no crashes or injuries have been caused by the fuel pumps, but a failed fuel pump can cause the engine to run rough, stall and fail to start.
Mazda Fuel Pump Recall
Fuel pump manufacturer DENSO recalled 2 million fuel pumps in 2020 which multiple automakers used in their vehicles, including Mazda. Months later the fuel pump recall was expanded to include another 1.5 million pumps.
DENSO said a fuel pump impeller could deform if the impeller is cracked and absorbs too much fuel. The deformed impeller could strike the case of the fuel pump and cause pump failure.
DENSO says the impeller is lower density with lower surface strength and can crack when exposed to solvent drying.
Texas plaintiff Townsend Vance owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5 which "during at least six different usages experienced hesitated and interrupted acceleration and near engine stall out."
California plaintiff Zachary Haines owns a 2018 Mazda 3 Touring that on "numerous occasions has experienced hesitated acceleration and difficulty with starting the vehicle."
Neither plaintiff alleges a dealer diagnosed, repaired or replaced the fuel pump, but both plaintiffs claim the fuel pumps have caused the value of the vehicles to be "significantly diminished."
According to the two Mazda owners who filed the class action lawsuit, the Mazda fuel pump recall should include other 2013-2020 Mazda vehicles equipped with DENSO fuel pumps with part number suffix 13350.
And although the Mazda fuel pump recall includes 121,038 vehicles in the U.S., the class action lawsuit alleges "at least hundreds of thousands of Mazda’s customers in the United States are driving vehicles that pose a serious safety risk."
Mazda dealers haven't begun replacing the fuel pumps as NHTSA says recall notices will be mailed in January 2022. But the class action lawsuit is already alleging the recall "failed to adequately repair the Fuel Pump Defect, and often cause additional damage to the fuel pump module and the Vehicle."
The fuel pump lawsuit also alleges the Mazda recall is "woefully inadequate" because it:
- Failed to include all the Mazda vehicles equipped with defective fuel pumps
- Filed to offer a timely or effective repair
- Failed to warn consumers about the serious safety hazards and recommend customers stop driving their vehicles until they are repaired
- Failed to offer free loaner vehicles until recall repairs are completed
The Mazda fuel pump class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: Vance, et al., v. Mazda Motor of America, Inc., et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by Blood Hurst & O'Reardon, LLP, and Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.
