The defect
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2014 Mazda3 vehicles manufactured June 12, 2013, through December 18, 2013, and model year 2014-2015 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured May 20, 2013, through December 4, 2013, and both equipped with a 2.5L engine and a regenerative engine braking system. When driving the affected vehicles in heavy rain or in deep puddles, the alternator belt may slip causing the Power Control module (PCM) to incorrectly assume failure of the charging system.
The risk
Once the PCM assumes that the charging system has failed, the vehicle will stop charging and could result in poor acceleration, loss of steering assist and windshield wiper operation, and a possible engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM with updated software, free of charge. The recall began on May 19, 2014. Owners may contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 7314D.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Mazda Mazda3 | 2014 |
| Mazda Mazda6 | 2014, 2015 |
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda Mazda3 | 2014 | 138 | 4 |
| Mazda Mazda6 | 2014 | 137 | 4 |
| Mazda Mazda6 | 2015 | 60 | 3 |
Other electrical system recalls in 2014
83 of the 770 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2014 concerned the electrical system; Mazda North American Operations filed 95 campaigns in all.
| 14V827000 30 Dec 2014 | General Motors LLC |
| 14V813000 23 Dec 2014 | Elgin Sweeper Company Inc. |
| 14V795000 16 Dec 2014 | Chrysler Group LLC |
| 14V749000 24 Nov 2014 | Chrysler Group LLC |
| 14V722000 10 Nov 2014 | PACCAR Incorporated |
| 14V714000 7 Nov 2014 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC |
| 14V699000 4 Nov 2014 | Keystone RV Company |
| 14V690000 3 Nov 2014 | Airstream, Inc. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2014