Vietnam May 29th, 2016
Dear Japanese Mazda Corporation,
My name is Thong Phan Van, nationality: Vietnam
I have been a customer of Mazda brand for a year now. I am writing to present the incident as well as my distrust in your corporation and looking forward to a satisfactory solution from Japanese Mazda corporation.
Firstly: I bought a Mazda car (BT 50 2.2AT) number plate 38C-06859 on April 21th, 2015 and went all 26 996km. However, not very long time since the new car had been bought, it had some strange manifestations: It sometimes emitted strange noise and a lot of black smoke when operating ( I informed this to Mazda Vietnam).
On March 16th, 2016, I drove the car from Binh Dinh province to Quang Tri province (the distance is 500km). After an hour rest, I continued to drive for about 100m at the speed of 40-50km/h. Suddenly, I heard a big strange sound. I immediately stopped at the roadside and stepped out of the car. I checked and saw that the machine’s lubricant was flowing into the ground. Opening the bonnet, I saw that the lubricant was splashing. At that time, I called the hotline of Vietnamese Mazda then my car was towed to their garage. Vietnamese Mazda checked the car and saw that the lubricant and coolent were sufficient. They continued to open the cylinder head and saw that the connecting rod number 2 was broken and the block assy was pierced. Vietnamese Mazda concluded that the car had been submerged and not covered by warranty. This time I responded that I had never flooded the car and asked them to give the basis to prove the submerged car but I didn’t have the answer.
After repeatedly asking for official response (in written form) giving the technical and scientific basis to prove I submerged the car, I received an answer on April 4th, 2016 stating that:
“Water from the external environment entered the engine through the air intake and made the connecting rod number 2 broken and pierced the block assy. The car was not covered by warranty”. At the same time, they showed some photos in which there was the sign of dry water on the air filter and the air intake. Worthy of note that at the time of taking those photos, I was not present to confirm as well as there was no third unit assessment.
On April 11th,2016 , I was offered a direct appointment with Mazda’s senior leaders by Vietnamese Mazda Corporation. However, at this meeting, they could not answer the questions that I gave them. Mazda failed in proving that the car was submerged and their answers were not matched. They beforehand concluded that my car had been submerged but when I asked them to have an official answer (in written form), they only affirmed that water from the external environment entered the engine via the air intake. They explained that all kinds of car of Mazda brand is designed not to run in flood so when a car works in water having condition, water may enter the engine. Vietnamese Mazda suggested some cases that lead my car to break down such as: running in rain, washing the car or going in places where there are puddles and being splashed over with water by opposite vehicles…..These made water entered the engine via air intake and the connecting rod number 2 was broken. The representative of Mazda said that if the car doesn’t run in rain, water cannot enter the engine. So I wonder whether my car was designed only to go on sunny weather not in rain?
When answering my questions, Vietnamese Mazda only provided the reason that there were signs of dry water on the engine...so as not to give a warranty to my car.
·But I want to know:
1.I have never driven the car in flooded road, so on what way water could enter the engine? A car is designed not easily to let water into it.
2.If the air cleaner was sunk as the photos showed by Mazda, why not stalled the car? Why were electrical appliances and other devices not affected? Why could the car run such a long distance? Why did water enter only combustion chamber number 2?
Secondly: In the direct dialogue with representatives of the Vietnamese Mazda Corporation on April 11th, 2016, the representatives confirmed that the check-engine warning light will be light when there is a fault with the car. Whereas, in the document of latest response on April 20th, 2016, they asserted: “The design of the car BT 50 in particular and other cars in general doesn’t have the warning system for the driver when water from the external environment enters the engine via the air intake”. Therefore, when water goes into the engine, the damage of the engine can vary depending on the time of operation and the amount of water.
·So I want to know:
1.In case water enters the engine as Mazda’s conclusion, why did I operate the car in such a long process without seeing anything abnormal? Why did not the check-engine warning light illuminate when the car had fault before the incident occurred?
2.Where is the failure warning system for the driver in this case? How much is the safety coefficient for the driver as well as the passengers? Who will take responsibility if there is loss of men?
. Through the incident, I see that:
1.Mazda could not prove my car to be submerged by technical basis and there is no third party assessor.
2.Mazda’s answers are not consistent, unconvinced and unfounded so as to deny warranty.
3.Mazda’s technical staff and leaders do not understand exactly the functions of the car
4.I have repeatedly requested Vietnamese Mazda to seriously
RECONSIDER my case. However, all the Mazda’s conclusions relied on
ONLY ONE visual inspection of a technical staff who had no idea about the origin of the car (Mr. Dong Phuoc Nhat, in charge of costumer and warranty service, had no idea whether my car is CKD or CBU). This shows that Vietnamese Mazda didn’t work seriously and Mazda’s lack respect for customer.
5.Mazda’s process of checking and handling the incident is not transparent, deliberately prolonged and abandoned customers. This shows the unprofessional work.
6.I and many other costumers are gradually losing belief on Mazda brand.
7.Mazda did not guarantee the rights of Vietnamese customers, blamed for the customers and did not solve the problems customers complain
I have left job for over 70 days to go everywhere for help so as to find the solution for the problem but no success. So I look forward to the satisfactory resolution from Japanese Mazda so that I can continue to use the product of Mazda comfortably.
I am looking forward to an early answer from your corporation. Please contact me at email address:
thongpvce@gmail.com. Or: Phan Văn Thông, Gia Phú, Xuân Viên, Nghi Xuân, Hà Tĩnh, Việt Nam. Phone number: +84943899667
Yours sincerely,
Thong Phan Van
