— A Mazda water pump lawsuit alleges 2007-2016 Mazda CX-9 and 2009-2013 Mazda6 vehicles are equipped with pumps that suddenly fail and cause catastrophic engine failures.
The proposed class action lawsuit alleges the vehicles lose engine power and fail to accelerate and maintain speed. The vehicles also allegedly can't readily control steering and cannot fully engage the brakes.
The plaintiffs claim the vehicles are at risk of serious crashes because Mazda has failed to disclose the alleged water pump defects.
Michigan resident Terry Sonneveldt, one of 15 named plaintiffs, purchased a used 2012 Mazda CX-9 in October 2018, but in April 2019 his vehicle suffered catastrophic engine failure without warning. The plaintiff says the engine problem was caused by the water pump, something that cost him more than $5,000 to repair.
The Mazda CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles are equipped with MZI Cyclone engines introduced by Mazda in 2007. According to the lawsuit, the Cyclone engine has an internal chain-driven water pump which means the timing chain is connected to the water pump and provides the power the water pump needs to circulate coolant through the engine.
According to the water pump lawsuit, the Cyclone engines are installed in hundreds of thousands of Mazda CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles, all at risk of coolant leaking into the timing chains, crankcases and oil pans.
The water pump inside the engine is located behind the timing chain cover and allegedly hidden from the view of mechanics servicing the vehicles.
The plaintiffs say even though people may not be able to see it, coolant can leak from the water pump into the oil pan and other engine components and mix with engine oil. This mixture of oil and coolant then circulates through the engine, causing the engine failures referenced by the plaintiffs.
The Mazda water pump lawsuit also alleges the automaker worked with Ford concerning the design, engineering and testing of the Cyclone engines which are known as Duratec engines installed in millions of Ford vehicles. The plaintiffs claim Mazda must have known about the water pump problems Ford customers experienced in their vehicles.
However, Mazda still refuses to recall the affected vehicles or create permanent repairs for vehicle owners. In addition, Mazda hasn't compensated customers for water pump and engine replacements.
Mazda allegedly should have known the water pumps would likely fail outside the warranty periods and leave customers no choice but to pay thousands of dollars for repairs. Because of the location of the water pump, the lawsuit alleges just replacing the part can cost more than $1,500, but replacing a damaged engine can cost more than $10,000.
Just to replace the water pump the job involves removal of the timing chain, guides and cover, a job that can take 12 to 14 hours to complete.
The plaintiffs claim Mazda tells technicians to remove the oil pan drain plug and line the cylinder block with plastic sheeting to prevent coolant from penetrating or accumulating in the oil pan.
According to the plaintiffs, the owner's manual wrongly indicates the water pump doesn't need serviced or replaced during at least the first 120,000 miles driving.
The Mazda water pump class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California - Sonneveldt, et al. v. Mazda Motor of America, Inc., et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by Kiesel Law, Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, The Miller Law Firm, Keil & Goodson, and the Edwards Firm.
Read complaints sent to CarComplaints.com about the Mazda vehicles named in the water pump lawsuit.