Mazda has issued a stop-sale and stop-delivery on the Mazda 3 compact car, according to an Automotive News report. At issue is the possibility of the fuel shut-off valve allowing fuel to flow from the fuel tank into the emissions charcoal canister. If the fuel exceeds the capacity of the canister, Mazda says that it could leak, and possibly cause a fire, as well as set off the 'check engine' light. Of the recalled vehicles, 14,720 are in the United States and 136 in Puerto Rico, says the report.
Significance: Mazda will contact the vehicles' owners by mail in October. They will be instructed to bring their vehicles to the nearest dealership as soon as possible. Service technicians will inspect the tank and canister. If a problem is found, the tank will be replaced at no cost to the owner. Mazda knows of no reports of injury, but will provide owners with transport to their dealerships if they do not wish to drive their cars. The relatively small recall affects only Mazda3 cars built between 21 May and 24 August.
