Silv3r
07-15-2009, 06:01 AM
Had an interesting adventure yesterday morning. I apologize for the lengthy vent but here goes.
Got up nice and early since I had an early all day meeting. Was going to get gas Monday night but I figured mah, I'll do it Tuesday morning. Left around 6:45 AM, stopped over at a Petro Canada gas station a few minutes away from my house to gas up. I pop the gas tank door open and go to twist the cap off. What do you know, it won't budge. I wiggle it left and right, turn it, try to apply pressure to different parts of it, no go. I am beyond pissed. I do not have enough gas to get to work and I will be running late to work if I don't get there soon. I had the cap get stuck on me a few times in the past, especially in the winter. I usually managed to wiggle it free. Not yesterday morning unfortunately. I did not want to break it off either in case dealer claimed I broke it. I have brought it to the attention of the dealership where I serviced the vehicle before and they just "re tightened/readjusted" the cap, whatever that meant (if they did anything). The issue kept happening sporadically but I figured as long as I can wiggle it free I will be good. Forget that positive/optimistic approach. Call Mazda Road Side assistance to see if they can suggest a way to pop it open. They say no, they will send someone out to take a look, it'll be an hour. I say no thanks. Call the dealer where I purchased the vehicle and normally service it, they tell me I would need to bring it in to have it looked at, they do not have a suggestion how to pop it open. In the conversation the fellow I spoke with tells me "maybe you put it in wrong, maybe at an off angle". This adds fuel to my fire. I can't close/tighten my gas cap properly? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Instead of saying "yes sir we know there is an issue with the gas caps, please swing by and we will address it", they assume the owner screwed up their "quality built product". Obviously it is a common issue as many on here and everywhere else have experienced it. They know about it, just don't want to address it until they are confronted and have to deal with it. Quite surprised a recall is not in place for this. They tell me to swing by, I mention I might not have enough gas. I also mention that I told them about this before and they never replaced it like they should have. Fellow just shrugged it off saying he can't comment on previous experience. I say "thank you and goodbye".
Call another dealer that is on the way to work, they say bring it in but no techs around until 8. I get there at 7:45 AM riding fumes. Car was taken in just before in and came out with a new gas cap/nozzle assembly within 15 minutes and off I went.
Another disappointment with the M3. Something as simple as a gas cap that would never fail on a 92 Dodge Shadow or something crappy like that but somehow manages to act up on a "quality reliable" vehicle such as a M3 makes me scratch my head in disbelief. What if I was stranded in the middle of no where with no Mazda or shop around on a weekend? Unreal.
Thanks for listening.
Don't comment on me not having enough gas and putting myself in that situation. I do not believe it is relevant.
Got up nice and early since I had an early all day meeting. Was going to get gas Monday night but I figured mah, I'll do it Tuesday morning. Left around 6:45 AM, stopped over at a Petro Canada gas station a few minutes away from my house to gas up. I pop the gas tank door open and go to twist the cap off. What do you know, it won't budge. I wiggle it left and right, turn it, try to apply pressure to different parts of it, no go. I am beyond pissed. I do not have enough gas to get to work and I will be running late to work if I don't get there soon. I had the cap get stuck on me a few times in the past, especially in the winter. I usually managed to wiggle it free. Not yesterday morning unfortunately. I did not want to break it off either in case dealer claimed I broke it. I have brought it to the attention of the dealership where I serviced the vehicle before and they just "re tightened/readjusted" the cap, whatever that meant (if they did anything). The issue kept happening sporadically but I figured as long as I can wiggle it free I will be good. Forget that positive/optimistic approach. Call Mazda Road Side assistance to see if they can suggest a way to pop it open. They say no, they will send someone out to take a look, it'll be an hour. I say no thanks. Call the dealer where I purchased the vehicle and normally service it, they tell me I would need to bring it in to have it looked at, they do not have a suggestion how to pop it open. In the conversation the fellow I spoke with tells me "maybe you put it in wrong, maybe at an off angle". This adds fuel to my fire. I can't close/tighten my gas cap properly? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Instead of saying "yes sir we know there is an issue with the gas caps, please swing by and we will address it", they assume the owner screwed up their "quality built product". Obviously it is a common issue as many on here and everywhere else have experienced it. They know about it, just don't want to address it until they are confronted and have to deal with it. Quite surprised a recall is not in place for this. They tell me to swing by, I mention I might not have enough gas. I also mention that I told them about this before and they never replaced it like they should have. Fellow just shrugged it off saying he can't comment on previous experience. I say "thank you and goodbye".
Call another dealer that is on the way to work, they say bring it in but no techs around until 8. I get there at 7:45 AM riding fumes. Car was taken in just before in and came out with a new gas cap/nozzle assembly within 15 minutes and off I went.
Another disappointment with the M3. Something as simple as a gas cap that would never fail on a 92 Dodge Shadow or something crappy like that but somehow manages to act up on a "quality reliable" vehicle such as a M3 makes me scratch my head in disbelief. What if I was stranded in the middle of no where with no Mazda or shop around on a weekend? Unreal.
Thanks for listening.
Don't comment on me not having enough gas and putting myself in that situation. I do not believe it is relevant.