Recall wrap: Wheels falling off new Mazda3

The new Mazda3 has come in for a safety recall due to potentially loose wheel nuts that could allow wheels to literally fall off while driving.

A total of 3323 examples of the fourth-generation Mazda3 hatch, which was launched in April, are affected in Australia, where the recall was lodged on June 21 but is yet to appear on the ACCC’s Product Safety Australia website.

Mazda Australia says concerned owners can check if their vehicle is involved by entering its VIN at the company’s public website.

Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by mail, but we’d advise all owners of the new BP-series 2019 Mazda3 hatch to tighten their wheel nuts with a wheel brace.

No cases of wheel detachment -- and therefore no injuries or deaths -- have been reported in Australia or the US, where more than 25,000 cars are affected and where Mazda issued the following statement.

“A manufacturing process error may result in a gap between the wheel hub bolt and hub flange during assembly. This gap causes loosening of the lug nuts though they were initially tightened to the correct specification at the plant. A rattling noise occurs prior to a wheel detachment from the vehicle.”

In other recent recalls, Alfa Romeo recalled 636 examples of the 2012-2013 MiTo hatch and 2014-2019 4C sports car to fix a potential software fault that could render the passenger airbag useless.

Meantime, 78 previous generation Subaru Liberty, Outback, Forester, Impreza, WRX/STI, Exiga and Tribeca cars were called back to replace their replacement ignition switches.