Apparently Mazda is collecting data on connected cars…

[Pew]

Another good post from that same subreddit about someone whose engine died while towing a ~2000 lb trailer (on a vehicle rated to tow 3500 lbs).

That new CX90 is looking a lot less attractive all of a sudden.

That's crazy, the owner was only towing it for an hour or so too, 50-60 miles.

 

[oggb]

That's crazy, the owner was only towing it for an hour or so too, 50-60 miles.

It gets better.

That doesn't sound like it's meant to tow at all, then, despite Mazda marketing its towing capabilities. I also can't find anything about below 55mph/cool every 25 miles in the towing section of the owners manual. Strange.

I did however find this:

 

[incognito_2u]

“…..It's only a matter of time before this information is used in a lawsuit or criminal case.…..”

It already is!
Just saying…………..

 

[JavierH19]

It gets better.
View attachment 140573
That doesn't sound like it's meant to tow at all, then, despite Mazda marketing its towing capabilities. I also can't find anything about below 55mph/cool every 25 miles in the towing section of the owners manual. Strange.

I did however find this:
View attachment 140577

Jesus, that is beyond laughable. What a joke of both the vehicle and a company.

 

[Ken302]

Thats too bad, I liked Mazda for their innovation and engineering. No future Mazda's for me.

 

[KGMtech]

My QX60 asks me every 4 weeks if I want to stay connected to Infinit / Nissan for their analysis of the cars performance. Yes or Decline. I know it could be used against me, but I don't care enough so I select Yes. With all the camera data, GPS, they could use my driving patterns to help people with insomnia.

 

[UNC032]

Friendly reminder that mods will lock this thread if people keep saying the "L-word".

L word?

 

[oggb]

Jesus, that is beyond laughable. What a joke of both the vehicle and a company.

I don't read a lot of owner's manuals but it wouldn't surprise me if most of them include a bunch of caveats about "do not tow with this vehicle" / warranty does not cover ______ when towing/etc. despite having advertised tow ratings.

 

[JavierH19]

I don't read a lot of owner's manuals but it wouldn't surprise me if most of them include a bunch of caveats about "do not tow with this vehicle" / warranty does not cover ______ when towing/etc. despite having advertised tow ratings.

Great. I love the though of being misled and outright gaslit by a car company's euphemisms about what they say their cars can do by word but not on paper which results in me getting screwed when i find out the hard way. I love this late stage of society.

 

[UncleDave]

My Ford dealer had multiple pages of speed, gear, RPM, temps and all kinds of data on my SHO back in 93 - he just needed to hook up the car vs have it transmitted wirelessly.

 

[MrHorspwer]

There is exactly one state in which the law says people have the right to:

• Know what data is being collected by a company and how it's being used
• Force a company to delete personal data collected
• Opt-out of the sale or sharing of collected personal information
• Not be discriminated or retaliated against for exercising these rights

Care to guess what state that is?

 

[JGmazda]

Zoom Zoom! Wait.... "We have denied your service request based upon how many times you have hit the rev-limiter in your Miata...."

Geeezz.... I can't help but think almost every car manufacturer is going down this road. Welcome to to the world. Sigh....

 

[PWMDMD]

2500-3600 rpm isn't really all that high, lots of Mazda cars from the 90's and early 2000's would be doing near 3600rpm at 80mph. My Focus would be near 3200 rpm. If you were driving around at 5-6k rpm all the time I could see maybe having an issue in as little as 10k miles?
I think the fellow needs to get a lawyer.

My 2014 Mazda5 auto was easily in that range at 80mph.

 

[dishdude]

There is exactly one state in which the law says people have the right to:

• Know what data is being collected by a company and how it's being used
• Force a company to delete personal data collected
• Opt-out of the sale or sharing of collected personal information
• Not be discriminated or retaliated against for exercising these rights

Care to guess what state that is?

I'm sure it's the state most people on this site hate....

 

[walterjay]

I was going to consider a Mazda for my next purchase. Not now.

 

[haggler]

Either we're missing part of the story here, or dealership is giving them a run around. Sport mode, or driving at 2500rpm - doesn't come close to voiding any warranty. There is a reason for a rev limiter. Why would overheating cause oil consumption? Was there steam coming from the engine bay? FWIW, Mazda with the ND miata had lots of manual transmission failures and they honored the warranty thoroughly, even with track use.

 

[tmorris1]

And using the data on people’s driving habits to deny warranty coverage.

Link the the Reddit post.

The Mazda Privacy Policy does allow for them to collect all sorts of data, and you have to contact them to disable the TCU if you don’t want them to do so. I’m sure they’re not the only automaker that does this, but it is a discussion. Automakers have used ECU data for a while now in order to deny warranty coverage. Is this much different? I’m not sure I care too much, but what about if Mazda sells the data? It’s not collecting any more info than your phone is already collecting, but do we draw the line somewhere?

I’m attaching a screenshot of the story, in case some folks don’t want to visit Reddit.

View attachment 140561

Its on Reddit so it probably is all made up.

 

[TCL]

I was at the Ford dealer with my 88 ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe getting a recall done on the distributor.
When a tow truck came in with a new 88 Mustang with 2500 miles on it with a blown manual transmission. The manager came out and looked at the rear wheel wells and it was caked with rubber and the tires were bald.
Warranty denied he said.
Didn't even have to plug it in..LOL

 

[wpod]

Why wouldn't this be expected.

 

[tcp71]

Our CX-5 is exactly 2500rpm at 62mph in 6th gear. Doing 75MPH will push it well above 3000rpm and it will do that all day long. Something is wrong here.