NHTSA Complaint #10139615 — 2000 MAZDA 626

I HAVE A 2000 MODEL MAZDA 626 WITH APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES WHICH I PURCHASED NEW. THE CAR RECENTLY STARTED HAVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND EVENTUALLY WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER AND EXPLAINED THE SYMPTOM'S AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IN ALL LIKELIHOOD WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED WITH A REBUILT UNIT SINCE THEY DO NOT PERFORM TRANSMISSION REPAIRS. THE COST WOULD BE FROM $2500 TO $3000. I WAS VERY MUCH UPSET WITH THIS, SINCE I HAD THE 60,000 MILE SERVICE PERFORMED AND NO MENTION WAS MADE AS TO POTENTIAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I CALLED THE MAZDA CUSTOMER OFFICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE WAS LITTLE THEY COULD DO. I TOLD THE REPRESENTING THAT I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THEIR ATTITUDE AND THEIR LACK OF SUPPORT. I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR TO A NEARBY TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR REPAIRS. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT AT A COST OF OVER $2100. THE REASON FOR MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THROUGH THE INTERNET THAT THERE HAVE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. MAZDA HAS DONE NOTHING TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS OR EVEN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. THE ONLY ACTION THEY HAVE TAKEN IS TO DISCONTINUE THE 626 PRODUCTION. AFTER READING ABOUT ALL THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I AM SURE THAT MAZDA/FORD WAS AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS AND HAVE SIMPLY IGNORED THEM. MEANWHILE, MAZDA OWNERS ARE LEFT WITH THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF DEALING WITH EXPENSIVE REPAIRS AND/OR LOSS OF THE CAR RESALE VALUE RESULTING FROM THE REPUTATION THAT THESE CARS HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WHAT OTHER RECOURSE DO WE HAVE OTHER THAN TO COMPLAIN? *JB