NHTSA Complaint #10162353 — 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE

TRAVELING ON JULY 3, 2006 ON A RETURN TRIP TO VERMONT WITH 3 GRANDCHILDREN . I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 55/60 MPH ON AN UPGRADE AND ATTEMPTED TO PASS IN THE PASSING LANE, MY CAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO PASSING GEAR, THE RPM REVVED UP AND THE MOTOR WAS RACING , THERE WAS NO MORE POWER THE CAR COULD OFFER ME. I PULLED BACK IN THE RIGHT LANE AND WAS APPROACHING A FLAT STRETCH, THE CAR SEEMED OKAY. LATER ON AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, AGAIN ON AN SLIGHT UPGRADE THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR, AGAIN THE MOTOR WAS RACING, ONCE AGAIN AS I GOT ON A FLAT STRETCH THE CAR SEEMED OKAY, I COULD SMELL A BURNING ODOR AND PASSED IT OFF THAT THE CAR AHEAD OF ME WAS CAUSING IT. A FEW TIMES ON THIS TRIP I FELT THE CAR WAS IN A WRONG GEAR. IT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT ON JULY 5TH, THEY TESTED THE CAR AND SAID THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY ADVISED ME IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE MY CAR BACK HOME. MY WARRANTY WAS 36 MONTHS OR 50,000 MILES, I NEVER PULLED ANYTHING WITH THE CAR AND TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF IT. I WAS QUITE UPSET WITH THIS NEWS AND AS A "GOOD WILL GESTURE" MAZDA OFFERED TO PAY FOR HALF OF THE TRANSMISSION, STILL LEAVING ME WITH A BALANCE OF $2,100.00,. WHEN I FURTHER COMPLAINED AT A NUMBER I CALLED IN CALIFORNIA, THEY APOLOGIZED FOR MY PROBLEM AND OFFERED TO PAY FOR MY RENTAL CAR UNTIL REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED. I AM BAFFLED I HAVE SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE. I WOULD BETTER UNDERSTAND IT IF THE CAR HAD A 139,000 MILES, I AM RETIRED AND FIND THIS EXPENSE A HARDSHIP. MY WIFE AND I NOW FEEL WE WERE FORTUNATE TO SAFELY RETURN OUR 3 GRANDCHILDREN BACK HOME. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT I FOUND A RECALL FOR A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM FOR 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #04V175000, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS AFFECTED MY CAR AND IF SO, I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE. I APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU MAY HAVE TO OFFER. THANK YOU. *JB