NHTSA Complaint #10205612 — 2004 MAZDA MAZDA3

WHILE DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD, AT A LOW SPEED, CHANGING GEARS FROM 2ND TO 3RD, THE CAR STALLED. UPON TRYING TO RESTART THE CAR, IT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. AFTER THE CAR WAS PUSHED OFF OF THE ROAD, THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF OIL LEFT BEHIND. REALIZING THAT THE CAR WASN'T GOING TO RESTART, IT WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. AFTER BEING PUT UP ON THE LIFT, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ROD SLAMMED INTO THE ENGINE BLOCKING, SEIZING THE ENGINE. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO REASON FOR THE ROD TO CRACK ON A WELL MAINTAINED ENGINE, ON A 2004 VEHICLE. IN ORDER TO GET THIS CAR BACK ON THE ROAD, THE ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. I DON'T SEE ANY RECALLS ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL, AND I TRULY FEEL THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING COMPROMISED WITH THE VEHICLE, IN ORDER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. THE OIL WAS CHANGED JUST 5K MILES BEFORE. THERE WERE NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON... WE ARE VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS NEWS AND ARE HOPING MAZDA HAS EXPERIENCED OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS THIS ONE. *JB