NHTSA Complaint #10255392 — 2008 MAZDA MAZDASPEED3

VEHICLE MOTOR FAILS CATASTROPHICALLY WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING FIRE. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER MAZDA SPEED3 AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN THE MOTOR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. THIS EVENT HAPPENED ONE TIME, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CAR THE APPROACHES ITS TOTAL LOSS VALUE. A MAZDA DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE MOTOR FAILED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT OIL LEVEL; HOWEVER, AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE OIL HAD FALLEN TO LOW LEVEL. THE DASH LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHT DID NOT COME ON UNTIL AFTER THE MOTOR STOPPED RUNNING. MAZDA HAS DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE, SAYING THAT THE FAULT IS DUE TO THE MAZDA DEALER THAT PERFORMED THE LAST OIL CHANGE SERVICE DID NOT INSTALL THE OIL DRAIN PLUG PROPERLY. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL STOPPED TO PROVIDE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. *TR