NHTSA Complaint #10294297 — 2002 MAZDA MPV

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2002 MAZDA MPV FAILED WITH JUST 53,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD NOTICED SOME PROBLEMS SHIFTING ON HILLS AND FREEWAYS. THE REPAIR MAN CALLED IT "FLASH SHIFTING" WHEN I TOOK IT IN TO BE CHECKED OUT. DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND PERFORMED A "REFLASH" OF THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. 3 DAYS LATER, THE CAR LOST THE UPPER GEARS. LOST THE OTHERS THE NEXT DAY. I HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AS EVERY TIME I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER, I'M BACK 2 MONTHS LATER WITH A MORE EXPENSIVE REPAIR. THE TRANSMISSION HAS NOW BEEN PULLED OUT 4 TIMES IN 6 WEEKS TO BE REBUILT, REPLACE SOLENOIDS, ETC. I HAVE HEARD THAT MANY OTHER MAZDA MPV OWNERS HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSIONS ON VEHICLES WITH EVEN LOWER MILEAGE THAN MINE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT WITH MY 3 YOUNG SONS. I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT THIS HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT AT A SOCCER GAME AND NOT ON THE FREEWAY ON THE WAY TO THAT SOCCER GAME. THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. MAZDA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR SELLING CARS WITH FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS. WE ARE STILL WAITING TO GET OUR CAR BACK FROM THE THIRD REPAIR. MAYBE IT'S FINALLY FIXED, MAYBE NOT. *TR