NHTSA Complaint #10295874 — 2005 MAZDA MAZDA6

I HAVE A 2005 MAZDA 6 WAGON BOUGHT NEW OFF THE DEALERS LOT. 4 YEARS LATER, IN SEPT. 2009 WITH 22K MILES ON IT, I WAS COMING OFF A CURVING EXIT RAMP WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC AND NOTHING HAPPENED - NO PICKUP - IT WAS LIKE I JUST STARTED COASTING. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES BEFORE IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS (MAYBE 4-5 TIMES), BUT THOSE TIMES IT FELT MORE LIKE A BELT SLIPPING AND IT "CAUGHT" AGAIN VERY QUICKLY, LIKE IN A SPLIT SECOND. THE RAMP EXPERIENCE WAS MORE PRONOUNCED AND LASTED LONGER, LIKE A FULL 2 SECONDS, WHICH WAS MORE SCARY AND POTENTIALLY MORE HAZARDOUS. TURNED OUT THE TCM (TRANSMISSION COMPUTER MODULE) HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT WOULD HAVE COST $1400+ BUT LUCKILY I BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR SO IT COVERED THAT COST. IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN, SO I HAVE TO TAKE IT IN TO THE DEALER WHEN I CAN TO GET IT CHECKED AGAIN. NOT A GOOD FEELING WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC AND YOU EXPECT THE CAR TO MOVE WHEN YOU HIT THE GAS, AND IT MOVES JUST ENOUGH TO GET THE NOSE OF THE CAR INTO THE LANE OF TRAVEL, THEN STOPS DEAD WHILE CARS ARE BEARING DOWN ON YOU. EXTREMELY SCARY. HOPING THIS IS NOT A CONTINUAL RECURRING EVENT. *TR