NHTSA Complaint #10312903 — 2008 MAZDA CX-7

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 MAZDA CX-7 FROM BAYTOWN, TEXAS TO KILLEEN, TEXAS WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING. APPROXIMATELY 3-5 MILES LATER WHITE SMOKE BILLOWED FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND MY STEERING LOCKED. BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SUITABLE TERRAIN ON THE RIGHT AND BECAUSE I WAS STEERING AROUND A RIGHT-TURN, I WAS FORCED TO PULL TO THE LEFT. BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE AND THE DISTRACTION CAUSED BY THE INCIDENT, I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THERE WAS A SEMI-TRUCK HEADING TOWARDS ME IN THE OTHER LANE. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE ADEPT HANDLING OF THE TRUCK DRIVE, I WOULD HAVE SURELY GONE HEAD ON AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I WAS TOWED TO BRYAN, TEXAS WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AFTER A WHOLE DAY IN THE SHOP. THEY REPAIRED THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR, AN ENGINE MOUNT, A PULLEY I BELIEVE AND SOME OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS TO THE TUNE OF OVER $1,400. I WAS EXTREMELY UPSET WHEN I FOUND OUT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM...ONE THAT NEARLY CAUSED ME MY LIFE. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN THAT DRIVE WITH ME EXTREMELY FREQUENTLY AND I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT NOTHING S BEING DONE ABOUT MAZDA PLACING PEOPLE IN DANGER LIKE THIS. *TR