NHTSA Complaint #10313531 — 2007 MAZDA CX-7

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) ON OCTOBER 25, 2009 MY [XXX] AND MYSELF, [XXX] , WERE DRIVING BACK FROM PENNSYLVANIA ON ROUTE 15 IN MARYLAND IN A 2007 MAZDA CX-7. AS WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WE ACCELERATED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS I ACCELERATED THE VEHICLE THE GAS PEDAL AUTOMATICALLY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. I TRIED TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE VIOLENTLY SPEEDING MAZDA CX-7. AS I TAPPED THE BRAKE THE CAR WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN, THE CAR WOULD JUST ACCELERATE FASTER AND SHAKE BACK AND FOURTH. AT THIS POINT I HAD TO AWAKEN MY FIANCE FROM SLEEPING TO LET HER KNOW WE HAD A PROBLEM AND TO BRACE HERSELF IN CASE OF ACCIDENT. KNOWING THAT THE CAR WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN BY TAPPING THE BRAKE I USED BOTH FEET TO TRY TO STOP THE MAZDA. FINALLY AFTER NOTICING THE VEHICLE BILLOWING GRAY SMOKE FROM THE SIDES I KNEW I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION, OR IT COULD BE LIFE OR DEATH. I SWERVED INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE OFF ROUTE 15. WHILE STILL HOLDING MY FEE ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I POSSIBLY COULD, THE VEHICLE STILL TRIED TO SURGE FORWARD. IN ORDER TO MAKE THE VEHICLE STOP DOING THIS OUT OF CONTROL ACTION, I WAS REQUIRED TO TURN THE IGNITION TO THE OFF POSITION. WHILE DOING SO I NOTICED THE ENGINE RACING PAST 6000 RPM'S. I WAS IN TOTAL FEAR FOR OUR LIVES. I WASN'T SURE IF THE CAR WAS GOING TO BLOW UP BECAUSE OF THE NOW DARK GRAY SMOKE THAT WAS COMING OUT. WE DECIDED TO NOT CALL THE POLICE. BUT INSTEAD WE DECIDED TO TAKE THE CHANCE AND RESTART THE VEHICLE, AS WE HAD NO OTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION TO GET BACK TO VIRGINIA. I AM NOW TO A POINT WHERE I DO NOT TRUST THE VEHICLE. I HAVE A TRUE FEAR EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT ME OR MY FIANCE DRIVING IT AND ANY OTHER MAZDA ON THE ROAD. I HAVE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD OF ANY SUCH THING HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE. MY FIANCE AND I, ALONG WITH THE OTHER 100'S OF PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THE ROAD THIS DAY COULD HAVE BEEN IN GRAVE DANGER BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT THAT HAS OCCURRED WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR