NHTSA Complaint #10316645 — 1996 MAZDA PROTEGE

I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE - THE MAZDA PROTG MENTIONED UNDER "SUBJECT" OF THIS E-MAIL - ACCELERATING WITHOUT THE GAS PEDAL BEING TOUCHED ON AT LEAST THREE OCCASIONS SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN THE FALL OF 1996. THE VEHICLE ALSO EXHIBITED INTENSE RUMBLING WHEN IN DRIVE AND WAITING AT IDLE AT A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT. ON ONE OF SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE LATTER PROBLEM, A YOUNG ATTENDANT AT THE DEALER (MAZDA MAPLE SHADE IN MAPLE SHADE, NEW JERSEY) MENTIONED - APPARENTLY INADVERTENTLY - THAT THE RUMBLING WAS A "FACTORY DEFECT". I NEVER MENTIONED THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM SINCE I HAD ALWAYS MANAGED TO PUT ON THE BREAKS FIRMLY WHENEVER IT OCCURRED, AND THEREBY PREVENTED MOVEMENT THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE TO ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME AS WELL AS THE CAR. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS AN ELECTRONIC FEATURE THAT CAUSES IT TO AUDIBLY "REV UP" THE MOTOR BRIEFLY (APPROXIMATELY SEVERAL SECONDS, BUT LESS THAN A MINUTE) TO WARM UP. ONCE THE WARM-UP CYCLE ENDS THE CAR "REVS DOWN" TO A NORMAL IDLE SOUND. EVENTUALLY I HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE CAR THAT REQUIRED THAT A MAJOR REPAIR BE DONE TO THE TRANSMISSION - AT EXPENSE TO ME SINCE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I HAD PURCHASED HAD WORN OUT. THE REPAIR FIXED NOT ONLY THE NEW PROBLEM BUT -COINCIDENTALLY ACCORDING TO THE DEALER - THE RUMBLING. I HAVE ALSO NOT HAD THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM SINCE THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS FIXED. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS APPEAR TO ME TO HAVE BEEN CONNECTED. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER PURCHASERS OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. FROM NHTSA WEB SITE. *TR