NHTSA Complaint #10347111 — 2007 MAZDA CX-7

2007 MAZDA CX-7 GRAND TOURING. (FAMILY CAR)! 43,636 MILES(OUT OF WARRANTY) FIRST OFF, MY WIFE AND I HAVE A HAD OUR CAR SERVICED AND OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES! AND WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE A/C NOT WORKING IN OVER 90 DEGREES TEMPERATURES. AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY 2 DEALERSHIPS THAT THE CX-7'S A/C DOESN'T WORK WELL OVER 90 DEGREES. LIVING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ITS OVER 90 DEGREES FOR ALMOST 6 MONTHS OF THE YEAR. A COUPLE DAYS AGO, MY WIFE, YOUNG DAUGHTERS AND I WERE DRIVING OUR CAR TO A DESTINATION ONLY 3 MILES FROM HOME. (THE CAR HAD BEEN SITTING ALL DAY, IN THE GARAGE.) WE HAD THE A/C ON HALF WAY(85 DEGREES OUT). ABOUT READY TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND ONLY GOING 60 MPH. THE AIR BLOWING OUT OF THE A/C STARTED BLOWING HOT, EASILY OVER 100 DEGREES. THE A/C STARTED WHINING, THOUGH IT WAS A BELT SLIPPING. IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE A/C AND FAN MOTOR. AND THEN BEGAN TO SMELL BURNING PLASTIC. DROVE 1/4 MILE TO DESTINATION AND RIGHT BEFORE PARKING IT, A PLUME OF WHITE SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND A/C VENTS. I OPENED THE HOOD TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, I THOUGHT WOULD BE THERE. BUT THE CAR JUST KEPT SMOKING WITH NO VISIBLE FLAME. SMOKED-NO IT "PLUMED", FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. I CALLED AAA , AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP. WHEN I TOLD THE SERVICE WHAT HAPPENED, HE SMILED AND SHOOK HIS HEAD AND TOLD ME THAT THE A/C COMPRESSOR BLEW. WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING! HE SAID, HE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY MAZDA HAS NOT RECALLED THIS PROBLEM YET. AND THAT HE HAS HAD A LOT OF UPSET CX-7 OWNERS SPENDING OVER $2500 BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T TURN OFF THE A/C WHEN IT STOPPED WORKING. RESULTING IN TIMING CHAINS, BLOWN ENGINES AND OTHER EXPENSIVE PARTS GOING OUT DUE TO THE STRESS CAUSED ON THE A/C BELT WHEN THE COMPRESSOR BLOWS. AND IF I HADN'T BEEN READING BLOG AFTER BLOG ONLINE SINCE 2007 WHEN WE GOT THE CAR, ABOUT THE A/C COMPRESSOR PROBLEM, I WOULD OF BEEN PAYING $2500 OR MORE TOO! ONE DAY OF SERVICE AND $1025 LATER. THE CAR SEEMS TO BE FINE. *TR