NHTSA Complaint #10356383 — 2008 MAZDA CX-7

TAIL LIGHT LENSES / PLASTIC IN THE HOUSING FOR STOP LIGHTS, FLASHERS / SIGNAL LIGHTS AND BACK UP LIGHTS IGNITED SLOWLY AND MELTED AWAY. I REALIZED THAT SOMETHING WAS BURNING IN MY CAR AND AFTER A THOROUGH SEARCH, I NOTICED THAT MY LEFT TAIL LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING AND THE BRAKE LIGHT / STOP LIGHT APPEARED TO BE SMOKY. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE LIGHT BULB TO CHECK THE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING, I NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC LENS WITHIN THE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING HAD MELTED AND A STRONG SMELL OF BURNT PLASTIC WAS FELT IMMEDIATELY. I REMOVED ALL THE BULBS WITHIN THE HOUSE TO CHECK FOR FURTHER MELTDOWN OF THE PLASTIC LENS BUT AT THIS TIME, IT APPEARS THAT ONLY THE BRAKE LIGHT LENS HAS MELTED TO THE POINT THAT I CAN NOW SEE THE WHITE LIGHT COMING THRU THE OUTER SHELL OF THE RED LENS IN THE STOP LIGHT. I HAVE KEPT BOTH LIGHT BULBS FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT TAIL LIGHTS, TO SHOW THE MELTED PLASTIC AROUND THE BULBS AND I LEFT THE MELTED LENS IN THE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING TO PROVE THAT THERE WAS A MELTDOWN WITHIN THE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING. NOTE THAT THE BULBS I REMOVED 7743-12VOLT, ARE ALL ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FROM WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALER ON 12/7/2007. I AM NOT SURE IF I SHOULD WORRY ABOUT THE MELTDOWN EVENTUALLY BECOMING A ELECTRICAL FIRE INSIDE THE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING. *TR