NHTSA Complaint #10368450 — 2008 MAZDA CX-7

I HAVE A 2008 MAZDA CX7 WITH 60,000 MILES. MY AC COMPRESSOR JUST WENT OUT. FIRST NOTICED A SLIGHT SQUEALING NOISE WHICH I THOUGHT MIGHT BE A LOOSE BELT. THE NEXT DAY I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL LIKE BURNING RUBBER. CAR SEEMED TO DRIVE FINE. TWO DAYS LATER I FINALLY GOT IT CHECKED OUT AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE COMPRESSOR AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I DIDN'T GET IT FIXED RIGHT AWAY BUT THEY DID TELL ME I SHOULDN'T WAIT TOO LONG CAUSE OF POSSIBLE LOCK UP AND BELT BREAKING. LATER THAT NIGHT WHEN I TURNED ON THE CAR THERE WAS A SQUEALING SOUND AND LIGHTS WENT CRAZY AND DIDN'T WANT TO START. I TURNED IT OFF THEN TRIED AGAIN. IT BARELY STARTED THAT TIME. THE VERY NEXT MORNING IT DID THE SAME THING AND I DROVE IT STRAIGHT TO BE FIXED. WENT HE MECHANIC TURNED THE CAR ON TO MOVE IT FINALLY LOCKED UP AND WOULDN'T START. I DID NOT HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE EVERYONE SAYS IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE. THE PLACE THAT FIXED IT GAVE ME TWO OPTIONS OF FIXING. JUST THE AC COMPRESSOR OR THE COMPRESSOR, EXPANSION VALVE AND RECEIVER DRYER. THEY TOLD ME I COULD JUST DO THE COMPRESSOR WHICH IS WHAT I DID. *TR