NHTSA Complaint #10381388 — 2007 MAZDA CX-7

WHILE DRIVING HOME WITH MY A/C ON, MY 2007 MAZDA CX7 BEGAN MAKING A TERRIBLE WHINING & GRINDING SOUND, FOLLOWED BY BILLOWS OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND OPENED THE HOOD, WHICH CONTINUED TO SMOKE FOR SOME TIME AND THERE WAS A SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER. I BURNED MY HAND IN THE PROCESS. THE CAR WAS DEEMED UNSAFE AND UNDRIVEABLE AND HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE NEAREST MAZDA DEALER WHERE WE HAD ALSO PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT, SO ,THE NEXT MORNING I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER TELLING ME THE FIRE STARTED WITH THE A/C COMPRESSOR, WHICH THEN IGNITED THE DRIVE BELT. THAT'S WHY IT SMELLED SO AWFUL. HE SAID IT WAS "BURNED BADLY". THE PARTS WERE NOT IN STOCK, SO, THEY HAVE TO ORDER NEW PARTS. SO, I'M WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION. NO OFFER FROM THE DEALER FOR A RENTAL. THEY ALSO DID NOT TELL ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 2007 MAZDA CX7 A/C COMPRESSORS, WHICH I LEARNED ABOUT BY ONLINE RESEARCH. I NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MAZDA REGARDING THE RECALL. SO, IT TURNS OUT THAT MANY, MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AND NOT ENOUGH IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 30K MILES AND RECENTLY HAD A FULL INSPECTION BY THE DEALER. I'M NOW WAITING TO FIND OUT IF THE DEALER WILL TRY TO GET ME TO PAY FOR THIS OR IF THEY WILL HONOR THE WARRANTY. MANY ONLINE COMPLAINANTS ARE BEING DENIED AND ARE BEING FORCED TO PAY FOR THIS THEMSELVES. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. *TR