NHTSA Complaint #10394457 — 2007 MAZDA CX-7

MAZDA SENT A LETTER TO REPORT A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 2007 AND 2008 CX-7 IN AUGUST 2010. THE A/C COMPRESSOR WAS CREATING ISSUES AND MAZDA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 60,000 MILES. THE LETTER INDICATED THAT NO ACTION WAS NEEDED UNLESS YOU HEARD A STRANGE "NOISE". BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AND THOSE OF OTHERS, THE PROBLEM OCCURS WITH NO WARNING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE A/C STOPS WORKING AND SMOKE BEGINS TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE ISSUE CAN ALSO CAUSE THE POWER STEERING TO GO OUT AND THE CAR TO STALL SO HOW CAN THIS NOT BE A SAFETY CONCERN AND NOT BE CONSIDERED A RECALL? THE WARRANTY IS ONLY EXTENDED TO 60,000 MILES AND THERE ARE MANY CASES WHERE THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR UNTIL AFTER 60,000 MILES. IS MAZDA JUST HOPING THAT MOST WILL HAPPEN AFTER 60K SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR? I HAD THE DEALER CHECK IT DURING A ROUTINE SERVICE BUT THEY WOULDN'T REPAIR IT UNLESS THERE WAS A "NOISE". WHILE ON VACATION, MY CAR A/C STOPPED WORKING AND STARTED TO MAKE THE "NOISE". THEN SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, FRIGHTENING MY KIDS IN THE CAR. WE WERE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AT THE TIME AND HAD TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL ASIDE. WE BARELY MADE IT TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC BEFORE THE BELT BROKE. MY CAR HAD 65,000 MILES AND MAZDA WILL NOT PAY FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR, NOR THE COST TO RENT A CAR IN ITS PLACE. NOW I AM OUT ALMOST $1,700 FOR REPAIRS AND RENTAL FEES. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE IN AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT FOR MAZDA TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE? *TR