NHTSA Complaint #10452407 — 2007 MAZDA CX-7

I OWN A 2007 MAZDA CX-7, WHICH I PURCHASED IN NOV. 2006, BRAND NEW. OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS, I HAVE HEARD A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. TWICE IN THE PAST 9 MONTHS, THE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER. I ASKED MAZDA TO CHECK THE VEHICLE AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS COMMON, NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. IN JANUARY OF 2012, I RECEIVED A SAFETY NOTICE FROM MAZDA IN REGARDS TO A POSSIBLE DEFECT PART, V.V.T. COMPONENT AND A LOOSE TIMING CHAIN. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP, WHO ADVISED ME THAT MY VEHICLE CONTAINED THIS DEFECTIVE PART, BUT STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPAIR THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT DUE TO THE LACK OF RECEIPTS FOR OIL CHANGES AND OTHER MAINTENANCE RECORDS. THE REASON FOR THE LACK OF RECEIPTS IS BECAUSE MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, WHO IS A MECHANIC, PERFORMED THE OIL CHANGES AND OTHER MAINTENANCE WORK TO THE VEHICLE. I ASKED MAZDA IF THE DEFECTIVE PART COULD BE HAZARDOUS AND THEY ADVISED ME IT WAS NOT HARZARDOUS OR DANGEROUS. APPROX. 3 WEEKS AGO, MY WIFE ORDERED THE NECESSARY PARTS AND PAID FOR THEM IN FULL. AFTER 3 WEEKS, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE PARTS OR NOT AVAILABLE. AFTER READING NUMEROUS WEBSITES AND COMPLAINTS FROM CX-7 OWNERS, THIS IS HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I FURTHER READ THAT IF THE V.V.T. COMPONENT FAILS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED, THE ENGINE WILL IMMEDIATELY CEASE, POSSIBLY CAUSING THE OPERATOR THE INABILITY TO SAFELY MANVEUR THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A DANGER TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE MAZDA CX-7 AND OTHER MOTORISTS. I HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY ACCIDENTS BEING REPORTED AS A RESULT OF THE DEFECTIVE PART, BUT I FEEL THAT MAZDA IS NOT TAKING THE NECESSARY MEASURES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE MOTORISTS. I FEEL THAT THE MATTER SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY MAZDA BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. *KB