NHTSA Complaint #10454969 — 2007 MAZDA CX-7

I WAS HEADING WEST OUT OF DENVER ON INTERSTATE 70 WHEN MY CAR COMPLETELY FAILED AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. I WAS IN THE LEFT (PASSING) LANE AND WAS FORTUNATELY ABLE TO PULL INTO THE MEDIAN TO AVOID A CRASH AT HIGH SPEEDS. MY FOUR-MONTH OLD SON WAS IN THE BACK SEAT SO I WAS SHAKEN AND FRIGHTENED FOR HIS SAFETY, AND UNABLE TO RE-START THE VEHICLE. WE WERE STRANDED THERE FOR AN HOUR WAITING FOR A TOW-TRUCK WITH OTHER CARS PUSHING PAST US AT VERY HIGH SPEEDS. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF MAZDA. THE COMPANY DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR VEHICLES--INSTEAD THEY ARE DISCONTINUING THE CX-7 B/C OF IT'S POOR ENGINEERING. THEY ALSO OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE (UP TO 70,000 MILES SO MY CAR IS NOT COVERED.) IF THEY WERE A RESPONSIBLE COMPANY THEY SHOULD ISSUE A TOTAL RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAINS. OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR IN THE SHORT TIME I HAD IT (BOUGHT IT AT 53,000 AND IT HAS A DEAD ENGINE AT ONLY 76,000) -MYSTERIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CAUSING ALL GAUGES TO GO HAYWIRE WHEN I ACCELERATED OR TURNED -LEAKING VALVES IN THE TRANSMISSION (JUST PAID $800 TO HAVE THAT REPAIRED IN OCTOBER) -FAULTY AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR (ALSO EXTENDED WARRANTY) BASICALLY, THIS CAR IS A TOTAL LEMON. IF YOU HAVE ONE THAT STILL RUNS--BEWARE! IF I HAD BEEN 2 MILES FARTHER DOWN THE FREEWAY I WOULD HAVE HAD NO WHERE TO PULL OVER AND WOULD HAVE BEEN STALLED DEAD ON THE FREEWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC... WITH YOUNG SON IN THE BACK SEAT. *TR