NHTSA Complaint #10464194 — 2012 MAZDA MAZDA3

DRIVING HOME LAST NIGHT (ON THE FREEWAY) AT APPROXIMATELY 9:45 PM I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE TO MAKE A LANE CHANGE. I NOTICED THE CAR WASN'T MOVING ANY FASTER THE ONLY THING I HEARD WAS THE ENGINE GUNNING. THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN IN VERY FAST TRAFFIC AND I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY HAZARDS ON WHILE TRYING TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFT WHICH WAS STUCK. ITS A MIRACLE THAT I DIDN'T GET HIT TRYING TO GET TNATE TO HAVE IT APOENHIS VEHICLE OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER WHICH I EVENTUALLY DID. I REMOVED A SMALL COVER BESIDE THE GEAR SHIFT INSERTED A SCREWDRIVER IN THE HOLE AND WAS ABLE TO RELEASE THE SHIFT. I PUT IT IN PARK, TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT A MINUTE. STARTED THE CAR AND SHIFTED IT TO DRIVE BUT THE CAR JERKED BACK AND THE GEAR SHIFT IS STUCK AGAIN. I HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS AND FRIGHTENING SITUATION FOR A MALE ADULT AND WOULD HATE TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN TO A SINGLE MOTHER WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY TIME THE GEARS HAVE LOCKED. I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE IT HAPPEN IN MY DRIVEWAY AND WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK WITH THE METHOD I DESCRIBED ABOVE. I FEEL THIS REALLY SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. *JS