NHTSA Complaint #10546467 — 2010 MAZDA CX-9

WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR, THE CHECK TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT WAS ON. STOPPED AT A SERVICE STATION AND HAD THE TIRES CHECKED: ALL WAS FINE. A FEW MILES LATER, THE CAR SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD WHINING NOISE AND THEN LOUD BANGING NOISES AND THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS SEIZING AND SHUDDERING. PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING AMISS UNDER THE HOOD. RE-STARTED THE CAR AND HEADED HOME WITH THE LOUD WHINING NOISE UPON ANY ACCELERATION. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY AND HAD IT TOWED TO THEM AS I FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH AND NOTING THE SYMPTOMS WERE SIMILAR TO WHAT OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS HAD REPORTED AS A TRANSFER CASE FAILURE. UPON EXAMINATION THE DEALERSHIP DID SAY IT WAS A TRANSFER CASE FAILURE AND REPLACED IT THAT DAY. I PICKED UP MY CAR TODAY AND SO FAR IT IS DRIVING AND HANDLING FINE. SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE FAILURE I HAD NOTED A VERY, VERY FAINT WHINING NOISE WHEN MY SPEED WAS BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH. I HAD MY MECHANIC (NOT THE DEALER) TRY TO EXAMINE THE NOISE WHEN HE DID MY ROUTINE 30K MILE SERVICE. THE NOISE WAS SO FAINT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DETECT IT. HE WASN'T ABLE TO FIND ANY MAZDA SERVICE BULLETINS THAT INDICATED A PROBLEM TO EXAMINE FURTHER. BESIDES THAT FAINT WHINING NOISE THERE WERE NO OTHER INDICATIONS SUCH A DANGEROUS VEHICLE FAILURE WAS GOING TO OCCUR, AND THE CAR CHECKED OUT FINE AT THAT 30K ROUTINE SERVICE. NOT SURE WHY THE CHECK TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE FAILURE BUT THE DEALER SAID THEY "RESET" IT WHEN THEY REPLACED THE TRANSFER CASE. THE DEALER WAS VERY PROMPT AND PROFESSIONAL IN THEIR RESPONSE AND TREATED US VERY WELL. BUT I DO FEEL THIS ISSUE IS SO SERIOUS WE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED NOTICE FROM MAZDA WITH A REQUEST TO GET THE TRANSFER CASE EXAMINED EARLIER. *TR