NHTSA Complaint #10679073 — 2008 MAZDA CX-7

ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2015, I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 MAZDA CX-7 AND I STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT. WHEN I TRIED TO TAKE OFF WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, MY CAR HESITATED AND WHEN I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDDLE A LITTLE MORE, IT STILL HESITATED THEN FINALLY TOOK OFF. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEARD AN EXTREMELY LOUD POPPING NOISE, AND THEN THICK, HEAVY WHITE SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE TAILPIPE. THE WHITE SMOKE THEN STARTED FLOWING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND IT STARTED TO COME INTO THE CAR THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. WHEN I TRIED TO PULL OVER AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK, IT WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR, SO I PUSHED THE PARKING BREAK, AND IT FINALLY STOPPED. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND WHEN I WENT TO GRAB MY PURSE, I SAW FIRE COMING THROUGH THE BOTTOM AIR VENTS ( THE ONES THAT BLOW AIR ON YOUR FEET) SO I GRABBED MY PURSE AS QUICKLY AS I COULD, AND RAN AWAY FROM THE CAR. THEN, I SAW PART OF THE ENGINE FALL OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR, ON FIRE, AND BURN INTO THE STREET. ABOUT 5 SECONDS LATER, THE WHOLE ENTIRE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES. ALL OF THE DOORS WERE CLOSED, BUT THE INTENSITY OF THE FIRE BLEW BOTH OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DOORS OPEN, AND BLEW OUT ALL OF THE WINDOWS (INCLUDING THE SUNROOF, WHICH WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME). WHEN THE FIREFIGHTERS FINALLY PUT THE FIRE OUT, THE CAR WAS STILL SMOLDERING AND EVERYTHING INSIDE WAS MELTED. THE STEERING WHEEL, THE SEATS, THE DOOR HANDLES, THE MIRRORS, EVERYTHING. THE FIRE WAS SO STRONG THAT IT BLEW THE HOOD BACK ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. ALL THAT IS LEFT OF THE CAR, IS JUST THE METAL FRAME, AND THE ENGINE. THE CAR HAS A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE WITH A TURBO FEATURE ON IT. I BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE AND MADE THE LOUD POPPING SOUND INITIALLY. *TR