NHTSA Complaint #10733680 — 2007 MAZDA RX-8

WE HAVE OWNED THIS 2007 MAZDA RX-8 FOR 3 YEARS. WE BOUGHT IT FOR OUR SON TO DRIVE, AND HE DRIVES IT DAILY TO WORK AND TO SCHOOL. THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET HAS BROKEN 3 TIMES, AND EACH TIME CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY IN SAFELY DRIVING THE CAR HOME, OR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. I CAME VERY CLOSE TO BEING IN AN ACCIDENT DRIVING THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR THE SECOND TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED. EACH TIME THE BRACKET HAS BROKEN, THE DEALER (HILEY MAZDA, HUNTSVILLE, AL) REPLACED IT FOR NO COST, AS MAZDA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE PART TO 8 YEARS / 100,000 MILES. BUT, EACH TIME THEY REPLACED THE BRACKET WITH EXACT SAME PART. SO, THE SAME INADEQUATE DESIGN FAILS AGAIN AND AGAIN. I BELIEVE MAZDA SHOULD HAVE REDESIGNED THIS PART AFTER IT FIRST BECAME APPARENT IT WAS PROBLEM, NOT JUST REPLACE IT WITH THE SAME INFERIOR (AND UNSAFE) PART. THIS DEFECT WAS INVESTIGATED BY SAFECAR.GOV IN 2009-2010 (REFERENCE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE09045). I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT PROMPTED MAZDA TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY. THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET BROKE, AND WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME ON 10/15/13, WITH 78,586 MILES ON THE CAR. THE SECOND FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT OCCURRED ON 4/23/14 WITH 83,115 MILES (ONLY 6 MONTHS LATER !). TODAY (7/13/15), THE BRACKET BROKE AGAIN WITH 93,560 MILES ON THE CAR. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE HILEY MAZDA, HUNTSVILLE, AL DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. MY WIFE AND I ARE WRITING TO ENLIST THE HELP OF THE NHTSA TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. SINCE WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR FOR OUR SON, WE FEEL THAT MAZDA NEEDS TO SATISFACTORILY ADDRESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER. [XXX] AND [XXX] [XXX] MADISON, AL 35758 [XXX] OR [XXX] [XXX]@KNOLOGY.NET [XXX]@GMAIL.COM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB