NHTSA Complaint #10820594 — 2007 MAZDA MAZDA3

THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TAKING SEVERE AND ERRATIC SHIFTS WHEN GOING UPHILL WHEN MY MAZDA REACHED 70,000 MILES. THESE SHIFTS ARE SO SEVERE THAT THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I THOUGHT A TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT. IT OCCURRED ON A HIGH MOUNTAIN PASS THAT HAS NO SIDERAILS AND MANY FATALITIES HAVE OCCURRED SIMPLY FROM WEATHER CONDITIONS. WHEN WE CONTACTED MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY ADMITTED THAT A DEFECTIVE PART WAS IN THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE OF THE CAR. THE PART, IN FACT, IS NO LONGER MANUFACTURED BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN RENDERED DEFECTIVE. MAZDA TOLD US OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL MONTHS AND HOURS OF PUTTING US ON HOLD AND SEVERAL MORE THOUSAND MILES PUT ON THE CAR THAT THE ONLY THING WE COULD DO IS REPLACE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. WHY IS THIS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND THEREFORE A RECALL? MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE PROMISED TO REVIEW THE CASE AND OUR MULTIPLE PHONE CALLS, NEVER GOT BACK WITH US, AND REFUSED TO SEE THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THEY WILL DO NOTHING TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE OF THEIR FAULTY MANUFACTURING. WE STILL CONTINUE TO GO OVER THIS PASS, NOW IN SNOWY AND ICY CONDITIONS WITH A BABY IN THE BACKSEAT AND NO IDEA WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WILL GO OUT. UNFORTUNATELY UNTIL SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR DIES MAZDA WON'T TAKE THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY. I HAVE LOST ALL FAITH IN MAZDA'S QUALITY OF ASSURANCE OR CONCERN FOR CUSTOMER SAFETY AND WILL NOT BE PURCHASING ANOTHER MAZDA IN THE FUTURE.