NHTSA Complaint #10927493 — 2011 MAZDA CX-9

2011 MAZDA CX-9 TRANSFER CASE BREAKDOWN WHILE MOVING DUE TO FLUID LEAKING OUT, CAUSING SEVERE WEAR ON THE TRANSMISSION AND DISABLING VEHICLE. MY WIFE HEARD A STRANGE SOUND 2 WEEKS AGO AND WHEN SHE PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE, THERE WAS A STRANGE SMELL, LIKE BURNT WIRE OR ROTTEN EGG SMELL. HAD IT EVALUATED AT THE LOCAL GARAGE AND THEY DIAGNOSED LEAKING FLUID FROM TRANSFER CASE, WHICH DESTROYED THE BEARINGS AND THREADS AROUND THE SHAFT. THE MECHANIC SAYS THIS FLUID IS NEVER SUPPOSED TO HAVE TO BE CHANGED ACCORDING TO THE MAZDA MANUAL. AND THERE IS SO LITTLE FLUID IN THE TRANSFER CASE, IT IS HARD TO DETECT THE LEAKING WHEN IT HAPPENS. I CHECKED ON GOOGLE AND THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR REPORTS OF TRANFER CASE FAILURE. ONE GUY HAD FOUR TRANSFER CASES INSTALLED IN THE FIRST 20,000 MILES AFTER THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW. THIS IS DANGEROUS. IF THE TRANSFER CASE FAILS AT NIGHT OR DURING A SNOWSTORM, PEOPLE COULD GET KILLED. NOT TO MENTION THE $3,000.00 TO $8,000.00 BILL FOR REPAIR DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT IS JUST THE TRANSFER CASE OR IF IT ALSO THE TRANSMISSION THAT NEEDS REPAIR. THIS MATTER SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS A RECALL ITEM. APPARENTLY, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS AND EXTENSIONS OF TRANSFER CASE WARRANTIES OFFERED BY MAZDA. THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD, WITH THE EDMUND'S COMPLAINTS OF FAILURE INCLUDING THE YEARS 2008-2014. IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY RLEATE TO THE AMOUNT OF MILES ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE MANY HAVE FAILED SHORTLY AFTER BEING PURCHASED NEW. THE FACT THAT MAZDA HAS HANDLED THIS ON AN INDIVIDUAL EVENT BASIS AND VERY QUIETLY HAS KEPT THIS FROM BECOMING NEWSWORTHY BUT THE PROBLEM IS SO WIDESPREAD, DANGEROUS AND COSTLY, THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD GET INVOLVED.