NHTSA Complaint #11166081 — 2010 MAZDA CX-7

TOOK CAR IN FOR AIR BAG RECALL (WHICH WAS FIXED). DEALER DID A FULL CIRCLE INSPECTION AND FOUND THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED REPLACEMENT. WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MAZDA JANUARY, 2012 STATING THEY WERE EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO 7 YRS FROM THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY DATE OR 70,000 MILES WHICHEVER COMES FIRST FOR REPAIRS TO THE TIMING CHAIN. THIS LETTER LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THEY KNEW THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THE TIMING CHAIN. OUR CAR HAS 39,100 MILES (OBVIOUSLY LOW FOR THE AGE OF THE CAR). WE WERE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE IT WAS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD. IT SEEMS VERY UNFAIR THAT OUR CAR WAS NOT COVERED FOR AN ISSUE MAZDA WAS CLEARLY AWARE OF IN 2012. WHILE IT WAS NOT AN ACTUAL RECALL, SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TIMING CHAIN AND ALL OWNERS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR FAILURE OF THE CHAIN. I DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO A CAR IF THE CHAIN BREAKS, BUT MY BEST GUESS IS IT WILL STOP RUNNING, WHICH IS A HUGE CONCERN REGARDING SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE.