NHTSA Complaint #11234879 — 2010 MAZDA CX-7

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, TAKING A LEFT TURN, WHEN MY CAR JOLTED TO A STOP IN THE INTERSECTION. I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE MY CAR OUT OF THE INTERSECTION, BECAUSE THE WHEEL WASN'T ATTACHED PROPERLY ANYMORE. I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO SHOP. AT THE AUTO SHOP THEY DISCOVERED THAT A PREVIOUSLY RECALLED PART (LOWER CONTROL ARM) HAD FAILED, WHICH IS WHAT CAUSED ALL OF THE DAMAGE. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS RECALL. I CALLED THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE TO ASK FOR ADVICE. I WAS ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT MY LOCAL AUTO SHOP, AND THEN TO SEND THE INVOICE TO MAZDA TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE RECALLED PART/LABOR. I SENT THE INVOICE TO MAZDA, AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENT UNTIL THE RECALL WAS CLOSED, AND IN ORDER TO DO THIS I NEEDED TO HAVE EVERYTHING CHECKED OFF/RECALL CLOSED BY A MAZDA DEALERSHIP. I TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT FROM, THEY DID THE INSPECTION, AND CLOSED THE RECALL. THEN I SENT THE INVOICE AND THE DOCUMENTS STATING THE RECALL HAD BEEN CLOSED, BUT MAZDA STILL DENIED MY REQUEST SAYING THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE HAD THE REPAIRS DONE AT A MAZDA DEALERSHIP. I AM REQUESTING TO STILL BE REIMBURSED FOR THE LOWER CONTROL ARM (AT LEAST THE COST OF THE PART), SINCE I FOLLOWED THE ADVICE I WAS GIVEN FROM BOTH THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND MAZDA.