NHTSA Complaint #11265573 — 2007 MAZDA MAZDA3

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY JERK AS IF BRAKING QUICKLY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE AT (AUTO-TRANSMISSION) LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR WILL THEN JUMP DOWN TO 3RD OR 4TH GEAR, DISALLOWING IT TO SHIFT PROPERLY. IT WILL REMAIN STUCK ON THE LOWER GEAR WITH THE WARNING LIGHTS ON UNTIL THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND TURNED BACK ON. A FEW TIMES, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED PROBLEM, THE CAR HAS ALSO LOST POWER STEERING. THIS HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES. I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND NOT A SINGLE ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THE OUTPUT SHAFT SPEED SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED, SO THIS IS NOT THE ISSUE. THERE IS NO PREDICTING WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN AS IT SEEMS TO COMPLETELY RANDOM. IT HAS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY WHILE GOING 70 AND THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN ONLY GOING 25. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT OR GIVE A PRECURSOR TO WHAT HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE CAR JUMPING GEARS AND LOSING POWER STEERING. THIS IS SO DANGEROUS.