NHTSA Complaint #11287640 — 2016 MAZDA MX-5

WHILE DRIVING ON A PUBLIC 2-LANE ROAD AND UPSHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR AT ABOUT 6,500 RPM MY TRANSMISSION FAILED. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED FROM ABOUT 65 MPH AND COASTED TO A STOP. I WAS LUCKY THAT THERE WAS A JUST ADEQUATE SHOULDER, AND I WAS ABLE TO AVOID BEING REAR-ENDED BY FASTER TRAFFIC. I PULLED AS FAR TO THE RIGHT AS I COULD, STILL WITHING 4 FEET OF THE PAVEMENT. I DETERMINED THAT I COULD STILL DRIVE IN 1ST GEAR AND, DRIVING ONLY ON THE SHOULDER, DROVE THE CAR TO A WIDER, SAFER SPOT. A FRIEND CAME BY LATER WITH HIS TRUCK AND TRAILER TO TAKE MY CAR TO MY HOME. I THEREUPON HAD IT TOWED TO A MAZDA DEALER THE NEXT DAY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED A MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE, 3RD GEAR SPECIFICALLY, AND TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY THE GEARBOX DIDN'T SIEZE AND CAUSE A LACK OF CONTROL. THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AT NO COST TO ME.