NHTSA Complaint #11367068 — 2014 MAZDA MAZDA3

AROUND 68,000 MILES, I BEGAN TO HEAR A SUBTLE WHINING NOISE COMING FROM MY 2014 MAZDA MAZDA3. I WAS UNSURE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM AND ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TIRES. AS TIME PASSED, THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER, EVENTUALLY TO THE POINT WHERE I FELT I NEEDED TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. A MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE SOUND WAS EMITTING THERE. HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN POSTED BY MAZDA THAT DESCRIBED THE EXACT ISSUE, AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S SURE IT IS. I GOT A SECOND OPINION FROM ANOTHER MECHANIC AND HE EXPLAINED THE SAME THING. THE COST TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A REMANUFACTURED MODEL IS SOMEWHERE IN THE BALLPARK OF $2,000 - $3,500. THE SECOND MECHANIC I WENT TO SHOWED ME THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. AFTER THE DESCRIPTION, THE BULLETIN STATES, "THIS IS CAUSED BY A DAMAGED BEARING IN THE TRANSAXLE DUE TO IMPROPER CONFIGURATION OF THE TRANSAXLE CASE." THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY; UNFORTUNATELY, THE ISSUE IS KNOWN ONLY TO HAPPEN RIGHT AROUND 65,000 + MILES, AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. BECAUSE THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN STATES THE ISSUE IS "DUE TO IMPROPER CONFIGURATION", TELLS ME THAT IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. IT ONLY HAPPENED BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO THE MAZDA SERVICE CENTER, AND BEING TOLD THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AS WELL AS SPEAKING WITH MAZDA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND EXPLAINING THE SITUATION, MAZDA WAS UNWILLING TO HELP BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER IN WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THIS ISSUE WAS DUE TO 'IMPROPER CONFIGURATION' MAZDA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO REFERENCE FOR THIS COMPLAINT IS BULLETIN NO: 05-005/15 OR NHTSA TSB # 10105626.