NHTSA Complaint #11416469 — 2018 MAZDA CX-5

SITUATION: DRIVING UPHILL ON HWY 120 ON NEW PRIEST ROAD, BIG OAK FLAT, CA, TWO LANE MOUNTAIN ROAD. SLOW CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND A DELIVERY TRUCK TAILGATING. SLOW CAR EVENTUALLY MOVES ASIDE IN A TURNOUT AND I ACCELERATE TO OPEN UP SPACE BETWEEN MYSELF AND WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE THE TRUCK BUT SOMEHOW THE SLOW CAR RETURNED TO THE DRIVING LANE AHEAD OF THE TRUCK. I CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE TO ATTEMPT TO OPEN UP SPACE BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE CAR BEHIND ME WHEN I LOST POWER, THE CAR BEHIND ME MOVES TO THE OPPOSING TRAFFIC LANE TO AVOID REAR ENDING MY CAR THAT IS RUNNING IN DEGRADED MODE (ACCELERATOR HAS NO EFFECT, BASICALLY MOVING ON IDLE POWER) AND NARROWLY MISSES AN ONCOMING CAR AS I MOVE TOWARDS THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE RIGHT LANE. TRUCK BEHIND ME HAS TO BRAKE HARD TO AVOID REAR ENDING ME. THERE WAS NO SHOULDER TO PULL OVER TO AT THAT LOCATION IMMEDIATE LOCATION. I PULL OVER A FEW HUNDRED YARDS FURTHER AT A SAFE LOCATION. GRADE WAS PERHAPS 4% TO 6%. WEATHER: HOT 90 DEGREES SPEED: ACCELERATING FROM 35 TO 50 MPH (GUESS) DIAGNOSTIC LIGHTS: SMART CITY BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE WARNING, PLUS A LOT OF OTHER WARNING LIGHTS LIT INCLUDING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AFTERMATH: I PULLED SAFELY OVER, STOPPED THE ENGINE, WAITED A WHILE AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND THE CAR RETURNED TO IT'S NORMAL DRIVING BEHAVIOR AND COMPLETED MY TRIP. OTHER INFORMATION: THIS IS THE 3RD OCCURRENCE OF THIS BEHAVIOR. EACH TIME I HAVE HAD MAZDA LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. 1ST OCCURRENCE THEY REPLACED THE CYLINDER COIL, 2ND OCCURRENCE THEY REPLACED A SPARK PLUG FOR MISFIRE. 3RD OCCURRENCE, TO BE DETERMINED.