NHTSA Complaint #722500 — 1993 MAZDA MX3

WE HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS CAR AFTER PURCHASE. THE CAR WAS TRADED FROM AN INDIVIDUAL TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEN PURCHASED BY A WHOLESALER WHO THEN SOLD IT TO US. AFTER TWO WEEKS OWNING THE CAR IT WAS IN THE SHOP FOR TRANSMISSION REPAIRS, WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN DONE AND WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THIS MECHANIC FIXED IT FREE OF CHARGE UNDER THE WARRANTY, BUT TOOK OVER A MONTH TO FIX IT, AND SAYING HE WAS ONLY OBLIGATED TO GET IT RUNNING LIKE THE FIRST GUY ASKED HIM TO DO IN THE BEGINNING. WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE TRANSMISSION WAS OUT AGAIN. WE THEN TOOK IT TO THE MAZDA PLACE LOCALLY IN TOWN WHO INFORMED US THEY DID NOT REBUILD TRANSMISSION, BUT SENT US TO A REPUTUABLE TRANSMISSION MECHANIC. WE SPENT $1700 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS BACK IN THE SHOP ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WITH THEM ALWAYS REPAIRING IT, BUT WITHIN TWO MONTHS THE CAR WOULD BE BACK IN THE SHOP AGAIN. I TRIED CONTACTING MAZDA CORPORATION FOR SOME HELP ON THIS PROBLEM; MAYBE THERE WAS SOMETHING THIS GUY WAS MISSING, BUT TO NO AVAIL, NOBODY WOULD HELP ME. THEN IN DECEMBER OF 1999 WE TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER TRANSMISSION DEALERSHIP TO SOLVE MORE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THAT WAS ANOTHER $2000 EXPENDED FOR THIS TRANSMISSION. IT IS NOW MAY 2000 AND THE CAR IS BACK IN THE SAME SHOP WITH MORE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND THEY ARE NOW SAYING IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. I AM OF COURSE QUESTIONING THEM ABOUT THIS, WHY?? HOW CAN THIS BE?? THIS GUY WITH TRANSPRO TRANSMISSION IS TELLING ME THAT MAZDA SHOULD HAVE HAD A RECALL ON THIS CAR; THAT THE TRANSMISSION THEY INSTALLED IN THIS CAR WAS WAY TOO SMALL FOR IT; THAT IT WAS THE SIZE THAT SHOULD BE INSTALLED IN A ESCORT TYPE VEHICLE; AND THAT IS WHY MAZDA QUIT MAKING THE CAR TO BEGIN WITH. HE FEELS WE HAVE SOME KIND OF CLASS ACTION SUIT ON THIS. PLEASE HELP WITH ANY KNOWLEDGE YOU MIGHT HAVE IN THIS AREA. THANK YOU !