NHTSA Complaint #753187 — 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE

I PURCHASED THE CAR ON 8/12/01 FROM BROWN'S MAZDA IN ALEXANDRIA, VA. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 3000 MILES ON IT AND HAS STALLED TWICE WHILE DRIVING. THE CAR STALLS ON A DECLINE BETWEEN 30-40 MPH. WHEN THE CAR STALLS, THE STEREO IS STILL ON, BUT THE ENGINE GOES OUT AND THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES GO OUT, WHICH MAKES THE CAR HARD TO DRIVE. TO FIX THIS, YOU HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE ENGINE (ALL WHILE YOU ARE MOVING). I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, THEY HAVE SAID THAT THE MAJORITY OF TRIBUTE'S AND FORD ESCAPE'S HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THE CAR. ORIGINALLY, THEY DID NOT EVEN WANT ME TO BRING THE CAR IN BECAUSE THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO UNTIL MAZDA COMES UP WITH A "FIX". I CALLED THE MAZDA USA HOTLINE AND THEY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND INFORMED THEM THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CAR. THE CAR IS NOW AT THE DEALERSHIP (TO BE PICKED UP TODAY), BUT WHEN DROPPING THE CAR OFF, THEY INFORMED ME AGAIN THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD ALSO NOT COMMENT ON IF THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS A "SAFETY" ISSUE AND SAID THAT THEY ARE WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THEIR "REPRESENTATIVE". I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR LESS THAN TWO MONTHS, DOES THIS QUALIFY AS A LEMON SINCE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE? AM I ENTITLED TO MY MONEY BACK (I KNOW THE DEALER WILL NOT GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK BECAUSE THEY SAY IT IS A MAZDA ISSUE)?*AK