NHTSA Complaint #755525 — 1997 MAZDA 626

THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER A SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE. AFTER RETURNING TO THE SERVICE CENTER WHERE THE OIL CHANGE WAS PERFORMED, I WAS TOLD THAT I NEED TO HAVE MY VALVE COVER GASKETS CHANGED. I WANTED A SECOND OPINION AND SCHEDULED A CHECK WITH THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER. I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH STALLING AFTER THE FIRST INITIAL INCIDENT. AFTER THE DEALERSHIP MECHANICS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE UNLESS THE ENGINE WAS REVED. I WAS INFORMED AT THIS POINT THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND THAT I NEEDED MY VALVE COVER GASKETS AND SPARK PLUGS CHANGED. THE TOTAL COST WOULD AMOUNT TO OVER $3200. AFTER GETTING A SECOND OPINION ON THE STATE OF THE TRANSMISSION I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC THAT THE 1997 MAZDA HAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE NEW TRANSMISSION IS EXTREMELY LOUD, THE CAR DOES NOT DRIVE THE SMOOTHLY; I CAN FEEL THE GEARS CHANGE, AND THE ODOMETER IS RUNNING RAMPANT. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT MAZDA TRANSIMISSION ARE GENERALLY LOUD AND THAT THE CAR WILL REV AND CAUSE ONE TO FEEL A SHIFT IN GEAR IF THE COMPUTER CANNOT DISTINGUISH A SPEED SETTING. I FEEL THAT AFTER RESEACH AND SPEAKING WITH THE DEALERSHIPS MECHANICS THAT MAZDA WAS AWARE THAT THE MADZA 626 V6 1997 YEAR WAS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD NOT CONTINUE TO MAKE REVENUE FOR A COSTLY "REPAIR" THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURE. WHEN MY VEHICLE STALLED IT WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC (45MPH ZONE) AND IT IS A BLESSING THAT I DID NOT CAUSE A WRECK OR HIT ANYONE. THANK YOU T. SIMPSON*AK