1997 Mazda 626

I HAD A COUPON FOR $14.99-OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION FROM FIRESTONE.COM. I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE SHOP...DID NOT ROTATE TIRES AND SAID THEY HAD NO COUPON. I WAS CHARGED MORE THAN THE COUPON. I RELUCTANTLY PAID THE BILL. I THEN DROVE TO LAKEVILLE, MN...ON MY WAY TO VISIT FATHER IN BATESVILLE, AR. I NOTICED A STRANGE SMELL AND ALMOST THE SAME TIME MY CAR POPPED OUT OF GEAR. SO I PULLED OFF I-35 AND CHECKED THE OIL. THE CAP WAS NOT ON CORRECTLY, (1 1/2 TURNS THEN IT WAS TIGHTENED) I CALLED FIRESTONE IMMEDIATELY TO REPORT THE CAP AND SMELL. MY DIPSTICK READ FULL...I WAS NOT ABLE TO CHECK THE TRANNY FLUID SINCE IT IS BELOW (MANUAL TRANSMISSION), BUT WAS ASSURED BY FIRESTONE THEY CHECK THE LEVEL WITH AN OIL CHANGE. LONG STORY SHORT...I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY OILPAN AND TRANSMISSION. NOW TODAY THERE IS NO FLUID IN MY RADIATOR...AND I HAVE DRAINED ALL OF MY RESOURCES AND HAVE BECOME DELINQUENT WILL MY REGULAR BUDGET. THERE WAS ONLY 1/2 QT OIL IN MY MOTOR AND 1/2 QT TRANNY FLUID IN MY TRANSMISSION. I HAVE ALL MY RECEIPTS FROM REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND HAVE SPOKEN TO MECHANICS. THEY HAVE REPEATED TO ME THAT I NEED TO FIND LEGAL COUNSEL OR GET HELP SINCE THE CAR WAS FINE BEFORE I WENT TO FIRESTONE. THEY HAVE IGNORED MY LAST 2 CALLS ( ON HOLD)THERE WAS ONLY 1/2 QT OIL IN MY MOTOR WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY FATHERS IN ARKANSAS. MY CAR HAS NEVER BURNED OIL OR THE LIKE. THERE WAS A HOLE IN MY OILPAN BETWEEN THE SIZE OF A GOLFBALL AND A TENNIS BALL...THE CAR DID NOT HIT ANYTHING TO CAUSE THIS. AT THE SAME TIME MY OIL WAS DRAINED THE DIPSTICK CONTINUED TO READ FULL, THE MECHANIC WAS CONCERNED. I COULD NO LONGER USE 5TH GEAR AND 3RD GAVE OUT AS WELL. FIRESTONE ASSURED ME ALL FLUIDS WERE CHECKED...BUT THE MECHANIC WAS NOT CONVINCED. MY FATHERS NEW DRIVEWAY WAS STAINED FROM THE OIL. I CANNOT REMEMBER WHICH DAY I HAD MY OIL CHANGED, FRIDAY OR SATURDAY JULY 18TH OR 19TH. I NEED TO FIND THE RECEIPT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING FROM SARASOTA TO WPB GOING APPROX 65-70 MPH THE O/D OFF LIGHT STARTED BLINKING ALTHOUGH IT WASNT OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AND SUGGESTED I HAVE THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED AND WATCH AND SEE SINCE THE TRANS WASNT SLIPPING. WELL 1 MONTH LATER WHILE TRAVELING AGAIN FROM SARASOTA TO WPB NOT ONLY DID THE O/D OFF LIGHT COME ON WHILE TRYING TO PASS THE TRANS DID SLIP. I WAS TOLD THE TRANS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND SINCE I HAD COMPLAINED TO MAZDA THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON A 57K TRANS SHOULD BE FAILING THEY OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE TRANS BUT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LABOR. AT THIS TIME I HAVE YET TO HAVE IT DONE AND WILL INSIST THAT MAZDA PAY FOR THE LABOR ALSO. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND THIS APPARENTLY IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THESE CERTAIN TRANS. I HAD MENTIONED TO STEPHANIE AT MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT I FOUND IT FUNNY THAT MAZDA WILL RECALL GAS CAPS, BUT YET WITH SUCH A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION, NOT A THING IS MENTIONED. I ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED. IS IT BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED? OR IS IT THAT NO ONE HAS DIED? HOW DOES THIS WORK. I AM VERY UPSET WITH THIS AND IT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN C ARE OF. MAZDA WILL NOT DO ANYTHING UNLESS THEY ARE MADE TO. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS EXACT PROBLEM ON SITES SUCH AS COMPLAINTCENTER.COM, COMPLAINCENTER.COM, YAHOO FORUMS,DUSTBURY.COM/626/TRANS.HTML ETC. ETC.*AK

ABOUT A YEAR AGO MY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE MAZDA DEALER AND THEY SAID THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS BAD. IT WAS REPLACE BECAUSE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. TWO MONTHS AGO MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I WAS AGAIN TOLD THAT MY CATALYTIC CONVER WAS BAD AND IT WAS AGAIN REPLACED. TODAY I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 75 MILES PER HOUR WHEN MY O/D LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH ON AND OFF. FIVE MINUTES LATER MY CAR STARTED TO LOSE POWER. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD MY CAR WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. IT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE MAZDA DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND THAT IT WOULD TAKE $2500.00 TO BE REPLACED.*AK