1997 Mazda 626

MY 1997 626 MAZDA STARTED ACTING LIKE IT WAS HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING GEARS (IT'S AN AUTOMATIC) AND SOON AFTERWARDS, THE TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT. I AM 51 YEARS OLD AND TREAT MY CARS WITH RESPECT, GETTING REGULAR CHECKUPS FROM MY MECHANIC AND DRIVING WITH CAUTION. I DO NOT ABUSE MY CAR AT ALL. THIS FAILURE CAME AS A SURPRISE TO ME. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. HE TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CURRENTLY, WE ARE SEARCHING FOR A USED TRANSMISSION. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 1O MPH AND CROSSING OVER A METAL SEWER COVER (THREE TO FOR 4 INCHES HIGHER ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE ROAD), THE FRONT DRIVER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A COMPLETE LOSS SINCE THE PRICE TO REPAIR THE AIRBAG OUTWEIGHED THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 98V249000, REGARDING AIR BAGS: FRONTAL: SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 1997 MAZDA 626 HAS GONE OUT AND WOULD NOT APPEAR TO BE AS A RESULT OF ANY ABUSE ON MY PART. MY DAUGHTER HAD BEEN DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AND THE MOTOR WAS REVVING HIGHER THAN NORMAL. AFTER VISITING A MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN FT. BRAGG, NC THEY ESTIMATE THE COST TO BE APPROXIMATELY $3,600.00. AFTER CONSULTING A NATIONALLY KNOWN TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP, I HAVE FOUND THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS WERE DEFECTIVE TO BEGIN WITH IN THAT THEY WERE COMPLETELY UNDERSIZED FOR THE MOTORS THEY WERE ATTACHED TO. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH COUNTLESS MAZDAS I NOW KNOW AND MAZDA HAS NOT AND WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS AN APPARENT DESIGN PROBLEM. TO HAVE ONE OF THEIR DEALERSHIPS TRYING CHARGE AN EXORBITANT PRICE FOR REPAIRING THE DEFECT IS SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE PUBLIC WHEN ANOTHER TRANSMISSION SHOP CAN REPAIR IT FOR APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE MAZDAS PRICE. THE PROBLEM IS SO BAD, I UNDERSTAND, THAT NO ONE WILL INSTALL A USED TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE USED ONES ARE JUST AS BAD. YOU HAVE TO REPAIR THE ONE YOU HAVE UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE EXTORTED INTO BUYING A NEW ONE FROM A DEALERSHIP THAT IS STILL UNDERSIZED FOR ITS PRIMARY USE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT MAZDA IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND IS DOING ITS BEST TO HIDE IT. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I'VE WITNESSED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES AND FORUMS ETC.. IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT MAZDA NEEDS TO BE CALLED ON THE CARPET FOR SELLING KNOWN DEFECTIVE MACHINERY. ITS AMAZING HOW MOST OF THESE FAILURES OCCUR JUST OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. I REALIZE THAT I MAY NOT BE ENTITLED TO ANY TYPE OF COMPENSATION FOR MY CAR'S PROBLEM GIVEN ITS MILEAGE, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE IF SOMEONE COULD FORCE MAZDA TO RECONCILE ITS MARKETING OF DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE FROM HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS MENTALITY. *JB