2000 Mazda 626

SHIFTER CABLE LOCKED UP BACK AUGUST OF 2003. WAS UNABLE TO PUT CAR IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. HAD CAR TOWED TO PEARSON MAZDA RICHMOND, VA WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A MALFUNCTION WITH THE REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY AND THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE SHIFTER PROBLEM. NOW OF 6/3/05 SHIFTER CABLE BREAKS OFF. NOW CAR HESITATES WHEN IN REVERSE AND DRIVE. TOOK CARE BACK TO DEALER TO BE TOLD THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION IS NEEDED ON A 5 1/2 YEAR OLD CAR. MAZDA WILL NOT HELP WITH ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. WE ARE TO FOOT THE ENTIRE BILL OF JUST OVER $3000.00. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

WAS DRIVING NEARLY 70MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE CAR BEGAN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO THE NEXT GEAR. IT WOULDN'T SHIFT AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN SPUTTERING UNCONTROLLABLY, AND IT NEARLY MADE ME HIT AN 18-WHEELER. THE FRONT END SEEMED LIKE IT JUMPED SEVERAL TIMES, AND I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET IT IN CONTROL AND PULL OVER. ONCE ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE, I PLACED IT ON PARK, AND THEN BACK TO DRIVE, AND CONTINUED MY JOURNEY, ONLY TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN AGAIN BEFORE I HIT 60MPH. THAT TIME, THE CAR KEPT ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE GEARS EVEN AFTER LETTING GO OF THE GAS PEDAL, AND AGAIN, "JUMPED" SEVERAL TIMES UNCONTROLLABLY. I SERIOUSLY THOUGHT I WOULD GET INTO AN ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE, BUT I PULLED OVER AGAIN AND LEFT IT ON PARK FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. AFTER THAT, I STARTED BACK ON DRIVE TO AT LEAST REACH THE NEXT EXIT OFF THE INTERSTATE, WHEN I ONLY REACHED ABOUT 35-40MPH WHEN IT DID IT AGAIN. IT IS IN THE SHOP NOW AND I HAVNE'T STOPPED HEARING ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO REBUILD THAT SPECIFIC TRANSMISSION, AND HOW FREQUENTLY THEY HAVE THOSE MAZDA 626 VEHICLES WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS (AND FRIGHTENING STORIES), IN THEIR SHOP. I AM JUST THANKFUL THAT I WASN'T KILLED DRIVING THAT CAR ON A VERY BUSY INTERSTATE. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED, IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY.

APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR AGO I F HAVE PURCHASED A USED MAZDA 626 WITH A TOTAL MILEAGE OF UNDER 68000 MILES. BEFORE I MADE THE PURCHASED OF THE VEHICLE I MADE A BACKGROUND CHECK OF THE VEHICLE AND ITS HISTORY WAS FINE. 6 MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE I RAN OVER CURVE AND IT GAVE THE CAR A SMALL JOLT, MOMENTS AFTER THE INCIDENT MY TRANSMISSION WAS ACTING FUNNY. JUST BEFORE I COULD MAKE IT TO MY MECHANIC MY TRANSMISSION FAILED. LATER I FIND OUT THAT THE JOLT CAUSED A SPRAGG TO POP OFF IN THE TRANSMISSION VIRTUALLY DESTROYING EVERY THING INSIDE WHICH CAUSED ME TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. 4 MONTHS LATER MY TRANSMISSION FAILS AGAIN FOR SOME ODD REASON NOW I HAVE TO GET MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT AGAIN.

FAULTY/DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS ARE BEING USED IN MAZDA VEHICLES WELL AFTER THE ISSUE WAS KNOWN ABOUT BY THE MANUFACTURER. THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS, OF NOT THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES WHO HAVE HAD THEIR TRANSMISSIONS GO OUT... MANY WITH WELL UNDER 60K MILES. AND, MANY HAVE BEEN THROUGH SEVERAL TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE 100K MILES. ALL OF THE PROBLEM VEHICLES SHARE THE SAME SYMPTOMS: OD LIGHT FLASHING OFF AND ON, AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR, AS THE TRANSMISSION BURNS UP, LITERALLY FROM POOR DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION WHICH DOESN'T ALLOW FOR PROPER AIR FLOW AND COOLING. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE MANUFACTURER, CAR OWNERS, DEALERS, SERVICE CENTERS, AND OTHER AUTOMOTIVE PROFESSIONALS. PROOF OF THIS FACT WAS A NOTICE SENT OUT TO DEALERS THAT THERE IS A COOLING KIT "AVAILABLE" FOR THIS TRANSMISSION THAT SHOULD AID IN KEEPING THE TRANSMISSION COOL. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT A FREE ADDITION! MAZDA IS ACTUALLY CHARGING CUSTOMERS TO ADD A FIX TO THEIR DESIGN FLAW! I FEEL THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ONLY A FRAUDULENCE ISSUE, BUT IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. PEOPLE COULD (MAY HAVE ALREADY) BE SEVERELY INJURED, OR KILLED, BY HAVING THEIR TRANSMISSION GO OUT AS THEY ATTEMPT TO ENTER HIGH TRAFFIC, HIGH-SPEED AREAS, SUCH AS A FREEWAY. PERSONALLY, I EXPECT TO RECEIVE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT I COULD HAVE SOLD MY CAR FOR, AND WHAT I ACTUALY HAD TO SELL IT FOR DUE TO THIS KNOWN DEFECT. I ALSO EXPECT TO SEE MAZDA MAKE GOOD ON THIS PROBLEM WITH CURRENT AND PREVIOUS OWNERS, AS WELL AS CORRECTING THIS ISSUE ONCE AND FOR ALL, TO ENSURE THAT THIS PROBLEM DOESN'T CONTINUE. THANKS, DAVID WILLIAMS