Make the Manufacturer Listen!!

[ElEcTrIc MaDnEsS]

Hello!

In February of 2002 I went to a car show near my home where I saw the prototype for the Mazda 6. Needless to say, with just its good looks I was hooked. How it drove and performed were just added bonuses. And in May of 2004 I went out and bought one. Call me insane, but this was the car I wanted, and I bought it without even needing to test drive it! However, as soon as I brought it home I noticed a problem. What was it?

The right front turn signal. Sometimes it would work, sometimes it would not. Other times it would flash so fast it had me believing it was a strobe light before it would return to normal. After a few days of this problem, I brought the car back to have the dealership take a look at it.

The First time I brought it in, the technicians found that the turn signal socket holder was faulty and they replaced it. I brought it home thinking the problem had been fixed, but two weeks later it started acting up again.

The Second time the car was brought in, the same treatment was given; they replaced the socket and the bulb and had us thinking that it should work now.

By this time I had even started tracking the weather thinking maybe if it was too hot. . .or too cold. . .or too humid etc. then there may be some excuse. However, the problem was so erratic that I was unable to determine exactly what type of weather triggered the problem.

The Third time they found an internal failure in the bulb socket holder. By this time Mazda had recalled the entire headlight and turn signal unit, and a new one from the manufacturer was put in the old one's place. Again, while skeptical, we thought we had beaten the issue.

We were wrong again.

The Fourth time the technicians found two issues. The hood switch for the security system and my power door locks were deemed to be an intermittent cause of the problem. Now we really thought the car wouldn't have this problem anymore, and for a time there were no more problems.

The Fifth time the car was brought in for the same problem and another pretty serious one. The headlight was "fixed" by installing a spacer kit. Again, this treatment was like a band-aid. It worked for a few weeks, but the problem came back Again!

The second problem was that the amber flashing service engine light came on when I was driving home. I had the car towed and examined, but the technicians told me they didn't know why the light was on as nothing was wrong. They Reflashed the PCM, and the light has yet to come on.

All these things combined have led myself, both my brothers (one owns an RX 7, and both work on cars either for fun or by profession) and my dad as well to believe my car has an electrical short somewhere. Either that or my car has a serious electrical problem that has yet to express itself.

After all this typing I bet you're asking what's the point? Well, here it is.

In December of 2004 I wrote Mazda North American Operations (and the state) to notify them of the three problems I had with the car already and that it was approaching Lemon Status. I received the return receipt I requested from both.

In February of 2005 , the car had reached this status and another letter was sent to notify both Mazda and the State that my car is a lemon. (Where I live, the dealer has 4 times to fix the problem before the car is considered a lemon. Well, mine went in 5 times and I still have problems from time to time with the turn signal.)

Mazda sent me the return receipt, but their answer. . .simply No answer at all. The State gave them until the 25th of June (It's now the 8th of July!!) to respond to either myself or the State and they have yet to do so.

Does anyone out there have any ideas as to how I can get Mazda's attention before resorting to hiring a lawyer and going to court? I would love to hear from you!

Thanks!

~Lisa

[greasyhog]

why not take it to the dealer and get a new one. or just get the lawyer and you should be able to get back what you paid for the car and if you had to dump in any money to fix it and your lawyer's fees.

[tom3]

Do a Google search for lemon law and your state's name. Read up on the procedures. Often a claiim is filed with your attorney general's office. Might be best to get a lawyer, fees paid by the auto maker. Laws are different in the various states.