Help!
I'm an owner of an '07 Mazda3 with 42k miles. The car has never given me a single problem... until Sunday morning at 3am, when the clutch suddenly and catastrophically failed at 50mph - no power to the wheels in any gear. I coasted it into a parking lot, and noticed the clutch pedal vibrating when the car is in neutral and a burning smell under the hood.
The dealership is now giving me some funny stories.
First, the dealer told me that the flywheel and clutch pressure plate need to be replaced for $1200+labor, and that nothing is covered by the warranty. I pointed them to the Mazda website, which clearly and plainly indicates that both components are fully covered (5 years/60k miles) under the powertrain warranty. This took several phone calls over a few hours - and I even had to email them a link to the Mazda website!
Now, the dealer is telling me that the problem is with the clutch disc, which is not a covered item and is a normal wear item. The mechanic says that he'd like to replace the flywheel and clutch pressure plate as well - but keeps wavering on whether or not the warranty will cover them. Also, he's STILL quoting me a price of $1,200+labor for the repair, but says that he may be able to take off $500 if some parts are covered under the warranty. Oddly, he also tells me that the cost of the clutch disc, as a wear item, is only $120.
I called Mazda's customer support, but the guy who answered the phone just called the dealership and repeated what the mechanic said. He says he opened a case for review with the district manager for my area - but the mechanic also called and said he explained the situation to the district manager, who agrees with him.
Obviously, I have some questions:
1) Does a clutch disc ordinarily wear out at 42k miles - and wear out suddenly and catastrophically, with no warning or change in car behavior, followed by total failure of the transmission?
2) Does the sudden nature of the failure suggest a defect in the other parts of the clutch? And if those parts failed and burned out the clutch disc in the process, should the clutch disc also be covered under the power train warranty?
3) What should I do about the car repairs? Should I consider towing the vehicle to another dealership?
4) If there's a problem with an incorrect denial of warranty coverage or a sketchy explanation, what's my recourse? Do I file a complaint with Mazda HQ, or Edmunds, or the BBB? Or do I start looking around for an attorney?
MANY thanks in advance...
I'm an owner of an '07 Mazda3 with 42k miles. The car has never given me a single problem... until Sunday morning at 3am, when the clutch suddenly and catastrophically failed at 50mph - no power to the wheels in any gear. I coasted it into a parking lot, and noticed the clutch pedal vibrating when the car is in neutral and a burning smell under the hood.
The dealership is now giving me some funny stories.
First, the dealer told me that the flywheel and clutch pressure plate need to be replaced for $1200+labor, and that nothing is covered by the warranty. I pointed them to the Mazda website, which clearly and plainly indicates that both components are fully covered (5 years/60k miles) under the powertrain warranty. This took several phone calls over a few hours - and I even had to email them a link to the Mazda website!
Now, the dealer is telling me that the problem is with the clutch disc, which is not a covered item and is a normal wear item. The mechanic says that he'd like to replace the flywheel and clutch pressure plate as well - but keeps wavering on whether or not the warranty will cover them. Also, he's STILL quoting me a price of $1,200+labor for the repair, but says that he may be able to take off $500 if some parts are covered under the warranty. Oddly, he also tells me that the cost of the clutch disc, as a wear item, is only $120.
I called Mazda's customer support, but the guy who answered the phone just called the dealership and repeated what the mechanic said. He says he opened a case for review with the district manager for my area - but the mechanic also called and said he explained the situation to the district manager, who agrees with him.
Obviously, I have some questions:
1) Does a clutch disc ordinarily wear out at 42k miles - and wear out suddenly and catastrophically, with no warning or change in car behavior, followed by total failure of the transmission?
2) Does the sudden nature of the failure suggest a defect in the other parts of the clutch? And if those parts failed and burned out the clutch disc in the process, should the clutch disc also be covered under the power train warranty?
3) What should I do about the car repairs? Should I consider towing the vehicle to another dealership?
4) If there's a problem with an incorrect denial of warranty coverage or a sketchy explanation, what's my recourse? Do I file a complaint with Mazda HQ, or Edmunds, or the BBB? Or do I start looking around for an attorney?
MANY thanks in advance...
