2007 Mazda Cx-7 with 44,000 miles and the ac compressor locked up and left me stranded on the side of the road. Engine began to smoke and smell like burning rubber with no engine warning lights or signs of trouble.

- Grand Prairie, TX, USA

A/C compressor and/or clutch seizes-up and causes cascade failure of belt driven accessories with loss of power steering. This happened suddenly at highway speed and is considered a serious safety defect. I searched the NHTSA site and found more than 50+ other such complaints. Why this model has not been recalled is a mystery to me?

- Katy, TX, USA

At 45,000 miles my 2007 Mazda Cx-7 began blowing thick white smoke out from the exhaust and from under the hood. Took the car to dealer who said the turbo went out and was leaking oil into the exhaust system. They replaced the turbo and covered the part and charged me the $600 in labor to install it. Car is now at 57,000 miles and is showing the same symptoms when rpms go over 4000.

- Acworth, GA, USA

I own a 2007 Mazda CX7 that the A/C compressor seized up on causing a near fire under the hood. I heard an awful noise and saw smoke billowing under the hood. I shut it down immediately knowing that what was about to happen couldn't be good. I went online and found out this has happened to many cx7S now the dealer is telling me that because I've owned this for 37 months, (35,000 miles) that it isn't covered by the 60,000 mile drive train warranty, (if I can't drive it, its a drivetrain problem to me)...this needs to be a class action lawsuit..or a recall you're choice.

- Mt. Pleasant, SC, USA

My wife was driving our 2007 Cx-7 with approximately 28K miles along a four lane major road when car lost power and became basically undriveable. Leaving her sitting on a extremely busy section of road with my 2 year old son in the back seat as people are flying off an entrance ramp from aberdeen proving ground. She fought it to the shoulder of us route 40 North of baltimore, leaving her in a very dangerous situation. Mazda dealership where vehicle was purchased was less than a half mile from failure location and after traffic had died down I was able to limp vehicle to dealer with wife following me at 10 mph. Turbocharger failure has been blamed, as usual Mazda has denied warranty work due to engine sludge, even though vehicle has been maintained. After thorough research for the last month, while my vehicle has sat at the dealership, via many websites edmunds forum, mycx7.com, mazdas247.com etc. Mazda is claiming same engine sludge is cause of failure of numerous timing chains, turbos, vvt actuators etc. Even on vehicles that have been maintained by their dealerships. There has been a technical service bulletin released by Mazda (tsb# mtol - 5505) that stated the flawed design of their PCV system not allowing oil to drain properly from the turbocharger. No fix has been made available with recent information I have read in regards to the flawed PCV not circulating the oil. Hope someone can bring this flawed design engine to light before someone or a family is killed in a major accident where their car leaves them stranded in the middle of a highway like I-95. Thanks for the time in looking into this matter.

- Belcamp, MD, USA

2007 Mazda 2007 air conditioning system serviced at 53,603 miles no defect noted despite our complaint of poor performance. Dealer said it was a dirty cabin filter. 53,951 miles sudden catastrophic failure of air conditioning compressor and clutch. Heavy smoke and burning odor from engine compartment wife and kids evacuated what they thought was a burning car on a busy street. Compressor/clutch locked up belts loss of engine accessories and engine cooling. Turns out this is a known issue which Mazda refuses to acknowledge.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

Mazda CX7 2007- 21,000 mile. Air conditioner seized there by shredding serpentine belt, loss of power steering, alternator. Repaired under warranty. Then 1 week later after about 900 miles the pulley off crankcase (harmonic balance) actually fell off ( found inside wheel well fender). Serpentine belt now not spinning, loss of power steering again and engine over heating again. Second repair in progress now(06-22-09).

- Alpena, MI, USA

Air conditioner stopped working and engine compartment filled with smoke. The car was taken to the dealer the next day the dealer reported that the airconditioner had failed and that the clutch on the ac although functioning was not turning and that the belt was burning.

- Hudson, OH, USA

The air conditioning compressor pulley bearing seized but was able to turn long enough to get to a nearby relative. The dealer said the compressor and belt would be replaced under warranty, but the part would be difficult to get and estimated at least a week or more. He supplied a loaner and said the car would not be safe to drive, as the pulley could seize completely at any time. I am still waiting for the replacement part.

- Graniteville, SC, USA