Transmission failure in a 2002 Mazda MPV van. There was always erratic shifting especially when engine was cold. After it warmed up it seemed ok but during highway driving if having to suddenly accelerate it would feel like the transmission would for lack of a better description "slip" between gear shifts and bog down and then catch again. Last week I was on a return trip home on a highway coming up a hill when the transmission suddenly started shifting very erratic I pulled off an exit and at that time the transmission stopped working completely...no gears at all and I coasted to the side of the road. Had it towed to the local Mazda dealer and was told that I was not covered under warranty. I bought this van new from a dealer in Massachusetts before I moved to the midwest. It is less than 3 years old and just turned over 70,000 miles. I always kept up the maintenance on this car and also own a Mazda protege 5. now I have to pay $2100 dollars for a transmission on a car that isn't even three years old! looking at all the reports I see about the Mazda van and the problems with the power train I think Mazda needs to come clean about the problems with their transmissions. I am now concerned about the transmission in my Mazda protege and I think for my next new cars I purchase I don't know if I will even consider Mazda.

- Centerville, OH, USA