While driving home from my chardon, oh office on either Aug 5 or 6, 2009 at 35 mph my car's RPM needle started jumping and the car's "gas pressure" felt like it was hicupping. The RPM needle jumped from @2 to 4 twice, then the car started steadily accelerating in speed. The brake pedal at this time felt "hard" and the car was "fighting against my attempt to slow down" and the RPM's were still trying to accelerate. I imagine if I pushed on the brake and the gas pedal at the same time, it would simulate the way it felt. I also have a manual shift mode on my car and used it to more effectively slow down (vs using the brake) but at the same time the car was still trying to accelerate, but couldn't because I was in a lower gear/manual mode. And I remember while in manual gear 1, my car was lurching me back and forth in my seat as I drove through my neighborhood to get home, and my foot was off the gas pedal! on Aug 12th, 2009 I mentioned this event to a Mitsubishi dealer's mechanic (friend of my father) who was replacing my power steering line, he took a look at my car but said it seemed fine. My husband has been driving that car since that event, because I am afraid of it happening again. The car has not done this while my husband has been driving it. Not to sound like an oddball, but if I didn't know better I would have said my car was acting possessed, like the movie "christine". I have to think that there is some correlation to what my car did and what is going on with Toyota. My husband is an electrical engineer and he used to work for grob systems, who does engineering for multiple automobile manufacturers, and I wonder if Mazda has some same system in their automobile's as Toyota and if it was engineered by the same supplier. I would swear on a bible that this happened to me with my car. (my husband left grob to move to cleveland and marry me). It sucks having this car now, it is paid off, I'm afraid to drive it, and I don't want to sell to an innocent stranger.

- Painesville, OH, USA

I purchased the Mazda6 I in late August of 2003, expecting at least roughly, the 25 - 32 mpg that was advertised on my car window. From the start I was getting 18-20 mpg regularly, I do a lot of city driving, but even when I drive on the highway, the highest it has ever been was 27-28 and thats putting 300 miles on it in one straight shot. I complained to a dealer in toledo when I had about 2200 miles on my car, and he told me that was normal for a break in period and to come back when I had 3500 miles on my car. I waited and waited, continuing to get the same poor gas mileage. Finally, with 3800 miles on my car I sent an E-mail to the deal once again because I was still getting the same gas mileage. The dealer responded 3-5 days later (though the website said same day or next day response) and he said, that was normal and Mazda doesn't consider that excessive. 23 - 29 was what was expected for my engine, but that was what was expected for the 6 cylinder, that I don't have. He was rude and couldn't take the time to read my email and respond with accurate information. I also complained to a different dealer near my hometown where I purchased the vehicle, and when I tried to describe the problem the lady asked me what I wanted them to do about it. Why should I have to figure out the problem after I spend that much money on a new car?

- Centerville, OH, USA