Well, once it happened, it progressed pretty much instantly to not working at all and being towed in. It first showed up after being really hot with the free play in the clutch pedal. The next day, when cool, it was fine for just about five minutes, then the free play happened, then the clutch pedal went to the floor. I pulled it back up, it was fine for one shift then went to the floor again, and then I basically stopped driving it.

I just spoke with Mazda. The tech didn't give me any detailed info, just "we think it's a part that IS under warranty, we can't get the part til tomorrow." Fine. I asked about the TSB, and he said a couple of times, "the one with the grease?" and I said no, the one about the free play and hard to disengage. I gave him the number. He said, yeah, I saw that one about the grease, that's not what you described. I said, no, not grease, and it's exactly what I described. He just said again, that's not yours. To which I said, if it's covered under warranty, it doesn't really matter -- and he cut me off and said we'll know tomorrow when I get the part.

I don't know if it's that guy, or he doesn't want to talk to me because I'm female, but I definitely felt rushed off the phone and not allowed to explain why that TSB sounds exactly like my problem. If they call me tomorrow and say the warranty part fixed it and there's no charge, I don't care, but if they try to say it's something else that's going to cost money when I have this TSB in my hands, I'm going to have a fight on my hands with them.

Still open to advice here, anyone, thanks!

 

Just got a message that I can pick up my car anytime... NO CHARGE! WHEW!

I'll post later what the problem was when I get the details.

 

yeah and i bet it was the clutch pedal broken.

all you douchebags need to get your panties unbunched.

(i got your back charles!)

 

Okay, baby's back in the driveway and feeling fine! Official word from Mazda: "Customer says clutch pedal has a lot of free play in it; says clutch pedal was staying on the floor. Cause: replace due to parts failure, clutch master cylinder, R&R, brake fluid. 49731 Clutch pedal stuck on floor. Fluid full. Slave Cyl. Not Leak. Clutch master Cyl. Int. Problem. R&R clutch master cyl.

I saw the dealer's form with the cost, $137.

So should I still get the clutch pedal welded? And who would I go to get that done?

 

I'm on it, thanks!