Imagine the excitement of driving off the lot in a brand-new vehicle—only to have it break down the very next morning and then deal with months of mechanical nightmares, multiple loaner cars, and a Lemon Law case.
That's what one Florida woman says happened to her.
She says she thought she was making a smart upgrade when she traded in her Ford Explorer for a brand-new Mazda CX-90. Instead, she says it's been a nightmare.
Woman's New Mazda Breaks Down Immediately
In a viral video with more than 2.6 million views, content creator @adventure.sleep.repeat details her experience with a 2025 Mazda CX-90 hybrid that she says started falling apart almost immediately after she drove it off the lot.
"I had a beautiful Ford Explorer, third row, fully loaded, limited edition, loved my car. But I drive a lot, and I mean a lot a lot, so my car was tired,” @adventure.sleep.repeat explains.
After shopping around at multiple dealerships, she settled on a blue Mazda CX-90 hybrid in March. But she says the problems started almost immediately.
"I brought it home that night, I park it in my driveway, I get it home, I go to get up the next morning and leave for the first time ever… I back up about four feet and the whole car locks up, shuts down, can't drive it," she says in the video.
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"It says battery leakage."
Dealership Swaps Car, But Problems Continue
The creator says the dealership had to send a tow truck with dollies because the wheels were locked. After inspecting the vehicle, they put her in a black CX-90 instead.
"Now I gotta do all the paperwork again, now I gotta have a whole other plate," she says. The situation left her with two VIN numbers on her credit report, making it look like she purchased two cars back-to-back.
After about a month with the replacement vehicle, she says she started receiving constant alerts on her phone about the car's charging status.
"My phone is going off like crazy all of a sudden. Your car is charged, your car is not charging, your car is plugged in and not charging, your car is charging," the notifications purportedly read.
When she took it back to the dealership for repairs, the problems only got worse, she says. After picking up the supposedly fixed vehicle, it started making loud noises while charging, which is unusual for a hybrid that should operate silently.
Gallery: 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Review
AC System Down
The creator says the dealership discovered a serious mechanical issue: the air conditioning lines running underneath the car were allegedly unraveling and shooting shrapnel through the AC system, into the battery, and throughout the vehicle.
"It's just coming apart in this car and I'm driving my children in this. This is not okay,” she says.
The dealership kept her car for months while waiting for Mazda corporate to address the issue, she says. The creator says she's been driving loaner cars (five different ones since March) while still making payments and maintaining insurance on a vehicle she can't use.
She Opens Lemon Law Claim
Fed up with the situation, the @adventure.sleep.repeat says she filed Lemon Law paperwork, which allows consumers to seek refunds or replacements for defective vehicles. She says she submitted all required documentation, including W-9 forms, financial records, and bank statements.
"I put down almost $11,000 as a down payment, and I'm paying several hundred a month for that, not including the insurance, and I've kept my cool and I've been so kind," she says in the video.
“These cars have less than 5,000 miles on them. Mine was brand new, it's sitting at [4,000 miles] now since March," she says.
What is a Lemon Law and How Does it Work?
When a new car turns out to be a dud, consumers have Lemon Laws to protect them.
According to My Florida Legal, Florida's Lemon Law covers defects or conditions that substantially impair the use, value, or safety of a new or demonstrator vehicle.
These defects must be reported to the manufacturer or authorized service agent within the first 24 months after delivery, known as the "Lemon Law Rights Period."
Here's how it works: If a manufacturer can't fix the problem after "a reasonable number of attempts," they're required to either buy back the defective vehicle or provide a replacement. The law considers it reasonable if the same problem has been repaired at least three times without success, or if the vehicle has been out of service for repairs for 15 or more cumulative days.
Consumers can potentially qualify for a refund or replacement if their vehicle is out of service for a total of 30 or more days.
The process requires consumers to notify the manufacturer (not the dealership) in writing via certified, registered, or express mail. The manufacturer then gets a final opportunity to repair the vehicle: 10 days to direct the consumer to a repair facility, plus up to 10 more days to complete the fix.
If the manufacturer still can't resolve the issues, consumers can pursue arbitration.
Depending on whether the manufacturer has a state-certified arbitration program, disputes may go through the manufacturer's program first, or directly to the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, which is administered by the Office of the Attorney General.
The law doesn't cover defects caused by accidents, neglect, abuse, or modifications made by anyone other than the manufacturer or authorized service agent. That's why keeping detailed records of all repairs, including dates, odometer readings, and receipts, is crucial for consumers pursuing a lemon law claim.
What Happened Next?
After her TikTok went viral, Mazda commented on her post from its verified account. “We left you a comment on your latest. Please DM us with your contact info so we can help sort this out for you. We're so sorry this is happening!” the company wrote.
She subsequently recorded a TikTok of getting the vehicle back. On the way home, she shows it displaying a warning that reads, “hybrid system malfunction, have the vehicle inspected.”
The saga continues. According to adventure.sleep.repeat’s update posted on Thursday, she’s been in talks with Mazda.
“I also got a voicemail that said they do intend to do the buyback,” she says. As of Friday morning, the matter had yet to be resolved, however, she says in another update.
Motor1 reached out to @adventure.sleep.repeat for comment via TikTok direct message. We’ll update this if she responds.
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