SAN ANTONIO — Mazda’s North American division has notified All Star Imports Inc., parent company of the five-rooftop, San Antonio-based World Car Auto Group, that World Car Mazda North’s franchise agreement has been canceled, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

At issue are allegedly unfulfilled repair orders generated by the ongoing recall of vehicles with Takata-brand airbags, which has affected tens of millions of units built by 19 automakers worldwide.

In a letter sent to the auto group’s owner, Ahmad Zabihian, and obtained by the Express-News, a regional general manager for the factory, Lawrence Chou, claimed “at least half” of the ROs in question had “some issue at some time,” triggering three cure letters since August 2018.

“World Car North reported vehicles subject to the Takata recall as repaired, when in fact no work had been done on the vehicle,” Chou wrote. “We have had multiple instances of failed performances and Mazda is in many instances left to guess whether these vehicles have been properly repaired.”

The letter was sent in December and set a franchise termination date for late February. Zabihian filed a protest with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, setting the stage for a hearing in the spring of 2020.

In a statement, World Car executives told the paper the threat of termination is “without merit,” that the dealership boasts the highest recall completion rate in its district, and that a single rogue technician was to blame for the unfulfilled orders.

“Every customer potentially impacted by his work was contacted and any issues have been addressed,” they wrote, in part.

To read the San Antonio Express-News article, click here.