2006 Mazda MAZDA3

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN THERE IS A TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER STEERING CAUSING THE CAR TO ALMOST VEER INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE STEERING EFFORD INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE NOTICED NO FAULT LIGHTS IN THE INSTRUMENT PANNEL WHEN THIS OCCURS. THE STEERING LOSS APPEARS TO OCCUR AT RANDOM AND SPORATICALLY. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED A TOTAL OF FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE TOP MODULE BUT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE DEALER THEN ADVISED THAT THE CONNECTORS WERE CORRODED AND IN ORDER TO REMEDY THE ISSUE, THEY CLEANED ALL OF THE LINES. THE THIRD TIME THEY REPLACED THE TOP MODULE AGAIN AND MOST RECENTLY, THE DEALER DECIDED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000. UPDATED 07/20/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE PUMP WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES, THE LINES WERE FLUSHED AND THE CONNECTORS WERE CLEANED. THE DEALER COVERED THE REPAIRS UNDER A RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED FOR THE 2007-2009 MODELS. UPDATED 08/19/11*JB

FIRST INCIDENT WAS ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO, WHILE TURNING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED THE RADIO WENT OUT, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT, AND THE STEERING LIGHT ON THE PANEL LIT UP. EVERYTHING CAME BACK WITHIN ABOUT 5 SECONDS. THIS STARTED HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY, AND YESTERDAY IT HAPPENED NINE TIMES IN THE SPAN OF A 13 MILE DRIVE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO OUR REGULAR MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I FIND IT STRANGELY COINCIDENTAL THAT THE 2007-2009 MAKES OF THIS VEHICLE WERE ALL RECALLED FOR THIS VERY SAME REASON.

FOLLOWING A REAR END COLLISION, MY 2006 MAZDA3 MILEAGE DROPPED FROM ~24MPG TO ~8MPG, WITH NO TORQUE AT ALL FROM ~20MPH. SIGNIFICANT STEERING TROUBLE, AWFUL TIRE NOISE, AND LOUD KNOCKING WHEN TURNING WERE DISMISSED BY THE LOCAL DEALER AS "WELL WITHIN SPECS". REQUESTED BRAKE CALIPER AND ALIGNMENT CHECK, REFUSED BY THE SAME DEALER; TECH PERFORMED A ROAD TEST, DECLARED THE PROBLEM DUE TO TIRE FEATHERING AND DEMONSTRATED 120MPH TIGHT CURVE AS REMEDY. THREE SETS OF TIRES, ONE SET OF WHEELS [3 OF OEM WERE WARPED], ENTIRE COMPLEMENT OF MOTOR MOUNTS, TWO SETS OF ROTORS LATER, I'M ABOUT TO REPLACE CALIPER MOUNTS AND AXLES. CAR IS UNSAFE, AND DEALERSHIP DISREGARD OF WARRANTY AND TSBS, AND OF BASIC SAFETY STANDARDS WAS OUTRAGEOUS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN (ONGOING) [SPINE INJURY FROM COLLISION WAS NEARLY FATAL] CIRCUMSTANCES. *TR

2006 MAZDA 3 I TOURING, STARTED TO HAVE HEAVY STEERING PROBLEM WITHOUT THE STEERING LIGHT TURNING ON AT THE DASHBOARD. FAILURE OCCURS FROM STANDING STOP TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE IN INTERSECTION..HARD TO STEER. EASIER TO STEER WHILE IN MOTION. BEEN A PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. DEALER CLAIMS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MODEL YEAR OF THE RECALL. THANKS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD INITIATE A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

2006 MAZDA 3, 5DOOR AUTOMATIC PURCHASED NEW IN OCTOBER, 2005. CAR PULLS LEFT. ITS BEEN TO 2 DEALERS 7 DIFFERENT TIMES. THEY CANT FIX IT. I'VE GOT AN ATTORNEY NOW AND GOING THROUGH LEMON LAW PROCEDURES. WE DID GIVE MAZDA SEVERAL EXTRA CHANCES TO FIX IT AND HAVE THEIR ZONE MANAGER AND HIS TECH REP AND A MAZDA ENGINEER THAT DROVE DOWN FROM MICHIGAN, A CHANCE TO TEST DRIVE THE CAR. ON THE LAST VISIT THEY CONFIRMED 2 OTHER NEW MAZDA 3'S DROVE LIKE MINE DID, I.E. THEY PULLED LEFT. ON PREVIOUS VISITS I WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM WITH 3 OTHER NEW MAZDA 3'S THAT THEY DID NOT PULL LEFT. BASICALLY IF YOU LET GO OF THE WHEEL, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR WILL QUICKLY GO LEFT AND LEAVE YOUR CURRENT LANE. I'VE HAD AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC VERIFY THIS AS WELL. MAZDA IS NOW TAKING THE POSITION THAT THE MAZDA 3 IS A 'SPORTY' CAR AND HAS A WEAK ON-CENTER STEERING FEEL AND THAT JUST THE WAY THEIR CARS ARE AND ITS NOT A DEFECT. BUT AS I MENTIONED I'VE CONFIRMED ON MULTIPLE OTHER VISITS, WITH THEIR TECH PEOPLE, DRIVING OTHER NEW MAZDA 3'S THAT THE OTHER NEW CARS DID NOT PULL LEFT SO AT THE LEAST THEY HAVE A PROBLEM TURNING OUT CARS THAT VARY FROM CAR TO CAR. NO OTHER CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN DRIVES THIS WAY AND PULLS LEFT WHEN YOU LET GO OF THE WHEEL. I'M AN ENGINEER AND IN MY OPINION THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT NHTSA MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO. BECAUSE THE CAR IS A UNIBODY IT HS NO CAMBER ADJUSTMENT SO THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO FIX THIS DEFECT ONCE THE CAR HAS BEEN MADE. *NM