2008 Mazda Mazda3 complaints

I HAVE A 2008 MAZDA 3. I BOUGHT IT IN 2009 AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE STEERING LIGHT CAME ON. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON BUT THE LIGHT WAS STILL ON ,SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL THE LIGHT WENT OFF ,THEN I DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM . THEY TOLD ME THAT MAZDA DOES THAT FROM TIME TO TIME TO JUST TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN.I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR. AUGUST 17,2010 WAS THE WORST IT HAPPEN FIVE TIMES WHILE I PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WAITING ON MY GIRLS TO GET OUT OF SCHOOL. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND SOMETHING TO BE DONE BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY STIFF AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERS COLLISION CENTER TO REPAIR THE BODY DAMAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR FAILURE ON 2008 MAZDA 3. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 MAZDA 3. WHILE IN FLORIDA LAST WINTER I EXPERIENCED A FAILURE WITH THE POWER STEERING DURING EXTREME HEAT AND HUMIDITY WHILE I WAS IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. I PULLED OFF INTO A PARKING LOT WITH MUCH DIFFICULTY. MY HUSBAND THOUGHT MAYBE DUE TO HOW HOT THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS, MAYBE WE USED UP POWER STEERING FLUID. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO A NEARBY AUTO PARTS STORE, BOUGHT POWER STEERING FLUID AND ADDED A SMALL AMT. HE WAS SURPRISED THAT IT ONLY REQUIRED LESS THAN AN OUNCE. AFTER A REST PERIOD, THE CAR REGAINED POWER STEERING AND WE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANOTHER PROBLEM. WE DID HAVE A MAZDA DEALER IN FLORIDA CHECK IT OUT AND THEY CLAIMED NOTHING SHOWED UP ON THE COMPUTER. WELL, OVER THE 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND WHEN WE WERE EXPERIENCING A LOT OF HOT, HUMID WEATHER THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. IT SEEMED THAT AFTER YOU SHUT OFF THE MOTOR AND ALLOWED THE CAR TO COOL OFF, THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. WE CONTACTED THE DEALER IN PENNSYLVANIA WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY INSISTED WE BRING IT RIGHT IN AS LONG AS THE WEATHER WASN'T HOT. THEY RENTED US A CAR AND KEPT OUR CAR FOR A WEEK TO COMPLETE REPAIRS. THEY INSTALLED A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP AND NEW HYDRAULIC FLUID LINES. SO FAR, WE HAVE HAD NOT FURTHER PROBLEMS. WE COULD HAVE BEEN IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF WE HAD BEEN DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED. BOTH TIMES, WE WERE ALMOST AT A STANDSTILL. THE ONLY SIMILARITIES WERE THE EXTREME HEAT AND HUMIDITY AND THAT WE WERE USING

POWER STEERING LIGHT ON DASH CAME ON THEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING LEADING TO HEAVY STEERING. ACCORDING TO OWNERS MANUAL, WE WERE ADVISED TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE, THEN BACK ON. EVEN THEN, THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND I LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN, LEADING TO VERY HEAVY STEERING. AFTER THOSE TWO INCIDENTS THE POWER STEERING SEEMS TO BE WORKING OK. THERE IS PLENTY OF POWER STEERING FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR. I CALLED MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE ISSUE IN DETAIL AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE LIGHT IS NOW OFF AND NORMAL STEERING RESUMED - HE ADVISED THERE IS NO NEED TO BRING IN THE CAR. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE LIKE MY WIFE WHO LACKS UPPER BODY STRENGTH. THE EFFORT REQUIRED TO TURN THE WHEEL WITHOUT POWER STEERING IS A LOT, EVEN FOR A MAN LIKE ME. SLOW SPEED STEERING IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT POWER STEERING. *TR

I HAD JUST BOUGHT MY 2008 MAZDA 3 AND AS I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE THE DEALERSHIP WITH IT, WHEN I WENT TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE THE CAR HAD NO POWER STEERING WHEN NOT 1 HOUR BEFORE I TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE AND IT WAS FINE. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WAS ON. WHEN I TOOK IT DOWN THE ROAD TO THE SERVICE CENTER THEY STATED THAT THIS IS COMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE WHEN THE WEATHER GETS HOT. IT WAS ABOUT 95 DEGREES THAT DAY. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT I WAS LUCKY THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING OR SOMETHING SERIOUS MAY HAVE HAPPENED. HE AGREED. *TR

2008 MAZDA 3 APPROX 28K MILES. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC ON A HOT DAY - POWER STEERING FAILED, WITH WARNING LIGHT ON. LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE - THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM OF MAZDA VEHICLES OF STEERING FAILURES IN HOTTER OPERATING CONDITIONS. THIS INFORMATION IS EASILY SEEN WITH A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH. WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO LOOK INTO THIS - BUT IT WAS FUNNY THAT THERE WAS NO ACKNOWLEDGING OF A KNOWN PROBLEM DURING THE INITIAL CALL. *TR

AFTER I WAS IN LENGTHY TRAFFIC JAM ENTERING BWI FOR DEPARTURE ON THURSDAY AUGUST 5TH, I PULLED TO THE CURB TO LET OUT PASSENGER. ON RESTARTING MY 2008 MAZDA 3I, I NOTICED IT WAS MUCH HARDER TO TURN STEERING WHEEL--I THOUGHT I HAD A FLAT TIRE. THEN I NOTICED THE YELLOW STEERING WHEEL INDICATOR ON THE DASH. I COULD TURN THE WHEEL, BUT IT TOOK MUCH MORE EFFORT THAN NORMAL. MY WIFE CHECKED OWNERS MANUAL AND MAZDA'S SUGGESTION IS TO RESTART THE CAR. ULTIMATELY I DID SO AND THE POWER STEERING RESUMED - WITH NO INDICATOR LIGHT GLOWING. SINCE THEN I DROVE THE CAR 300+ MILES WITHOUT ANOTHER INCIDENT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 MAZDA 3 "S" AND WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND A GROWLING SOUND COMING FROM THE CAR. TRYING TO PULL OVER WAS DIFFICULT AS THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. MILEAGE ON THE CAR IS 38500. JUST 2000 MILES OVER THE FACTORY WARRANTY. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ONLINE I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR FAILING ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMPS IN THE 07-10 MAZDA 3'S. THIS SERIOUSLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AS THIS COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

MAZDA 3 POWER STEERING. W/O ANY WARNING MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON PULLING ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY W/ MY 2 YR OLD SON IN THE CAR. PULLED OVER TURNED MY CAR OFF THEN BACK ON AND THE POWER STEERING WAS FINE. I CHECKED POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT WAS FULL. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP YET BECAUSE I WAS RESEARCHING TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE RAN INTO THIS PROBLEM W/ THEIR MAZDA 3. *TR

THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2008 MAZDA 3 SUDDENLY GAVE OUT ON ME WHILE I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND THE POWER STEERING FAULT INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. RE-STARTED THE ENGINE AND IT WAS FINE AFTER THAT. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE WHILE MERGING THROUGH TRAFFIC. *TR

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, APPROX. 20 MILE DRIVE, WHEN 5 MILES FROM HOME THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT WENT ON AND THEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. DROVE THE REST OF THE WAY HOME WITH NO POWER STEERING. LOOKED AT THE OWNER'S MANUAL, RECOMMENDED SHUTTING OFF ENGINE AND THEN RESTARTING. DID THAT AND THE POWER STEERING WAS BACK. HAS NOT RECURRED SINCE THEN. MAY HAVE DEALER LOOK AT IT AND TRY TO GET THEM TO REPLACE DUE TO RECENT NEWS ON THIS ISSUE. *TR

I DRIVE A 2008 MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK. RECENTLY MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN HOT DAY (ABOUT 95 DEGREES) AND THE POWER STEERING JUST WENT OUT. THE CAR'S EQUIPPED WITH A POWER STEERING FAILURE INDICATOR LIGHT AND IT DID NOT TURN ON WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED UNDER VERY SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. THE CAR WORKED FINE AFTER BEING PARKED IN A GARAGE FOR 24HRS OR SO WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED LAST TIME. UPDATED 08/19/10*BF UPDATED IVOQ 08/23/10*JB *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA, MAZDA 3. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, AN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER STEERING OCCURRED. THERE WAS DIFFICULTY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO TRAVEL INTO A PARKING LOT UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT POWER STEERING UNIT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE; HOWEVER, THE REPAIR PART ARRIVAL DATE WOULD BE JULY 29, 2010. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 11/19/10. *LJ UPDATED 11/1610

SITTING IN PARKING LOT, ENGINE AND A/C ON, THEN TRIED TO PULL OUT, POWER STEERING FAILED; HAD TO WAIT ONE HOUR FOR CAR TO COOL BEFORE THE STEERING CAME BACK ON. *TR THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED, NEEDS TO BE FLUSHED, COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MAZDA 3'S APPARENTLY. AT LEAST IT DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE ROAD.

2008 MAZDA 3I. STEERING COLUMN SHUDDERED VIOLENTLY WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT HIGH SPEEDS (60 MPH). *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT RUSH HOUR AND MY POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON. WITHIN SECONDS I LOST POWER STEERING AND MY CAR WAS INCREDIBLY HARD TO STEER OFF OF THE ROAD. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND HE CALLED TODAY TO SAY THAT THE LIGHT IS OUT NOW AND THE CAR IS DRIVING FINE. HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. MY CAR ONLY HAS 48,000 MILES AND I AM AFRAID THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN WITH DIRE CONSEQUENCES. I WILL TAKE IT TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY. MY SISTER ALSO HAS A 2008 MAZDA3 AND SHE ALSO HAD POWER STEERING FAILURE LAST YEAR AT 35,000 MILES WHICH THE DEALERSHIP FIXED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. PLEASE DO SOMETHING!! *TR

POWER STEERING ON 2008 MAZDA 3 WENT OUT AND INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. FLUID LEVEL IS GOOD AND VEHICLE HAS 33,000 MILES (ORIGINAL OWNER). FORTUNATELY I WAS DRIVING LOW SPEED AND CLOSE TO HOME AS IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. STARTED THE VEHICLE TODAY AND THE PROBLEM IS GONE. NOTED SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS SO I WANT TO ENSURE NHTSA KNOWS ABOUT IT. WILL BE TAKING TO THE DEALER NEXT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MAZDA3. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT IT ACCELERATED WITH BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. SHE ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE BUT IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND MOVE FORWARD. WHEN SHE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, IT LUNGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE DID NOT REALIZE IT SINCE IT MADE SUCH A MINIMAL IMPACT. SHE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. SHE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES TO SEE IF THE FAILURE WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND IT DID NOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 41,600.

MY 2008 MAZDA 3 WAS IDLING IN THE PARKING LOT ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND WHEN I WENT TO BACK OUT MY POWER STEERING LIGHT COMES ON AND I'M UNABLE TO STEER MY CAR. I AM AFRAID THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHILE I'M DRIVING, AND CAUSE SOMEONE TO GET KILLED. MY POWER STEERING FLUID IS ABOVE THE MAX LINE AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE ALRIGHT. AFTER TURNING MY CAR ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES IT EVENTUALLY STARTS WORKING CORRECTLY. *TR

THE POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING OUT ON MY 2008 MAZDA-3. WHEN IT GOES OUT THE LITTLE DASHBOARD INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON, AND ITS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER MY CAR. IT TENDS TO HAPPEN WHEN IM DRIVING ABOVE 60 MPH FOR SOME REASON. IT IS VERY SCARY WHEN IT HAPPENS AND COULD EASILY CAUSE A WRECK. MY CAR IS BARELY 2 YEARS OLD AND IT DEFINITELY SHOULD NOT BE HAVING PROBLEMS LIKE THAT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND NOTHING I DID TO IT. FURTHERMORE, WHEN I TOOK MY MAZDA INTO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP THEY NOT ONLY SEEMED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT (AS IF THEY'VE SEEN THIS PROBLEM MORE THAN ONCE) BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO 'OFFICIAL' RECALL AS OF YET. THEN THEY TOLD ME THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS COST ME $800-900 TO FIX. I REALLY CANT AFFORD TO PAY THAT OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND SHOULDN'T HAVE TO! I AM 26 YEARS OLD & BOUGHT THAT CAR UNDER THE ASSUMPTION OF GETTING MANY GOOD YEARS OUT OF IT WITH NO PROBLEMS. ITS BEEN A GREAT CAR AND I REALLY LIKE (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITS RECENT POWER STEERING PROBLEM AS FORMENTIONED). PLEASE HELP! *TR

ON 14JUL10 WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN AND TRAFFIC AT HIGH WAY SPEED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SLOWED NOTICEABLY THEN STOPPED. VISUAL SIGHT OF TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME WAS IMPOSSIBLE. AFTER MANAGING TO PULL OVER INTO THE BREAK DOWN LANE WITH OUT A COLLISION I PROCEEDED TO CHECK OUT THE PROBLEM. THE FUSE FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WAS NOT BLOWN NOR COULD I FIND ANY OTHER PROBLEM THAT WOULD HAVE ACCOUNTED TO THIS PROBLEM. AFTER THE RAIN LET UP I PROCEEDED TO CONTINUE MY COMMUTE HOME HAVING TO PULL OVER AND STOP NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN THE RAIN STARTED AGAIN. THIS WAS A NERVE RACKING EXPERIENCE! THE NEXT DAY I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT TO BE CHECKED OUT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE WIND SHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS BURNED OUT AND IT WOULD COST ABOUT $330.00 TO REPAIR IT AND THEY WOULD OVERNIGHT EXPRESS A NEW ONE AS THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY IN STOCK. THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETE ON16JUL10 AND I PICKED THE VEHICLE AT APP 3PM, TOTAL COST $337.00. MILEAGE WAS APP. 42900 SO IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I CONSIDER WIND SHIELD WIPERS IMPORTANT SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD. THIS VEHICLE IS A 2008 THAT I BOUGHT NEW! WIPER MOTORS BURNING OUT IN TWO YEARS??? I HAVE A 1994 FORD RANGER WITH 213000+ MILES ON IT WITH THE ORIGINAL WIPER MOTOR STILL IN IT!!! I BELIEVE MAZDA SHOULD MAKE GOOD ON THIS TYPE OF PREMATURE FAILURE ON SAFETY EQUIPMENT. I ALL SO HAVE EXCESSIVE TIRE WARE ON THE INSIDE EDGES OF MY TIRES, WORN DOWN SMOOTH AND SCALLOPING BUT DUE TO ROTATING O

LOSS OF POWER STEERING DURING THE STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING HARDLY, REQUIRED EXCESSIVE FORCE. TURNED OFF THE ENGINE FOR FEW MINUTES TO COOL DOWN, AFTER FEW MINUTES POWER STEERING STARTED WORKING AGAIN, STEERING KIT REPLACED BY MAZDA DEALER. *TR

I DRIVE A 2008 MAZDA 3. ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT. TODAY WAS THE MOST RECENT, THE SECOND TIME WAS ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, AND THE FIRST TIME WAS ANOTHER 3-4 MONTHS BEFORE THE SECOND TIME. THE LAST TWO TIMES I WAS PARKED, STARTED THE ENGINE, TRIED TO DRIVE AND REALIZED THE POWER STEERING WAS OUT. WITH GREAT PHYSICAL EFFORT I WAS ABLE TO REPARK THE CAR, STOP THE ENGINE, AND AFTER ABOUT 10-20 MINUTES THE POWER STEERING BEGAN WORKING WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AGAIN. THE FIRST TIME THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. LUCKILY I WASN'T DRIVING IN A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A NEARBY BUSINESS. IT TOOK GREAT PHYSICAL EFFORT TO TURN THE CAR AND I THINK IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STEER THE CAR AND FIND A SAFE SPOT TO PARK IF I HAD BEEN IN LOTS OF TRAFFIC OR DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS AND RESULT IN CRASHES. I WAS LUCKY THAT ALL THREE TIMES I WAS EITHER DRIVING SLOW OR PARKED. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING, THIRD TIME IN A WEEK THIS HAS OCCURRED. HAS YET TO BE FIXED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MAZDA3. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE POWER STEERING BY MAKING UNKNOWN REPAIRS UNDER THE HOOD. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN ONE WEEK. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 37,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA, MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON IN THE PARK POSITION FOR A FEW MINUTES; HOWEVER, WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY STIFF AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AND AFTER SHE TURNED IT BACK ON, IT BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE FAILURE HAS SINCE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,746.

THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON OUR MAZDA 3 WHILE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY ROAD. IT HAPPENED UNEXPECTEDLY AND SEVERELY ENOUGH THAT MY HUSBAND HAD DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE CAR AND HAD TO PULL OVER. ALL FLUIDS WERE FULL AND WE HAVE REGULAR MAINTENANCE DONE ON THE CAR. CALLED OUR MAZDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY TRIED TO CHARGE US BUT SAID WE BARELY SLIPPED IN UNDER THE WARRANTY TIMELINE SO THE PART WAS COVERED. NOW WE FIND OUT THERE IS A POTENTIAL RECALL LOOMING FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTROUS SITUATION AND MAZDA'S HANDLING OF IT WAS SUB-PAR TO SAY THE LEAST. THEY GAVE US A LOANER AND ARE FIXING THE CAR AT NO CHARGE BUT THEIR POSITION WHEN WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THEM WAS THAT WE SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THE REPAIR. THEY TOOK NO OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM AT FIRST AND NEVER BOTHERED TO MENTION THIS WAS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM THEY WERE SEEING, ESPECIALLY IN THE '08 MAZDA 3. *TR

I OWN A 2008, MAZDA 3. IT HAS ABOUT 34,000 MILES. I WAS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON ROUTE 75 JUST OUTSIDE OF CINCINNATI WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I COULD BARELY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC WERE DIRECTED OFF AN EXIT BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT CLOSING THE HIGHWAY..THIS WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT WITH NO POWER STEERING. I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED OFF MY CAR, PREPARING TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN THE STEERING WORKED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND AND AM NOT SURE WHAT TO DO. I COMMUTE AN HOUR TO WORK EVERYDAY. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 MAZDA3. ONCE WHEN WE WERE IN FLORIDA AND AGAIN THIS WEEK, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. BOTH TIMES THE WEATHER WAS EXTREMELY HOT. MY HUSBAND PUT APPROX. 1 OUNCE OF POWER STEERING FLUID INTO THE POWER STEERING RECEPTACLE AND BOTH TIMES THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. WHEN IN FLORIDA WE TOOK THE CAR TO FURMAN MAZDA IN TAMPA AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO CODE IN THE CAR AND IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN TO BRING IT BACK. THIS WEEK IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN MY HUSBAND PUT ABOUT 1 OUNCE OF POWER STEERING FLUID IN THE CAR AND IT WAS CORRECTED. WE CALLED RAY PRICE MAZDA IN STROUDSBURG, PA. WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY TOLD US TO BRING THE CAR IN AND THEY GAVE US A RENTAL CAR TO USE UNTIL THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND LINES ARE REPLACED. THEY TOLD US THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND ALSO THE LINES ARE NOT BIG ENOUGH. WE WERE FORTUNATE BOTH TIMES TO BE ABLE TO PARK AND STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE IF IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WHEN WE WERE SOMEWHERE WHERE WE COULDN'T SAFELY GET OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. THANK YOU. *TR

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND SHE LOST ALL POWER STEERING FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND WHEN SHE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE THE LIGHT WAS OFF AND THE POWER STEERING FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED YESTERDAY ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS DROPPED OFF AT A MAZDA DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THEY STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THE REPAIRS WOULD BE DONE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 38,000. RD

WHEN PLACING MY MAZDA INTO REVERSE ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL HAS TOTALLY LOCKED. I AM NOT ABLE TO STEER THE CAR AT ALL. WHEN I HAVE TURNED THE CAR ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING WILL REACTIVATE. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS "NO PROBLEM" AND CHARGED ME $42.00 FOR THE "CHECKUP". WITHIN 2 DAYS, THE INCIDENT RECURRED TWICE. THE CAR IS NOW BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. A STAFF MEMBER TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A "TECHNICAL BULLETIN" OUT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS WEBSITE. THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT IN THIS CAR OBVIOUSLY BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I EVIDENCED ON-LINE. *TR

WHILE TURNING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION ON AN EXTREMELY COLD DAY (BELOW -10 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT) DRIVER DEPRESSES BRAKES ON AN ICY SURFACE. ANT-ILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM FAILS AND VEHICLE BEGINS TO HANDLE UNEXPECTEDLY. BRAKE WARNING LIGHT AND ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATE. AFTER ~2 MILES OF DRIVING, SYSTEM STILL INACTIVE. DRIVER PULLS OVER AND SHUTS OFF VEHICLE FOR 30 SECONDS. WHEN VEHICLE IS RESTARTED, ONLY THE ABS WARNING LIGHT STILL ACTIVE. AFTER BRAKING IN SAFE LOCATION, ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES, AND WARNING LIGHT GOES OFF. DEALER INVESTIGATION STATES THAT THE MALFUNCTION IS LIKELY CAUSED BY EXTREME LOW TEMPERATURES. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. *TR

AFTER EACH TIRE ROTATION, ~EVERY 10,000 MILES, TIRE NOISE BECOMES PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. AT 47,000 MILES, MECHANIC STATES THAT TIRES ARE WORN UNEVENLY, DUE TO ALIGNMENT ISSUES. *TR

WE WERE DRIVING THE CAR IN THE USUAL MANNER WHEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT MAKING THE CAR VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE BUT WAS VERY SCARY AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. THE CAR RETURNED TO NORMAL ONCE IT WAS SHUT OFF AND THEN RE-STARTED SOMETIME LATER. *TR

HOT DAY, VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FOR 20-30 MINUTES WITHOUT MOVING. POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. WAS ADVISED TO TURN IT OFF THEN ON FOR TEN MINUTES, WORKED FINE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 MAZDA3 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON A 90 DEGREE DAY AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. WE HEARD A THUMP, LIKE RUNNING OVER A PAVEMENT REFLECTOR, THEN 20 SECONDS LATER THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD TO USE TWO HANDS TO PULL IT OFF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER A RESTART, THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK. *TR

WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC ON A HOT SUMMER DAY I WENT TO CHANGE LANES TO GRAB A COMING EXIT, IN THE MIDDLE OF MY LANE CHANGE THE CAR BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN, TO THE POINT THAT I ALMOST HIT THE CENTER MEDIAN. ONCE I WAS GOING STRAIGHT I LOOKED AT MY DASH AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WAS ON. I PULLED OVER I TURNED THE CAR OFF AN ON AND MY POWER STEERING CAME ON. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO THE MAZDA DEALER AND THEY QUICKLY RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND PUT IN A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP. THE FACT THAT THE MAZDA DEALER WAS AWARE THAT THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WAS POSSIBLE ON MY CAR BUT DID NOT TELL ME LED TO ME ALMOST BEING IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 2008 MAZDA 3 HOME FROM VACATION. SHE WAS IN NEW YORK CITY WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. SHE STOPPED CAR. RE-STARTED APPRX 30 MINUTES LATER IT WAS OK. THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN WHILE STILL IN NEW YORK. SHE WAS ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. SHE COULD NOT STEER CAR AND HAD TO STOP IN THE HOV BUS LANE. SHE WAS ALONE IN THE CAR WITH HER NEWBORN BABY. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 38000, LESS THEN 3 YEARS OLD, ALWAYS MAINTAINED AT 3000 INTERVALS. WE HAD TO PAY OVER 600 TO HAVE FIXED AND WERE TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH ELECTRICAL. SOME COMPONENTS FAILED AFTER HAVING IT BACK FOR 2 DAYS, RETURNED TO DEALER AND HAD TO PAY ALMOST 200 TO HAVE REPAIRED. WE ARE OUT OVER 800 FOR A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. IN ADDITION WE HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT COVERED ALMOST NOTHING. *TR

HI - I SAW IN A NEWS STORY THAT YOU OPENED UP AN INVESTIGATION INTO MAZDA3 POWER STEERING. THIS IS A PROBLEM I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF TIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. I HAVE A 2008 MAZDA3 PURCHASED NEW IN EARLY APRIL 2008. BASICALLY, THE POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT TWICE ON ME - THE VEHICLE IS STILL FULLY FUNCTIONAL AND THE WARNING LIGHT DOES GO ON, BUT IT JUST REQUIRES A LOT OF MUSCLE TO TURN ON THE CAR. BOTH TIMES, IT WAS ON A WARM DAY (I LIVE IN CHICAGO) AND TOWARD THE END OF A RELATIVELY LONG COMMUTE (1 HOUR 15 MINUTES+) OF MOSTLY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, SO I WONDERED IF IT MAY BE HEAT-RELATED BUT THAT COULD ALSO BE COINCIDENCE. THE FIRST TIME, I DROVE IT THE REMAINING MILE OR SO AND WAS ABLE TO PARK IT. AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR, POWER STEERING STILL DIDN'T WORK. WHEN I CAME LATER (EITHER A FEW HOURS OR THE NEXT DAY), IT WAS FINE. SECOND TIME WAS SIMILAR, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE BETTER MENTAL NOTES OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE TRIGGERED IT - THIS TIME, IT WENT OUT SHORTLY AFTER I CUT THE WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO ONE SIDE WHEN THE CAR WAS PRACTICALLY STATIONARY. AGAIN, HARD TO TELL IF THAT WAS WHAT TRIGGERED THE PROBLEM OR IF IT WAS SHEER COINCIDENCE ... THIS TIME, THOUGH, I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND WHEN I RESTARTED IT, IT WAS FINE. NOT SURE WHAT ELSE YOU MIGHT NEED TO KNOW... I AM UP-TO-DATE ON MY SERVICING AND THE FIRST INSTANCE OCCURRED ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AFTER SERVICE AT MAZDA (A WEEK IN WHICH I HADN'T REALLY DRIVEN THE CAR SINCE WE WERE ON V

VEHICLE: 2008 MAZDA3 5 DOOR SEMI-AUTOMATIC AFTER IDLING FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINS. THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND CHANGED GEARS WITH NO EFFECT. I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME WITHOUT POWER STEERING. THE NEXT DAY THE POWER STEERING RETURNED WITH FURTHER INCIDENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA, MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE POWER STEERING LOCKED AND SHE WAS ABLE TO USE EXTREME FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL ONTO THE EMEGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND WHEN IT WAS RESTARTED, IT BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,000.

2008 MAZDA 3 5 DOOR, APPROXIMATELY 39,000 MILES. DRIVING ON INTERSTATE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT ~10 MPH. HEARD A CLUNK-LIKE NOISE AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. REALIZED I HAD LOST POWER STEERING. PULLED INTO A SERVICE STATION, CHECKED FLUID AND BELTS. NOTHING LOOKED TO BE WRONG FROM THE OUTSIDE. AFTER 20 MINUTES OR SO, RE-STARTED CAR AND POWER STEERING HAD BEEN RESTORED. NO SIMILAR PROBLEM SINCE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY '08 MAZDA3 5-DOOR, 2.3L ON THE I80/94 EXPRESSWAY IN STOP AND GO CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC, I LOST POWER STEERING. IDIOT LIGHT CAME ON. WAS ABLE TO STEER CAR HOME; JUST NO POWER STEERING. PER OWNER'S MANUAL RESTARTED CAR AND PROBLEM WAS GONE. POWER STEERING HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE. HAPPENED WITH ABOUT 36,000 MILES ON CAR. *TR

1. WHILE THE CAR WAS STOPPED FOR MORE THAN 5 MINUTES THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING INCLUDING THE AIR CONDITIONER 2. LOSS OF POWER STEERING 3. STOPPED THE CAR AND WAITED FOR A WHILE AND THEN RESTARTED THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. *TR

MY CAR IS A MAZDA 3 SEDAN 2008 MODEL UNDER WARRANTY. THE POWER STEERING FAILED 3 TIMES NOW RANDOMLY WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR LIGHTS UP AND THE STEERING FEELS VERY HEAVY WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCUR. THE PROBLEM GOES ON AND OFF. MY SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME HE CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE DURING THAT TIME I WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP, THE PROBLEM IS NOT HAPPENING. I TOLD HIM, WHY WAIT FOR THE PROBLEM TO OCCUR BEFORE YOU FIX IT. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE DEALT SOON. *TR

FAILED POWER STEERING FOR 2008 MAZDA 3: I HAD NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM UNTIL IT WAS TO LATE. I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND NEAR MY MAZDA DEALER WHEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. UNABLE TO TURN STEERING WHEEL AT IDLE, BUT ABLE TO STEER AS THE CAR SPEEDS UP--BUT HAD TO PUT MUCH EFFORT INTO IT. I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW. I WAS UNAWARE OF ANY RECALLS FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP FOR PART REPLACEMENT. DESPITE PART REPLACEMENT, I'M SURE THERE WILL BE MORE STEERING PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND MY STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO MOVE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND CHECK THE STEERING FLUID AND THERE WASN'T A LEAK. I WAS SCARED AS THE CAR WAS VERY HARD TO STEER AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE IF THAT HAPPENED IN THE HIGHWAY OR HIGH SPEED ROAD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ITS ROUTINE 3,000 MILE MAINTENANCE, THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING MODULE WAS EXHIBITING FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THE POWER STEERING FAILURE WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND WOULD BE REPLACED AT THEIR EXPENSE. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE EXACT REPAIRS BEING MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 32,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MAZDA3. WHILE REVERSING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED BY THE AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 12,885. UPDATED 7/28/10 *CN THE DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING MOTOR, PUMP AND LINES. UPDATED 08/04/10*JB