RoadVitals

2011 Mazda Mazda2 Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Dec 5, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
50%
of 16 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Mazda Mazda2 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Steering
Filed Dec 5, 2020

WE HAD OUR RACK AND PINION STEERING REPLACED AT THE MAZDA DEALER ON NOVEMBER 20, 2018 DUE TO CLONKING IN THE STEERING RACK. MY SON IS REPORTING THAT THE CLONKING AND STEERING IS MUCH WORSE WHEN SITTING STILL AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AND WHEN MAKING RIGHT AND LEFT HAND TURNS WHILE DRIVING. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE CAR DOESN'T WANT TO STEER STRAIGHT ON THE FREEWAY. I REPLACED THE FRONT PADS AND ROTORS AND FRONT STRUTS IN 2018 AS WELL. I INSPECTED THE STRUTS AND BRAKES AND SUSPENSION TODAY AND FOUND THEM TO BE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. I FIND THAT THE RACK AND PINION IS DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ID
11378040
Incident
Nov 20, 2018
Mileage
64,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 10, 2018

STEERING "CLUNKS" WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, AND METALLIC "CLANKS" ARE HEARD ON DRIVER'S SIDE UNDER DASH WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. TOOK CAR TO LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP, WHO DIAGNOSED "BAD STEERING GEAR" AND STATED "THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE." REPAIR BILL IS $1,200. LOOKING ONLINE, MULTIPLE MAZDA2 OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER IS CURRENTLY REPAIRING VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
11110605
Incident
Jul 10, 2018
Mileage
90,000 mi
Steering
Filed Sep 27, 2017

I PURCHASED THIS MAZDA 2 NEW IN JANUARY 2012. SEPT 2014 I NOTICED THE STEERING BINDING AND MAKING NOISE. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED AS RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY DEFECTIVE. A YEAR LATER SEPT OF 2015 THE SYMPTOMS HAPPENED AGAIN, AND ASSEMBLY IS REPLACED AGAIN. NOW SEPTEMBER 2017 THE UNIT HAD GONE BAD AGAIN AND DEALERSHIP ADVISED ASSEMBLY NEEDS REPLACED. I HAVE HAD ALL WORK DONE AT MAZDA DEALERSHIP. WHEN I CONTACTED MAZDA ABOUT THIS ISSUE I NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE. DEALERSHIP WAS ALSO TO TALK TO MAZDA TECH SUPPORT AND AGAIN NOTHING. THREE RACK AND PINION UNITS IN 5 YEARS SEEMS TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. I HAVE 51,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I DRIVE BACK AND FORTH TO WORK AND TO THE Y.

NHTSA ID
11030122
Incident
Sep 1, 2014
Mileage
23,000 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 8, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MAZDA 2. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH AN UNKNOWN DEALER IN BRISTOL, TN, BUT DID NOT REMEMBER WHAT WAS STATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH BILL GATTON MAZDA OF JOHNSON CITY (2909 N ROAN ST, JOHNSON CITY, TN 37601) WHO STATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE STEERING GEAR BEING DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO SPEAK WITH NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

NHTSA ID
11013708
Incident
Aug 15, 2015
Mileage
59,000 mi
Steering
Filed Nov 23, 2015

AT LOW SPEED DRIVING A CLUNKING NOISE COULD BE FELT IN THE STEERING. ON 11-20-2015 THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALER DIAGNOSIS SHOWED A FAILURE IN THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING UNIT AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE. DEALER ADVISED THAT NO TSB WAS ISSUED AND SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT A FAILURE IN THE ELECTRICAL POWER ASSIST UNIT IS A SERIOUS, IF NOT DANGEROUS ,CONDITION THAT SHOULD CAUSE THE NHTSA TO ORDER A RECALL OF THE 2011 MAZDA 2 TO MAKE SURE THE VEHICLES ARE ROAD WORTHY AND SAFE. REF: ROGER BEASLEY MAZDA, GEORGETOWN,TX INVOICE: 160299 DATED 11-20-2015.

NHTSA ID
10806242
Incident
Oct 1, 2015
Mileage
40,508 mi
Steering
Filed Nov 19, 2015

AT LOW SPEEDS STEERING HAS A CLUNKING FEEL . MAKES DRIVER FEEL LIKE STEERING IS LOOSE.

NHTSA ID
10794938
Incident
Oct 1, 2015
Mileage
40,500 mi
Steering
Filed Nov 25, 2014

TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS CAUSE A BUMPING SOUND IN STEERING, IT CAN BE FELT. THE STEERING RACK HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE PROBLEM STARTED AT ABOUT 50000 MILES AND THE CAR HAS 115000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10660939
Incident
Nov 29, 2012
Mileage
50,000 mi
Steering
Filed Oct 18, 2013

WHEN SPEEDS UNDER 20MPH THE STEERING RACK RATTLES. CURRENTLY THERE IS A TSB FOR THE REPAIR TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10548385
Incident
Oct 18, 2013
Mileage
16,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .