Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2010 Mazda Mazda3 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 31 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.
The 25 most recent of 31, in the owner's own words
Power Steering sometimes works and sometimes not. Can go out and stop working or start working, in the middle of driving. i noticed Mazda has a recall for 2007, 2008, 2009 Mazda 3 cars, but *NOT* 2010 Mazda 3. I suspect the same issue.
On Multiple occasions the Power Steering goes out and warning light on dash comes on. Very hard to steer without the PS on. This has happened on highways as well as in town in traffic. Sometimes it comes back in a few seconds on its own. Other times the car must be turned off and restarted, if you can get to a safe place. No codes appear when checked.
WE PURCHASED A 2010 MAZDA3 IN 2017. RIGHT AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE STARTED HAVING POWER STEERING ISSUES. THE CAR WOULD LOOSE POWER STEERING INTERMINETLY SO THE REPAIR SHOPS WERE NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. MY DAUGHTER HAD MOVED TO WASHINTON STATE AND AFTER LIVING THERE A COUPLE OF MONTHS THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY CONFIRMED IT WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THIS REPAIR WAS VERY EXPENSIVE WITH THE PUMP ALONE BEING AROUND $1000 TOTALING $1500 AFTER BEING INSTALLED. NOW WE ARE A YEAR AND A HALF LATER AND GUESS WHAT LIGHT HAS CAME ON AGAIN....THE POWER STEERING LIGHT. I HAVE CONTACTED THE REPAIR SHOP AND MAZDA WHICH HAVE BOTH TOLD ME THE WARRANTY IS 12 MONTHS/12,000 MILES. REALLY? FOR A $1000 PUMP AND RISKING MY LIFE? NOT ONLY ONCE BUT TWICE? ONCE THIS VEHICLES POWER STEERING IS DISABLED IT IS VERY HARD TO STEER. I REFUSE TO DRIVE THE CAR SO IT SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY UNTIL SOMEONE CAN MAKE MAZDA REIMBURSE AND PAY FOR THEIR JUNK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND THE POWER STEERING AND OIL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STEERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN MECHANIC, BUT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO COMPASS MOTORS (200 DOLSON AVE, MIDDLETOWN, NY 10940, (844) 258-3818), BUT THEY REFUSED TO ASSIST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER YELLED AT HER WHILE SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO THEN CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE DEALER CLAIMED TO HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG AND PROMISED TO HAVE THE OWNER OF THE DEALER CALL HER BACK. THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED A CALL BACK AND TRADED IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE SHE WAS TOO SCARED TO DRIVE THE OLD VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,220. *AS UPDATE: THE CONTACT HAS SUFFERED A TORN LIGAMENT DUE TO TURNING WHEEL OF THE CAR WITH NO POWER.*AS
IN MOTION ON CITY STREET POWER STEERING LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT OPERATE. RESTARTED CAR AND WORKED FOR 30 SECONDS BEFORE FAILING AGAIN. NO COMPUTER CODE STORED AND MECHANIC CAN'T FIND ISSUE OR REPLICATE ISSUE.
WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AROUND 35MPH THEN VERY SUDDENLY IN A TURN POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THEN SHORTLY AFTER STEERING CAME BACK ON. ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT
MY DAUGHTER RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2010 MAZDA 3. IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS HER POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY AND HER POWER STEERING THEN DOES NOT WORK. THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME THE CAR IS STATIONARY AND SHE HAS NOTICED IF SHE TURNS THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTS IT SEVERAL TIMES HER POWER STEERING STARTS TO WORK AGAIN. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL WHEN THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH THIS BECAUSE SHE WEIGHTS 80 LBS. WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE AT THE SHOP ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE BUT WITH IT DOING IT INTERMITTENTLY THE SHOPS CANNOT IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC CAUSE. TWO DIFFERENT SHOPS BELIEVE IT IS THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I HAVE READ UP ON THIS ISSUE AND AM AWARE OF THE RECALLS BUT 2010'S ARE NOT INCLUDED.
STEERING WHEEL, AT ANY SPEED, MOVES SLIGHTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE CAUSING IT TO BE CROOKED. ALIGNMENTS AND BALANCING HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THE WHEEL IS LOOSE IN STEERING AND INCREASINGLY SCARY SINCE IT IS SLIGHTLY CROOKED AND CAN BE VERY HARD TO KEEP THE CAR FROM OVER STEERING EVEN WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A PERFECTLY PAVED ROAD. I'M AFRAID THE STEERING PUMP IS CORRODING. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AS NEWER MODELS AND MAZDA IN JAPAN HAD A MAJOR RECALL FOR THIS VERY ISSUE. PLEASE DO A US RECALL AS IT'S DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND VERY UNPREDICTABLE ESPECIALLY ON CURVY OR BUMPY ROADS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO A STREET SIGN AND FRACTURED THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,310.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING 40-45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO OPERATE SAFELY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED AT 98,000 MILES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.
MY POWER STEERING SUDDENLY GAVE OUT WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. IT IS NO LONGER WORKING. I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT THE POWER STEERING HYDRAULIC PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS REPLACED BUT THE POWER STEERING IS STILL NOT FUNCTIONING. IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME. THERE WAS AND IS NO LIGHT LIT UP ON MY DASHBOARD INDICATING A POWER STEERING FAILURE; YET THE POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING AT ALL. THE CAR MUST BE STEERED WITH MANUAL FORCE/MUSCLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING SLOWLY OR WHEN STOPPED.
THE CAR HAS 43000 POWER STEERING WENT OUT AS I WAS DRIVING CAUSING A PROBLEM VEHICLE
STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING. CANNOT MANEUVER. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY.
STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING, UNABLE TO TURN THE CAR
I WAS DRIVING HOME IN A CITY STREET, AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 30MPH. SUDDENLY, WHILE ON A CURVE, I LOST POWER STEERING! THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY RIGID AND THE CAR ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION BY SHEER ARM STRENGTH. I NEVER REGAINED POWER STEERING. *TR
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK TODAY AND SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS POSTS, MY POWER STEERING LIGHT LIT UP AND STEERING ASSIST FAILED. 4 TIMES IN THE 4 MILE TRIP. *JS
I WAS DRIVING ON A STANDARD 40 MPH BUSY STREET WHEN I TURNED A CORNER AND MY POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED, I NARROWLY MISSED HITTING A POLE. I TOOK IT INTO A MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN HOPES THAT IT WOULD BE HONORED IN THE MAZDA3 2009 RECALL OR PERHAPS IT COULD BE HONORED IN A WARRANTY, BUT WAS TOLD NO. I FILED AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT WITH MAZDA BUT WAS FURTHER DENIED, THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME IN ANY WAY RECONCILE THE $1200 COST OF THE REPAIR NOR WOULD THEY ISSUE ANOTHER RECALL. MY LIFE WAS AT RISK AND I WAS PUT UNDER TERRIBLE DISTRESS DURING AND AFTER THIS SITUATION WITH THE COST OF REPAIRS TO THIS SYSTEMATIC DESIGN FLAW. I FILED A SECOND COMPLAINT WITH MAZDA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS STILL DENIED. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT PERSISTS IN MODELS OUTSIDE OF THE 2009 POWER STEERING RECALL AND MAZDA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CARS AND ALL DRIVERS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. DR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA, MAZDA3. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AS THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST MODULE WAS FAILING AND THAT THE FAILURE COULD RECUR SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
POWER STEERING ASSIST LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. CAR WAS VERY HARD TO STEER. *TR
PARKED CAR AFTER SHORT DRIVE. WHEN RESTARTED CATASTROPHIC POWER STEERING FAILURE VERY SIMILAR IN SYMPTOMS OF THE RECALL FOR MODELS AS LATE AS 2009. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO FIND A 2009 PART IN THE CAR. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE EXCEPT BY PERSON WITH AMPLE UPPER BODY STRENGTH TO MAN-HANDLE STEERING AND IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE ADN PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 26,000.
ON AUGUST 29TH WHILE DRIVING WITH MY 2010 MAZDA 3, GOING ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR, THE POWER STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND ALL THE WARNING/INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. I COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. I TRIED TO RE-START THE CAR, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND THE WARNING/INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON STEADY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK WARNING LIGHT, WHICH WAS FLASHING RED. IT WAS NOT A BATTERY ISSUE BECAUSE THE RADIO AND LIGHTS WORKED FINE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MAZDA DEALER. THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE WAS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT ACCESS THE PCM TO READ THE ERROR CODE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED, AND THEY ENDED UP REPLACING THE PCM. I CALLED MAZDA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND COMPLAINED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PCM FAILURE DOES NOT RELATE TO THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP. THIS IS SIMILAR TO COMPLAIN #10461029. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR AGAIN, AND I WOULD LIKE MAZDA TO TAKE IT BACK. IT ONLY HAS 23000 MILES, AND I HAVE ANOTHER 6 MONTH TO GO ON MY LEASE. *TR
HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING LOSS WITH INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATION FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR. AFTER ENGINE GETS UP TO TEMP POWER STEERING CUTS OUT. IT WILL SOMETIMES RESUME AFTER STOPPING TO LET THE ENGINE COOL. CURRENT RECALL EXTENDS TO 2007-2009 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UNTIL THE MONTH BEFORE MY VEHICLE WAS MADE. MAZDA REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS COULD BE RELATED AND SINCE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY WON'T REPAIR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, HE TURNED LEFT AND THE STEERNG WHEEL SEIZED. THE WARNING LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE STEERING WHEEL RETURNED TO NORMAL FUNCTION A FEW MINUTES LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ADDRESSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ALSO STATED THAT THERE WERE NOT ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 40,700.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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