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 2004 Mazda RX-8 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 80 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 80, in the owner's own words
The electric power steering randomly pulls hard to one side while driving. There are brief spasms of forceful jerks each jerk is 1-2 seconds the series of jerks lasts 10-20 seconds and usually stops with power steering failure all while driving.
JULY 2017 WHEN I START THE CAR THE STEERING GEAR TURN TOO THE RIGHT ALL THE TIME. FEW MILE THE STEERING GET HARD AND START SHACKING BY IT SELF. NOW THE STEERING IS HARD WITH ABS AND CONTROL TRACTION LIGHT ON. I SEND IT TOO A MECANIC TOO CHECK THE WIRING AND RACK AND PINON AND THE MECANIC INDICATE THAT IS THE TORQUE SENSOR AND I HAVE TOO CHANGE THE RACK AND PINON.
STEERING TURN ALONE
WHILE DRIVING MY 2004, MAZDA RX8 THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MODULE FAILED, AND JERKED THE CAR AGGRESSIVELY TO THE LEFT INTO THE ONCOMING LANE OF TRAFFIC. THE FORCE WAS SO STRONG THAT IT CAUSED MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL. FORTUNATELY, THERE WASN'T ANY ONCOMING TRAFFIC AT THAT MOMENT ON THAT PARTICULAR STRETCH OF ROAD. WHEN REVIEWING THE MAZDA FORUM THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS THAT EXPERIENCED THE SAME LOSS OF CONTROL OR FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, MAZDA HAD POWER STEERING ASSIST RECALLS FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS, REF. MAZDA3/MAZDA5 POWER STEERING RECALL NOTIFICATION 6010H.
MY POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY GOES OUT FROM TIME TO TIME. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE SHOP 4 TIMES. THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THIS DESIGN AND THE VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY,THE POWER STEERING OF THE VEHICLE FAILED SND 2 MADE IT EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. I'VE HEARD OTHERS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT MAZDA HAS NOT ADDRESSED IT
ELECTRIC-ASSIST POWER STEERING, RANDOMLY IN THE PARKING LOT THE WHEEL WILL TURN ALL BY ITSELF, ONE WAY TURNS EASIER THAN THE OTHER, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE NO POWER STEERING AND OTHER TIMES YOUR STEERING WHEEL TURNS LIKE BUTTER, I LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH A VERY WINDY AND DANGEROUS ROADS, I'VE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS FINALLY ONE MECHANIC JUST UNPLUG THE WIRING HARNESS SO THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. IT IS VERY SCARY TO DRIVE ESPECIALLY WITH A NEWBORN BABY. THERE ARE A LOT OF CARS ON THE ROAD WITH THIS ISSUE I KNOW 10 DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOME SORT OF POWER STEERING ISSUE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I'M SURPRISED THERE IS NOT A RECALL YET ON IT. I'VE HAD TWO FRIENDS THAT ARE CLOSE TO ME THAT HAVE THIS ISSUE AS WELL, ONE FRIEND WRECKED HIS CAR THE OTHER FRIEND SOLD IT I BELIEVE TO PICK-N-PULL SO IT WOULD NOT HURT ANYONE, PLEASE HELP AND MAYBE HELP SAVE A FEW LIVES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING WITH YOU
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION OR AN ELECTRICAL FAULT WITH THE POWER STEERING. THE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR WAS REMOVED, CLEANED, DIELECTRIC GREASE WAS ADDED TO THE CONNECTOR, AND THE CONNECTOR WAS RE-INSTALLED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. KELLY MAZDA (1200 WYOMING AVE, SCRANTON, PA 18509, (570) 342-7831) WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
STEERING WHEEL VIOLENTLY SHAKES UPON TURNING AND NOW ON STRAIGHT-AWAY DRIVING. HAS BEEN SMELLING OF EXCESSIVE GAS FOR OVER 4 YEARS UPON START UP, DESPITE DEALER CORRECTING RECALL ISSUE WITH FUEL PUMP DISCHARGE PIPE.
MY POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I STARTED MY CAR. TOO HARD TO STEER MY CAR WHEN I DRIVE.
THE COOLANT OVERFLOW HOSE IS ABOVE POWER STEERING HARNESS. THE FLUID LEAKS ON THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING HARNESS CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTINUITY AND GROUND,CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT START UP AND WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS FAULTY ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING UNIT AND POWER STEERING MODULE WILL RESULT IN INJURY AND OR DEATH.
ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2016 I HAD STOPPED TO VACUUM OUT MY CAR AT A CAR WASH ON HIGHWAY 11 IN ATTALLA, AL. UPON LEAVING THE CAR WASH I TURNED LEFT ONTO PLEASANT VALLEY RD AT A SLOW SPEED IN FIRST GEAR. AS I WAS TURNING I SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR I HEAR A BREAKING NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL ABRUPTLY SPUN TO THE LEFT AS THE CAR WENT IN A DEEP DITCH FLIPPING ONTO ITS ROOF, THEN HITTING A SMALL CULVERT AND LANDING ON IT'S SIDE. AS I WAS INSPECTING THE VEHICLE TO SEE WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED, THE PASSENGER LOWER CONTROL HAD BROKEN AND THE BALL JOINT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CONTROL ARM.
MY POWER STEERING GOES IN AND OUT AS IT PLEASES; ONLY WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO AND CUTS UP WHEN DRIVING AND HAD TO TURN OFF CAR TO MAKE IT WORK TO ONLY MAKE IT REPEAT AGAIN. DOES THIS ONLY WHEN DRIVING. AND NOT SAFE FOR ANYBODY WHO IS DEALING WITH THE NO POWERSTEERING ISSUES OR HAVE STEERING BUT WITH MANY FAULTS THAT CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENTS/DEATH MAZDA FIXED OTHERS BY WIRE TAPPING ALL DELETING THE POWERSTEERING CONNECTIONS. BUT ONLY HAVING THE ISSUE LATER DOWN THE ROAD THEY DID THIS AROUND FEBRUARY/MARCH OF LAST YEAR AND HAD IN AND OUT POWERSTEERING AFTER 3 MONTH OF THEIR REPAIR.
SYNOPSIS: POWER STEERING GOING CRAZY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. STARTING APPROX 2 YEARS AGO, THE POWER STEERING WOULD SHUDDER, OR JERK BACK AND FORTH, WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL (SOMEWHAT SHARPLY), FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER THE CAR WAS STARTED. THIS HAPPENED EXCLUSIVELY IN COLD WEATHER, AND AT LOW SPEEDS. ONCE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION FOR A FEW MINUTES, THE BEHAVIOR WOULD CEASE. THE COLDER THE WEATHER, THE STRONGER THE JERKING (IT SEEMS). HOWEVER, A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE STEERING EXHIBITING THE "NORMAL" AMOUNT OF SHUDDER, AND THEN STOPPED AS USUAL. BUT A FEW MINUTES LATER WHEN I WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY (AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS), IN RELATIVELY STRAIGHT LINE, THE STEERING SUDDENLY BEGAN VIOLENTLY JERKING BACK AND FORTH. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS WAS DISCONCERTING. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR USING BOTH HANDS (I AM A STRONG ATHLETIC MALE). THE EVENT LASTED ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS BEHAVIOR WHEN I FIRST NOTICED IT A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS ONLINE ABOUT THE SHUDDERING BEHAVIOR AT STARTUP. ONE SUCH THREAD (THERE ARE MANY) IS HERE: HTTPS://WWW.RX8CLUB.COM/SERIES-I-TROUBLE-SHOOTING-95/STEERING-WHEEL-SHAKES-MORNINGS-219210/ AND A VIDEO SHOWING THE BEHAVIOR IS HERE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=8XZSRXWTH8S&FEATURE=YOUTU.BE&T=1S ALL OF THE REPORTS INDICATE IT HAPPENS IN THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF OPERATION, THEN THE STEERING IS FINE. SO I WAS NOT OVERLY CONCERNED. BUT THIS LAST EPISODE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WAS VERY SCARY, AND I THINK WARRANTS IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION. THANKS, RICK
MY ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING HAS BEEN ACTING LIKE IT IS SHORTING OUT. IT STARTED OFF AS SOMETHING THAT FELT WEIRD BUT GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. AS I WOULD TURN AROUND A CORNER THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD FEEL LIKE IT WAS BOUNCING BACK OR FIGHTING BACK, YOU COULD FORCE IT PAST THE JOLTING BUT IT WOULD MAKE CORNING VERY AWKWARD AND CONCERNING. AT FIRST IT WOULD HAPPEN MAYBE EVERY FEW TIMES I DROVE BUT IT GOT MORE AND MORE TO EVERY TIME I DROVE THE CAR. I EVENTUALLY JUST UNPLUGGED THE POWER STEERING AND HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITHOUT IT SINCE.
"TAKATA RECALL" MY POWER STERING GOES OUT ALL THE TIME DOESNT MATTER IF IM SITTING STILL OR IM GOING DOWN THE HIGH WAY. IT DOES EVENTUALLY COME BACK ON BUT DOES GO BACK OFF. IT ALSO WILL CAUSE MY STERING WHEEL TO JURK LEFT AND RIGHT BY ITSELF CAUSE ME TO SWERVE IN AN OUT OF LANES. IT GOT TO THE POINT NOW WHERE I HAVE THE POWER STERING UNPLUGGED SO THAT IT DOESNT JERK MY WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. I JUST NEED TO KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL THAT WILL PAY TO FIX THIS CAUSE ITS GETTING DANGEROUS. PLEASE CONTACT BACK WITH ANY INFO
THERE HAS BEEN COUNTLESS TIMES WHERE I AM DRIVING AND MY STEERING JUST WANTS TO FAIL. OK SO NOW IT FAILS AND SOMETIMES, WITHOUT WARNING, JERKS MY WHEEL ONE DIRECTION. IF I AM NOT PAYING ATTENTION I COULD EASILY SIDESWIP ANOTHER CAR. IT HAS DONE IT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND I HAVE HIT THE CENTER MEDIUM BENDING MY RIM AND DESTROYING MY TIRE. I HAVE BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAN NEVER GET IT WITH THE LIGHT ON. I HAVE PAID FOR TWO DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOS THE ISSUE. THE ONE TIME I GOT IT IN THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE THE LIGHT BUT ONCE THEY PLUGGED THEIR STUFF IN IT DISAPPEARED. THEY THEN SAID THE TERMINALS JUST NEEDED TO GET CLEANED CHARGING ME FOR THAT AND LESS THEN 1 DAY LATER THE ISSUE WAS BACK. SOMETIMES IT ALSO DOES JUST FAIL WHEN SITTING STATIONARY AS WELL AND THE WHEEL JUST STARTS TURNING ITSELF AND EVENTUALLY THE LIGHT COMES ON. PLEASE HELP IN FIXING THIS ISSUE.
I HAVE HAD MY ELECTRONICALY ASSISTED STEERING GO OUT ON ME AND POSE A SERIOUS RISK TO ME AND OTHERS WHILE I DRIVE. THIS WAS 1ST NOTICED WITH A SLIGHT SHUTTER OR KICKBACK WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, WHILE I DID NOTIFY THE DEALERSHIP; THEY TOLD ME THAT UNLESS THERE WAS A CODE THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING. THIS WAS AFTER IT WAS ALREADY REPLACED WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED ONE. WHEN I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE TOW GUY EVEN STATED TO THE DEALER THAT THE STEERING INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON. BUT WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED AT THE DEALER THE LIGHT WAS NOT ON. I'VE HAD TO DRIVE THIS WAY FOR A WHILE NOW AND IT HAS BECOME WORSE TO WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND IS HARD TO TURN, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE 80% OF THE TIME I DRIVE.
THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING HAS A CONNECTION DIRECTLY UNDER THE COOLANT OVERFLOW. COOLANT CAUSES THE CONNECTION TO GO BAD, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS MY POWER STEERING WOULD COMPLETELY CUT OUT. ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE IN AN ACCIDEN. AND FROM WHAT I READ ONLINE IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE. I DO BELIEVE THIS TO BE A HUGE SAFETY RISK.
TAKATA RECALL AFTER COMPLETING THE "INTERIM REPAIR" THE CARS POWER STEERING WILL INTERMITTENTLY GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING, OR PULL TO THE RIGHT ELECTRONICALLY AND FORCEFULLY WITH NO NOTICE, THIS IS A SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AS, IN ADDITION TO THE CAR PULLING HARD RIGHT WITHOUT NOTICE, SOMETIMES WHILE CORRECTING FOR THE PULL THE POWER STEERING COMES ON WITHOUT NOTICE FORCING THE STEERING CORRECTION TO SWERVE LEFT. ALSO THE ABS AND TCL LIGHTS TURN ON AN OFF INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THE 'INTERIM REPAIR' . THE POWER-STEERING WILL GO IN AND OUT WHILE STOPPED, IN MOTION IN EITHER CITY OR HIGHWAY, AND WHILE GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE OR WHILE TURNING. ' THIS IS GOING TO KILL SOMEONE
THIS INVOLVES THE ELECTRICALLY ASSISTED STEERING. WHILE HAVING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT COVERED THE PART THE DEALER KEPT SAYING THAT THERE WASN'T AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING, EVEN AFTER I HAD SHOWED THEM HOW TO MANUALLY DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE; AND THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE PAYING FOR IT BUT THE WARRANTY WOULD. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT KEEPS GETTING WORSE THE STEERING INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON AND THE ISSUE IS CONSTANT. WHETHER AT A STAND STILL, DRIVING, OR TURNING. THE WHEEL LITERALLY LOCKS UP AND REQUIRES YOU TO USE FORCE TO BRAKE IT FREE, WHEN THIS HAPPENS YOU HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY COUNTER ACT THE EXTREME BREAKING FORCE (ROTATIONAL) THAT YOU APPLIED SO YOU DON'T SIDE SWIPE ANOTHER CAR. (THIS IS NOT JUST FROM THE ELECTRICAL ASSIST NOT WORKING BUT THE RACK ITSELF) WHEN YOU DO COUNTER THE FORCE, NOW YOUR GOING THE OTHER WAY DEPENDING ON THE ORIGINAL FORCE. THIS CAN AND MAKES IT SEEM TO YOU AND OTHERS THAT YOU SNAPPING THE CAR, EXTREMELY QUICKLY IN YOUR LANE FOR NO REASON. BUT ALSO DUE TO THE FORCE AND SPEED MAKES THE CAR WANT TO BREAK TRACTION AND SPIN OUT. ANOTHER INSTANCE IS WHERE YOU HAVE LITTLE (STILL MANUAL) FORCE ON THE WHEEL AND THEN THE TEETH OF THE GEAR SEEM TO JUMP OR BOUNCE FROM 1 TO THE OTHER WHICH LEADS TO A QUICK SWAYING OF THE CAR NOT QUITE SNAPPING. AND FINALLY NOW AND RECENTLY THE ELECTRICAL ASSIST SEEMS TO BE KICKING IN AND ADDING MORE TURN TO THE WHEEL. SO WHEN YOU THINK YOU'VE FIXED THE SWAYING FORCES THE ELECTRICAL ASSIST ADDS MORE FORCE AND IT THROWS YOU OFF ON HOW MUCH OR LESS FORCE YOU HAVE TO USE SO THAT YOU DON'T TAKE OUT ANOTHER VEHICLE THESE KINDS OF THINGS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AND NEED TO BE FIXED, SO THAT NO ONE GETS HURT. I HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE INSTANCES NOT HITTING PPLS ALSO I AM UNABLE TO GET MY STATE INSPECTION OR A PROPER ALIGNMENT OF THE VEHICLE SO THIS IS PUTTING WEAR ON MY TIRES AND I AM UNABLE TO SELL THE VEHICLE
ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL INDEPENDENTLY TURNED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A CURB AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL WAS CURVED AND FRACTURED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
FOR SOME REASON THE POWER STEERING START WORKING INTERMITTENT, NOW IT IS NOT WORKING AT ALL. MAY CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE HARD TO MANIPULATE. MY LIFE IS IN DANGER. *TR
POWER STEERING SUDDENLY STARTED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT THEN WENT OUT. *TR
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.
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