NHTSA Complaint #10016254 — 1998 MAZDA MILLENIA

THE POWER TILT STEERING WHEEL HAS FAILED AND WILL NO LONGER OPERATE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY DEFECT, AS THE WHEEL IS STUCK IN AN EXTREMELY UPRIGHT POSITION AND WILL NOT COME DOWN, MAKING THE CAR VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER SAFELY. FROM MY RESEARCH ON THIS SITE AND OTHERS, AS WELL AS CALLS TO 5 DIFFERENT MAZDA DEALERSHIPS, THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM. IN FACT, ACCORDING TO ONE DEALER, THE PROBLEM IS SO COMMON THAT MAZDA HAS BEGUN OFFERING A SPECIAL REPAIR KIT THAT JUST INCLUDES THE DEFECTIVE ACTUATOR RATHER THAN THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. IT IS MY VIEW THAT THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT THAT MAZDA SHOULD COVER UNDER A SPECIAL SERVICE PROGRAM OR BY RECALL. *JB