NHTSA Complaint #10321173 — 2008 MAZDA MAZDA5

2008 MAZDA5 WITH 55,000MI (90% HIGHWAY DRIVEN). WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH IN TOWN THE STEERING WHEEL ALL OF A SUDDEN BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN AND I NOTICED THE STEERING FAILURE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD. PULLED TO A SAFE LOCATION AND CALLED MY DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT IT WAS A VOLTAGE TRIP AND IF I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT WOULD RESET AND WORK AGAIN. THE STEERING DID WORK AFTER I STARTED THE ENGINE AND I HAVE DRIVEN ABOUT 200 MILES WITH NO OTHER OCCURRENCE. ON FRIDAY I HAD MY OIL CHANGED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WHEN I TOLD THEM OF THE PROBLEM THEY INDICATED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE MY PUMP AND A LENGTH OF HOSE. WHY THE HOSE TOO? ITS 6,000MI OUT OF WARRANTY. AFTER SOME INTERNET SLEUTHING, IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON MECHANICAL FAILURE THAT MAZDA IS NOT DEALING WITH RESPONSIBLY. HARD TO IMAGINE THEY ARE NOT LEARNING FROM TOYOTA'S AND HONDA'S EXPERIENCE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY IF THIS FAILURE OCCURS UNEXPECTEDLY ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVEN BY AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER. NOT SURE ABOUT NOW BUT MANY OWNERS EARLIER IN 2010 WERE HAVING TO WAIT OVER 5 WEEKS TO GET A REPLACEMENT PUMP DUE TO A BACKORDER ISSUE. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT MAZDA IS NOT PROACTIVELY DOING A VOLUNTARY RECALL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM AND SUGGEST TO MAZDA THAT REPLACING THE FAULTY PUMPS UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY IS GOOD FOR SAFETY AND GOOD FOR BUSINESS. *TR