NHTSA Complaint #10324289 — 2008 MAZDA MAZDA3

WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC GOING ABOUT 5 TO 10 MILES PER HOUR AT EACH BRAKING INTERVAL. WAS READY TO MOVE AGAIN AND HEARD A FUNNY PLASTIC CLICK NOISE FROM THE FRONT. THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE LATCH TO STEERING WHEEL OR HAD RUN OVER SOMETHING ON THE ROAD. WENT TO TURN THE WELL TO MAKE SURE NOTHING WAS THERE AND STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO STIFFEN EXTREMELY. AFTER A FEW SECONDS A WARNING LIGHT CAME UP IN THE DASHBOARD THAT WAS OF A STEERING WHEEL AND A EXCLAMATION MARK. WAS ABLE TO BRAKE AND ROUGHLY TURN THE WHEEL TO PULL TO THE LEFT MEDIAN OUT OF TRAFFIC. WENT TO GLOVE BOX AND PULLED OUT VEHICLE MANUAL AND LOOKED UP THE WARNING INDICATOR THAT LIT. IT TELLS YOU TO PULL OVER AND PARK SAFELY AND TO TURN THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY OFF TO SEE IF THE WARNING WILL GO OUT OR STAY ON. I TURNED MY VEHICLE OFF AND GAVE IT A FEW SECONDS AND TURNED IT BACK ON. IT WENT OUT AND THE POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY HAVE RECENTLY HEARD OF THIS ISSUE AND TO BRING IT IN SOMETIME THIS WEEK IF POSSIBLE. I TOLD THEM I WOULD BRING IT IN THAT MORNING. I TOOK IT TO THEM AND WHEN WAITING TO SIGN PAPERS AND TURN OVER MY KEYS WAS TOLD ANOTHER CUSTOMER IN FRONT OF ME WAS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THE REPAIRS ARE AT NO COST TO ME AND THEY OFFERED TO GIVE ME A RENTAL CAR DURING REPAIRS. ONE DAY TO HAVE REPAIR KIT DONE. *TR