NHTSA Complaint #10328364 — 2008 MAZDA MAZDA5

CAR WAS IDLING IN THE GARAGE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, WHEN I WENT TO BACK IT OUT OF THE GARAGE THE STEERING RESPONSE WAS EXTREMELY HEAVY (E.G. NO POWER STEERING) AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD WAS ON. I DROVE WITHOUT POWER STEERING -- VERY DIFFICULT -- FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES -- THEN CAME HOME, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND LET THE CAR COOL. AFTER COOLING OFF THE POWER STEERING RETURNED AND THE WARNING LIGHT NO LONGER CAME ON. VARIOUS ONLINE FORUMS INDICATE THIS IS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH MAZDA 3S AND 5S, AND THAT THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TO MANY VEHICLE OWNERS WHILE DRIVING. MAZDA HAS ISSUED A TSB, BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. SEE: [BEGIN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN] TSB: 06-002/09 2007-2009 MAZDA3 AND 2007-2009 MAZDA5 - HEAVY STEERING EFFORT WITH POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON AND DTC C1099 APPLICABLE MODEL(S)/VINS 2007-2009 MAZDA3 VEHICLES (NOT INCLUDING MAZDASPEED3) WITH VINS BELOW (PRODUCED BETWEEN APRIL 1, 2007 AND NOVEMBER 4, 2008) '2007-2008 JM1BK****** 742201 - 880507 '2008-2009 JM1BK****** 100002 - 251982 2007-2009 MAZDA5 VEHICLES WITH VINS JM1CR***** 155672 - 349055 (PRODUCED BETWEEN PRODUCED BETWEEN APRIL 1, 2007 AND NOVEMBER 4, 2008) DESCRIPTION SOME CUSTOMERS MAY FEEL THAT THE STEERING EFFORT IS HARD OR HEAVY WITH POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATION AND DTC C1099 [ELECTRO HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST STEERING (EHPAS)] STORED IN MEMORY. THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY CONTAMINATION OF THE SYSTEM FROM SUCH THINGS AS CORROSION GETTING INSIDE THE POWER STEERING LINE, STICKING IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP, AND LOWERING THE REVOLUTION SPEED. THE SYSTEM THEN GOES INTO A FAIL SAFE FUNCTION. CUSTOMERS HAVING THIS CONCERN SHOULD HAVE THEIR VEHICLE REPAIRED USING THE FOLLOWING REPAIR PROCEDURE. [END EXCERPT FROM TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN] I AM WRITING BECAUSE I FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT MAZDA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR AT ITS EXPENSE, NOT THE OWNERS'. THANK YOU.*TR