NHTSA Complaint #10350181 — 2008 MAZDA MAZDA3

I HAVE A 2008 MAZDA 3. WHILE IN FLORIDA LAST WINTER I EXPERIENCED A FAILURE WITH THE POWER STEERING DURING EXTREME HEAT AND HUMIDITY WHILE I WAS IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. I PULLED OFF INTO A PARKING LOT WITH MUCH DIFFICULTY. MY HUSBAND THOUGHT MAYBE DUE TO HOW HOT THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS, MAYBE WE USED UP POWER STEERING FLUID. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO A NEARBY AUTO PARTS STORE, BOUGHT POWER STEERING FLUID AND ADDED A SMALL AMT. HE WAS SURPRISED THAT IT ONLY REQUIRED LESS THAN AN OUNCE. AFTER A REST PERIOD, THE CAR REGAINED POWER STEERING AND WE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANOTHER PROBLEM. WE DID HAVE A MAZDA DEALER IN FLORIDA CHECK IT OUT AND THEY CLAIMED NOTHING SHOWED UP ON THE COMPUTER. WELL, OVER THE 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND WHEN WE WERE EXPERIENCING A LOT OF HOT, HUMID WEATHER THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. IT SEEMED THAT AFTER YOU SHUT OFF THE MOTOR AND ALLOWED THE CAR TO COOL OFF, THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. WE CONTACTED THE DEALER IN PENNSYLVANIA WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY INSISTED WE BRING IT RIGHT IN AS LONG AS THE WEATHER WASN'T HOT. THEY RENTED US A CAR AND KEPT OUR CAR FOR A WEEK TO COMPLETE REPAIRS. THEY INSTALLED A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP AND NEW HYDRAULIC FLUID LINES. SO FAR, WE HAVE HAD NOT FURTHER PROBLEMS. WE COULD HAVE BEEN IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF WE HAD BEEN DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED. BOTH TIMES, WE WERE ALMOST AT A STANDSTILL. THE ONLY SIMILARITIES WERE THE EXTREME HEAT AND HUMIDITY AND THAT WE WERE USING THE AIR CONDITIONER. *TR