NHTSA Complaint #10446038 — 2004 MAZDA RX-8

FIRST INDICATIONS, THE FAILURE WARNING LIGHT UPON STARTING. USED ANOTHER CAR THAT DAY. NEXT DAY, NO WARNING LIGHT, HOWEVER, ON THE WAY HOME, THE STEERING ABRUPTLY MADE A *FULL* TURN TO THE RIGHT VERY QUICKLY (GOING ABOUT 30MPH ON A DIRT ROAD). I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE IT RAN OFF THE ROAD - NO FAILURE WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH. SINCE THEN THE FAILURE LIGHT HAS APPEARED IN INCREASING FREQUENCY TO THE POINT IT IS MOSTLY ON. WHEN THE WARNING LIGHT IS ON, THE STEERING IS ESSENTIALLY MANUAL, BUT WORKABLE. THE WORST CASE IS WHEN IT IS OFF, AND SUDDENLY GOES INTO A FAILURE MODE WITHOUT *ANY* INDICATION (I.E. THE WARNING LIGHT STAYS OFF). IT HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES, EVEN WHEN AT A FULL STOP AND THE WHEEL TURNS BY ITSELF TO THE RIGHT. PRETTY DISCONCERTING. THE FULL SYMPTOM DESCRIPTION IS THAT IT BECOMES EXTREMELY EASY TO TURN CLOCKWISE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. I'D RATHER IT WAS IN FAILURE MODE AND HARD TO STEER THAN INDICATING EVERYTHING IS FINE AND THEN SUDDENLY DECIDE IT WANTS TO GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION - ALWAYS TO THE RIGHT IN MY CASE. REVIEWING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS HERE MAKES IT SEEM LIKE A FLAW IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OR PROBABLY THE SELECTED PART(S) MAZDA USED, BUT WORSE EVEN, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT FAILURE MODES, ONE MAKING IT HARD TO STEER, BUT AT LEAST CONSISTENT, AND THE OTHER MODE LEAVING THE DRIVER GUESSING AS TO WHAT DIRECTION THE CAR WILL TRAVEL AND WHEN IT MAY DECIDE TO DO THAT. I'M HAVING IT REPAIRED AND WILL RETAIN THE FAILED COMPONENTS. WHEN IT DOES INDICATE FAILURE IT REMAINS THAT WAY UNTIL THE ENGINE IS SHUT DOWN. WHEN IT INDICATES EVERYTHING IS FINE, IT MAY FAIL ANYTIME, BUT NEVER INDICATES FAILURE. I'M SUBMITTING THIS IN HOPES THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT YET EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST CASE FOR ME WAS ON A DIRT ROAD - IF IT WAS ON A HIGHWAY ... OUCH. *TT