NHTSA Complaint #10523216 — 2004 MAZDA RX-8

WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO "STICK" OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW DAYS, STEERING WENT FROM WORKING TO NOT WORKING AT ALL. STEERING MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON AND HASN'T GONE OFF SINCE. WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER (ALTHOUGH IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY) AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE EPS MODULE AND TO REPLACE IT WOULD BE ~$1100. PURCHASED THE MODULE AND THAT WASN'T THE ISSUE THEY REALIZED. DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING SYSTEM AT A COST OF $4000! WHAT A JOKE. WHY SHOULD I PAY ANYTHING FOR AN OBVIOUS DEFECT FROM THE FACTORY. I'VE READ TOO MANY POSTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND MAZDA IS TURNING A DEAF EAR. THIS COMPANY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR EVEN ALLOWING SUCH AN ISSUE TO LEAVE THE FACTORY, BUT EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT, YOU SHOULD BE IMMEDIATE TO CORRECT IT, BUT YOU AREN'T. I GUESS THAT IT WILL TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO DIE BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I TAKE A CHANCE ON DRIVING MY CAR ALONG THE INTERSTATE BECAUSE WHEN I COME TO A CURVE, THE STEERING CAN FREEZE AND I HAVE TO WRESTLE THE CAR AROUND THE TURN. A DANGEROUS SITUATION. MAZDA, DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS OBVIOUS FLAW IN THIS VEHICLE, AMONGST MANY OTHER FLAWS. AN ISSUE WITH STEERING SHOULD BE A NON-ISSUE. ARE YOU SERIOUS MAZDA? A LOT OF OWNERS CAN'T EVEN STEER THEIR VEHICLE WITHOUT CREATING A SWEAT. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR SEEMINGLY LACK OF CONCERN WITH THIS MATTER. *TR