NHTSA Complaint #11018787 — 2009 MAZDA MAZDA6

SYMPTOMS: ALIGNMENT OF THE CAR WAS NOT CORRECT, STEERING WHEEL NOT CENTERED, WHEN BREAKING TIRE GRIP WAS LIMITED. RAIN EXAGGERATED THE SYMPTOMS, CAR WOULD SLIDE EASY AND WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP(TIRES ARE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION). RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAMBER SIGNIFICANTLY OUT. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TIRE INDICATED CAMBER WAS NOT CORRECT. INVESTIGATION INTO POTENTIAL WEAR ITEMS WAS COMPLETED SEARCHING FOR THE POSSIBILITIES OF WORN LOWER BALL JOINT, SHOCK TOWER CONNECTIONS AND STEERING RELATED COMPONENTS. ALL ITEMS APPEARED NORMAL. FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO CONNECTIONS OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM REVEALED SIGNIFICANT CORROSION AND SEPARATION OF WELDED STEEL ON THE ENGINE CRADLE(ALSO KNOWN AS FRONT SUB FRAME/FRONT CROSS MEMBER/FRONT K-FRAME) CORROSION WEAKENED THE CROSSMEMBER SUFFICIENTLY TO ALLOW NORMAL EVERYDAY DRIVING TO BEND THE CROSSMEMBER AND CREATED THE OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND CAMBER ISSUE. CONTINUING TO DRIVE IN THIS STATE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BREAKING THE CROSSMEMBER COMPLETELY AND LIKELY AT A TIME WHEN SIGNIFICANT BREAKING WOULD BE REQUIRED. WITH THE WHEEL OUT OF ALIGNMENT ACCELERATION/BREAKING AND STEERING ARE ALL AFFECTED DUE TO THE LIMITED TRACTION FROM MISALIGNMENT. WET WEATHER DRIVING CONTROL IS ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPAIRED.