NHTSA Complaint #11098900 — 2014 MAZDA MAZDA6

WHEN TURNING MY STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE AND I CAN FEEL IT IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN STRAIGHTENING OUT THE WHEEL. THE NOISE COULD ALSO BE DESCRIBED AS A KNOCKING THAT CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL, WHILE NOT IN MOTION, OR VERY SLOW MOTION, AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN STATIONARY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. THIS ISSUE TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR SITS FOR LONGER THAN 8 HOURS. IT IS MOST COMMONLY FELT WHEN BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY. I'LL BACK OUT AND TURN MY WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT AND FEEL OR HEAR A SLIGHT CLUNK, THEN AFTER I SHIFT INTO DRIVE AND START MOVING FORWARD WHILE STRAITENING OUT MY WHEEL, I ALMOST ALWAYS FEEL AND HEAR A CLUNK OR CLUNK-KNOCK WHILE PUTTING THE WHEEL STRAIGHT. AFTER THIS INITIAL TIME, I DO NOT FEEL IT AGAIN UNLESS THE CAR SITS FOR A WHILE. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN FREQUENTLY WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL THE OTHER DIRECTION. I TOOK THIS INTO THE DEALER AND THEY BELIEVE IT TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER. IT IS OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY. THEY BELIEVE IT MAY BE SIMILAR TO OR IDENTICAL TO TSB 02-002/18. THE DEALER CHECKED THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, ALL WERE TIGHT, SO IT WAS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN. THEY RECOMMENDED PERFORMING THE REPAIRS IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED SERVICE BULLETIN. I FIRST STARTED NOTICING THIS ISSUE SHORTLY AFTER THE 3 YEAR MARK ON MY VEHICLE. THE REPAIR COSTS ARE TOO HIGH TO ADDRESS UNLESS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH I WAS TOLD IT WASN'T.