2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE Electrical Systemignition Problems

I FILED A COMPLAINT YESTERDAY. MY COMPLAINT # WAS 10163178. THIS THE DEALERSHIP HAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AS A BAD ALTERNATOR. WE HOPE THAT THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TO DATE. HOWEVER, THE SITUATION WAS DANGEROUS, WITH THE CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE RUNNING. IN ALL FAIRNESS TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE SERVICE TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN VERY NICE AND THEY DID GIVE US A LOANER CAR. WE STILL HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF THE CAR IN GENERAL (WITH ALL THE THINGS GOING WRONG AT ONE TIME). HOWEVER, WE TRUST THAT WE WILL NOT BE HEADING TO THE DEALER ANY TIME SOON. *NM

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FAILED, I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR ON THE DRIVER SIDE. I HAD TO LOWER THE POWER WINDOW, REACH OUTSIDE OF THE CAR AND OPEN THE DOOR. I PURCHASED A HANDLE AND PAID TO HAVE THE DOOR HANDLE REPLACED ON 6/29/2005. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FAILED , LEAVING THE PASSENGER TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. PASSENGERS HAD TO LOWER THE POWER WINDOW, REACH OUTSIDE THE CAR AND OPEN THE DOOR. I PURCHASED A HANDLE AND PAID TO HAVE THE DOOR HANDLE REPLACED ON 3/13/2006. RECENTLY, EVERY TIME I CRANK MY CAR A LARGE CLOUD OF GRAY SMOKE COMES FROM THE TAILPIPE. TODAY, 6/16/2006, I WENT TO PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND THE KEY WOULD NOT GO IN. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE KEY WENT INTO THE IGNITION BUT, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR....

(1) 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE/DX-V6: NORMAL CITY/HIGHWAY DRIVING WITHIN PAST SIX MONTHS (2) CAR WOULD STALL WHEN APPROACHING STOP SIGN/STOP LIGHT (RPMS TOO LOW) (3) REPLACED IGNITION COIL VIA MAZDA DEALERS (SEATTLE, WA, PASENDA, MD, PENSACOLA, FL). *NM

I BOUGHT A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE (USED) IN MARCH 2003. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, IT BEGAN STALLING FREQUENTLY - MOSTLY WHEN I WAS BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY/PARKING SPOT. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN JULY 2003 AND THEY LOOKED IT OVER AND COULD FIND NO EXPLANATION, BUT THEY DID A PCM UPDATE ON IT ANYWAY. IT CONTINUED STALLING INTERMITENTLY - NO PATTERN TO THE STALLING. I TOOK IT BACK IN DECEMBER 2003 AND THEY AGAIN LOOKED IT OVER AND COULD FIND NO REASON FOR IT TO BE STALLING. SINCE DECEMBER, I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN APRIL AND TWICE IN MAY 2004. IN MAY, WHEN MAZDA RECALLED THE TRIBUTE FOR THE STALLING ISSUE, I TOOK IT IN FOR THE RECALL - THE STALLING BECAME 10 TIMES WORSE, NOW STALLING AT STOP LIGHTS AND AT RANDOM TIMES DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WE'VE REPLACED THE IDLE SPEED...

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES DUE TO THE HORN BLOWING ON ITS ON ACCORD. UNABLE TO STOP IT FROM BLOWING. THE HORN WAS BLOWING ON ITS OWN AGAIN TODAY. TODAY, THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED ON ITS OWN ACCORD 2 TIMES SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY WITHOUT ANY PERSONAL INTERVENTION.*AK

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE KEYS FAILED TO TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. *JB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS. KEY IGNITION PROBLEM - BACK TWICE TO DEALER TO FIX THIS. STALLED DURING A TURN - WHOLE CAR DIED, HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO STOP AND THEN PUT INTO NEUTRAL TO RESTART. PCM DIED TOTALLY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED - HAD TO BE TOWED FROM MY DRIVEWAY (THANK GOD OR I MIGHT BE DEAD) TO NEAREST DEALER - I AM AWAITING RESPONSE ON FULL CORRECTION TO PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THE NHTSA WOULD BE DOING A DISSERVICE TO AMERICAN CONSUMERS FOR NOT PRESSING THE MANUFACTURER TO RECALL, DUE TO THE LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF THE 2001 TRIBUTE. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO HAVE A 10 CAR PILE UP ON A FREEWAY OR HWY BEFORE THEY BELIEVE THE URGENCY OF THIS PROBLEM?

I HAVE A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE. I COULDN'T TURN MY KEY TO START THE CAR. AFTER CALLING THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THSI CAR. THEY SAID THERE WOULD BE NO RECALL BECAUSE IT WASN'T A SAFETY ISSUE. THEY ALSO SAID THE FORD MODEL (THE ESCAPE) ALSO WAS HAVING THIS PROBLEM. THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT YET I HAD TO PAY TO GET THIS FIXED. IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT BY FORD/MAZDA. *AK

ENGINE SUDDENLY CUTS OFF, LEAVING DRIVER WITH NO POWER STEERING. REMEDIED BY PUTTING CAR INTO NEUTRAL WHILE STILL DRIVING AND TURNING IGNITION ON. HOWEVER, SOMEWHAT SCARY IF IT HAPPENS WHILE CORNERING. OCCURS ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. *NLM

OWNED MY TRIBUTE FOR A YEAR BEFORE THE PROBLEMS BEGAN. ON 3/15/02 I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. THE DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM, BUT I HAD THEM DO A 30K MILE SERVICE AND CHECK EVERYTHING FROM FRONT TO BACK. HAD A RENTAL FOR TWO DAYS. ON 6/10/02 I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE IT SUDDENLY STARTED STALLING DEAD AT STOPS AND YIELDS. I ALMOST WRECKED DUE TO THIS. CAUSE: INTERNAL FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CONTROL UNIT, IDLE AIR VALVE, COOLANT FAN RELAY. I HAD A RENTAL FOR THREE DAYS. ON 8/5/02 IT HAD TO BE TOWED BECAUSE THE IGNITION SWITCH COMPLETELY LOCKED UP AND WOULDN'T TURN. DEALERSHIP PUT IN A NEW IGNITION SWITCH AND CYLINDER. MY KEYS HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED. I HAD A RENTAL FOR TWO DAYS. ON 11/13/02 I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND...

VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE BEING DRIVEN WITH NO WARNING. DEALERSHIP HAS MADE THREE ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT FAILURE, BUT STALLING STILL PERSISTS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 45MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY QUITS, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. AFTER MANAGING TO PULL OFF OF THE ROAD, I PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, THEN RESTARTED WITH NO PROBLEM. CALLED MAZDA DEALERSHIP. THEY WERE VERY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAD MANY OTHER TRIBUTE OWNERS CALLING THEM WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT HE WISHED HE COULD TELL ME THERE WAS A REPLACEMENT PART AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT HONESTLY, THERE ISN'T A FIX. MAZDA HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE DRIVING THESE VEHICLES, AND MANY OF THEM HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM I HAVE JUST DESCRIBED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, POTENTIALLY DEADLY. BECAUSE IT RANDOMLY RE-OCCURS, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THE DRIVING SITUATION WILL BE WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. BECAUSE THERE IS NO CORRECTIVE ACTION AVAILABLE, WE ARE TOLD NOTHING CAN...

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME MY CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT AROUND 40MPH. AGAIN I WAS GOING DOWN A HILL, AROUND A BEND JUST LIKE THE FIRST TIME. THE CAR DIES, ALL POWER GOES OUT, LEAVING ME TO TRY TO GET MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NO POWER STEERING, NO POWER BRAKES. THE FIRST COMPLAINT, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE WHOLE IGNITION, THEY SAID THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO A ZONE REPRESENTATIVE ON 4/17/02, THE DAY OF THE SECOND COMPLAINT, WHO TOLD ME BACK WHEN THE FIRST PROBLEM OCCURRED, MAZDA REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. RECENTLY, THEY DISCOVERED IT WAS A COMPUTER CHIP/SOFTWARE PROBLEM SO WHEN I CALLED IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY, THEY SAID THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY JUST HAD TO FIX IT. THEY HAD GOTTEN A LETTER FROM MAZDA STATING THAT THERE WERE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND...

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME MY CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT AROUND 40MPH. AGAIN I WAS GOING DOWN A HILL, AROUND A BEND JUST LIKE THE FIRST TIME. THE CAR DIES, ALL POWER GOES OUT, LEAVING ME TO TRY TO GET MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NO POWER STEERING, NO POWER BRAKES. THE FIRST COMPLAINT, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE WHOLE IGNITION, THEY SAID THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO A ZONE REPRESENTATIVE ON 4/17/02, THE DAY OF THE SECOND COMPLAINT, WHO TOLD ME BACK WHEN THE FIRST PROBLEM OCCURRED, MAZDA REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. RECENTLY, THEY DISCOVERED IT WAS A COMPUTER CHIP/SOFTWARE PROBLEM SO WHEN I CALLED IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY, THEY SAID THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY JUST HAD TO FIX IT. THEY HAD GOTTEN A LETTER FROM MAZDA STATING THAT THERE WERE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND...

THE TRIBUTE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. WHEN I GOT IT RESTARTED, THE TRIP ODOMETER WAS RESET AND THE RADIO STATION PRESETS WERE LOST. I ALSO HAVE INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS STARTING THE CAR - IT MAKES A RATTLING SOUND AND THE BATTERY LIGHT GOES ON.

AFTER THE VEHICLE SITS FOR A PERIOD OF 5-8 HOURS, IT WILL NOT START UP. IT TAKES SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO DO THIS ONLY IF IT IS PARKED OUTSIDE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. WHEN IT IS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS STARTING UP, NO MATTER HOW LONG IT SITS. IF THE VEHICLE IS PARKED OUTDOORS FOR SEVERAL HOURS, IT WILL NOT START EASILY.*AK

THREE TIMES THE CAR HAS LOST POWER, INCLUDING STEERING AND BRAKES.*AK

THIS IS A SECOND FAILURE, THE FIRST OCCURRING ON 05/30/01. THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS WITH TWO PASSENGERS. I COASTED ALMOST CLEAR OF TRACKS, STOPPED THE VEHICLE, PUT IT IN PARK AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE AFTER TWO OR THREE ATTEMPTS. THIS SAME TYPE OF FAILURE OCCURRED, AT THE SAME LOCATION, WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ABOUT A LITTLE MORE THAN A WEEK EARLIER.*AK

WAS GOING DOWN A SLIGHT HILL AT ABOUT 40-45 MPH WHEN I NOTICED THE STEERING BECAME STIFF. DISCOVERED THE ENGINE HAD QUIT. BRAKED (WITH SOME DIFFICULTY) AND PULLED OVER TO A STOP. SHIFTED INTO PARK AND RESTARTED. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN AGAIN, POSSIBLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND COULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN. I NOTE THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS MADE TO NHTSA ABOUT STALLING PROBLEMS IN THE 2001 TRIBUTE. I HAVE NOT YET NOTIFIED THE DEALER BUT WILL DO SO NEXT WEEK.*AK

I BOUGHT MY TRIBUTE IN AUGUST AND JUST HAD THE FIRST SERVICE DONE RECENTLY SO WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2001, I WAS NOT EXPECTING ANY PROBLEM. I WAS GOING ABOUT 45 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I COULDN'T STEER THE CAR. THE POWER STEERING HAD CEASED AND I BELIEVE THE BRAKES ALSO. I VEERED OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED THE CAR. I PROCEEDED TO FIND A PHONE TO CALL FOR ASSISTANCE AND WHEN I GOT THE CAR TOWED TO RIDGEFIELD MAZDA I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AND HE WAS ALMOST CERTAIN HE KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HE TOLD ME MAZDA HAD GOTTEN SEVERAL TRIBUTES COME IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH IS THE IGNITION FAILS AND EVERYTHING GOES OUT LIKE THE STEERING ETC. JUST WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. OBVIOUSLY, MAZDA...

I PURCHASED MY TRIBUTE NEW IN OCT, 2001. SINCE THAT TIME IT HAS STALLED OUT 6 TIMES. THIS HAS OCCURRED WHEN TRAVELING BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH WHILE SLOWING DOWN GOING DOWN HILL OR AROUND THE CORNER. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE SHOP 2 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER STATES THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. LUCKILY THIS HAS NOT OCCURED IN A HIGH TRAFFIC SITUATION AS THE TRUCK WOULD BE UNCONTROLLABLE DUE TO THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES NOT FUNCTIONING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED.*AK

TRAVELLING ON MAJOR HIGHWAY AT THE HEIGHT OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFICE WHEN VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. COULD NOT RESTART FOR 10-15 MINUTES. DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, SO THEY CALLED IN A "SPECIAL" TECHNICIAN FROM MAZDA WHO CLAIMED THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE PCM OR "COMPUTER" OF THE VEHICLE, THIS PART WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN 4 DAYS LATER. FUNNY HOW THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM YET MAZDA CLAIMS TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM! DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY WILL ADMIT THAT THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TRIBUTES IS DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY?

VEHICLE STOPPED & COULD NOT ACCELERATE. DASH PANEL LIGHTS ALL CAME ON. I WAS GOING SLIGHTLY DOWNHILL & ALSO CAR WOULD NOT BRAKE, SO HAD TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WHEN I MANAGED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT/SIDE IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE.*AK

I PURCHASED THE CAR ON 8/12/01 FROM BROWN'S MAZDA IN ALEXANDRIA, VA. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 3000 MILES ON IT AND HAS STALLED TWICE WHILE DRIVING. THE CAR STALLS ON A DECLINE BETWEEN 30-40 MPH. WHEN THE CAR STALLS, THE STEREO IS STILL ON, BUT THE ENGINE GOES OUT AND THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES GO OUT, WHICH MAKES THE CAR HARD TO DRIVE. TO FIX THIS, YOU HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE ENGINE (ALL WHILE YOU ARE MOVING). I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, THEY HAVE SAID THAT THE MAJORITY OF TRIBUTE'S AND FORD ESCAPE'S HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THE CAR. ORIGINALLY, THEY DID NOT EVEN WANT ME TO BRING THE CAR IN BECAUSE THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO UNTIL MAZDA COMES UP WITH A "FIX". I CALLED THE...

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS AND I LOSE POWER/STEERING. AFTER SAFELY GETTING MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I AM ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. THE DEALER HAS SEEN MY CAR TWICE NOW AND FINDS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, AND EXPECTS ME TO DRIVE THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. THIS STALLING HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW.*AK

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE CAR HAS DIED ON ME WHEN I WAS DRIVING; THE FIRST TIME WAS ON APRIL 20 RIGHT AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR.*AK

VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN. THE NEXT FAILURE OCCURED WHEN TRAVELING AT 40 MPH ACCELERATING ON AN ENTRANCE RAMP. THIRD FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN DECELERATING TO A STOP SIGN. ALL DASH LIGHTS COME ON AND STEERING GOES OUT, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WILL IMMEDIATELY START AFTER PLACED IN NEUTRAL. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ONE TIME BUT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE CURRENT FAILURE BUT CAN OFFER NO SOLUTIONS. DEALER HAS ADVISED WILL CONTACT THEIR SERVICE REP.*AK

THE TRIBUTE LOSS ALL POWER COMING DOWN A MOUNTAIN PASS, I STOPPED IT ON SIDE OF ROAD TURNED OFF, CHECKED OIL, IT WAS OK, SO I STARTED IT UP AND DROVE TO THE MAZDA DEALER. THEY PUT IT IN FOR SERVICE, WHEN I PICKED IT UP THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THERE WAS NO PAPERWORK. THIS HAPPENED COMING DOWN A MOUNTAIN PASS WHICH IS HAS SEVERAL SHARP TURNS. I TRAVEL THIS PASS OFTEN AND FEEL THIS IS A SAFTY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. I COULD HAVE BEEN ON A TURN WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. JUDY & BILL WHITNEY. *AK

VEHICLE STALLED 1X GOING DOWN HILL AT 40 MPH. DIFFICULT TO STEER AND BRAKE TO STOP. *AK

DRIVING AT APPROX 40-45 MPH AND ENTIRE SUV SHUTDOWN MECHANICALLY AND ELETRICALLY. COASTED TO STOP COULD NOT RE-START AGAIN, UNTIL 10-15 MINUTES LATER. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE AND THE SAME SYMPTOM/S. *AK

VEHICLE DIES WHILE DRIVING. THIS OCCURRED 3 TIMES; MAZDA AGREED TO REPURCHASE VEHICLE AFTER 4TH INSPECTION, AND THEY CANNOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THEREFORE, THEY CAN'T FIX IT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. MY NEIGHBOR TOLD ME THIS WEEK THAT THIS EXACT SAME STALLING PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO HER TWO TIMES. I FEEL THIS IS MORE THAN A COINCIDENCE AND THAT THERE IS A SEVERE STALLING PROBLEM AND A RECALL HAS YET TO BE DONE BY MAZDA. *AK

STEERING SHUT DOWN, CAR DIE OUT AT 45MPH AND CAR STALLED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING STEERING LOCKED UP WITH LITTLE PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND WAITED WHICH ALLOWED STEERING TO COMEBACK. ON APRIL 26, 2001 BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING UP. DEALER HAS HAD VEHICLE FOR ABOUT A WEEK, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE REMEDY. *AK

WHENEVER IGNITION IS STARTED THERE ARE GAS FUMES IN PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. DEALER SAYS IT'S NOT A SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND DIED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKES. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 50 MPH AND COMING TO A FORK IN THE ROAD, AS SOON AS CONSUMER MERGED TO RIGHT STEERING WHEEL GOT VERY STIFF. THEN, WHOLE DASH LIT UP. CONSUMER PUT ON BRAKES/ PUT IN PARK, AND WENT TO A MAZDA DEALER. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. AT ANOTHER DAY WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH CONSUMER WAS BEARING OVER, STEERING WHEEL GOT TIGHT AGAIN, AND VEHICLE CUT OFF.*AK