*** Everyone with steering clunk - read this ***

Try turning the wheel near full left/right and see if there's excess play in the extended side's inner tie rod, I'd bet the bushings could be wearing out at the ends of the rack where the center "shaft" is supported/slides.
 
I was thinking it would be the bushings as well. Just don't have time to check any time soon. Also I can't seem to find anything about the racks being taken apart and getting parts for those so if I can't get the parts for it I won't mess with it that much. Just replace it.
 
Try turning the wheel near full left/right and see if there's excess play in the extended side's inner tie rod, I'd bet the bushings could be wearing out at the ends of the rack where the center "shaft" is supported/slides.

Took me a minute to envision what you're talking about, but this makes a lot of sense to me. I'll check this out next time I'm under my car, probably later this week.
 
Ok so while looking for where I am going to buy a steering rack I found a place which had a video showing all around it. There is an adjustment screw on it. Just in a place where it is hard to see on the car. I am going to check later this week if I can adjust it enough to be able to get the noise to go away. From what I know about how the adjusters work, I should be able to get it back to normal condition assuming the adjuster does what it does on other racks.
 
Did any of the TSBs mention the adjustment screw?

No. It's technically non serviceable I'm fairly sure.


I've not adjusted the lash on any steering racks, but on steering boxes its pretty easy to overtighten it to make it feel right, but if not enough lash is left when heated up from use it will stress the case, in extreme cases can split it in half, but you're way more likely to end up with bearings wearing out shortly after.


I'd venture to guess there is play between the rack mechanicals and the gear where electric assist is provided. This happens in the column on Chevy Cobalts, rack is fine, assist motor is fine, its the gears integral to the upper column that transfer the assist power.


You could try removing the PS fuse and drive to see if the noise still occurs or not. Not knowing what is exactly going on inside it may or may not be of use though.
 
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I am 99% sure that the noise in my car is from the rack not inside where the power steering is. I have turned the wheel from side to side with my head under the dash with the door open and you can hear it more from outside, you hear nothing from under the dash. I have rebuilt a number of steering racks and it isn't hard. I have never heard of a rack splitting in half, if you have it that tight it will not self center due to caster so the car just drives really odd, been there done that. Also the adjustment is probably for initial assembly at the supplier. Once it is in the car it is going to be easier to replace than adjust so that is probably what mazda has the dealers do.
 
I am 99% sure that the noise in my car is from the rack not inside where the power steering is. I have turned the wheel from side to side with my head under the dash with the door open and you can hear it more from outside, you hear nothing from under the dash. I have rebuilt a number of steering racks and it isn't hard. I have never heard of a rack splitting in half, if you have it that tight it will not self center due to caster so the car just drives really odd, been there done that. Also the adjustment is probably for initial assembly at the supplier. Once it is in the car it is going to be easier to replace than adjust so that is probably what mazda has the dealers do.

Like I said I haven't rebuilt racks, just old Saginaw and Ford PS boxes on 4wd stuff.


I was thinking that the electric assist stuff was inside the rack like on my wife's old 2010 Fusion... Oops!(crazy)
 
I don't remember seeing an adjustment screw when we replaced the rack in the 2 after the wreck at MRLS. If there is one they are hiding it.

-Derrick
 
I am pretty sure there is a cover over it. Problem #1 might be getting the cover off. I am going to look into it on Friday after work so I should have something to post this weekend.
 
OK, well I got the car into the garage and had my wife help me by turning the wheel so I could look/feel/listen around for the sound. Well turns out that the noise was just the passenger bump stop rubbing against the spring mount. The bump stop was probably pushed up at the track day, and it doesn't rotate where the spring mount does. Just moved the bump stop down a little and everything is fine. Yay. Now for brake cooling ducts.
 
So, I decided to try something today, while I was installing some pedals. I noticed that the steering clunk seemed louder and more prominent when the steering wheel was tilted at certain angles. I also noticed that there was some white grease coming out of the tilting portion of the intermediate shaft. After spraying some grease in there the clunking was gone. Now, I doubt this is a permanent fix but it seems to get rid of it in the short term. Plus it is super easy to do.

Center your steering.
Look under your dash and find the plastic shroud covering the base of your steering rack, just behind the pedals.
Lift up and pull out to remove it.
Use a 12mm socket to remove the bolt. A wrench won't be thin enough. You might need an extension. I used a small impact driver and a 12mm deep socket.
Unlock your tilt by lifting up on the lever.
Push up on the skinny part of the shaft until it detaches from it's base then pull out to reveal the bottom end of some splines.
I used some spray grease because that's what I had laying around. I think a thicker synthetic grease would be better in the long run. Coat those splines and pump it.
Re-assemble and go for a drive.

I went for a quick drive around the block and didn't hear a peep from the steering. I almost forgot what it felt like to have smooth low speed steering. It was eerie. Let me know if this works for you.
 
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So, I decided to try something today, while I was installing some pedals. I noticed that the steering clunk seemed louder and more prominent when the steering wheel was tilted at certain angles. I also noticed that there was some white grease coming out of the tilting portion of the intermediate shaft. After spraying some grease in there the clunking was gone. Now, I doubt this is a permanent fix but it seems to get rid of it in the short term. Plus it is super easy to do.

Center your steering.
Look under your dash and find the plastic shroud covering the base of your steering rack, just behind the pedals.
Lift up and pull out to remove it.
Use a 12mm socket to remove the bolt. A wrench won't be thin enough. You might need an extension. I used a small impact driver and a 12mm deep socket.
Unlock your tilt by lifting up on the lever.
Push up on the skinny part of the shaft until it detaches from it's base then pull out to reveal the bottom end of some splines.
I used some spray grease because that's what I had laying around. I think a thicker synthetic grease would be better in the long run. Coat those splines and pump it.
Re-assemble and go for a drive.

I went for a quick drive around the block and didn't hear a peep from the steering. I almost forgot what it felt like to have smooth low speed steering. It was eerie. Let me know if this works for you.

I'm going to have to do this soon. My steering has been clunking and my car is way out of warranty (I have 50k on my 2013). I'm really hoping eventually there will be a recall considering people aren't passing safety inspections and this isn't a common wear item.
 
The clunk hasn't returned on mine. It's hard to believe it can be this simple of a fix. I don't know if it was the re-greasing of the tilting mechanism or the re-tightening of the joints, it seems to work.

If people aren't passing safety inspections you'd think there's something else going on. I don't think they can fail you if it's just a noise because they would have to identify the part that needs repair/replacement.
 
I know this is an old thread, but I fixed this on a 2011 Mazda2 that I bought for my daughter. I replaced the intermediate shaft and the noise was gone. The new intermediate shaft is slightly different but is still the same basic design. For fun, with the old shaft out of the car, i pulled the shaft to its longest length and lubricated the exposed splines with lithium grease. And surprise, the clunk was gone.
I think the design change in the new shaft improves the grease retention, or flow, perhaps, so I am leaving the new one in.

It was about $100 for a new one and was easily replaced by loosening just two bolts. took about 10 minutes, max.

JB
 

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