2018 Mazda3 electric steering problem?

Tim56

Member
:
2018 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback
Good morning ladies and gentlemen. So I recently purchased a new 2018 mazda 3 sport hatchback 6 speed mt. After driving it for a few days I noticed that the steering wheel seemed to be off center to the left. I had the dealership take a look and apparently the alignment was out of spec so they corrected it. Afterwards I didn't really notice a difference and the off center steering persisted. I took it back a second time to the dealer and they aligned it again and claimed they had resolved the issue. After a short drive home I noticed nothing had changed. Now I've also noticed recently that the steering feels lighter turning the wheel left as opposed to the right. Almost like there is more resistance making a right turn as opposed to left. So now I'm thinking this could be a problem with the steering rack itself or some other component of the eps. This is my first car with electric steering so I don't know too much on the subject. Does anyone have any suggestions or trouble shooting routes I should take? Thanks.
 
First, I would ask to speak with the dealership's service manager about this issue. Tell him or her exactly what you are experiencing and how often your car had been serviced. If for some reason he or she tells you that there is nothing they can do, consider calling Mazda's customer care and telling them about this quandary. You may also want to take your car to another Mazda dealership for a thorough analysis, if all else fails.

By the way, when you wrote
I noticed that the steering wheel seemed to be off center to the left
I thought you meant that the steering wheel, itself was not centered (and that it was rotated to the left). Or did you mean that the steering wheel was centered and your car steered to the left?
 
Thanks for the advice concept. In regards to the steering wheel being off center what I meant was while driving straight I have to rotate the steering wheel slightly to the left otherwise I start drifting to the right. I do know that roads are concave so I have tested this in parking lots and the middle lane of the highway. I actually am scheduled to meet with a different mazda dealer in my area just to get a fresh set of eyes on the problem. If that fails I guess I'll have to take it up the chain. It's very frustrating considering that mazdas are known for having superior handling on the road.
 
You're welcome, Tim. What the dealership should do is keep your car (and set you up with a loaner car) for a few days to figure it out. A number of things can cause steering issues such as:
tire(s) - internal construction or tire pressure differences
alignment issue due to hardware
steering component damage

Let us know what the second dealership finds and whether any solution they offer fixes the problem.
 
I’m not crazy! I am currently having EXACTLY the same issue with my 2018 Mazda3 hatch (auto trans). After new tires, brakes and alignment I noticed immediately that the car’s steering felt different, and that the wheel was tilted slightly left, but the car pulls slightly right. They’ve rechecked my alignment but the issue persists. Hopefully this is something covered under warranty?
 
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