Snake8

I've had my 8 for a little less than a year now. And a strange thing happened last night as I was parking the car. I was parking the car in a rather tight space. So I had to turn the steering wheel all the way to the left and right while I was moving the car in right spot. I did that for a few times (don't remember how many times), and then something weird happened...the steering wheel stopped at half way and would not turn anymore. I turned it back to the other direction and tried it couple more times...samething...only it stopped at random points. What the F#*$^?

All this happened while my 8 was parked. When I moved the car, it turned but heavy?! I drove around couple blocks just to see how it felt. It felt so heavy, almost like it was lossing power assist. I was pissed but clueless.

Turned off and parked the car for about 30 minutes. Then started it again...now it went back to normal. Drove around again...normal. The next morning...normal.

I have no idea what happened. It had never happened before. Has anyone experienced it? Can anyone tell me what might've been the cause? Any thoughts? Thanks.

Snake8

Anyone? Please.

aa@uow

I think I had the same problem!!!!!
https://www.rx8club.com/australia-new-zealand-forum-37/power-steering-disappeared-after-having-few-donuts-72157/

Snake8

Thanks for the reply. yeah...we had the same problem. Did u turn the steering wheel completely to left and right when u were doing donuts? I think the electric motor for power assist may have been over worked a little. After a while without over loading it, it goes back to normal. Just my guess.

Has it been normal since then?

Rx8black

I pass for that and the problem it`s the gear steering . go to the garage They ghange that.

Gomez

Ok, this is what happened. Your Electric Power Steering (EPS) motor has a self protection strategy. If you turn lock-to-lock rapidly for any length of time (as you did), your motor draws a large amount of electric current. More current equals more heat. There is a threshold in-built to protect the motor from overheating. You reached that threshold. The system reduces current (and therefore power assistance) to allow the motor to cool down. Time before full current is restored is a maximum of 15 minutes.

No harm done. The system worked as designed.... .

Cheers,
Gomez.

SHOWOFF

I randomly loose PS all the freaking time. It goes in spurts. Yesterday it was off most of the day. It is related to some sort of connector under the airbox. I'm just too lazy to check it.

Snake8

Thanks, Gomez. That matches my guess. Makes me feel much better. U must've read it somewhere, right? If so, can u tell me where? Thanks again.

TORacing

Mine does the same, where is this connector?

Gomez

Horse, this is a known problem. The connector is on the radiator support panel. There is a new splice-in wiring harness that fixes the problem. If your dealer is switched on, he should know about it. If he doesn't, he can use the search button!!!

Cheers,
Gomez.

Gomez

I have a few Mazda manuals I like to read when the missus kicks me out into the doghouse.... :p . One of them is the Mazda Service Highlights Manual. Ebay is your friend.

TORacing

Cool, last time it went out the dealer replaced the PS control unit, which cost me $1000 since I have no more warranty! Then two weeks later I ran over a pothole and it went out again, then the next morning it worked again. It did this for a while and then it just stopped working all together and then about two weeks ago it came back on while I was at the track and then as soon as I launched the car hard and it wheel hopped bad the PS went out again. So I figured it was a bad connector somewhere I just didn't know where.

Rx8black

My car have the same problem again I don`t know what`s going on ,they replaced the wiring hardness,the problem continued,they change the ps module...problem continued and the last they changed the rack and pinion... and the last week the problem started again 5 times in the dealer with the same problem.