Power steering out again, garage wants to put in new again
 

2004 Mazda had a new rack, power steering module and steering column put in almost a year ago. The cost of these repairs was 2,500. In December the engine failed, the engine was replaced including the catalytic converter, and a new starter. The cost for those repairs 1,500 (a majority was covered by Mazda). We've barely driven the car due to it being winter, now the power steering is gone again....and of course the shop recomends replacing the rack and module again (of course parts are no longer under warranty) . This car has cost us over 7,000 in repairs since purchased in 2007. You name it it's been replaced....I am fed up. I am currently unemployed and I am in no financial shape to pay another 2,500 in repairs for the power steering again, and don't really think that changing out the parts again is going to be a long term solution. It has become beyond ridiculous. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Try cleaning the connectors first.

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...hlight=covered

Thread is long, but there is sone good info in there. It's one of many threads.


If cleaning doesn't do it, then you can try hard wiring around the connectors, and then maybe you'll have to go for the harness if that doesn't do it.

Also, look at you coolant overflow hose and extend that down below the connectors.

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...8&d=1301056300

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...9&d=1301056300

Yep, that thread has what you need. But read the whole thing.

The PS is very sensitive to resistance values on those lines. Once I was tired of messing about, I cut that gray bastard the hell out of there (the one with 3 skinny wires) and soldered the wires directly. End of problems.

i love how some stealerships just randomly throw parts at it and hopefully it "might" fix the problem ...

most dumbasses at those place can't fix shit --- they rely too much on "SHOP MANUAL" to tell them what to do --- they are either brain dead or just too dumb to try to find the root cause and treat the FSM as the holy bible.

I would suggest you just clean the connectors first. if it does not fix ur problem try to test the wire for problems. I have a feeling its the wiring.

Not that racks don't go out, but I wonder just how many have been replaced when they didn't have to be?

Thanks
 

Thanks for all your replies, I also feel that the rack and module are NOT the issue. But it's so hard to pin point it. I am female, know very little about cars and I only know one person who might be able to do these things, but he is soooo hard to get pinned down to a time. I am going to get on the phone and call Mazda as it was them who told the dealership last year what to do. Hope that they help cover some of the cost of repairs. I am also told that the coil needs to be replaced, does anyone think that the possible loss of power from the coil could cause failure to the power steering?

No, the coil and power steering are unrelated. However, the coolant reservoir could be cracked and leaking on the wires for the power steering.

Have you had any stereo/alarm work done or has the dealership done any other electrical work? I created my own PS problem when I tried to run a cable through the firewall next to the wireway boot. It turns out I cut a few wires in doing so and took me a while to figure it out. It wasnt immediate and my power steering would work intermittently. Really made it a bish to track down.

you not serious are you ?

cut the 3 skinny wires and solder them together... got rid of my intermediate PS issues. Lol you don't need to replace the whole rack, the coolant overflow just happens to be on top of the connector, which will spill out radiator fluid on it. Cut solder done :)

No, exactly what happened to me. However, my car had front end damage at one point; may have damaged the reservoir. I am aware that the overflow tube is what normally spills, but that was addressed thoroughly in the other (already linked) thread.

Unless you think the ignition coils killed the PS motor? Can't comment on that.

Seriously, do NOT go replacing the rack.

Try cleaning the connectors first. That SHOULD work.

Worst case scenario, buy the new harness, it's about $100.

Then, once its fixed, go get a new service center....

+1 harness, and install a piece of aluminum tubing into the reservoir overflow tube and direct it away from anything important

not that I ever have an overflow issue to begin with using Evans NPG-R racing coolant ....

Finally found the problem....
 

Thanks to everyone's replies I went back to the dealership and told them we are not paying to put a new module and rack in again....I told them everyone told me to check to the connectors. I said worst comes to worst there must be a way to check the rack and the module....so today I called them and they told me they put in a rack from another car and that didn't work either. So they then checked the connectors. I guess they claim that when you test the connectors with a probe you are applying pressure to the connector so the probe lights, but when you actually connect the connectors they don't have any pressure. So, for all of you dealing with this issue, keep that in mind that the connectors once connected sometimes do not have pressure for them to actually work.

Thanks everyone for all your help!
Sue :yelrotflm

That makes a lot of sense cus mine were clean wen I checked them but I'm gonna hope it gets fixed wen I solder hard wire it tomorrow

true to the word, I had the same problem and got the link. I had the two connectors cleaned up as well as the Torque sensor connections. End of the problem , it is working fine and I was also told to change the rack n pinion.

I soldered em up good and still no fix, did all 5 wires, maybe a bad wire due to heat damage? Or the module but this is one situation where that trick didn't work.

Pack the connectors full of dielectric grease before connecting them back together

I started having PS problems on my 2007. Dealer told me they were going to solder the connectors. Car works great now. I am going to extend the coolant overflow just to me safe.