Steering, Breaks....
 

The "brakes break" thread made me do it!

On the weekend, my steering broke. Little icon on the dash confirms it, like an old Simpsons episode - "the function you requested...steering...is not in service"

It happened slowly, first time I just restarted, icon goes away, steering normal. Stop for gas - again no steering, restart, OK. Then finally just the yellow light and restarting does nothing.

Searched the previous steering threads (of course!) to see if there were any precedents, but nothing sounded similar to my symptoms.

Got it booked in today, hopefully have some answers in a few hours.... :sad:

S

"Steering Angle Sensor" reading bad.
WDS showed a new RX-8 sensor reads "minus 9 to plus 9", and zeros at, well, "zero". Mine reads "minus 2" all the time, so the computer figured maybe I didn't really want to turn left all the time, and shut the system down.

Parts on order.

S

no calibrations on the steering angle sensor? that's a bummer you gotta wait for a part.

Parts.....
 

Ooh, the parts came in...the sensor is an integral part of the steering rack - motor, sensor, pack & pinion - it's all one piece!

I can't imagine how much it costs (I've tried - can't do it! :mdrmed: ) but that is what they sent, on warranty.

I reminded the tech that people had installed an "extender", the wiring harness was too tight and needed a little slack. He said there was nothing in the "book" about that, or on the "site", but he would phone Mazda. Sure enough, they said there was such a piece, but it was so rare they had not added it to the database....

Next part now enroute....

S

Wow! I've not heard of this before. I must admit, I have some trepidation about steer-by-wire because I've had vehicles fail on me in various ways and then been able to steer them safely off the road or stop them by putting both feet on the brakes.
(because I'm so strong and manly ;) )

Did you have any problems with the steering prior during your last few drives? Delay? Ratio off? Non symmetric response?

We accept statistic risk about so many things on so many levels, this would just be one more so I won't lose sleep over the idea that an unlikely, but simple electrical failure could mean I'm suddenly unable to steer while doing 70mph on the freeway. However, as an electrical engineer myself I'm curious about the failure mode.

We don't have steer-by-wire - we have electric assist. It functions just like hydraulic steering assist - a failure of the assist system like StealthTL had just mean he had manual steering instead of power steering - just like your example of failed hydraulic assist.

Ah, cool, very cool. I misunderstood the function of the system. Go48 was kind enough to post some pages out of the shop manual, but I must admit I hadn't heard of electric assist at all until then so I'm sure I don't understand the system. I drive an RX-8, but I couldn't build one or hardly even fix one.
;)

My RX-7's didn't have power steering. A hassle at a complete stop, but once even slightly moving not an issue at all.

I'd be curious to hear how much the parts cost for this repair.

Fixed.....
 

Yeah, it was no biggie, just a little stiff in the parking zones.

Anyway, fixed today - the piece was a lot bigger than I anticipated, about two feet long, the whole harness from the top of the rad to the rack, including two ground points.

Nice to dump the "armstrong" steering though!

S

The assist on the 8 is nominal to none at highway speed. When mine crapped out I didn't know it was gone until I reached the red light at the end of the interstate ramp and had to turn right from a stand still.

When my steering died they replaced the ABS/DSC pump because the ECU was freaking out. Bet it was in need of the new harness but it was so long ago that the harness fix didn't exist yet.