Chris_niday

Good information

OptimusPrimeNL

My problem is that is has a lot of assistance when steering to the left, but not as much assistance when steering to the right, so I don't really know if steering to the left is over active or the steering to the right is under active (probably under active), when standing still I can steer to the left with one finger easily and I can still turn to the right with one finger but it takes a bit more force. See this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9GU...ature=youtu.be

Cleaned all the connectors including the ones below the ECU.
I disconnected the battery and reconnected and did the relearn steering angle sensor procedure.
I have no light on the dash.

Is there any measuring I can do to figure out where the problem is? Like resistance or voltage of sensors? or do I just have to start replacing parts and hope that that fixes it?
If so, what should I replace first Harness? EPS ECU? Steering rack?

titaneum_grey

Hi, Ive been reading everything I can find on this. Everyone I find seems to report they tuned the car off and on restart the EPS trouble began. And that's what it was like for me the first time I had a steering issue. However this time was different.
I had a rack put in not 3 months ago and thought I was good as far as my steering goes but my EPS indicator light came on last night 'while I was driving' and I lost my power assist. This morning I did a connection check, swapped out my control modual, disconnected the battery for a bit, did a break pump reset and reset my ESC. No improvement. While putting the covers back on I found a gray connector just in front of the modual box was disconnected. But even after I reconnected it I got no improvement. wondering if I need to disconnect my Battery again

cra2yshyan

Guys anyone still here and suffering PS problem? I have finally sorted my PS issue, but lett me tell some short story.

My PS gone on last two months and i ended up fixing it by disconnecting and connecting the socket, sprayed contact cleaner too. Im happy that i fixed it but then it only last for a week.
On second failure, i did the same prrocedure again and it last me another week. I repeated the same thing again and again, but the day the PS working became shorter like from a week to 5 days then 3 days then not even a day.
And finally no matter how many times i clean the socket, the PS wont come back. Gave up and drive it without PS for two weeks until I give it a try again.

What I did is spray the contact cleanner like usual, use mini flat screw driver to scratch the copper pin, then spray contact cleaner again so that nothing left from the scratching process. after that the most important part, slightt bend the pin towards the direction of tthe contactt point in female socket to make sure it contact more and super tight. after than cable tied the wire and socket tight without any possible movement when you are driving the car.

And my PS never has an issue anymore

Kenaz21

Hello,
I have had my rack replaced 2 times with a used rack. The issue comes and goes.The mechanic states their was a lot of internal resistance,i'm assuming in the power steering motor, when he had the car hooked up to a scope/scanner. Where else could this resistance be coming from?I also replaced power steering wiring harness prior to replacing rack with no success.All of the contacts have also been cleaned.Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks
Ken

MANIACman

My PS failure was a result of a one time coolant leakage (When I had just bought it) and getting into the connectors. These connectors are in a bad spot so I think one thing of value is to get them out of the way of future possible coolant leaks. I just got a longer hose so coolant sprays onto the road not inside the engine bay. The connectors themselves are (Sorry Mazda) rather crappy. I replaced them with some connectors (GM?) that I use on radio work. They are sealed where the wire goes in and when you push the male and female connectors together there is a seal there as well. When they are connected they really are locked together. That said they can be disconnected quite easily versus the kind that once connected require incredible hulk strength to push in the tab and get them apart. Oh, I'm sure there will be people who disagree but I always solder the pins after crimping them. I got into a hell of an argument with some guy who said crimping (alone) was better. I don't know how it possible to get worse by doing both.

The RX8 is my all time favorite car but there are some things about it that can be made much better with a little work. Like gauges for water and oil. Why did they cheap out on that? That would have been so much better had they put a temp gauge that showed some movement before you hit nuclear melt down. And that oil gauge connected to nothing? That REALLY pisses me off. I wonder if anyone has somehow made the stock gauges useful in some way? I'm probably going to just get a second source set of gauges but....

Kenaz21

Thanks for the reply. Which copper pin are you referring to? The one on the wiring harness from the rack to the connectors? Or the connectors that go to the module?
Thanks
Ken

sappari

The connector above the radiator fan. I tried bending the pin but the problem kept coming back. There was just too much metal fatigue due to age. If you change the wiring harness, only half of the connector is being replaced, so the connection is still loose. I suspect you're having the same problem because you're using old racks. It's probably not the rack, it's the connector. Specifically, the female connector. I cut the connectors off and just soldered the wires together and it's been working great ever since.

Kenaz21

sappari

The 3-wire connector. If you want to get fancy and want to re-pin the connectors, search for "weather pack connector". If you want quick and dirty, you slap on a wire tap and just electrical tape it to keep water out.

Kenaz21

Kenaz21

Jordan777

Censors were cleaned, replaced the harness, nothing. Replaced the rack and pinion, nothing. Replaced the modulator, still no assistant. Checked for elec shortages all are fair. Need more ideas. 05 shinka. Help.

smelsoom

Hello Guys

So got my RX8 04 plate i love it really good apart from i have lost power steering when the car died and had to change the spark plugs and coils and cables now i have no power steering i have cleaned all the harness and found this cables connector are broke the clip dosn't link the cables together i will put them together again but do not know the 2 ends are
can anyone please advise please

Many thanks

Jon316G

iTrader: (1)

I used to have power steering failures almost weekly and back in 2008 I spliced the wires together and eliminated the wire harnesses. Since then I have yet to experience power steering failures.
Go back to post #65 to see what/how I did it. Its another option ;-)
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tro...3/#post2528487

Travis Eide

TidBit

Has anybody noticed that the Overflow for the engine coolant is positioned right above the power steering connectors underneath the air cleaner

swoope

iTrader: (5)

nope,

you are the first person to pick that up. to bad you are 14 years late to help us.

i should have looked down.

beers

OldJeb

Okay so i have a similar problem in the sense that the power steering fails.

I've been getting this issue as of late where all the warning lights (power steering, battery (on more than the rest), abs) will come on (except the check engine light) and the power steering will fail. It doesn't stay like this the entire time and it seems to be connected to the accelerator because it comes on mostly when i accelerate.. Although it may come on once i get past 25 mph. Some people told that it is the battery connecters and they were pretty old (dont think they've been changed since the first guy who bought this car), but even after i changed those out it still happens. I've gone to AutoZone and checked both the battery and the alternator but both came back good. The car handles like normal except now the a/c spews out warm air instead of cold and obviously the power steering comes and goes. Beyond that no other issues. If anybody has any ideas on how to fix this it'd be much appreciated.

TidBit

have you checked where your coolant overflow is directed. Maybe right above the power steering connecters? Because if there getting wet it could cause it to short out and act all weird

1BADFB

Hey All,
New member here. I've been building RX-7s for almost 20 years but recently fell into an -8. Everything has been going great except for the stupid power steering!

I started by building a new harness even though the old one checked out okay. It is all new - direct from the module to the rack
Replaced the rack with a known good unit, no change.
Replaced the EPS module (used, not positive it is good), no change.
Finally went through EVERY wire at the module. Resistance on the torque sensor checks out, power and grounds are good to module. Both CAN bus lines are sound. I don't see anything concerning here, but still no PS.


My question is about the EPS module. I've read many times that it "has to be programmed" but I've also seen people have luck just plugging in a used one. I find that quite confusing...
From my reading (service manuals and forums), I feel as though the only thing that needs "configuring" is the neutral positioning. There is no mention of any other programming in the service manual. If this is true, then only a virgin EPS module would need to be programmed and that's why used modules work when plugged in?

Anyways, I am stumped. I am getting code B1342-FF using the module that came with the car and with the newer module. The PS did not work when I bought the car so I am not sure the module that came in the car is original.

Is it possible for someone to conclusively answer that I need to reprogram the ECU or module beyond neutral positioning? I am not getting code B2141 (neutral positioning). Is B1342-FF the code that would come up if the module is not addressed properly or should I be looking for another module?
I do not live close to a dealer and I want to be sure that if I make the trip it is not a problem with the hardware. I don't suppose there is a way to "bench test" the module?


Thanks,
Alex

1BADFB

Well, I bought a 3rd module. Swapped it in and it worked without the need for any programming!

I now believe that that the only programming for the unit is the neutral positioning, which isn't absolutely necessary with a used module.

Spinningdorito

I cleaned my connectors quite a bit because of previous owner's "methods" anyway it was only a temporary fix and the real problem was from the steering rack and pinion. Only so much electrical cleaner you can spray before there is no way they are the problem. Lol I am not going to say how long it took me before I realized that the connectors weren't my problem

Dom Chubs

I'm just glad I got strong enough to where I can unplug the connector and drive without it. Although I had an idea. In my case, I could fix power steering for a few days by simply unplugging it and plugging it back in. What if I wired a switch from the two connectors into the cabin and just flicked it from inside to get it to work? That would be one hell of a convenient option instead of a $1,000 repair at a shop.

JTS09

I doubt that would work, since the issue isn't power going to the connector, but the connection itself. The most robust "fix" seems to be eliminating the connector by soldering the wires together. Just make sure that you insulate & waterproof it well.