2011 Mazda Tribute Steering Problems

The contact owns a 2011 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and turning the steering wheel to the left, there was a slight vibration coming from the steering wheel. The vehicle then lost power steering functionality. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled off the roadway, turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had occurred twice in one month. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V282000 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Mazda Tribute. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the steering wheel became firm and failed to respond to driver input. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights started to flicker, and the vehicle stalled. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle had been repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred; however, the steering wheel became loose and unresponsive to driver input. The contact stated that on another occasion the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the steering wheel locked and could not be turned in either direction. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.

I bought the car used several years ago and in the past year have experienced the steering wheel all of a sudden appear to be locking up. I looked up the recall and found that this is a known issue with the Mazda Tribute vehicles. I checked with dealer and they agreed. I contact Mazda customer service on 3 different occasions in the last month and they have issued a case number but will not acknowledge that my vehicle is a covered VIN to be fixed. They said its not part of the recall. It is and I have asked them to look into it. When I drive and pull into a parking lot such as a Starbucks and have to make a turn off a main road the vehicle steering locks up and the recall is 7614E Mazda acknowledges that the recall is correct in which the power steering torque sensor fails but refuses to cover my specific Mazda Tribute which is 2011. This range is covered and they said they wont cover it. I need the NHTSA to investigate this and contact Mazda to enforce it being covered under the recall. When this happens I am fearful that I will not be able to turn and hit a car, a person, or a building because it becomes so hard to turn. Only remedy is to shut car off and wait 20 minutes then turn back on. Sadly Mazda keeps tell me they wont cover it.

TWICE, WHILE DRIVING UNDER 25 MPH, AND BOTH TIMES WHILE TURNING TO THE RIGHT, THE POWER STEERING HAS STOPPED WORKING. WHEN CHECKED BY A MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE STEERING SHAFT TORQUE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED: CODE B2278-2F

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON A CITY STREET, AND THE STEERING SUDDENLY BEGAN TO LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN OR CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL; IT BECAME EXTREMELY HARD. I WAS NOT ON MY BRAKES, I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT WITH MY FEET ON THE GAS. THIS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST 4 DAYS. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE TORQUE SENSOR, AND CALIBRATION. I READ THE 2011 MAZDA AND FORD ESCAPES THAT WAS BUILT IN THE KANSAS CITY FACTORY WERE RECALLED FOR THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE IN 2014 WHICH I DID NOT OWN THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME.