[Hawker]

Has anyone had trouble with their power steering?

My Mazda3 Sport has developed a whine after only 1000km which gets worse while the wheel is being turned. I don't know if it's coming from the pump or from the belt driving it. I'm taking it in tomorrow.

Also, I see evidence of slight rear rotor grooving that's been mentioned. How many km's have other people had on their car before they've had problems with the rear brakes?

I've had the car for about 3 weeks, and it was shipped over from Japan in late January.

 

[dinu01]

I suspect this is normal for the type of PS we have on the 3...

 

[Hawker]

Any idea as to why it would suddenly start making a noise that it didn't make before?

I've heard similar noises from power steering pumps on plenty of other cars, just not this severe. I guess it's got 3 years/80,000km to break, so I can afford to wait and see if it settles down.

 

[bman]

Has anyone had trouble with their power steering?

My Mazda3 Sport has developed a whine after only 1000km which gets worse while the wheel is being turned. I don't know if it's coming from the pump or from the belt driving it. I'm taking it in tomorrow.

Also, I see evidence of slight rear rotor grooving that's been mentioned. How many km's have other people had on their car before they've had problems with the rear brakes?

I've had the car for about 3 weeks, and it was shipped over from Japan in late January.

Check the pads, I heard from a Mazda service tech that most of the grooving is caused by pads that are not aligned to the rotors. Make sure they do not machine your rotors to fix the problem (because this is decreasing the life of your breaks).Instead insist on new parts. Afterall it is Mazda that is paying for the warranty work not the dealership.

 

[mbhrdc0re]

Yea, my powersteering wines quiet a bit too. I have only 1800mi. on it. Let me know what your dealer said.

 

[porkchop]

its electric power steering , no hydralic pump . The noise is normal.

 

[Hawker]

??

Then why is there a fluid reservoir marked "power steering" under the hood of my car?

 

[porkchop]

hmm that's a good question , maybe it's got hydralic assit , But if you search around on the net you will find discusions on the Electic power steering on the 3 . Just look for a pwer steering pump by the resevoir or somewhere in line with the drive belt . I'm pretty sure there isn't one and that the system just uses electricly controled hydralics not a belt driven pump . the wine you here is indeed and electirc whine .

 

[Hawker]

Just had another look under the hood. I don't see a belt driven power steering pump, and the hoses from the fluid reservoir go down to a canister type object, which in turn have hoses that lead away under the engine.

It looks like it may have an electrically powered hydraulic power steering pump. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Hawker]

Doh, didn't see your reply before my last post.

 

[gummcgay]

The sound to me is more like a tiny singing bird hiding in the engine area.

 

[mbhrdc0re]

As I understand it, there is an electric motor that drives the pump, not the engine. Thats how its able to control the steering feel.

 

[Hawker]

Just took my car in - the head mechanic had a listen, agreed it was excessively loud, and put in an order for a new pump.

 

[factrzero]

It whines

It whines, it dines, it dims the lights, and sometimes there are spots where the wheels will lock up a bit as your turning (not a smooth linear turning of the wheels, feels like ABS for your power steering).

It's all part of the joy of driving with electro-hydraulic steering in the parking lot.

 

[roadbikin]

The power steering is electronic assist. The whine you hear is from the motor and perfectly normal.