[truffryderz99va]

Ok here's what happen: I was driving thru DC and long story I had to make a quick u-turn from my lane to go the opposite way. Well about 3/4 thru the turn, I ran into like a 2 or 3 inch high curb (prolly was a little higher now that I think about it)and from what it sounded like was that I just scrapped my wheels. Ok not that big of a deal cause I plan on getting new wheels, but I what I didnt notice (visually) was that now anytime that I try to make a turn (usually the steering for the most part straightens itself out) that the steering wheel just kinda "locks" in that position and I have to manually return the steering wheel back to its normal position. (picture yourself making a 90 degree left hand turn and take note to how the steering "unfolds" itself and returns back to the original straight driving position. Well now my car no longer returns to that original position, it just kinda sticks there until manually returning the wheel to the original straight position) So my question is what in the hell did I mess up, and please tell me that this is a easy fix!! I realize the Mazda6 has a poor turning radius but I thought I could make that u-turn :nono:

 

[dabears2k]

Sounds like you damaged the steering rack. You need to take it in immediately

 

[Iluv2zmzm]

Sounds like you damaged the steering rack. You need to take it in immediately
[/b]

:yesnod: :yesnod: stop driving immediately!!!!

most definitely the rack, had to get mine replaced after my accident, i noticed the wheel wasnt coming back on its own after turns...

cost was something like $1,700, on her insurance

 

[MZBuckeye]

:yesnod: :yesnod: stop driving immediately!!!!

most definitely the rack, had to get mine replaced after my accident, i noticed the wheel wasnt coming back on its own after turns...

cost was something like $1,700, on her insurance
[/b]

Owch! Good luck!

 

[truffryderz99va]

Damn, thats not what I wanted to here.......Ok, well hopefully the parts wont cost "that" much and I can get back on the road soon. Thanks for the information guys...

 

[Waldo]

I find it hard to believe it's the rack. The rack doesn't cause the wheel to return to straight, the suspension geometry does. If the rack is messed up and has a lot of friction though, it will prevent the steering from returning. But the rack is behind the center of the wheel. If you hit a curb on the right side while making a left turn, I would think you would put more load into the control arms. Depending on how you hit though I guess it could try to force the wheel to turn more, which would "stretch" the rack.

Just make sure to carefully check all the suspension components before spending $1700 on a rack!

 

[truffryderz99va]

I find it hard to believe it's the rack. The rack doesn't cause the wheel to return to straight, the suspension geometry does. If the rack is messed up and has a lot of friction though, it will prevent the steering from returning. But the rack is behind the center of the wheel. If you hit a curb on the right side while making a left turn, I would think you would put more load into the control arms. Depending on how you hit though I guess it could try to force the wheel to turn more, which would "stretch" the rack.

Just make sure to carefully check all the suspension components before spending $1700 on a rack!
[/b]

Well Waldo, you were correct......Me and my auto mechanic just replaced my steering rack as of Sunday and the problem is still there :irate: I even went and got a wheel alignment done, and that still didnt fix my ills. Good thing is i didnt spend anything close to the $1700 for the rack (thx to Jason over at Montgomery Mazda). Bad news is that im still at a loss for what could be my ills, in addition to at some point when the steering wheel was being attached back to the rack my volume controls and cruise controls buttons on the steering wheel dont work anymore either :huh: I do remember turn the steering a couple times in either direction while it was unattached from the rack. Im guessing thats where I f-up. (Maybe the steering wheel can only turn a certain amount of times in either direction before wires start getting twisted and eventually break...?? MAYBE, shit i have no clue)Now I hear this weird low-volume clicking sound when I turn the wheel. Can someone tell me how in the world did I f--- this up also?? I guess lastly, I will have to have my mechanic reinvestigate the control arms and see where we missed something.....This is becoming a expensive pain in the a-- to fix! :swearin: Anyone have any ideas??

Also, can someone point me in the right direction to finding the electrical schematics for the steering wheel controls. Maybe it could be as simple as a fuse blown out (I highly doubt that!)

 

[6 Pack]

What a mess !!! Go back to the dealer (or installer)

If you can get your money back with the rack , but you'll lose your labor costs ..... maybe the noise is from the new rack ? As for turning the steering too many times , isn't the dealer responsible for doing that (if it's a liable reason for your ills) ?

Shematics recently found here in another thread (may be in there) : http://www.newchicken.com/Portal/dl_showal...sub_name=Others

Good luck and let us know

 

[Waldo]

All the electricity to the steering wheel pases through the clockspring. These can only turn maybe 2 extra rotations and then they break. The noise you hear sounds exactly like a busted clockspring, so now you will need to replace that too.

Look very closely at that lower control arm (the one closer to the front of the car on the right side). Look closely at the point where it's attached to the subframe. This may be very hard to see, but I wouldn't be surprised if you've actually bent the subframe so that the bolt is now crooked. The arm itself is likely still fine. The part of the subframe I'm talking about is the vertical wall that the bolt goes through, not the flat part that is parallel to the ground.

 

[truffryderz99va]

And the plot thickens....I took my car to my trusted mechanic again yesterday and he seems to have noticed that the side that got hit now has a non-straight strut. When I first looked at it myself I kinda noticed it but then I took a look at the strut on the other side and it looks about 95% the same as the "other" strut. So instead of risking the idea of buying another strut (which still may not fix my problem)I think I will just bow down and take it to the dealership :irate: :tear:

In addition to all the ills I have been having, now the Airbag light on the dash is lit up!! Go figure...Now I have like 3 problems, 2 of which are more than likely very closely related so i dont have much options now. It kinda scares me that I may have non-functioning airbags so Im taking it to the dealership ASAP.

By the way, does anyone know where I can buy a 03-05 Mazda 6 Auto Repair Manual at? I've looked and im starting to come to the conclusion that maybe one hasnt been made for our cars yet.............?

Side note: I took a look at where the lower control arm attaches to the sub-frame (and maybe im just to novice to notice it) and i didnt really notice anything out the ordinary. I asked my mechanic about this but i dont think he gave the idea enough time to give it a thorough looking. He just kinda glanced and said no, he didnt think it was that. Im just tired, I want my car fixed and as long as its not an absurd price, im willing to take it to the dealer and get semi-raped on the price.....

 

[dabears2k]

And the plot thickens....I took my car to my trusted mechanic again yesterday and he seems to have noticed that the side that got hit now has a non-straight strut. When I first looked at it myself I kinda noticed it but then I took a look at the strut on the other side and it looks about 95% the same as the "other" strut. So instead of risking the idea of buying another strut (which still may not fix my problem)I think I will just bow down and take it to the dealership :irate: :tear:
[/b]

Our cars don't have struts in the front...

 

[Kaiboy808]

And the plot thickens....I took my car to my trusted mechanic again yesterday and he seems to have noticed that the side that got hit now has a non-straight strut. When I first looked at it myself I kinda noticed it but then I took a look at the strut on the other side and it looks about 95% the same as the "other" strut. So instead of risking the idea of buying another strut (which still may not fix my problem)I think I will just bow down and take it to the dealership :irate: :tear:

In addition to all the ills I have been having, now the Airbag light on the dash is lit up!! Go figure...Now I have like 3 problems, 2 of which are more than likely very closely related so i dont have much options now. It kinda scares me that I may have non-functioning airbags so Im taking it to the dealership ASAP.

By the way, does anyone know where I can buy a 03-05 Mazda 6 Auto Repair Manual at? I've looked and im starting to come to the conclusion that maybe one hasnt been made for our cars yet.............?

Side note: I took a look at where the lower control arm attaches to the sub-frame (and maybe im just to novice to notice it) and i didnt really notice anything out the ordinary. I asked my mechanic about this but i dont think he gave the idea enough time to give it a thorough looking. He just kinda glanced and said no, he didnt think it was that. Im just tired, I want my car fixed and as long as its not an absurd price, im willing to take it to the dealer and get semi-raped on the price.....
[/b]

Well, hopefully everythin works but if it doesnt....just go buy a Speed6 and use your car now as trade in....

 

[Waldo]

The Airbag power also goes through the clockspring, so that will be fixed at the same time as your switches.

A bent shock (technically it's not a strut) would produce the same effect as the bent subframe I mentioned, but it would be a lot cheaper and easier! There are probably a dozen people on this board who have replaced their shocks with aftermarket ones and have the stockers sitting in the garage. 95% the same is not good enough, they should be identical except for the bracket that the ABS wire clips into.