Steering notch?

Faults and Technical chat for the Mazda CX-3
User avatar
clawhn
Posts: 58
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2015 9:55 pm
Location: Blaenavon, South Wales.

Post by clawhn »

Whilst on holiday if France I noticed that when driving straight on smooth surface A roads / motorways I could feel a slight "notch" in the steering but only when the wheel is in the straight ahead position. It fells like a slight restriction when making small inputs but only when driving straight. I don't do much motorway driving in the UK so hadn't noticed this before.
Has anyone else experienced this?
2018 Mazda CX3 Sport Nav+ Petrol Manual Eternal Blue. Detachable tow bar. Blaenavon, South Wales.

church0708
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 12:05 am

Post by church0708 »

Hi, I'm glad someone else has posted this. I noticed it on my 2019 CX3 the other week whilst driving home. Its fine around town but out on the open road it did have a "notch" as you say.
Exactly the same whilst putting only a slight movement into the wheel it seemed to "stick" and then move. I want to take it to the dealer but I know they wont be able to find the fault whilst driving out of the workshop or on the ramp!.
Maybe it is a fault but hasnt been mentioned before?
2019 CX3 sport nav, ceramic white
Strangways
Posts: 751
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 10:35 pm
Location: Edenbridge Kent
Contact:

Post by Strangways »

I haven't noticed it on mine, but I will look out for it. It could have something to do with the software for the G-Vectoring steering.
2019 CX-3 2.0 Sport Nav+ Automatic in ETERNAL BLUE
2015 MX-5 2.0 Sport Nav Manual in SOUL RED
NeilMarshall
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2019 5:44 pm
Location: Preston

Post by NeilMarshall »

I noticed this on mine the other week, whilst driving on the motorway. Not a clue what it is though.
2018, sport nav, 2.0 litre petrol, manual, 2WD
switchback
Posts: 138
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:55 pm
Location: South Norfolk

Post by switchback »

I've got exactly the same thing on my car and was going to post on here about it. I've now done 13,000 miles and noticed it a couple of months ago. I didn't know if it was something that had developed or whether it had done it all the time and I'd only just noticed it. I too was reluctant to take it back to the dealer for fear of not being able to replicate the "fault". It tends to do it when very slight movements of the steering wheel are required when going in a straight line but the camber of the road draws you to the left. You move the wheel slightly to keep going straight ahead, a slight resistance is felt through the wheel and then the wheel turns and goes "slack". I think mine is getting worse now...........Perhaps the yaw sensor needs replacing/calibrating?
2018 CX3+ Sport Nav 120 Petrol Manual. Machine Grey.
switchback
Posts: 138
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:55 pm
Location: South Norfolk

Post by switchback »

church0708 can you add your car details to your posts like other have so we can see what you're driving. It looks like we all have very similar aged cars............
2018 CX3+ Sport Nav 120 Petrol Manual. Machine Grey.
User avatar
clawhn
Posts: 58
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2015 9:55 pm
Location: Blaenavon, South Wales.

Post by clawhn »

Thanks for the responses. I was beginning to think I was the only one with this issue. Mine had it's first service last week and I too didn't raise the issue with the dealers as it's not easily replicated on a test drive. Now I know I'm not alone I will get the the dealers to check it out. Should be sometime soon as they failed to do a OS software even though they said they had so I need to return......Grrrrr.
2018 Mazda CX3 Sport Nav+ Petrol Manual Eternal Blue. Detachable tow bar. Blaenavon, South Wales.
User avatar
HouseSpider
Posts: 545
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2018 11:47 am
Location: New Forest

Post by HouseSpider »

When I had a CX-5 as a courtesy car back in April I reported on this forum about the weird steering sensation ( I could feel the power steering trying to pull to left or right of centre with a bit of slack in the control). Whether it is the same as you are experiencing or not I don't know. But I definitely don't get it on my 2017 model.
I also felt a difference in the steering when test driving a newer CX-3 earlier in the year. The new steering didn't feel as responsive or as direct.
Sports Nav Auto Petrol 2017, 131bhp (chipped), Soul Red, Half Stone Leather, Safety Pack, Arm Rest, Auto Folding Mirror Kit, Detachable Tow Bar, HatchBag Boot Liner, Stebel Nautilus Compact horn. Space saver.
Strangways
Posts: 751
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 10:35 pm
Location: Edenbridge Kent
Contact:

Post by Strangways »

HouseSpider wrote: Tue Dec 10, 2019 9:35 pm When I had a CX-5 as a courtesy car back in April I reported on this forum about the weird steering sensation ( I could feel the power steering trying to pull to left or right of centre with a bit of slack in the control). Whether it is the same as you are experiencing or not I don't know. But I definitely don't get it on my 2017 model.
I also felt a difference in the steering when test driving a newer CX-3 earlier in the year. The new steering didn't feel as responsive or as direct.
The steering on my new CX-3 is very different than my previous (66) model. The G-Vectoring has been added together with completely new suspension. It took a while to get used to it, but I find it much better. On the earlier model I was forever correcting the steering, the new set up is a lot less stressful.
2019 CX-3 2.0 Sport Nav+ Automatic in ETERNAL BLUE
2015 MX-5 2.0 Sport Nav Manual in SOUL RED
switchback
Posts: 138
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:55 pm
Location: South Norfolk

Post by switchback »

Mine went in this week to have this looked at and they couldn't find anything wrong. When I was collecting the car I spoke to another technician who wants it back in to take a test drive. He seemed a bit more informed on how the steering works and thinks it could possibly be a steering position sensor issue. Apparently the sensor consists of 2 discs each with a hole close to the edge through which a light shines. As you turn the wheel the holes close up (like an eclipse) and start to block the light from shining through. This then activates the electric power steering pump. He seems to think there is a delay in this function operating.

Has anyone else reported this issue? If not, please do as it goes on the Mazda database and if there are enough reports then it will be looked at by Mazda to see if there is a common fault.
2018 CX3+ Sport Nav 120 Petrol Manual. Machine Grey.
Post Reply