NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE10-021: Loss of Electric Power Steering Assist
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE10-021 on June 28, 2010 and closed it on November 29, 2010. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Mazda MAZDA3 and MAZDA5 for it and links recall 10V-374 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE10-021 (also written PE10021)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed November 29, 2010
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Mazda Motor Corp.
- Components
- Steering; Steering — Electric Power Assist System; Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist System; Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist — Hose, Piping, and Connections; Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist — Power Steering Fluid; Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist — Pump
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 10V-374: LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- Mazda MAZDA3 and MAZDA5
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE10-021.
The subject vehicles have electro-hydraulic power assist steering (EHPAS).
The complaint counts shown above alleged a loss of power steering assist in the subject vehicles.
Usually, but not always, the loss is accompanied by the simultaneous lighting of an indicator light on the dash.
The complaints include 14 alleged crashes involving 6 injuries.
On Mazda3 and Mazda5 vehicles manufactured from April 2, 2007 through November 30, 2008, rust may have formed inside the EPAS high-pressure pipe during manufacture due to improper processing.
If the rust is present it may damage the power steering pump bearings leading to an increased load on the electric motor; this results in an elevated operating temperature for the EPAS system.
To prevent excessive overheating of the system, which could potentially cause permanent damage, afailsafe mode which de-powers the electric pump is implemented.
This causes a loss of power assist making it more difficult to steer the vehicle, especially at lower vehicle speeds.
Once the failsafe is implemented the EPAS system will remain disabled until the ignition is turned off.
However EPAS will be re-enabled if the operating temperature is reduced (i.e., within an acceptable range) on a subsequent drive cycle.
On August 8, 2010 Mazda submitted a Part 573 defect information report initiating Safety Recall 10V-374 to remedy the subject vehicles.
The report, which contains additional details on the remedy repair, is available at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls/.ODI notes that the affected population shown in that report includes approximately 8,000 vehicles Mazda repaired prior to initiating the recall.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE10-021. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Mazda VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE10-021
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.