clicking noise in the steering
 

Mazda 6si (2003) is making a clicking noise that I can also feel in the steering wheel. Not doing it consistently, but enough. More so when I turn left, but also happens when turning right and occassionally when not turning at all. (I also felt it a few times when braking). I'm taking it in for scheduled maintenance next week and would love to tell them to check something more specific than it's making a clicking noise. I had it in last year and asked them to check it out, but they said since it wasn't consistent, they didn't know what it was and I think they didn't try to hard if at all. Thx

RE: clicking noise in the steering
 

Does the clicking noise seem to be coming from the interior or exterior of the 6 kkleinhans? Have seen several 6 cars with excessive play in the splines between the upper and lower steering shaft.Look up under the dash above drivers footwell at the steering column. Adjust the steering wheel up and down and you should notice that the lower part of the steering column shaft that goes on thru the floorboard is stationary and the upper part slides up and down on the lower part. It is in this sliding area that the excessive play is found.With steering wheel adjusted as far upward as possible, rest your hand on theupper shaft near where it connects to the lower part and then rock the steering wheel back and forth and see if you can hear/feel the clicking noise from this area. Try the steering wheel in several different positions such as straight ahead and then turned to left 180', etc as well as steering wheel height at different spots as it sometimes only occurs in a few positions.
This noise should not be heard/felt when braking however unless you have some front brake rotor warpage that you would also feel as a light brake pedal pulsation and or steering wheel shake when braking at higher speeds.