Hi All,

Bought a 2010 Mazda 2. Had it for just over a month now. Was a desperate purchase - was without a car, this one was for sale in Devon when me and the other half were visiting her family so bought it and drove it back. On the long motorway drive home of 200+ miles I noticed the steering wheel was down to the left when going straight and a slight wobble at 70. Next day had it tracked and balanced. This got rid of the wobble at 70 but still noticed that the wheel was down left when going straight. It went for a service the week after so got them to switch the tyres from front to back as the front had a much newer odd tyre on the front (Massive tread, crap brand and the right was half the tread level). Unfortunately no improvement so popped it back to the tyre place and they double checked the tracking which they reckon was within the correct ranges.

Now I'd never used this tyre place before so I didnt exactly trust their methods so took it to one id used before (Formula One Auto's) where I know they have the all singing and dancing lazer alignment tools and they lock the steering wheel straight. Told them about the wheel being down left etc.... their readings came back showing it was quite fair bit out in terms of toe and chamber. So they've now set it to their recommended levels and I have a proper print out of the reading. I saw with my own eyes them locking the wheel into place too.

BUT unfortunately it still feels weird. I've owned a Peugeot 207 for 7 Years and the steering on them is less than accurate and you dont get much feedback from the road. So part of me thinks it may be me not being used to the car. But it really does feel odd. I find that if a roads surfaces cambers left or right for drainage that the wheel always seems to be down slightly to the left and then when im following a road swinging slightly to the right that the wheel ends up sitting level. Does anyone else get what I mean and have they had this with their Mazda 2?

Thanks,

Matt

 

The car will always follow the camber of the road, and you will turn the wheel very slightly off-centre to go straight ahead. The Mazda 2 has electric power steering, with the electric motor part of the column. It's no sports car, don't expect a huge amount of feedback.

 

I appreciate the wheel won't be dead centre with the camber of the road but this is clearly out by a fair bit. Others have driven it and agree. It has been tracked up twice so my only other thought is the steering wheel itself?
Looks easy enough to take the wheel off but is it attached to a spline or a tapered hex?

 

Steering wheel is not adjustable.

Sound like you need to find an Alignment shop with half a brain that can carry out a wheel alignment properly.

It must be different terminology, but what is " Tracked up"?

 

make sure if you get an alignment on your mazda that they reset the mazdas computer otherwise your steering wheel will be off centered. I had to get my car aligned 2xs cuz the first people did it wrong and didn't reset my computer. luckily i paid for the life time alignment package

 

make sure if you get your tires aligned that they reset your mazdas computer otherwise your car will not drive properly