at speeds of 75 mph or higher, the car feels like it'll shift its way right off the road if i dont keep my hands on the wheel. I need to drive with 2 hands orelse the crosswind sharply pushes the car all over my lane...HIGHLY annoying...anyone else experiencing this problem?

2006 Mazda 3 2.3liter sedan 1015 miles

thanks, mike

 

Sounds like a manufacture issue. I would take it back to the dealer and have it checked out under your warranty. I haven't experienced any of that and I drove half way across Texas this weekend through some areas with heavy cross winds. It never felt like I had to fight the car to stay in my lane.

 

Mike, my car has felt like that before as well. Every now and then it does it, but I can't pin point why (like certain road surface, bla bla bla). I'm gonna take it in to the dealrship for that as well as a few other things, so I'll let ya know.

 

Thank god someone to let me know im NOT crazy. I actually took my car to the dealership yesterday to have the rear wing spoiler installed and I explained my situation to them. Their first response was, in no way are we letting our techs go 75 mph in your car (for safety reasons) whatever...i guess i can understand that.

Basically they told me that no one else has complained of this before and they couldnt find anything wrong with it. The next thing I do is start complaining to Mazda. It only happens dramatically with just myself in the car. I had My dad and his fiance take a ride with me to see what they felt, but no one else seems to be as sensitive to it as I am.


so...so frustrated...leme know how it goes

Mike

 

The shifting is probably just a combination of road surface and wind conditions. If the road is older or has depressions (slight radius or curve) I could see this car would be real touchy. Add the 17"/16" wheels, plus a wind situation, with a otherwise sensitive and light car, yeh you bet....all over the place.

I little misalignment would just add to the problem. But you would recognize it easy if your car pulled left of right and is simple to correct.

The clutch could be a number of things as well, probably just showing how cheap it really is. Overall, I would not expect to see high performance stock transmissions on these cars and would not expect perfection. Especially if you drive it hard. They had to save money somewhere. I'm guessing it's the parts.

Take it easy.

 

since the last response to this post is in 05'. i have an 07 mazda 3. i am a commuter and i do feel like my car tends to go towards the right side. they said the spring or whatever is very sensitive, so slight angle road can cause ur car to not go str8. well i don't know if mine is a misalignment or whatnot. but i always seem to feel like the car tends to go towards right

 

lol yah i remember posting this = )

i think it was actually the originaltoyotires...once i wore them down abit i didnt get pushed around as much...i just chalked it up to cheapy original equipment stuff. Once i put the bridgestone potenza polepositions on my car it felt alot better. I think i was also just adjusting to the new car...but now ive got no complaints.

in response to your concern, that feeling of drifting to the right is just the grading of the pavement. it crowns in the middle so that water runs off of it and doesnt puddle. if your car was dangerously pulling hard right, id say you have a problem, but if its more of a gradual drift - its definitely the grading of the pavement.

 

oh thanks for the explanation.. i guess i was just TOO damm sensitive.. it gradually pulls so i guess it's no biggie