Steering Issues On-Target in New Mazda Recalls

Washington, D.C. — Oct. 17, 2016 — Ball joints in some Mazda vehicles are possibly vulnerable to a dangerous flaw. The model years in this recall range from 2007 to 2012, per official documents with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In addition, the source said that 190,102 Mazda CX-7 vehicles were potentially affected, with the first related field report of this issue dating to August 2015.

The higher-priority vehicles for this recall are reportedly located in states that use lots of road salt for ice. That’s because driving on salted roads can inadvertently introduce salt water into the ball joints. Over time, this exposure could corrode the joints, eventually separating it from the lower control arm and making it more difficult for the driver to steer properly.

Target regions include northern states like Indiana, Minnesota and New Hampshire, but also more southern states, such as Kentucky and West Virginia. Dealer notification is scheduled for September 30, with owner notification coming Oct. 10. Dealers will replace left and right lower control arms after the recall campaign.

As of this writing, the manufacturer has noted no injuries connected to this fault, and the report did not state any possible indications that the issue might be present.

The Mazda recall is just one of the more recent to concern possible road-salt corrosion. Last October, approximately 218,019 Nissan Versa vehicles were recalled because of the danger road salt posed to their front coil springs. Automotive News reported that corroded springs could eventually fracture, puncturing vehicle tires in the process.

The Versa model years subject to this recall ranged from 2007 to 2012. Similar to the Mazda recall, this Nissan action particularly looked at the vehicles in particular states. Vehicles were produced between May 8, 2006 and Nov. 12, 2012.

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