Steering Gear Box Problems of Mazda Protege

I have trouble with the tires on my 2003 Mazda Protege. First they told me I had to get used to the low-rise tires. I didn't drive in any snow that first winter, but the winter of 2004-2005 I was doing doughnuts on overpasses & streets. The dealer gave me the customer care phone # because "they don't handle tires". Customer care said, "I can't help if you live in extreme conditions. " all he could offer me for a solution was to buy winter tires & rims (as they aren't interchangeable) for about $2,000. A man in my office said his family was having the same problem with theirs. I tried to resolve the problem with Mazda to no avail. I thought I didn't have any recourse, but recently I was in for service twice & a service rep told me he has the same model car & it is so unsafe he won't let his wife drive it. He ended up putting on oversized tires to make it safer. Shortly thereafter a salesperson who said he was in service prior to sales said that they knew they put three-season tires on that model. He also recommended buying a set of winter tires/rims as they don't make all-season tires for that car. Both of these men said I should call the cust care line again & notify you if they wouldn't help. The dealer would not give me the cc #. I am a good driver my dad taught driving school & learned to drive from him. These tires are dangerous. I shake every time I have to drive in the snow & avoid it at all costs. I have learned to protect myself in the rain (the car slips); I watch that no cars are close when I pull out of a stop so I don't slide into them. I also have been given the run around about other defects (it's very hard to put the manual transmission into reverse; they told me to just play with it, try putting it in 1st gear, then try reverse. They said it would loosen in time, but it has only gotten harder). Please help me. I am a woman alone & need assistance in this.

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My 80 year old mother was driving the car eastbound on sw 104 street when at the intersection of 127 Ave. The steering wheel stopped responding and felt unattached to the wheels. I was informed today, by the Mazda service representative, that it was in fact the geering box that had failed. There were no fatalities but there could easily have been if it was not for the good samaritan that used his/her own vehicle to forcibly bring the car to a stop. Yesterday my mother was driving the car but if it had been another driver, a younger, faster driver, this incident could have been catastrophic.

See all problems of the 2002 Mazda Protege 🔎.