Mazda Australia has confirmed it has introduced an update to its BT-50 ute that’s claimed to alleviate premature and uneven tyre wear due to bump steer.
This comes as Isuzu Ute Australia confirmed it has revised the steering alignment of the related D-Max and MU-X to fix the same issue. Both of these Isuzu vehicles are built in the same Thai facility as the Mazda BT-50.
“Mazda is supporting the update to the revised wheel alignment specification and in examples where premature wear has been experienced there is also support available for tyre replacement,” said a Mazda Australia spokesperson.
An Isuzu Ute Australia spokesperson confirmed the rollout of the steering alignment change started in November 2023.
All Isuzu D-Max and MU-X vehicles delivered in Australia from January 2024 onwards have the revised steering alignment settings.
This suggests the same timeframe for the BT-50, given it comes out of the same factory, however we have sought clarification from Mazda Australia.
Bump steer is when your wheels steer themselves without any input from the steering wheel. As the name suggests, it typically occurs when a vehicle hits a bump in the road.
In track racing settings bump steer can sometimes be used to your advantage, though excessive bump steer can cause premature and uneven tyre wear.
Bump steer is also typically made worse when you add a suspension lift to a vehicle. This is a common modification for off-road vehicles like the Mazda BT-50 and is even offered as a dealer-fitted accessory.
This excessive bump steer issue with the Mazda BT-50, Isuzu D-Max and MU-X has been called out numerous times on online owner groups ever since the current-generation models arrived locally.
Mazda recently detailed a minor update for the BT-50 in its home market of Thailand, though it’s unclear if or when it will be coming to Australia.
The Mazda BT-50 was also recently axed in New Zealand, though the Japanese carmaker did confirm there are no plans for it to follow suit in Australia.
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