wind/handling issue

[joshritger]

I have a 07 mazda 3 hatchback, I have been having trouble with it in wind, it seems to be blown all over the place. This usually occurs on the freeway above 50 mph. The back of the car seems to like to wander around alot also. I was wondering if this is something that other m3 hatchback owners experience. Any suggestions of things I could do to fix this. Would a heavier swaybar package help?

Thank You,
Josh

 

[flash75]

Get a 4 wheel aligment for a start. Rear toe could cause handling problems.

Clifton

 

[chrissor]

if wind is blowing your car around either a) move to a less windy place or b) hold on to the wheel more

 

[my3needsaname]

It blows mine around too (08.5 MZ3 GT) and my alignment is perfect (I think). It's just the short wheelbase and thin wheels that does it. Also, in Cali they put these stupid ass grooves in the freeway that're supposed to channel water but they don't put them on it straight so the tires catch on them and the car gets pushed around just from that also.

 

[joshritger]

I am planning on having a alignment, but this has always been a problem even when the car is aligned properly. My car was rear ended shortly after I baught it (~800 miles), I am not sure if this messed anything up on it, but the dealer and my mechanic both say there is nothing wrong with it. Maybe something got thrown out of wack with the sway bars?

 

[bgibb68]

if you think your car is blown around in the wind....drive around in something bigger..

 

[joshritger]

I have driven vehicles that are bigger, I have driven our old astro minivan and a 84 chevy impala. The van was blown around alot. I just wouldn't have thought a small car such as my m3 hatch back would have been blown around as much as it is. I wasn't sure if this is something others have noticed since I only had my car for two weeks before it was rear ended, I didn't know if something was still off from the accident or if this is normal in this car.

 

[bgibb68]

it's possible that something wasn't fixed....but the 3 is about 1k lbs lighter

wind sometimes affects my car(p5) more sometimes less than my sis's pilot which is big and heavy.

 

[flash75]

Since you say the rear seems to wander I would suspect something isn't right with the rear. It could be something that was missed during the accident repair. Some bent parts are hard to detect and a general mechanic may not find the problem.

I wouldn't go to the dealer for a 4 wheel alignment. I'm sure most have the equipment to to that type work but I prefer using an alignment shop that does nothing but alignment and suspension work. That rules out most tire shops and places like Pep Boys.

I looked at the rear wheel alignment specs in the Mazda shop manual. As I mentioned incorrect toe in can cause a vehicle to wander around. The total toe in as measured at the center of the tires should be .08". Tolerance is +- .16.
Assume it is at the + limits, the car would now have .08" toe out. According to the shop manual that would be in tolerance but the car could be a handful to drive, toe out isn't good for street driving. Rear toe in is adjustable on these cars. The Mazda and factory tolerances are why I use a local alignment shop for all my alignment work. They test drive the car before they start work and test drive it again when finished.

Based on your description I don't think it's normal. My Mazda 3 is a sedan and I think it's rather stable in the wind. My Protege 5 does move around a little more than the 3 sedan. A wagon had a bigger side loading surface than a sedan and can case it to be a little less stable.

By sway bars I assume you are asking about the anti-roll bar. It shouldn't make much difference on freeways, it is used to control body roll and weight transfer when cornering and has almost no effect in a straight line.

In addition to the two Mazda's I have a 2004 Tacoma extended cab pickup. It has a longer wheelbase and it is a handful to drive in a side wind. Narrow tires are usually more stable than wide tires on a freeway and in rain or snow but they don't have cornering grip like a wider tire. I have owned lots of cars and almost all the front drivers handled better in the wind than rear wheel drivers.

Clifton

 

[joshritger]

Thanks for the replies, I have had the alignment checked on it twice since the accident, both by reputable shops. The roads here are really crappy right now, maybe my toe or alignment is off due to the large number of pot holes. I will have this looked at when I take it in next.

 

[my3needsaname]

I have driven vehicles that are bigger, I have driven our old astro minivan and a 84 chevy impala. The van was blown around alot. I just wouldn't have thought a small car such as my m3 hatch back would have been blown around as much as it is. I wasn't sure if this is something others have noticed since I only had my car for two weeks before it was rear ended, I didn't know if something was still off from the accident or if this is normal in this car.

I roll around in an 05 Expedition when I feel like having more power and it is rock solid unless there's a huge gust going about 75. Other than that the Mazda gets blown around. Period. It's just the way small wheelbase, thin tire, lighter cars are. Then again the 99 Volvo gets blown around but it's 10 years old with 195mm tires and semi-independent rear suspension so that explains a lot.