Mazda Noise Challenge: Name that sound!?

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Even-O

Member

:

2013 Mazda 5

• Dec 30, 2016

• #1

I'm trying to decide which mechanic to trust about this sound I'm hearing in my 2013 Mazda5.

One says wheel bearing, one says brakes.

Are either of them right!?

CLUES:
The sound seems to be associated with pressing on the brakes, but it doesn't always happen.
I do not feel any shimmy in the car or in the brake pedal.
It seems worse when I'm braking on a downhill, but sometimes it seems that I have to be driving for a while before it happens at all.
The sound seems to be coming from the back right tire well.
Sometimes there is also a creaking sound as if an old door is being opened slowly

There is sometimes a nutty burning smell too ... could that be related? I can't smell it in the rear tire well; I can smell it in the car and in the front right tire well.

View attachment back right bump sound.mp3
Sound is most obvious starting at 00:08 seconds

 

K

kw_da

:

2006 Mazda 6 - auto

• Dec 30, 2016

• #2

what is that periodic sound about 9 seconds in - is it periodic with the wheel rotation? If you jack a wheel up and spin it, do you hear the noise?

 

E

Even-O

Member

:

2013 Mazda 5

• Dec 30, 2016

• #3

kw_da said:

what is that periodic sound about 9 seconds in - is it periodic with the wheel rotation? If you jack a wheel up and spin it, do you hear the noise?

Click to expand...

The sound at about 9 seconds is the sound in question.
Good idea about jacking and spinning...I'll try in the am.

 

M

Moonlighter

:

CX5 Akera 2.2 Diesel

• Dec 30, 2016

• #4

Rear disc - "warped" which basically means excessive run-out in the disc, not an actual warp. That's why there's no feedback thru the steering wheel as it isn't the front disc.

Had a similar noise recently in my 2016/16 CX5 and it was rear brakes. However in my case the CX5 has an electric park brake and it was a fault in the EPB control unit - meant the brake was touching the disc. Mazda had a TSB about it and replaced the EPB control module which solved it. But it was that same noise as yours. Not familiar with your car but if it also has the electric park brake (doubt it as they are more recent in the Mazda's)it would definitely be worth checking if there are any TSB's about it.

 

E

Even-O

Member

:

2013 Mazda 5

• Dec 31, 2016

• #5

Helpful idea RE: TSB (didn't see anything) and EPB (this car doens't have it).
Thank you for replying!
I appreciate your reinforcement of going in the brake direction.

 

E

Even-O

Member

:

2013 Mazda 5

• Jan 6, 2017

• #6

Thanks again for your replies.
After getting an estimate for brakes and wheel bearing replacement, the third place I went to solved the problem with their inspection!

Solution: tighten lug nuts on rear right wheel!!
Sadly, this likely means that the first two places diagnosed my car without even taking off the wheel.

This shop was the only one that charged me for a diagnosis, but since they solved the problem without doing unnecesssry work ... I think I'll be sticking with them.

Interesting note: if I had gotten the brakes or the wheel bearing repair, they would have tightened the lug nuts afterwards and I would have thought that they had solved the problem with their unnecessary work.

 

T

tawrus80

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2014 Mazda5 Sport auto

• Jan 9, 2017

• #7

I always wondered what a loose wheel would feel or sound like. Glad it stayed on the car and was a simple fix.

 

E

Even-O

Member

:

2013 Mazda 5

• Jan 9, 2017

• #8

Thanks tawrus80!
I hope someone will run across that audio file one day and avoid a little trouble!

 

P

pashu

• Jan 28, 2017

• #9

To me this sounds like the brake rotor was hitting the brake dust shield. This is an easy visual inspection, you just remove the wheel and bend the warped dust shield away from the rotor. I am no expert, but I just cannot image that loose lug nuts would make a sound like that. More than anything, I would think that your car would vibrate like crazy if your wheel was that loose.

 

E

Even-O

Member

:

2013 Mazda 5

• Jan 31, 2017

• #10

Thanks Pashu.
There wasn't a vibration so maybe you're right.
Whatever it was...it was fixed by the INSPECTION!