300 miles & vibration at highway speeds - wheel balance out?

G

GSP2085

Member
:
2017 CX-5 Grand Select FWD
Picked up my new CX-5 GS FWD 2 weeks ago and have noticed this issue. I first noticed it on the test drive on the freeway but thought it was the road. Then on the 60 miles trip home (shopped out of area for best deal).

A few freeway trips later and I've concluded it's a problem. Once I get above 55 mph, I get vibration in the steering wheel, seat and I can feel it in the foot pedals ie. accelerator. I googled it and sounds like the wheels need to be balanced. Not sure if its an alignment problem as it does not pull to either side, drives perfectly straight. Speeds under 55 it drives just fine, no vibration.

Anyone else ever had this problem? How does this happen on a brand new car? I'm assuming a Mazda dealer will fix it under warranty?
 
GSP2085 said:
Picked up my new CX-5 GS FWD 2 weeks ago and have noticed this issue. I first noticed it on the test drive on the freeway but thought it was the road. Then on the 60 miles trip home (shopped out of area for best deal).

A few freeway trips later and I've concluded it's a problem. Once I get above 55 mph, I get vibration in the steering wheel, seat and I can feel it in the foot pedals ie. accelerator. I googled it and sounds like the wheels need to be balanced. Not sure if its an alignment problem as it does not pull to either side, drives perfectly straight. Speeds under 55 it drives just fine, no vibration.

Anyone else ever had this problem? How does this happen on a brand new car? I'm assuming a Mazda dealer will fix it under warranty?
Click to expand...

My brand new cx5 was out of alignment and pulls to the side on the freeway. Went back to my purchasing dealership and realigned it free of charge. I suppose you can go to any dealership but your own dealer will probably take you more seriously as the other ones can say you hit a pot hole (in my alignment case) and not cover it.
 
At that sped it's most likely balance. Alignment issues make themselves know under 50 mph.
 
The symptoms are a classic sign of tires out of balance. One likely cause is that a weight may have come off. It shouldn’t be a issue for the dealer to fix that for you.
 
Never buy a car that has been test driven. You get all sorts of people just window shopping and many have no intentions of buying nor can they drive. I went to see mine backed off the car transporter and warned the dealer that if they put more than the two or three miles needed to complete their pdi they could keep it. The cars don’t leave the factory without a rolling road test but if you take that a step further the wheels don’t leave the manufacture until the tires have been mounted and computer balanced. If that car has a wheel wobble it got it since it arrived in the USA.

Furthermore, if you noticed on the test drive you should not have assumed it was the road you should have smelled a rat there and then. The dealer has to pay for any damage incurred during test drives but if they can palm the car off they can get Mazda or even blame the customer. You effectively bought a second hand car and in that case you have to be vigilant in your testing and assessment.
 
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Calm down anchorman, you are making too many assumptions.
 
Anchorman said:
Never buy a car that has been test driven. You get all sorts of people just window shopping and many have no intentions of buying nor can they drive. I went to see mine backed off the car transporter and warned the dealer that if they put more than the two or three miles needed to complete their pdi they could keep it. The cars dont leave the factory without a rolling road test but if you take that a step further the wheels dont leave the manufacture until the tires have been mounted and computer balanced. If that car has a wheel wobble it got it since it arrived in the USA.

Furthermore, if you noticed on the test drive you should not have assumed it was the road you should have smelled a rat there and then. The dealer has to pay for any damage incurred during test drives but if they can palm the car off they can get Mazda or even blame the customer. You effectively bought a second hand car and in that case you have to be vigilant in your testing and assessment.
Click to expand...

(iagree)(drive2)
 
On my recent purchase the car we drove had just over 120 miles on it. I wanted one with less and they located one with 11 miles. It’s pretty hard to get one with super low miles unless you order. That said, the less miles on it the better.
 
Anchorman said:
Never buy a car that has been test driven. You get all sorts of people just window shopping and many have no intentions of buying nor can they drive. I went to see mine backed off the car transporter and warned the dealer that if they put more than the two or three miles needed to complete their pdi they could keep it. The cars don’t leave the factory without a rolling road test but if you take that a step further the wheels don’t leave the manufacture until the tires have been mounted and computer balanced. If that car has a wheel wobble it got it since it arrived in the USA.

Furthermore, if you noticed on the test drive you should not have assumed it was the road you should have smelled a rat there and then. The dealer has to pay for any damage incurred during test drives but if they can palm the car off they can get Mazda or even blame the customer. You effectively bought a second hand car and in that case you have to be vigilant in your testing and assessment.
Click to expand...

Anchorman: Most dealers you'll find a lot of certified pre owned being listed at 2017 with just (say) 30 miles to 100 miles. These are usually the demo cars. Next, in my case at least the car was fixed with tires and balanced in the port of NJ! Also, as I had few accessories they were all installed port-side in US. Yes - I do happen to have a lead with the dealer but if you insist on a particular type and its not in dealership but is available / will be shortly available in the port then yes: its possible. Also, port side installations are done by better trained technicians. In my case I explicitly wanted a PZEV CX5 Soul Red 2016 GT with iActive package. I needed as a must - the PZEV because it offers almost double the warranty for emission components.
 
GSP2085 said:
Picked up my new CX-5 GS FWD 2 weeks ago and have noticed this issue. I first noticed it on the test drive on the freeway but thought it was the road. Then on the 60 miles trip home (shopped out of area for best deal).

A few freeway trips later and I've concluded it's a problem. Once I get above 55 mph, I get vibration in the steering wheel, seat and I can feel it in the foot pedals ie. accelerator. I googled it and sounds like the wheels need to be balanced. Not sure if its an alignment problem as it does not pull to either side, drives perfectly straight. Speeds under 55 it drives just fine, no vibration.

Anyone else ever had this problem? How does this happen on a brand new car? I'm assuming a Mazda dealer will fix it under warranty?
Click to expand...

Had I a slight vibration myself and above 55mph , took it back to dealership and they rebalanced all wheels, problem solved. Also make sure your tire pressure are at 35 psi
 
bmninada said:
Anchorman: Most dealers you'll find a lot of certified pre owned being listed at 2017 with just (say) 30 miles to 100 miles. These are usually the demo cars. Next, in my case at least the car was fixed with tires and balanced in the port of NJ! Also, as I had few accessories they were all installed port-side in US. Yes - I do happen to have a lead with the dealer but if you insist on a particular type and its not in dealership but is available / will be shortly available in the port then yes: its possible. Also, port side installations are done by better trained technicians. In my case I explicitly wanted a PZEV CX5 Soul Red 2016 GT with iActive package. I needed as a must - the PZEV because it offers almost double the warranty for emission components.
Click to expand...

What exactly makes a CX-5 PZEV (how is it different from any other CX-5)?
 
paris1 said:
What exactly makes a CX-5 PZEV (how is it different from any other CX-5)?
Click to expand...

I do NOT know. All I do know is if a CX5 is PZEV it'll state it in the main page of the car. The warranty is also substantially more than the standard emission warranty. What's changed inside, no idea. In some thread I did read that it'll show slightly less mpg but I don't think that's warranted.

Here you go: https://www.mazdausa.com/siteassets/pdf/manuals-and-guides/2016/2016-warranty-booklet-all-models.pdf

Go to page #31. If your state is listed under (c) , then you're covered provided your car is marked likewise.
Go to page #38: As you'll see, they have removed CX-5 from the list. However, prior to purchasing my CX-5 2016 model late 2015 CX-5 was listed with the 2.5L engine/AWD only.
 
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paris1 said:
What exactly makes a CX-5 PZEV (how is it different from any other CX-5)?
Click to expand...

Partial Zero Emission Vehicle. Paris...or anyone with a California Skyactiv model like I have with my Mazda6...check your intake system plumbing. California models have an extra restrictive filter inside the airbox (top side near the MAF). I removed mine :)
 
CX-5um said:
Partial Zero Emission Vehicle. Paris...or anyone with a California Skyactiv model like I have with my Mazda6...check your intake system plumbing. California models have an extra restrictive filter inside the airbox (top side near the MAF). I removed mine :)
Click to expand...

I wasn't aware that there were still 49 state Mazdas, although it doesn't come as a surprise as that was the case 12 years ago when I checked into the possibility of bringing in a new MX-5 from a neighboring state. So what is the purpose of the extra filter and what kind of magic happens when you remove it?
 
hmm... brings back some old memories. when i bought my 2005 6 i noticed it had some type of california compliant exhaust system... thus i was being robbed of about 4 HP (regular model was 160 HP, but mine stated 156 i believe).

never really thought to see look into the specifics of what they had done.
 
paris1 said:
I wasn't aware that there were still 49 state Mazdas, although it doesn't come as a surprise as that was the case 12 years ago when I checked into the possibility of bringing in a new MX-5 from a neighboring state. So what is the purpose of the extra filter and what kind of magic happens when you remove it?
Click to expand...

Well from folks around here and some light online research it was to ensure our engines don't inhale exhaust fumes from cars in front of us in traffic?

^^^ I could be wrong.

To be honest I could not tell any magic...but then again I removed it when I installed an AEM Dry Flow filter....hence the discovery of that stock additional California model filter. The engine breathes much better now.

Check my pics....you be the judge of it. Looks restrictive don't it? (band) Other State models don't have it.

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123855117-2-5-vs-2-0-Stock-Intake-box


Back to Topic.....I think the wheels need to be balanced or one tire is out of spec.
 
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UPDATE: took it into a dealer last weekend. I asked them to check the tire balance. 2.5 hrs later they tell me there's no vibration, and the tires were overinflated. I asked did you check the balance? They said no.

I swear these dealerships don't want to address or fix issues. I went through this with my CR-V, which I successfully ended up lemon-lawing.

I have it on record now that I reported a wheel issue so if the tires start wearing, Mazda is on the hook. I won't be using any dealerships for service, only warranty work. I'm not waiting 3 hours for an oil change and paying double what my local service center (who has done an excellent job for years on my cars) charges.
 
UPDATE:

Took the CX-5 in to local Big O for it's first service. Had a coupon for a wheel balance for $20 so I said go ahead and do that too.

VIBRATION GONE. Drives as smooth as silk now. So the wheel balance was out since I took delivery of it brand new.

I swear... these dealers don't want to do any warranty work. One thing for sure, I will never take my Mazda in to any dealer for service work. I'll give my money to the local Big O instead. In fact, my last car I took to Big O for all maintenance and they did a great job for half the cost.
 
GSP2085 said:
UPDATE:

Took the CX-5 in to local Big O for it's first service. Had a coupon for a wheel balance for $20 so I said go ahead and do that too.

VIBRATION GONE. Drives as smooth as silk now. So the wheel balance was out since I took delivery of it brand new.

I swear... these dealers don't want to do any warranty work. One thing for sure, I will never take my Mazda in to any dealer for service work. I'll give my money to the local Big O instead. In fact, my last car I took to Big O for all maintenance and they did a great job for half the cost.
Click to expand...
I have experienced too many horror stories on dealer service on my vehicles too, from VW to BMW to Honda to currently Mazda. And I only go to dealers for warranty service. On the other hand we also hear too many stories even worse than dealer's from independent garages and quick lub's. Just yesterday a friend who bought 2 CX-5's under my suggestion called me that he went to a Mazda dealer in San Diego area due to check engine light lit on his 2016.5 CX-5 GT. The dealer claimed his air box wasn't properly seated which caused the air leak, hence it's not covered under new car warranty and charged him $80 for diagnostic fee. He went to a quick lub for his last oil change, apparently they didn't put the air filter back properly after checking the condition. He usually goes to Mazda dealer for oil change under my advice, but last time he couldn't afford waiting for 3 hours and just went to a quick lub place. But that was a mistake on his side.
 
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