No control when there is a few inches of snow

Louisel1

Member
:
CX 5 2017
I purchased my CX-5 AWD 2017 last november.
First of all the problem I have is intermittent. One day my car is fine, the next day it's not.
When there is snow on the road, even just a few inches, and even though I drive slowly, the car starts sliding from left to right and right to left. I do not have control over it. It is VERY DANGEROUS.
Also when I want to park my car in a few inches of snow, the front wheels start spinning and have a very hard time going forward in the snow. It is as though there is no traction. Once the car is finally in the snow and I want to park it straight, it starts sliding from one side to the other when I press the gas pedal (even very gently). I have a VERY hard time controlling it.
I thought the problem could be due to the TSC system, but it's not. It was On. I tried to turn it off and on again, but it did not solve the problem.
I went to my Mazda dealer so that they can have a look at it. Unfortunately the day of my appointment my car was ok. They did not believe me. The technician told me to watch videos and read the book to understand how to drive the car !!! I've been driving cars and SUVs for more than 40 years and I have never a had such a problem. What's "funny" is that they lend me one of their CX 5 for a few days and I never had any problem with it (even though I did not watch videos or read the book...).
I don't want to drive my car anymore, at least as long as there is snow on the road. It is too dangerous for myself and for the others.
I don't know what to do anymore.
Could you please let me know if any of you have had such a problem? Or if any of you know what could cause the problem and what to do about it?
Thank you very much for your help.
 
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Check your tires and see if the dealer had put on a summer tires instead of all season... I find it weird that you will be sliding off that easily especially for a newly bought '17 model.
 
AWD - Toyo winter tires

Toyo does not make winter tires. Can you double check please? Is it A36 or A23 Toyo? Those are all-season. I have 2016 and have gone thru over hip high snow with zero problems. The one thing that stands out, after reading thru posts here is the CX5 AWD system really is good.
 
If it does it again, stop, get your phone out, restart, and get your passenger (of course) to take a video. Make sure the video shows the dash so ypu can see tacho etc.

Then you have evidence to show your dealer.
 
Even with Toyo summer tyres my CX-5 is good in 4" of snow.
 
I think somebody needs to check some of these IP addresses and see what’s going on. Another discontent Canadian that has joined to complain about a car that is generally praised for its abilities in poor weather. A big emphasis on DANGEROUS, hmmm.
 
I too think something is going on here. Ours is a tank in the snow, plowing it to headlight level. I consciously prefer to take out CX-5 over Tahoe when we go into deep snow/slippery highway. Its handling is much superior. Ours is '15.
If the story is real, the cause is tires. No traction control will help with no traction at the pavement.
 
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What you described doesn't make sense. Either you're pulling our leg, your car has a mind of it's own, or you're running on bare summer tires.
 
Thank you Moonlighter for your suggestion. Since nobody seems to believe me that’s what I will do.
 
I think somebody needs to check some of these IP addresses and see what’s going on. Another discontent Canadian that has joined to complain about a car that is generally praised for its abilities in poor weather. A big emphasis on DANGEROUS, hmmm.


You might have a point. Also, people are complaining about things that are standard/normal things in modern cars. Slow electronics and dials in sub-freezing temps. People are shocked by this? Maybe these are peoples first cars?
 
I've had slow electronics in summer, usually the nav, so why not complain.
 
Original tires? How many clicks on the odo? What model Toyo 'winter' tire (that I fully don't believe?)
Louise- to me your problem is 99.9% tire related. Mount the right tires for a Quebec winter and then come back to us with an update...thanks
 
I think somebody needs to check some of these IP addresses and see what’s going on. Another discontent Canadian that has joined to complain about a car that is generally praised for its abilities in poor weather. A big emphasis on DANGEROUS, hmmm.

Indeed. "Louisel1" and "Chef1" both from Montreal, with similar naming conventions, register recently with a string of unusual complaints. Can a mod just verify the IP against each other and other... problematic... forum members? ;)
 
Pulling sideways when applying throttle sounds like something is creating torque steer. And if everything is working OK, it shouldn't just spin the wheels at parking lot speeds in a few inches of snow. It could be a problem with one of the differentials, or the traction control/stability control system. Since the problem is intermittent, I would immediately suspect a problem with the stability control system.

Maybe it's not appearing on dry pavement because there is no detected slip to trigger it?
Did the dealer check for error codes?
 
Pulling sideways when applying throttle sounds like something is creating torque steer. And if everything is working OK, it shouldn't just spin the wheels at parking lot speeds in a few inches of snow. It could be a problem with one of the differentials, or the traction control/stability control system. Since the problem is intermittent, I would immediately suspect a problem with the stability control system.

Maybe it's not appearing on dry pavement because there is no detected slip to trigger it?
Did the dealer check for error codes?
Was thinking the same thing, maybe something wacked with the software/electronics controlling stability. Might be hard to replicate unless you were always in snow with no error codes available.
And all this talk about "summer tires", I didn't realize Mazda offered "summer tires". I thought everybody installed all seasons.
 
Indeed. "Louisel1" and "Chef1" both from Montreal, with similar naming conventions, register recently with a string of unusual complaints. Can a mod just verify the IP against each other and other... problematic... forum members? ;)


I’ve been wondering this myself. All these one-sided posts all of a sudden. Where is Pineapple?
 
Did you change the air in your tires? Always change out the summer air for winter air with new tires. If that doesn't solve the traction problem, you can always get few dozen stainless steel or galvanized screws and screw them half way into the tire tread to act like ice spikes. You will have excellent traction then. Much love sent from America (usa)


I purchased my CX-5 AWD 2017 last november.
First of all the problem I have is intermittent. One day my car is fine, the next day it's not.
When there is snow on the road, even just a few inches, and even though I drive slowly, the car starts sliding from left to right and right to left. I do not have control over it. It is VERY DANGEROUS.
Also when I want to park my car in a few inches of snow, the front wheels start spinning and have a very hard time going forward in the snow. It is as though there is no traction. Once the car is finally in the snow and I want to park it straight, it starts sliding from one side to the other when I press the gas pedal (even very gently). I have a VERY hard time controlling it.
I thought the problem could be due to the TSC system, but it's not. It was On. I tried to turn it off and on again, but it did not solve the problem.
I went to my Mazda dealer so that they can have a look at it. Unfortunately the day of my appointment my car was ok. They did not believe me. The technician told me to watch videos and read the book to understand how to drive the car !!! I've been driving cars and SUVs for more than 40 years and I have never a had such a problem. What's "funny" is that they lend me one of their CX 5 for a few days and I never had any problem with it (even though I did not watch videos or read the book...).
I don't want to drive my car anymore, at least as long as there is snow on the road. It is too dangerous for myself and for the others.
I don't know what to do anymore.
Could you please let me know if any of you have had such a problem? Or if any of you know what could cause the problem and what to do about it?
Thank you very much for your help.
 
Was thinking the same thing, maybe something wacked with the software/electronics controlling stability. Might be hard to replicate unless you were always in snow with no error codes available.
And all this talk about "summer tires", I didn't realize Mazda offered "summer tires". I thought everybody installed all seasons.

Manual says that the Mexico CX-5's come with summer tires. Not that I think that's what's going on here. Just FYI.
 
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