Newer models experience stutters/tugs when coasting to a stopping point?

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Callmefil

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CX-5
I bough a 2016 Mazda CX-5 (35k)to replace my Mazda 3 09 (170k)

Ive been driving around in the city and Ive noticed at slowing declining speeds my vehicle has been having an uneasy smooth transition.

With further investigation, driving at 30mph and then declining is when I start noticing the first interval of tug at around 25mph. Then another one around 20, then another around 15.

Brought it to the dealership and they said there were no codes shown that they can fix. standard operation of gears working. Two technicians even drove it and the last attempt to drive with an experienced service tech with me. I was able to replicate the issue but they said they cant do anything about it because there are no codes.

I also test drove another cx-5 from the sales department same year and similar miles with FWD. It had the same issue but it had an additional climbing up to speed rough shifts type of tug as well. Not sure if the previous driver didnt take good care of that car.

Throughout buying this pre-certified car, I took it in 3 times because the dealership sold it to me with 3 dents. And one popped up more visible than the other one each time, allowing me to bring it in before the 30 days?

All those three times I had several rental vehicles, 3 CX-5s (17,17&18) and 1 Mazda 3 18.

It seemed like the CX-5s that were AWD did not have this big issue of abruptness at those set intervals coasting.

Driving the Mazda 3 18 FWD (grand touring) I reproduced the issue by coasting the same as I did with my car (35k miles). The Mazda 3 18 (under 1k miles) has the same issue.

Drove my friend which is a consultants cx-5 2016 (same everything as my car but different color). Had the same issue with 11k miles.

I spoke to department customer service at corporate and they recorded the issue and gave me some customer Im important speech after following the review and guidance from dealership. I wasnt so satisfied. Ironically the ad I was placed on hold spoke about experience and fuel saving.

I went to NHTSA to submit a claim for investigation.

1. Does anyone else have this issue with the newer models that have more attention to detail?

2. Possibly with the skyactiv when coasting?

3. Please share vehicle model & year and specify if is FWD or AWD if you coast.
 
I think I can relate to your experience since I do feel that on my CX 5 when I am cruising under 30km/h on traffic as if someone push you from the back or like doing a engine brake or something. However, correct me if I am wrong but I read somewhere before that this could be cause by a G-Vectoring control that Mazda had it implemented.

For me I got used to it because whenever I am on the heavy traffic and cruising under 30km/h, I don't have to brake anymore, I just wait for that tugs to happen and it slows down alot. Don't know if that is normal but seems to be fine for a while. Compare to my old Mazda 3 where I would slow down very smoothly without a tug hence I noticed it on my CX 5.

*It likes someone changes a gear from 3rd to 1 then back to 2 that is what I feel when slowing down on the traffic.
 
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I think I can relate to your experience since I do feel that on my CX 5 when I am cruising under 30km/h on traffic as if someone push you from the back or like doing a engine brake or something. However, correct me if I am wrong but I read somewhere before that this could be cause by a G-Vectoring control that Mazda had it implemented.

For me I got used to it because whenever I am on the heavy traffic and cruising under 30km/h, I don't have to brake anymore, I just wait for that tugs to happen and it slows down alot. Don't know if that is normal but seems to be fine for a while.

G-vectoring control is very subtle, you won't notice it if you aren't looking for it, and even those who are may not feel it.

Sounds like engine braking which will prolong the life of your brakes and is more fuel efficient.

The tug is probably felt from a downshift, especially if it dropping more than one gear. Are shifts in general less smooth than you'd expect?
 
G-vectoring control is very subtle, you won't notice it if you aren't looking for it, and even those who are may not feel it.

Sounds like engine braking which will prolong the life of your brakes and is more fuel efficient.

The tug is probably felt from a downshift, especially if it dropping more than one gear. Are shifts in general less smooth than you'd expect?

And OP also says it is on a 2016 - i don't think they had the same G-vectoring (if any) as on the 17 and 18
 
Yeah, that is what I am thinking since it has to shift through a 6-gear sequence, it may be the drop in gear from 3-1 or something else. However, shift in general is very smoothly, hardly notice the shift when moving, just when slowing down.
 
Sounds like you just need to get used to the Skyactiv Transmissions a bit more. Even though it is an automatic, it is set up to give the "locked up" feel of a manual transmission, and do away with the typical slippy/mushy automatic transmission feel.
 
You tried another 2016 CX5, two 2017 CX5's, a 2018 CX5 and a 2018 Mazda 3 and they all had the same behavior. It seems pretty obvious that this is way that the Skyactive transmission is working as intended. It sounds like normal downshifting to me. How do you think it's supposed to work?
 
Sounds like you just need to get used to the Skyactiv Transmissions a bit more. Even though it is an automatic, it is set up to give the "locked up" feel of a manual transmission, and do away with the typical slippy/mushy automatic transmission feel.

Yeah for me I got used to it but I think OP is experience the same as I did before. I don't have alot of experience in manual since I never drove one before but riding with someone who does, you are correct, that is how it feels when slowing down. I actually like the feeling of it...

*EDIT*

I found a link that explains this manual transmission feeling on an automatic transmission ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqHGnfnQPk4

At around 0:42 sec it explains it.
 
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Sounds like you just need to get used to the Skyactiv Transmissions a bit more. Even though it is an automatic, it is set up to give the "locked up" feel of a manual transmission, and do away with the typical slippy/mushy automatic transmission feel.

Yes, and especially if 3 different model years do it - the car is built that way, no problem found.
 
If this is a real situation I wonder if a reset of the transmission learning module might help as it has learned the previous drivers habits?
 
Is it just the transmission downshifting? I can feel ours do it slightly. It’s a bit more pronounced on my GTI DSG. I believe you feel it more than in some other cars due to the fact that Mazda keeps the torque converter locked up most of the time.
 
My 2017 Mazda 6 does the same thing when slowing down (no braking).
I figured it was normal due to downshifting and G-vectoring. I don't worry about it.
 
I guess i am so used to driving a manual transmission that i hadn't noticed. I expect there to be some drag when i let my foot off the gas as I would not put a manual transmission in neutral or hold the clutch in for any extended amount of time, so the Mazda feels normal to me.
 
This sounds like engine braking... (boom07)
And it is. It feels abnormal for Hondata owners. I used to have a 13 Corolla. Take foot off gas and it would coast and coast. Skyactiv downshifts with preset speeds when coasting.
45 mph will downshift from 6th to 5th
30 mph to 4th
I don't recollect other shift points below 30mph but it could be 25 and 20.

This is skyactiv behavior. Its great in traffic if you know what you are doing.
 
I bough a 2016 Mazda CX-5 (35k)to replace my Mazda 3 09 (170k)

Ive been driving around in the city and Ive noticed at slowing declining speeds my vehicle has been having an uneasy smooth transition.

With further investigation, driving at 30mph and then declining is when I start noticing the first interval of tug at around 25mph. Then another one around 20, then another around 15.

Brought it to the dealership and they said there were no codes shown that they can fix. standard operation of gears working. Two technicians even drove it and the last attempt to drive with an experienced service tech with me. I was able to replicate the issue but they said they cant do anything about it because there are no codes.

I also test drove another cx-5 from the sales department same year and similar miles with FWD. It had the same issue but it had an additional climbing up to speed rough shifts type of tug as well. Not sure if the previous driver didnt take good care of that car.

Throughout buying this pre-certified car, I took it in 3 times because the dealership sold it to me with 3 dents. And one popped up more visible than the other one each time, allowing me to bring it in before the 30 days?

All those three times I had several rental vehicles, 3 CX-5s (17,17&18) and 1 Mazda 3 18.

It seemed like the CX-5s that were AWD did not have this big issue of abruptness at those set intervals coasting.

Driving the Mazda 3 18 FWD (grand touring) I reproduced the issue by coasting the same as I did with my car (35k miles). The Mazda 3 18 (under 1k miles) has the same issue.

Drove my friend which is a consultants cx-5 2016 (same everything as my car but different color). Had the same issue with 11k miles.

I spoke to department customer service at corporate and they recorded the issue and gave me some customer Im important speech after following the review and guidance from dealership. I wasnt so satisfied. Ironically the ad I was placed on hold spoke about experience and fuel saving.

I went to NHTSA to submit a claim for investigation.

1. Does anyone else have this issue with the newer models that have more attention to detail?

2. Possibly with the skyactiv when coasting?

3. Please share vehicle model & year and specify if is FWD or AWD if you coast.



You are implying that you have identified a flaw on ALL Mazda vehicles that nobody else, not a magazine, not an owner and not the manufacturer has identified?
 
Once upon a time cars didn't downshift without the use of brakes. I asked my driving instructor about it and she said to try it. As far as I can remember the K-car didn't really like it that much.
 
This is not a flaw, but by design. Mazda skyactiv automatic transmissions do not slip the torque converter on a whim like many other automatic transmissions. They in fact an 'electric clutch" instead of the torque converter to shift. The torque converter is only used at very low speeds, ie under 5mph or so. This makes the transmission more responsive and more economical, but not as "smooth". In other words, it feels more like a manual transmission because the torque converter is not slipping.

The priorities of this transmission are to be sporty, responsive, and have good fuel economy. Being buttery smooth or absorbing shift feel is not it's priority.

By contrast, your old 09 Mazda 3 had a more traditional automatic transmission design.

You either have to get used to it, or get a different car that's not a Mazda skyactiv automatic.
 
Personally I like feeling the downshift as long as it’s reasonably smooth, which I think it is, when decelerating. Also then when you need to take off again the transmission has already kicked down so there is less delay. I think the Skyactiv AT does this a bit more smoothly than the DSG. However on upshifts under moderate or hard acceleration is where I actually find the DSG to be smoother which I think is mostly due to its speed. For very low speed, parking maneuvers for example, is where Skyactiv AT will unlock and use the torque converter and here it is smoother than the DSG. I haven’t driven anything else with a non dual clutch auto that has that direct feel.
 
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