2018 CX-5 - A few questions

nuggstein

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Hey everyone,

Been driving a new 2018 CX-5 Touring with the package. Currently have 1300 miles on it already. Have a few questions...coming from a 2012 VW GTI.

1. Does anyone notice that the windshield gets dirty pretty easily? Maybe it's just me...I don't remember having to use windshield wiper fluid so frequently, and I'm not driving in any swamps.

2. Anyone have rattles in the car? I noticed that the driver side window rattles a bit when it's shut. I can tell it's that because if I put my hand on it, it stops rattling. Do you think the dealership will repair it for free?

3. The rearview mirror and the sideview mirrors shake like crazy if I'm bumping up the music. Anything that can be done to make it vibrate less? Also, not something that happened in my GTI.

4. Has anyone tuned their car? My GTI was tuned with an APR Stage 1 ECU flash. I've read about OrangeVirus Tuning for the SkyActiv engines which apparently people love and gives the car a new life. Any recommendations?

5. I might have to complain to corporate. Upon picking up the car back in May, I noticed a very noticeable scratch/defect behind the glass of the instrument cluster. I thought it may have just been dirt or something, but wiping it did not make it disappear. I had my girlfriend sit in the driver's seat to take a look and she saw it too...then the sales rep, and his manager both looked at it and agreed as well. I had them give it to me in writing that it needed to be repaired before I drove off with it. They had me bring it in for them to take some photos...and said they hoped Mazda would accept it. I haven't heard anything in a week. I'm sure it's extremely labor intensive.

6. I've read about how hot this car gets due to the not-so-great quality of glass that's used in the car. I've noticed the top of the steering wheel is rather warm even with the AC blasting. Any suggestions on how to keep the car cooler? Tint the sunroof?


Also, just a tip...not sure how people can think the Bose stereo sounds good with the Bose CenterStage option enabled. I'm sure a lot of people don't even realize to play with those settings. Gotta turn that off to activate the subwoofer and have more sound clarity. It sounds so muddy and tinny otherwise. Then again, a lot of people think satellite radio sounds amazing, yet it's the most compressed audio I've ever heard, lol. To each his/her own, I guess.

I do love driving this car, though. :)


Thanks, everyone!
 
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Many CX-5 owners are from owning VW's, me included.

1. Never noticed the windshield which gets dirty easily. But I did hear a Mazda service advisor telling me that the reason why the windshield of my gen-1 CX-5 is so easy to break is because it so easy to get hit by any objects flying towards the CX-5 while driving.

2. I had some rattles from front psssenger door and it got fixed by replacing Bose 9" woofers based on a TSB. Mazda dealers would try to fix rattling issues but Mazda North American Operations only cover such issues for the first 6~12 months, not 3-year / 36-month new car warranty.

3. It's possible the rear-view mirror and side-view mirrors would be shaken by audio system. A screw holding the rear view mirror is very easy to get loose. The vibrating side-view mirrors have been a known issue since gen-1 CX-5. There're several TSBs been issued but the results seem to be mixed.

4. Our moderator Chris_Top_Her has some tuning experience on our CX-5 and he likes it. Yes OVTune (OrangeVirus Tuning) is the one doing the ECU tuning.

5. Your dealer should handle the noticeable defect of the instrument cluster at the first place. If they don't help you to replace the cluster, you should contact Customer Experience Center, Mazda North American Operations as soon as possible. Don't drag this issue long.

6. I believe the comments on hot interior of Mazda vehicles is mainly caused by all-black interior which absorbs and keeps too much heat. There're more such complaints on gen-2 CX-9 than CX-5 and the glass and all-black interior are suspect by many owners. Yes a good tinting on window and sunroof glass would help greatly. Many CX-9 owners even tint the windshield to reduce the heat from that large area.

Yeah I don't like Bose Centerpoint and SurroundStage and I turn it off all the time.
 
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Hmm ... new car and all these worries and troubles. Welcome to the club...

1 - I do notice that my windshield gets dirtier but then again I just usually do a morning wipe with the washer fluid so that's no problem. Maybe the fact also that if you have one of those on windshield display system, it probably has some coating that catches dirt easier.

2 - Rattle, not on mine, you may want to get that check.

3 - I don't see my rear/side view mirror shaking even when I have my music at volume 50. It may be related to that whole body shaking but that is from the older model. Haven't heard anything in the 2018+ model.

4 - I know someone talked about this before but I haven't done this so no idea.

5 - Good luck with this. When I had first my car, I noticed that my grill mesh was broken when I took it home. It has 11 km and told the dealer after a few hours but they told me that the moment I bring it out, any broken parts were not cover by them. Well sucks to be them cause I took a video of the car before bringing it home so they had to replaced my whole front grill mesh for free. Not even 15km pfft. So get this resolve before it gets any longer.

6 - Yes, I had this experienced back in June, just 5 months old car and had a broken windshield from a tiniest of the rock you can't even see while driving at 60-70km/h. Total cost was more than $1400+ plus labor. Paid only $300 deductible because of insurance coverage. Best advice, STAY BACK MORE THAN 3-4 cars away and stay away from the huge vehicles that have no mud flaps. They are damn raining stone. A/C is fine on my side even with the temperature reaching 40c. Just a few minutes and its freezing cold.

For me, I just enjoy the driving of it and worry less now since she has been scarred too many time in less than half a year. For centerpoint, yeah I do hear it muffled so I do turn it off too.
 
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Hey everyone,

Been driving a new 2018 CX-5 Touring with the package. Currently have 1300 miles on it already. Have a few questions...coming from a 2012 VW GTI.

1. Does anyone notice that the windshield gets dirty pretty easily? Maybe it's just me...I don't remember having to use windshield wiper fluid so frequently, and I'm not driving in any swamps.

Not here. My windshield is fairly clean most times and the washer and washer liquid does a good job cleaning when it gets dirty

2. Anyone have rattles in the car? I noticed that the driver side window rattles a bit when it's shut. I can tell it's that because if I put my hand on it, it stops rattling. Do you think the dealership will repair it for free?

No rattles here and yes they should be able to fix it for free as the CX-5 is still fairly new and you are under warranty

3. The rearview mirror and the sideview mirrors shake like crazy if I'm bumping up the music. Anything that can be done to make it vibrate less? Also, not something that happened in my GTI.

Shouldn't be doing that but also maybe turn down the bass.

4. Has anyone tuned their car? My GTI was tuned with an APR Stage 1 ECU flash. I've read about OrangeVirus Tuning for the SkyActiv engines which apparently people love and gives the car a new life. Any recommendations?

No and not planning to do so as no need for my driving style

5. I might have to complain to corporate. Upon picking up the car back in May, I noticed a very noticeable scratch/defect behind the glass of the instrument cluster. I thought it may have just been dirt or something, but wiping it did not make it disappear. I had my girlfriend sit in the driver's seat to take a look and she saw it too...then the sales rep, and his manager both looked at it and agreed as well. I had them give it to me in writing that it needed to be repaired before I drove off with it. They had me bring it in for them to take some photos...and said they hoped Mazda would accept it. I haven't heard anything in a week. I'm sure it's extremely labor intensive.

Chase them up. Don't wait for the dealer or Mazda to respond.

6. I've read about how hot this car gets due to the not-so-great quality of glass that's used in the car. I've noticed the top of the steering wheel is rather warm even with the AC blasting. Any suggestions on how to keep the car cooler? Tint the sunroof?

Keep the slide cover closed on the sunroof when the actual sunroof is not in use.


.....

I do love driving this car, though. :)


Thanks, everyone!

Good to hear :)
 
It's cheap for the features and mazda shaved weight. It's just simply put not going to be like a German or higher end American or Japanese car. You saved $10k over a BMW or Mercedes, and this is where it would have gone.
 
I wouldn't say that - I've got none of the problems the OP has so IMHO has nothing to do with not being a German or higher American/Japanese car.

More likely quality control issues.

All brands have this regardless if they are cheap and cheerful/dull or horrendously expensive
 
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I wouldn't say that - I've got none of the problems the OP has so IMHO has nothing to do with not being a German or higher American/Japanese car.

More likely quality control issues.

All brands have this regardless if they are cheap and cheerful/dull or horrendously expensive

Close the door on a cx5.
Close the door on even a cheaper American luxury brand like a Jeep grand cherokee.
It will become painfully clear.
 
I was experiencing streaking on my windshield after I purchased it. I bought some good windshield cleaner (Nextzett ) and cleaned all the windows plus the wiper blades. Problem solved. As the cheap dealer washer fluid got used I replenished the tank with the same product diluted 1:1 with distilled water.
 
All brands have this regardless if they are cheap and cheerful/dull or horrendously expensive

Agree but I also agree with Unob about the doors. Friend has a Ford Escape and those doors close with a satisfying THUNK.
 
Of course. I agree. But it doesnt feel or sound solid in the least. Maybe the 2017 redesign does, but my 2015 is like a cheap tin can.

Our 2017 CX-5 feels very solid, including the closing of the doors. We have had a 2013 X5 Diesel and a 2016 Audi SQ5 for comparison and the CX-5 is about 90% solid feeling as those two, with the advantage of not being a potential out of warranty nightmare :)
 
The "door thunk" complaints are all coming from KE owners. Perhaps the KEs have lighter doors and different seals than the KFs.
 
For the record not complaining. I don't give a rats butt what kind of sound the door makes.
And I doubt different trims have different doors.
 
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For the record not complaining. I don't give a rats butt what kind of sound the door makes.
And I doubt different trims have different doors.

I'm referencing different body styles/generations, not models/trim.
 
For the record not complaining. I don't give a rats butt what kind of sound the door makes.
And I doubt different trims have different doors.
Neither do I, so long as they open and close, lock and unlock is all I care about!
 
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