CX-5 Feels squirrelly

[Pitter]

My Signature has started to feel slightly squirrly as if I have a really low tire somewhere but all four are at correct pressure. There is some clunking on the rough unpaved road I drive over daily I think from the right front but not sure. I'm wondering if some suspension component has come loose. Doesn't feel like something a bad shock would produce but could be I suppose. I guess I need to get it to a lift but in the mean time any ideas?

 

[ruthrj]

You drive some fairly rough or rugged roads right? I remember you might have been going through brake pads every 20 or 30k km due to long downhill terrain in your daily drive. Check for any oil seeping down the side of the shocks or struts.

When my highway driving started feeling squirrely on the ‘13, steering required constant course correction. Think of watching a movie where an actor driving is fake handling a wheel (left right left right wiggle of the steering wheel). It wasn’t quite that bad but it was close lol.

Anyway, the rear left shock was bad but I didn’t know for sure until I was replacing all shocks and struts. No clunking though. 2013~2016 - CX-5 Strut and Shock replacement post 33 for what the shock looked like when removed.

 

[Pitter]

Thanks for that, yes could be bad shock/s.

 

[Pitter]

I've pinned the issue down a little better. What's happening is that it is oversteering when taking curves and as I said ll four tires are properly topped up. A bit un nerving.

 

[acidbug]

Had the same problem with my Mazda protégé5 was driving weirdly on the highway. Meaning, I had to constantly adjust the steering, even though the road was perfectly flat, and recently paved. I took it to my mechanic friend who told me it was leaking and barely any had any miles on the car (less than a year old). They refused and only replaced the one demanding me pay for the other. Shortly after the 2nd one failed (less then a month) I had them pay for my lunch while they repaired my car.

 

[Conrad 16.5]

Had the same problem with my Mazda protégé5 was driving weirdly on the highway. Meaning, I had to constantly adjust the steering, even though the road was perfectly flat, and recently paved. I took it to my mechanic friend who told me it was leaking and barely any had any miles on the car (less than a year old). They refused and only replaced the one demanding me pay for the other. Shortly after the 2nd one failed (less then a month) I had them pay for my lunch while they repaired my car.

Your mechanic friend told you what was leaking? A tire? Who is them and they?

I'm going out on a limb here and assume that you're talking about the dealership and tires?

Why would you expect the dealership to replace a tire that's leaking? You could have picked up a nail in your tire and no auto manufacturers are going to cover that. And then you expected them to pay for two tires?

 

[CarpeDiem]

I've pinned the issue down a little better. What's happening is that it is oversteering when taking curves and as I said ll four tires are properly topped up. A bit un nerving.

A poor alignment due to pot holes etc. could account for the oversteer - but the clunking sounds like something in the suspension is loose/broken. Best to have it looked ASAP.

 

[acidbug]

Your mechanic friend told you what was leaking? A tire? Who is them and they?

I'm going out on a limb here and assume that you're talking about the dealership and tires?

Why would you expect the dealership to replace a tire that's leaking? You could have picked up a nail in your tire and no auto manufacturers are going to cover that. And then you expected them to pay for two tires?

I took it to my mechanic and he found the shock/strut leaking. Car was under warranty but I’m not a fan of dealerships/service departments. While there they put car on stand and confirmed leaky shock. They replaced the left rear but refused to replace the right rear shock. About month later the right rear struck started leaking badly. Took it to the dealer and they paid for my lunch while they fixed my car.

No tires replaced. Just struts/shocks.

Funny thing is the second shock went out just after the bumper-to-bumper one year anniversary so they did it “as a courtesy.” L O LOL

 

[acidbug]

A poor alignment due to pot holes etc. could account for the oversteer - but the clunking sounds like something in the suspension is loose/broken. Best to have it looked ASAP.

Poor alignment easy to tell. Find a flat surface go up to at least 30 to 40 miles an hour, and if the steering wheel is straight, your alignment is more than likely fine. Additionally, if you did hit a pothole or a curb, there’s little weights that they add to the rims to balance them they could’ve fallen off And causing the problem that you’re experiencing. additionally, I’ve experienced flats spotting on tires in the past especially on cars that don’t get driven much.

About the clunking noise, that’s almost certain suspension related more than likely a bushing has failed, and will definitely require a trip to a mechanic to further diagnose. This clunking issue I’ve experienced on almost all my Mazdas. But then again I drive them pretty hard.

 

[GFrosty]

I've pinned the issue down a little better. What's happening is that it is oversteering when taking curves and as I said ll four tires are properly topped up. A bit un nerving.

For years, had a Mazda 3, a Mazda Miata, and a Honda Accord with suspension work. The CX-5 is my first crossover/SUV. And all the hoopla over higher center of gravity is certainly true. It handles quite differently, just due to that aspect. Taller tires roll over more easily, particularly with a taller/heavier car, and "sharper" steering and "hotter" entry into corners is not rewarded in this thing. Takes an adjustment of technique, to get fairly reasonably handling out of the thing.

Coming into corners too hot and oversteering to correct is a sure-fire way to make a mess of things.

My ~115Kmi shocks aren't nearly as fresh feeling as (test driving) a newer model off the lot. The bushings aren't going to be nearly as fresh or able to get their job done as a new vehicle. And tires matter a bunch, including the pressures.

Just from a pressure standpoint, on the old Miata I found that even a +/- 2 or 3 PSI change on one end could change the character of the car's grip. Get it right, and the Miata can be quite playful yet controllable in corners. Haven't yet found that to be the case with the CX-5. I figure it's just a bit too heavy, the sidewalls a bit too tall, and the type of tire just a bit too soft to really squeeze much handling out of the thing during cornering. Definitely different.

These days, each time I have it in for servicing up on the lift I take a walk around the car to see if everything looks okay with the suspension and steering. It'll just be a matter of time before bushings, shocks and other parts begin to get past their prime.

 

[acidbug]

Sounds like you don’t take it off road/drifting. Not jeep off road but you know what I mean. I take my cars snow drifting/off roading every year. FWD, AWD,RWD.

I recently upgrade my bushings on my older RWD car as the Bushings began to show tears (dry rot) which leads to clunking noises. After I upgraded them on my RWD (oldest of my cars) the clunk went away.

About tire pressure I am a firm believer that tires are the biggest upgrade on any car. When I go off-road or racing, I always drop the psi five+ below the recommended PSI written/stamped on the drivers door/tire for more grip. Good trick for getting unstuck.

Also, I have a separate set of rims and tires for winter, which makes for much more grit grip, whether it’s snow or mushy roads.

Can’t wait to see how the new off-roading programming works on the CX five versus my older CX five.

 

[Pitter]

I took it to the deeler today. A service person test drove it with me on city streets. Fortunately for this test there are some rough streets near the dealership and he was able to perceive some of the rattling from right front. He was taking right angle turns on streets hard but it wouldn't work for the oversteering issue. Returning to the dealership, after consultation with my test driver I was told I have to leave the car for two to three days for them to run full tests on the issues. The test driver listening to the rattles said at the very least the shocks were bad, identified by the rattle I hear on un paved road. l' ll give a report as soon as there are advances. What a bummer and worth repeating this car has 33,000 miles on it. I commented a long time ago that I would be the test bench for this model on rough roads since my daily outing involves six kilometers of rough unpaved road. As can be imagined I am supremely dissapointed. I have enjoyed the dickens out of the turbo on paved highways. But by comparison I have owned five other vehicles in the last twenty years that I have driven over the same road none of which suffered suspension issues after far higher milage. I will update following feedback from the dealership.

 

[Pitter]

 

[Pitter]

A video at the dealership. Both front shocks to be replaced and some other front suspension components. $1,600. This with 33,000 miles on the car. Clearly the CX-5 suspension does not hold up when subjected to travel over unpaved road conditions. Driving this same road I have owned a Suzuki Vitara, Mazda 4x4 pickup, Nissan 4x4 pickup and Renault Duster. None suffered suspension failure during many thousands of miles. I love my Signature but it's the wrong car for my environment.

 

[Jmaz]

Looking at your video, to me it looks like from the amount of wheel 'wiggle' that the wheel bearings are loose. At least that's my first impression. Loose wheel bearings will make the car handle 'squirrelly'. Let us know what parts were replaced to fix the problem.

 

[ruthrj]

Sorry to hear that, man. That’s going to be a 30k mile maintenance item for you on this car if you hang on to it.

 

[RedBaron]

Looking at your video, to me it looks like from the amount of wheel 'wiggle' that the wheel bearings are loose. At least that's my first impression. Loose wheel bearings will make the car handle 'squirrelly'. Let us know what parts were replaced to fix the problem.

Actually, if you look again, it looks like the lower control arm is wiggling with the wheel (both sides). Doubt it's the bearings, just the LCA. Also, why are they changing the shocks? If they're not weeping, I would doubt you need need shocks at 30K.

 

[Pitter]

Although it will be Greek (actually Spanish) to most including me I'm adding the estimate. Brazos" are arms so I imagine referring to the control arm.

 

[RedBaron]

Yep. Looking up one of the "brazos" part numbers, you get: KB7W34300H - Mazda Suspension Control Arm (Right, Lower) | Mazda Car Parts Online, Cincinnati OH

 

[Pitter]

Thank you Redbaron.