Brand new CX-5 Turbo Vibration at 55-67mph

[Ironcity]

I just rationalized spending $8000 more on a car than I planned and bought a 2022 CX-5 Turbo. I live 60 miles from the closest dealer. I noticed a shudder on the test drive but put it off to road condition. When we got back and salesman was going thru the features I learned about the steering wheel vib warning on lane departure. I figured that was what I had felt. It wasnt. On the ride home there’s a distinct shudder between 57-67 or so mph. Its not always there but obvious when it is. I found a lot of threads on similar issues but no recent ones. I took it back and they said that one of the tires was way over inflated. I was skeptical but felt it would also explain the somewhat harsh ride. It didnt do anything. Didnt even soften the ride any.
I cant find any posts on this after 2020. Anyone else experiencing this? Consensus seems to be the Toyo tires just don’t work well.

 

[dunhillmc]

Could be tire balance? Is it happening when the transmission is shifting?

New Mazdas have a 12k mile 'adjustment' warranty that covers things like tire balancing, alignments, panel fit, etc.

 

[sm1ke]

60 miles is a long way to drive, but you could try having the dealer check the alignment and rebalance the wheels. Your first year of ownership/first 12k miles includes an "adjustment warranty" for things like this. You could also test drive one of the other CX-5s on their lot if they have any available, to see if the issue exists on the other car. You can use this (print it off or show it to the service tech on your phone):

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10154139-9999.pdf

If it isn't the wheels, it may be something to do with the CV axles or driveshaft? I do remember reading something about that on the forums fairly recently.

 

[Chas]

@Ironcity,
We have not had that experience on our 21 CX-5 Signature

Usually, when I experience speed related vibration like this, if you are lucky, it can be fixed by remounting and rebalancing the tire by moving the high spot on the tire away from the high spot on the wheel (because if you measure with increasing precision, nothing is ever perfectly round). If you are unlucky, the wheel or tire could be so out of round, one or the other needs replacement.

Generally, all speed related vibration problems for me have been some kind of tire runout, usually diagnosed as radial runout, which necessitates a replacement, either under warranty or on your own. In my experience, under warranty replacement usually depends on a good dealer to help you out. I seem to recall any replacement having to do with radial runout, and not lateral runout, which seem to be the two types of runout common in tires. On one occasion, after an unfortunate meeting with a curb (yes, bad driving), the wheel was distorted and needed replacement in addition to some suspension components, and of course, the tire.

I am sure someone will correct me on this armchair diagnosis...just relating my experience over the years...

 

[Ironcity]

Thanks for the responses. I’m heading back again today. They agreed to do a force balancing. I also have an agreement to try other CX-5’s to see if they have the same issue. I’m glad to hear it’s not a universal problem

 

[Chas]

Yes, the Hunter Road Force Balancing machines have been the way to figure things out for me at a local shop that used to service some BMW club drivers before they hit the racetrack.

 

[Mazdiod2]

Generally, all speed related vibration problems for me have been some kind of tire runout,

Same here.

 

[Ironcity]

I‘m at the dealer now waiting to speak with the service manager. My salesman took the other CX-5 turbo out for a drive earlier and experienced the same problem, just like the 2020 thread I read. If they do a road force balancing, is there a final result I should be looking for?

 

[sm1ke]

I‘m at the dealer now waiting to speak with the service manager. My salesman took the other CX-5 turbo out for a drive earlier and experienced the same problem, just like the 2020 thread I read. If they do a road force balancing, is there a final result I should be looking for?

According to one member here:

I agree with Chas. Your Michelin Snow X tires could be defective and out of round. Road force balance should give you a number and if it’s greater than 20, the tire is out of spec and Michelin or your Mazda dealer should replace the tire under warranty.

I have not seen the printout and I'm not sure what it would look like, or what the actual number referenced above is, but you can always ask the service tech to explain the results of the road force balancing. They should be able to answer a question like "if the vibration was due to improper balancing, which values would be out of spec?"

 

[Ironcity]

Thanks again to all for your responses. Just home from the dealership. Their lead tech drove the car, verified the problem, did a full inspection and road force balanced. Only one wheel/tire was out of spec, and only by .5 lb. But he drove it after balancing and said it was good. The service manager said I was the second person that week with the same complaint. And, as I said, the salesman had driven another new CX-5 turbo on their lot and experienced the same problem. They say they'll take it up with Mazda and see if there's a service bulletin coming, or some fix. They're putting it off to the Toyo tire having a very stiff side wall and prone to flat spotting when sitting. This sounds very familiar to the thread on here from 2019/2020 and a similar one on the Mazda forum.
Anyway, the drive home was much better. I'd say 90-95% solved. It wasn't horrific to begin with, so, if it stays this way, I'm happy. Overall ride is smoother at all speeds - more like I was expecting from this vehicle. Dealership was responsive. But they basically made sure I understood they'd done all they could, and unless Mazda admits there's a systemic problem, I'm probably on my own if it comes back, or left to deal with Mazda Corporate. How they can sell the vehicles they have knowing the problem exists, most likely, on several, at least with the Toyo's, I don't know. The problem is readily apparent - how/why are these cars even leaving the factory? With this same problem having occurred in some not-insignificant number, since 2017 or so, there's no way they aren't aware of it.

 

[yrwei52]

Thanks again to all for your responses. Just home from the dealership. Their lead tech drove the car, verified the problem, did a full inspection and road force balanced. Only one wheel/tire was out of spec, and only by .5 lb. But he drove it after balancing and said it was good. The service manager said I was the second person that week with the same complaint. And, as I said, the salesman had driven another new CX-5 turbo on their lot and experienced the same problem. They say they'll take it up with Mazda and see if there's a service bulletin coming, or some fix. They're putting it off to the Toyo tire having a very stiff side wall and prone to flat spotting when sitting. This sounds very familiar to the thread on here from 2019/2020 and a similar one on the Mazda forum.
Anyway, the drive home was much better. I'd say 90-95% solved. It wasn't horrific to begin with, so, if it stays this way, I'm happy. Overall ride is smoother at all speeds - more like I was expecting from this vehicle. Dealership was responsive. But they basically made sure I understood they'd done all they could, and unless Mazda admits there's a systemic problem, I'm probably on my own if it comes back, or left to deal with Mazda Corporate. How they can sell the vehicles they have knowing the problem exists, most likely, on several, at least with the Toyo's, I don't know. The problem is readily apparent - how/why are these cars even leaving the factory? With this same problem having occurred in some not-insignificant number, since 2017 or so, there's no way they aren't aware of it.

There’re a rush of vibration complaints a couple of years ago, and most found it’s the stock Toyo A36 tires which are out of round. Some were so bad even the road force balance couldn’t fix it and the tire shouldn’t be passed the QA from a tire company.

Looks like there’re a batch of bad Toyo A36 tires got installed on the CX-5 again?

On CX-9 there’re reports recently for vibration on certain highway speed too. Some found the cause isn’t the stock Falken® Ziex CT50 A/S tires, but the rear CV drive shafts.

 

[Tchman2016]

Toyo tires are absolute garbage. Been there, done that with multiple models on different vehicles of Toyos I actually PAID for. I'd swap them out while new and sell them on Craig's or Facebook.

 

[erhayes]

The TOYO A36 tires on my 2021 GT Reserve seem to be a good, quiet tire that is good in the rain and smooth at 75 mph on the highway.

 

[mrplt]

Hi! I have the exact same issue with my 2022 NA GT, but I am running on winter tires with 17" steel rims. Mine starts at around 50mph and disappears at around 70.
I went to the dealership and the first thing the salesperson said is that it's the lane departure warning. It wasn't because I'd even turned it off and the vibration hadn't gone. And it's to the point where you can see the steering wheel shake.
Anyways, I'll have to drop the car at the dealership Monday morning... 9 days after I picked it up new.

 

[yrwei52]

Hi! I have the exact same issue with my 2022 NA GT, but I am running on winter tires with 17" steel rims. Mine starts at around 50mph and disappears at around 70.
I went to the dealership and the first thing the salesperson said is that it's the lane departure warning. It wasn't because I'd even turned it off and the vibration hadn't gone. And it's to the point where you can see the steering wheel shake.
Anyways, I'll have to drop the car at the dealership Monday morning... 9 days after I picked it up new.

Where did you get your winter tires with 17" steel rims? Are they brand new? Did you ever have a chance to run stock tires? If you did, do you feel the same vibration?

Most likely the problem is caused by lack of tire balancing. Keep us posted.

 

[mrplt]

Where did you get your winter tires with 17" steel rims? Are they brand new? Did you ever have a chance to run stock tires? If you did, do you feel the same vibration?

Most likely the problem is caused by lack of tire balancing. Keep us posted.

Directly from the dealership — the car was delivered to me with them. So I didn’t have the chance to try out the stock tires.
I also think it’s a balancing issue. Will definitely update.

 

[Tchman2016]

Definite balance or out of round/runout issue. Have them road force balance them on the hunter machine. Also, check the air pressure with an accurate gauge to make sure they are equal pressure to the door jam inflation spec when cold and not over inflated. Lastly, do you feel any vibration in the seat if your pants at any speed? If no, swap the tires front to back and back to front and check for steering wheel vibration again. If gone or better, then those swapped tires are confirmed out of balance. If you do feel a vibration or shake in the seat of your pants, then rear tires are out of balance as well.

 

[yrwei52]

Definite balance or out of round/runout issue. Have them road force balance them on the hunter machine. Also, check the air pressure with an accurate gauge to make sure they are equal pressure to the door jam inflation spec when cold and not over inflated. Lastly, do you feel any vibration in the seat if your pants at any speed? If no, swap the tires front to back and back to front and check for steering wheel vibration again. If gone or better, then those swapped tires are confirmed out of balance. If you do feel a vibration or shake in the seat of your pants, then rear tires are out of balance as well.

I’d say it’s a brand new CX-5 and the winter tires are also from the Mazda dealer, so just let the dealer resolve the issue. I wonder what kind of winter tires mrplt got from his Mazda dealer? Presumably the 17” steel wheels are good quality OEM?

 

[mrplt]

I’d say it’s a brand new CX-5 and the winter tires are also from the Mazda dealer, so just let the dealer to resolve the issue. I wonder what kind of winter tires mrplt got from his Mazda dealer? Presumably the 17” steel wheels are good quality OEM?

Yeah, I am going to have to go Monday morning. I am really hoping they resolve it before I have to go to work, but I doubt they will.
These are the wheels:

The tires (I mentioned them in What did you do to your CX-5 today thread) are Uniroyal Tiger Paw Ice and Snow 3. They're unidirectional and mounted correctly (just in terms of the direction) and they're quite new tires. (Manufactured 43rd week of 2021)
I am no expert in steel wheels but it seems like they tried balancing the tires but isn't there too much weight on this wheel? (Bottom right corner of the wheel)

 

[yrwei52]

Yeah, I am going to have to go Monday morning. I am really hoping they resolve it before I have to go to work, but I doubt they will.
These are the wheels:
View attachment 307808
The tires (I mentioned them in What did you do to your CX-5 today thread) are Uniroyal Tiger Paw Ice and Snow 3. They're unidirectional and mounted correctly (just in terms of the direction) and they're quite new tires. (Manufactured 43rd week of 2021)
I am no expert in steel wheels but it seems like they tried balancing the tires but isn't there too much weight on this wheel? (Bottom right corner of the wheel)

Yes that 2 big weights seen on the steel wheel in picture is a concern. Like Tchman2016 mentioned above, you may have to mention this to the service advisor, and insist the road force balance on all tires with a Hunter GSP9700 machine that should be able to figure out any out of round or runout issue. And insist the replacement on any defective tires or wheels if any (within 20 is the acceptable value from the road force balance).