2021 CX-9 Wanders at Highway Speed

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21 CX9 Signatur
My 2021 CX-9 AWD Signature with 8000 miles wanders at highway speeds. Not a lot, but just enough to make driving long distances tiring.

I have found that almost all new and used cars that are sold are out of alignment!. My sons and I tend to buy a lot of cars (and we love Mazdas), and we counted 6 cars in a row that we bought (mostly new ones) that came from the factory out of alignment. My first one was a new 2012 Mazda 3i that I thought was just designed badly, until 1 1/2 years it was just out of alignment. After the alignment, it was awesome!

Back to the story... I had Mazda check this one twice, and both times they said it was in specs. I had them give me the specs the last time, and it looks like it has a bit of toe out (which I understand can cause instability). Does anyone have recommendations on what settings to set it to?

Here is what I have:

The first setting doesnt say what it is, but I think it is Toe.

(Left/Right)
Front -> -0.7/-0.5 Camber -> 6.1/6.0 Caster -> 0.9/0.11
Front -> 0.2 Total Toe -> -0.01 Steer Ahead
Rear -> -1.4/-1.2 Camber -> 0.6/0.9
Rear 0.15 -> -0.02

492C0D82-701B-4E88-9002-337AF989CC1B.jpeg
 
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Are you sure it’s alignment?
I just picked up 2022 touring plus and it is wondering the lane pretty bad. However, I am putting this on tires. Can’t believe it but my new Mazda has Falcons on. Probably the cheapest tyres you can have. Alignment would make it pull to one side, not wobble.
 
Alignement can make a car less stable and more prone to follow road variations. Not really a wobble, but still requiring constant corrections. Your left rear camber is pretty far to the right. It is barely within spec. You could see if you could get that one closer to spec, maybe that would help. Same thing for your left front camber.

As for the Falken, they are actually better than the bridgestone ecopia that came on the cx-9 before.
 
My car with the Falkens drives straight & steady. For alignment, especially if you're paying, not a warranty job, tell them that you want the setting in the center, not just "in spec."

yellow, have you tried rotating the tires? While my Falkens are fine, it is possible you have one defective tire causing the wandering. If the car is steady after the rotation, you know it's one tire.
 
Also, for those that just picked a new vehicle. Some dealers have a tendency to forget to deflate the tires to the right pressure before selling the car. This is well documented in this forum. Check your tires to make sure they are not overinflated. It may help with the wandering issue.
 
Also, for those that just picked a new vehicle. Some dealers have a tendency to forget to deflate the tires to the right pressure before selling the car. This is well documented in this forum. Check your tires to make sure they are not overinflated. It may help with the wandering issue.
This is a common oversight during pre sale prep at dealers. They are supposed to check the pressures, but a lot of the techs just can't be bothered. If they are not flat, they just ignore them and move on. It's just pure laziness on their part. The tires are overinflated during shipping to prevent flat spots. They can be set as high as 50psi from the factory.
OP: That's the first thing I'd do. Check and set the pressure on your tires.
 
My 2021 CX-9 AWD Signature with 8000 miles wanders at highway speeds. Not a lot, but just enough to make driving long distances tiring.

I have found that almost all new and used cars that are sold are out of alignment!. My sons and I tend to buy a lot of cars (and we love Mazdas), and we counted 6 cars in a row that we bought (mostly new ones) that came from the factory out of alignment. My first one was a new 2012 Mazda 3i that I thought was just designed badly, until 1 1/2 years it was just out of alignment. After the alignment, it was awesome!

Back to the story... I had Mazda check this one twice, and both times they said it was in specs. I had them give me the specs the last time, and it looks like it has a bit of toe out (which I understand can cause instability). Does anyone have recommendations on what settings to set it to?

Here is what I have:

The first setting doesnt say what it is, but I think it is Toe.

(Left/Right)
Front -> -0.7/-0.5 Camber -> 6.1/6.0 Caster -> 0.9/0.11
Front -> 0.2 Total Toe -> -0.01 Steer Ahead
Rear -> -1.4/-1.2 Camber -> 0.6/0.9
Rear 0.15 -> -0.02
All good advice here. BTW, I wasn't happy to see Falkens on our 2020 Signature when we picked it up but after 10K miles have no problem with them. Quiet, smooth, good handling and getting good wear.
 
Thank you everyone for your advice. My wife has the car out of town right now, so I'm not 100% sure what tires they are. They don't pull to the left or right and are really smooth, but just are overly sensitive. I will take it in for an alignment again (the 3rd time) and see what they can do.

I am very careful with tire pressure, so the pressure is correct in the tires. I also have had a Mazda 3 straight from the dealership with about 50 psi, and was not happy! That is a good note about possibly having a defective tire, and I'll try a tire rotation.
 
I also have had a Mazda 3 straight from the dealership with about 50 psi, and was not happy!
Doesn't this just rot your socks? It continues to be a Mazda dealer issue it seems.

When I test drove a few Mazdas back when I was car shopping in 2017, one CX-5 I drove felt like it had concrete tires and rode very harshly and was a bit skittish. The next one I drove felt "normal". I knew right away the first one had overinflated tires, especially after I got back and looked and them. There was no telltale bulge at the point of contact with the road. They were hard as rocks. This was on a demo unit too. You's think the dealer would check, but no. Too lazy.
 
My 2021 CX-9 AWD Signature with 8000 miles wanders at highway speeds. Not a lot, but just enough to make driving long distances tiring.

I have found that almost all new and used cars that are sold are out of alignment!. My sons and I tend to buy a lot of cars (and we love Mazdas), and we counted 6 cars in a row that we bought (mostly new ones) that came from the factory out of alignment. My first one was a new 2012 Mazda 3i that I thought was just designed badly, until 1 1/2 years it was just out of alignment. After the alignment, it was awesome!

Back to the story... I had Mazda check this one twice, and both times they said it was in specs. I had them give me the specs the last time, and it looks like it has a bit of toe out (which I understand can cause instability). Does anyone have recommendations on what settings to set it to?

Here is what I have:

The first setting doesnt say what it is, but I think it is Toe.

(Left/Right)
Front -> -0.7/-0.5 Camber -> 6.1/6.0 Caster -> 0.9/0.11
Front -> 0.2 Total Toe -> -0.01 Steer Ahead
Rear -> -1.4/-1.2 Camber -> 0.6/0.9
Rear 0.15 -> -0.02

View attachment 308908
I'd ask them if they could get those values centered and have it covered under the 1 yr/12k mi adjustment warranty. That warranty will also cover balancing
 
Wife got home, and it looks like we have Falken tires. So far I like them, and I am very very picky on tires (enough to buy tires before they wear out, and I am cheap!).

I’ll see if I can talk her into driving 45 miles to the nearest Mazda dealership, but we may just get it balanced here. We have a drive to Orlando in 2 weeks and I want it right.

Mazda: Get a dealership in South-West Atlanta already!:D
 
Also, for those that just picked a new vehicle. Some dealers have a tendency to forget to deflate the tires to the right pressure before selling the car. This is well documented in this forum. Check your tires to make sure they are not overinflated. It may help with the wandering issue.
Thanks for that tip. My tires were at 50 psi. I got it back to 34 and it improved it a bit. But still wonders at above 55 miles.
 
Thanks for that tip. My tires were at 50 psi. I got it back to 34 and it improved it a bit. But still wonders at above 55 miles.
Write a letter, or if you are close enough, drop by the dealer and ask to speak to the service manager. Tell him about the over inflated tires and let him know you are not impressed. This should have been taken care of if the pre delivery prep process had been done properly. Again, it's laziness and corner cutting.
 
Just visited dealer here in Florida about the issue. Test drove my car, and two there with the tech. One had same tires the other Bridgestone. Bridgestone is night and day with Fallon. It’s definitely the tire issue. In Florida where it’s hot Falkons are super sensitive and soft. Small wheel adjustment makes the car wonder the lane. Bridgestone held the lane fine.
Trying to contact the corporate about this.
 
Just visited dealer here in Florida about the issue. Test drove my car, and two there with the tech. One had same tires the other Bridgestone. Bridgestone is night and day with Fallon. It’s definitely the tire issue. In Florida where it’s hot Falkons are super sensitive and soft. Small wheel adjustment makes the car wonder the lane. Bridgestone held the lane fine.
Trying to contact the corporate about this.
Don't be so sure it's a Bridgestone vs Falken issue. As an earlier poster said, it could be just one defective tire.. Same thing happened to me with a brand new Landcruiser a few years back....had a defective Michelin that made the truck feel out of alignment which took months to figure out. BTW, I recently returned from three months in Florida and my 2020 Signature with 10k with Falkens was just fine. In fact, I had my second oil change today and dealer told me tires are wearing great with 9/32 after 10,500 miles. Very happy with that news. Your situation sucks but I'm going to guess four new tires will solve your issue.
 
You could just ask the dealer to swap the wheels from the falken to the bridgestone. There is no rime or reason on why some of them come with a model. I had the choice between 2x 2018 GT at the same dealer when i bought mine. One had falken the other had bridgestone. Same model, same trim, same wheels.
 
so after some thought - the issue I would describe is more of the following- too sensitive steering at speeds. Any movement to the steering wheel sends the car to each direction. While the other cx9 that had Bridgestone - any touch to the wheel centered the vehicle back into middle. It felt like it had me resistance to turn at high speeds where as my car does not.
One dealership refused to change tires. Trying to get into another one to see what it could be.
 
Maybe they'd be willing to swap the wheel set with the Bridgestone's to your car for just a test drive.
That would allow them to rule out (or in) if it's the tires/wheels.

I know you had it aligned, but the way you describe it sounds like it's an alignment.
Or possibly something ever so slightly loose that it shifts something in the suspension.
 
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