Rear tailgate misalignment

[typeshluder]

Over the holiday we were at my wife's families cabin. We had our 2012 CX9 parked on a slight grassy hill. While on the hill the tailgate wouldn't close properly. I had to push it to the right while closing it or it would just bounce off of the latch. When we left and opened it on a paved parking lot it worked fine, but once back at the cabin we had the same issue. Seems like the chassis flexes so much when not on a flat surface it throws the tailgate alignment out of whack. I found this old thread with a similar issue. http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123765896-CX-9-Body-Flex

Anyone ever have this issue? It is an AWD Touring so no power tailgate. Car was also bought new and only has 7000 miles, so no body damage that would cause this.

 

[IgoZoom]

Over the holiday we were at my wife's families cabin. We had our 2012 CX9 parked on a slight grassy hill. While on the hill the tailgate wouldn't close properly. I had to push it to the right while closing it or it would just bounce off of the latch. When we left and opened it on a paved parking lot it worked fine, but once back at the cabin we had the same issue. Seems like the chassis flexes so much when not on a flat surface it throws the tailgate alignment out of whack. I found this old thread with a similar issue. http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123765896-CX-9-Body-Flex

Anyone ever have this issue? It is an AWD Touring so no power tailgate. Car was also bought new and only has 7000 miles, so no body damage that would cause this.

I certainly hope you're planning to take it back to the dealer and let them figure out the problem! That is totally unacceptable on a $35k-ish CUV with 7000 miles on it.....and make sure you get a loaner car while they're fixing the problem....

 

[typeshluder]

At some point, yes. We got it last October, I think, and haven't had it happen before last weekend, although this is the first time it was parked at a place like that. I want to see if I can replicate the issue before I take it in or I will take it in and they will open and close the tailgate a few times and say it works fine and have me pick it up. Also, my local mazda dealer doesn't even have an on-site body shop and the larger dealer we bought it from is 50 miles away.

 

[table5511]

I don't think its a problem. Body flex is normal. The latch has a pretty tight tolerance. But just my opinion. Recently I inspected a Chrysler 300 where the body shop ended up having to replace the roof skin after it went off road. The skin was severely warped, buckled and wrinkled. We put it on the frame rack and all the unibody control points were unaffected. No damage to anything other than the bumpers and the roof skin. Body flex is real.