Shut off TCS for a day!

[Bruins 8]

I had the lugging and surging problem awhile back. I was going to do the surging TSB update and a member said that wouldn't help. So just for the hell of it I turned off the TCS for a whole day of driving. I would switch into sport mode and drive the CX-5 hard and then switch it off and drive with the TCS off and accelerating hard on and off.
Driving the CX-5 the next day felt like a different CX-5. The car felt like it shifted better when slowing down and braking was better also, maybe it was just me.

 

[181962]

My experience was Sport mode or just being aggressive with gas (zoom zoom) went a long way toward eliminating those issues before I had the TSB applied. Driving in those fashions are not my preference for daily driving so I took a shot with the TSB.

The TSB has all but eliminated the lugging I had been experiencing in daily driving and when it does happen from time to time it is brief and mild. I still get bumps into gear up through 3rd. now if the gas is not just right but they are mild and not entirely unpleasant. Ironically, I did not have the problem the TSB was designed to fix (double bump in low gears) but now I do get that every once in a while. Go figure. Anyway, for me it is now "within tolerance" shall we say in light of the other virtues of the vehicle. I don't expect perfection for $26,275 + tax. Who could?

You didn't say how you were set up on day 2. I presume it was TCS on, Sport off otherwise what's the point? Perhaps driving in a more aggressive fashion on day 1 carried over to a heavier foot on day 2 which tends to eliminate these issues. Give it some time and report back. I firmly believe claims the vehicle adjusts to driving style are often exaggerated.

 

[cz5gt]

very interesting... I turned off the TCS and the car is now shifting much better as it is supposed to be shifting when driving in normal mode (not S).
it does keep 1 gear lower as well under certain rpms and road conditions.
Its a good find. Not sure why but with TCS off my 2018 is more pleasant to drive in the city.

 

[yrwei52]

very interesting... I turned off the TCS and the car is now shifting much better as it is supposed to be shifting when driving in normal mode (not S).
it does keep 1 gear lower as well under certain rpms and road conditions.
Its a good find. Not sure why but with TCS off my 2018 is more pleasant to drive in the city.

Do you mean each time you drive the CX-5 you press the TCS off, and with it off you feel the transmission shifting is much better; or you turned the TCS off once, the shifting now is better even the TCS is on by default?

 

[Bruins 8]

I found that after driving the one day with the TCS off the CX-5 feels better now with it on (default). I really notice it when braking, the transmission is actually downshifting when slowing and braking.

 

[cz5gt]

Do you mean each time you drive the CX-5 you press the TCS off, and with it off you feel the transmission shifting is much better; or you turned the TCS off once, the shifting now is better even the TCS is on by default?

Havent tried how it shifts the next day with TCS on (default setting). But yesterday I was driving with the TCS off (manually pressing the button after each car start) and the shifting was totally different and much better.
There were few blips and drops in accelerating initially the first time I turned off TCS then after a while it went butter smooth.

There is a road that I travel daily and where it rides in 6th gear at about 45mph. Now it keeps 5th gear there at the same road and driving style and obviously since its in better torque rpm range if I want to accelerate its quicker to respond.
vs last time when it was on 6th gear and 100-200rpm lower and lack of initial torque due to the lower rpm range below 2000.
Definetely the TCS adfects the response of the car electronics and driving features for me.
Will keep testing and observing but it seems the 2.5na is very capable but the electronics are killing it.

 

[dunhillmc]

I just tried TCS off on my 2.5 Mazda6. Normally on my commute home I avg 27-29 mpg. I will very rarely sometimes hit 30, but tonight I hit 33.1 mpg...whoa!

 

[cz5gt]

I did notice better mpg too but I thought its due to the mild weather here in AZ and putting chevron instead of my usual Shell.
Got 35.6mpg on a route that I usually get max 34.
Interesting observation. I will keep experimenting Thanks to Bruins8 for the idea.

Did you also notice any better shifting or more optimal car response during the drive?

 

[RadRacer]

I've gone half a tank with TCS off now and am getting about 2mpg better in the city. I feel it's faster for passing, but slower from a stop.

 

[Conrad 16.5]

I was going to try this yesterday when I was out and about. I forgot though. I need to put a sticky note on my steering wheel.

 

[yrwei52]

I was going to try this yesterday when I was out and about. I forgot though. I need to put a sticky note on my steering wheel.

Yes, I’ll have my wife to try it this morning on the CX-5. I’ll reset the MPG calculator and see if there’s any difference before (24.8 mpg) and after (?).

 

[dunhillmc]

Yes, I’ll have my wife to try it this morning on the CX-5. I’ll reset the MPG calculator and see if there’s any difference before and after.

Use the fuel economy screen since it shows overall mpg and for the last trip

 

[yrwei52]

Yes, I’ll have my wife to try it this morning on the CX-5. I’ll reset the MPG calculator and see if there’s any difference before (24.8 mpg) and after (?).

Wife just called and said the Info computer on Avg MPG displayed 27.3 for her 10-mile drive to work with stop-and-go traffic. This’s the highest she’s ever seen and 24.8 was the average MPG before the reset. We’ll keep experiencing this with TCS off and see the significant gas saving is real. The only problem is she keeps forgetting to press “TCS Off” button before she drives the CX-5 away.

 

[Conrad 16.5]

Wife just called and said the Info computer on Avg MPG displayed 27.3 for her 10-mile drive to work with stop-and-go traffic. This’s the highest she’s ever seen and 24.8 was the average MPG before the reset. We’ll keep experiencing this with TCS off and see the significant gas saving is real. The only problem is she keeps forgetting to press “TCS Off” button before she drives the CX-5 away.

That's crazy! Does anyone have an explanation for this?

I'll test mine today but it won't be a long trip so I may not see any difference.

 

[Bruins 8]

Wow! I never thought this would lead to an MPG discovery. I have a 20-mile (10 highway and 10 stop and go) drive today and will check the MPG.

Well the drive there I got 28.5 mpg on the way back I got 30.0 mpg. Drove the speed limit on the return trip.

I have never seen 30.0 MPG on that trip.

 

[yrwei52]

That's crazy! Does anyone have an explanation for this?

I'll test mine today but it won't be a long trip so I may not see any difference.

IMO the reason why turning the TCS off affects the gas mileage is because the TCS uses brakes to control the traction of each wheel. The software may intervene the driving with brakes a bit too much without driver’s notice, and thus reduced the gas mileage. And I imagine turning the TCS off could extend the service life of brake pads too.

BTW, wife also said she could certainly feel our CX-5 AWD is peppier and more powerful with the TCS off, in addition to pretty significant MPG gain in stop-and-go traffic. With gas price keeps rising, $3.08 / gal. on Shell regular in our area, I was surprised to hear she said she’ll try to remember pressing the “TCS Off” button each time she drives the CX-5, just for better gas mileage ⋯

 

[181962]

I would caution that the MPG meter on the vehicle can be quite inaccurate. Resetting it mid-tank could give you a bad indication. I've had the meter give a spot-on reading on one tank, overstate by 2 MPGs on another, when doing manual calculations.

I don't rule out that switching off TCS will improve gas mileage or provide smoother shifting. I'll try it myself at some point if I can remember to turn it off consistently. But you have to be a little more scientific about it for a firm conclusion.

Step 1: Fill the tank until the pump shuts off. Do not top off past that point. Reset the trip odometer to zero.
Step 2: Drive with TCS on until the next fill up to get a baseline.
Step 3: Fill up at the same pump as before, again not topping off past auto shut off. For those who are in the habit of topping off I'm sure you've experienced one pump allowing an extra half gallon or more while another pump will allow hardly any additional.
Step 4: Manually calculate the MPGs for that TSC-on tank. Don't rely on the MPG meter. Reset the trip odometer.
Step 5: Drive on that second tank with TSC off under the same mix of city, suburban, highway. Somebody suggested a Post-It note as reminder to turn it back on with each start-up,
Step 6: Return to that same pump again and do not top off.
Step 7: Manually calculate the MPGs on that second tank and compare to the first.

That should eliminate most of the misleading variables.

 

[181962]

IMO the reason why turning the TCS off affects the gas mileage is because the TCS uses brakes to control the traction of each wheel. The software may intervene the driving with brakes a bit too much without driver’s notice, and thus reduced the gas mileage. And I imagine turning the TCS off could extend the service life of brake pads too.

That's certainly possible. It may involve even more. These vehicles purportedly monitor traction 300 times per second or something along those lines. Even on a dry road it could be making tiny adjustments during routine acceleration or turns. One thing's for sure--if you do in fact get 2 or 3 more MPGs in a more scientific test the car should feel different. If the feel is less assured, maybe lighter or less planted in turns for example, then there's a trade-off to consider.

It's going to take me a while to get through a two tank test but I will check it out providing it doesn't snow in the interim. Personally, if the handling is less assured while getting 2-3 more MPG I will just pay up for the gas. Toward the top of my list of reasons for buying the car is best in class handling.

 

[ceric]

This is one interesting topic. We need more scientific testing.
Maybe the tires are bold, which slip more on acceleration that requires intervention from TCS.

I tested it myself yesterday with TCS off ('16 Mazda6).
Honestly, I did not feel a difference. (yes, not scientific either)
My tires are fairly new.

 

[Mazdiod2]

Does the TCS mostly kick in to reduce wheelspin?