Vibration revisited

[Mark787B]

After 3K miles on my '09, the weird vibrations that I occasionally get from my 5 remain my only real gripe. I can point to the tires to some extent but tires are rarely a variable problem in my experience, they're either out of balance, defective, etc. or not.

That points me in the direction of engine mounts. Can any '08 or '09 5 owners chime in on the subject? I know that there was a design change somewhere in the 5's past that has the potential for adding vibration at idle. I do have this condition but it's sporadic. Next stop is the dealer of course...

 

[AwaKeN]

I've never got any weird vibrations on my 09 and i'm at 4500 km

 

[Mark787B]

Thanks for your response-- do you have a manual or auto trans?

 

[AwaKeN]

Manual

 

[Mark787B]

I'll have to get my hands on another 5 with a manual transmission. Or swap for a Miata-- it is almost summer after all...

 

[coolmazda5]

Have you checked any of the vibration related TSBs, would there be some of the recommended fixes (and procedures) useful here? They are not for 09s, but who knows
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4611613&postcount=9

Or if nothing helps, maybe some aftermarket mount options could do the trick?
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123731748

 

[Mark787B]

Many thanks-- I think I've read through most vibration threads and I've examined my engine mounts (to the best of my ability). I notice when I head up steep hills I'll get a specific resonance, or "wave" of vibration that is a different feeling altogether.

Vibration at idle I can handle so it's possible that after I've exhausted the proper channels that aftermarket mounts are the way to go...

 

[Lee MD]

I just bought an 09 and i definitely have a vibration. I had the dealer check the wheel balancing and they discovered that the tires were slightly flatspotted due to the car sitting on the lot for several months. I took the car in today to have the vibration checked out along with some other outstanding dealer option installs. I don't know if they even did anything, but the vibration is even worse. Going to have to push some buttons at the dealer yet again.

 

[Mark787B]

Lee,

Please keep me posted. It's been my experience that the tires definitely flat-spot and appear to be "plastic"; sometimes they're fine, other times horrible. Since I feel vibration in the front I had the balance of the front tires checked by a Toyo dealer (all he had time for) and he noted very slight imbalance and acceptable "bounce" (which would simulate an out-of-round condition). I will try Toyo again but will likley just pick up a wheel/tire package for sanity's sake... Seems ridiculous on a new car!

 

[Zoom5Zoom]

if you have a flat spot on your tires since new here is a trick but do not recommend any un professional try this...

Inflate tires to approx 75LBS and run out the car for about 25 KM. If still persistent go to 85LBS and for longer range...

Yes it does flatten out that tire if not change it

 

[steve757]

Vibration Mazda 5

I also have a Mazda 5 2009 with a significant vibration problem.

Immediatly noticed vibration thought it was a tire balance issue.

Purchased Nov 2008 Touring model 5 speed automatic. Some of the same issue that have have been descibed on forum in past +.

Mark as you said it is not consistent although it is always there in some fashion. Like you I feel the shake pretty much as soon as the car starts rolling. It is as if the chassis is contorted in so way. It is not a tire problem however the tires seem to cause a sympathetic vibration/shake in the chassis.

Whole car has a vibration/shake most prominent at 28 mph and 54 mph.
Steering wheel lightly shimeys at speeds above 40 mph.
At highway speeds unusual vibration thru steering wheel and seat, feels like whole chassis is shaking at a low frequency.
When temp was cold here in FL the whole car would feel like it was hoping up and down for the first 5 miles or so.

8 attempts to fix it by dealer.

Rebalanced tires, no change.
Replaced two of the OEM Toyo tires, no change.
New motor mounts, no change.
New Michelin Pilot tires no change.
Replaced one of the Michelin ties due to slightly higher road force rating, no change.
Arguably after the tire change it was ever so slightly improved.

A Mazda engineer and district rep has been involved since the motor mount change. The dealer and Mazda have been very reponsive until this last month. Now the stock response is the car meets spec and has has normal road feel
.
Filed lemon law hearing next month.

Like vehicle but VERY frustrated with vibration/shake issue. Anybody have any new thoughts or experience with Mazda on this issue.

Thanks

 

[steve757]

Mazda 5 Vibration/Shake

Opps forgot to mention

Replaced halfshafts, no change.

 

[steve757]

One more piece of information.

Manufactured 07/08.

 

[rweatherford]

What air pressure are you running in your tires?

 

[steve757]

Mazda 5 Vibration

Per the recomended tire pressure. 34 PSI front and rear.

Steve

 

[steve757]

I see there are some posts regarding tire problems. Mazda replaced all four of my Toyo tires with Michelin Pilots. They were selective so as to put tires on that have very low road force ratings. They even replaced one of them when the problem did not improve with another Michelin pilot so that all all four were extremly low road force tire's. They measured road force by spin balancing each tire off the vehicle and how much weight it took to bring it into balance. The OEM tire manufacturer (Toyo) had maintained from the begining that the tire's were not the problem. The Michelin tires were much lower road force rated tire's and much more expensive ($225/each). However they did not solve the problem. They changed the charateristics and arguably slightly improved the situation but the vibration was still present. Bottom line the problem may be compounded by the tires it is not the root cause of the vibration/shake.

I have a theory that the problem is engine vibration that is being transmitted to the body via the engine mounts. There is a sympathetic vibration that is exciting the body. There is at times also a compounding sympathetic vibration produced by the tires. The true cause may be that the chassis is not stiff enough for the additional weight and wheel base of the Mazda 5. As you already know the Mazda 5 is built on a expanded Mazda 3 platform.

I have taken some vibration reading using my Itouch and some vibration software I obtained form the Ipod store. Pretty neat stuff. They show a spike at 28 mph and 54 mph.

Any thoughts

Steve

 

[rweatherford]

Your theory may have some legs. You might have something out of balance inside the tranny.

You will think I am crazy but here goes...

Our rear tires hold most of the weight on the inside edge due to negative camber alignment specs.

Try this as an easy fix and if it doesn't work you are out no money and little time. Let us know how it goes.

Inflate the tires to 50 PSI and see if it helps any. When I first got my car it had 35 PSI in the tires. Every time we drove it we could feel the flat spots while driving until the tires warmed up. We don't notice it any more.

The rear tire wear has been reduced significantly also. I had one rear tire that kept going down to 30-35 PSI on me between fuel fillups. It has worn noticeably more on the inside. Enough that I had a tire shop fix the leak and flip the tire on the rim yesterday.

 

[coolmazda5]

Serviced the 06 today (w/tire rotation and balancing) and the service guy told me about how fragile the Mazda alloy wheels are, in other words, if they are not fully symmetrical (read defective or hit by a pothole) there is no alignment or balancing that can help them. The wheels just then need to be replaced or re-machined.

I know it sounds stupid and remote but I've not seen it on any of the fixes posted earlier...

Thoughts anyone?

 

[jmcglynn]

I think the only way to put his one to bed is to swap wheels with another 5 (or 3 for that matter) and test it again. It could be the rim, but the only way to be sure is to run on a different set of rims. If a dealer isn't willing to do this test for you, then find a friend whose got a 3 or 5 you can borrow for a few hours...

 

[steve757]

Mazda 5 vibration

Good thought guys but I forgot to mention that one of the things the Mazda people did early in the process. Same day they did the half shafts.

Just got there offical response from the lemon law filing. In a nut shell they say it is a normal charateristic of the vehicle.

Any more thoughts?

Thanks

Steve