Thank you for the advice. My mechanic told me that previous owner already replaced the rear shocks, so I will just leave it as it is. Thanks again for you replies.
Ok, I literally just bought this car- used from a Honda dealer. It was a trade in obviously. It test drove amazing, with 77k miles on it. I bought it and immediately drove it 300 miles back to my hometown, and suddenly the suspension is squeaking/creaking and just seems a bit stressed. I also live in a very snowy/cold region. I don't mind the lousy snow performance, I can take the bus on bad weather days (Im a grad student)... However, for paying $7k I do not think the car should have any suspension problems!! I have 90 days to bring it back to the dealer under the lemon law. Should I make them fix it or should I try to switch the car out altogether? The tire situation does not look like fun either... I do not have the money to buy new tires every year!
This is a known problem on Mazda5s - your sway bar bushings need replacement/lube - probably both front and rear sway bar bushings, the front are a lot harder to replace. the noise is more noticeable when cold. Tire wear is also a known problem - rear inner tires tend to wear out soon - because of factory toe alignment for handling - some people have this issue, others don't. What year is the car? -
@jpaterac said:
Ok, I literally just bought this car- used from a Honda dealer. It was a trade in obviously. It test drove amazing, with 77k miles on it. I bought it and immediately drove it 300 miles back to my hometown, and suddenly the suspension is squeaking/creaking and just seems a bit stressed. I also live in a very snowy/cold region. I don't mind the lousy snow performance, I can take the bus on bad weather days (Im a grad student)... However, for paying $7k I do not think the car should have any suspension problems!! I have 90 days to bring it back to the dealer under the lemon law. Should I make them fix it or should I try to switch the car out altogether? The tire situation does not look like fun either... I do not have the money to buy new tires every year!
Hello Mazda5 suspension-troubled owners! This is my update to my previous postings (p.9-10) I made in 2010-11. I bought mine in 2007 (Touring) and owned it for almost 3 years. I'm not giving you any solution here, but perhaps, you'd re-think your ownership. After continuous suspension-related issue (tires, struts, etc) and headaches, I sold it a month before warranty got expired. The replacement was (and still is) Highlander, a more expensive car, but well worth it: reliable, safe and practical. Lastly, think about re-sale value. Mazda's is way below its competitors'. As I said earlier, it was my first and last Mazda.
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This is a known problem on Mazda5s - your sway bar bushings need replacement/lube - probably both front and rear sway bar bushings, the front are a lot harder to replace. the noise is more noticeable when cold. Tire wear is also a known problem - rear inner tires tend to wear out soon - because of factory toe alignment for handling - some people have this issue, others don't. What year is the car? -
After continuous suspension-related issue (tires, struts, etc) and headaches, I sold it a month before warranty got expired. The replacement was (and still is) Highlander, a more expensive car, but well worth it: reliable, safe and practical.
Lastly, think about re-sale value. Mazda's is way below its competitors'. As I said earlier, it was my first and last Mazda.