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Mazda5: No Traction/ Stability Control. Is this an issue?

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Comments

  • coolmazda5coolmazda5 Member Posts: 525
    Would my reply count for 2? they drive like a sporty sedan with very decent fuel economy. Best of luck with the Sienna, I rented an 08 for a week once and it is a fine people mover, but too massive IMO. Drop by from time to time and let us know how things worked out

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  • jonat1xjonat1x Member Posts: 34
    An apparently ill-informed put-down - mechanically the two vehicles are the same. If you hop on over to Car and Driver, they're currently installing the engine from a Mazdaspeed3 into a Mazda5. Now that REALLY gets my attention.
  • jschnerjschner Member Posts: 4
    The safety issues that were some what in question for this vehicle a few months ago seemed to have been answered recently with the M5 doing very well in safety tests. Better than I thought it would do. I was expecting all 4s because of the small size but the M5 scored a lot of 5/5.

    The subject of traction control did not matter to me when I purchased our 08 M5 GT in April. I thought about it for 2 seconds thinking it would be a cool option to have but realistically it really isn't all that necessary for where I live. So I'm rather thrilled I saved $500 on an option that I really did not need. I equate traction control being an issue about as much as the car scoring a 4.9/5 in crash tests instead of a 5/5. Really not all that significant to me.

    Good luck to those who wrote or need it. Maybe 2010 is the year!

    Now if I lived in a colder climate or had traction issues then yes I think it would be a great option and open more of the market up to Mazda. But the car is what it is and if traction control is a must have item then maybe something like a Rondo would work better for some people.

    I applaud those who have taken the time to write Mazda and express their feelings about traction control. Maybe in the next couple years it will show up as an optional item like the DVD or navigation for those who need such a thing before it is mandated. But if it's not, then it's Mazda's loss if that is a deal breaker for some as I understand the need in some circumstances.

    Good luck to those who wrote Mazda and need traction control. Maybe 2010 is the year?
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    "An apparently ill-informed put-down..."

    Hardly: DSC is all about vehicle dynamics. The Mazda3 and Mazda5 are quite a bit different, dynamically. I'm not sure what you mean about them being mechanically the same: the rear suspension is different.
  • autoholic75autoholic75 Member Posts: 9
    Thanks collmazda5... and just for the record, your posts (along with others here) provided a great info and experience background, from current owners of the Mz5... as I shopped all of the alternatives. Your posts went a long way toward generating a buzz and getting me seriously excited about, what I had hope, would be my next car. Mazda should be paying you guys for the great PR service you provide.

    For so many reason the Mz5 seemed "just right", and I was really looking forward to putting in an order for an '09 Blue GT... but stability control for me was just something I couldn't compromise on. I will keep an eye on the model and check in on the forum from time to time.

    Pleasant (and safe) driving.
  • jonk3jonk3 Member Posts: 1
    You can add me to the "DSC is a must " camp. I'm also disappointed that the '09 model will not have it, but I might be able to wait for '10. At any rate, hasn't the NHTSA made stability control mandatory for 75% of 2010 models, 95% of 2011 models, and 100% of 2012 models?
  • coolmazda5coolmazda5 Member Posts: 525
    It will be mandatory by 2012 but Where did you get the percentages from?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stability_control
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Scroll down to Laws in the link you provided.
  • coolmazda5coolmazda5 Member Posts: 525
    Duh, LOL :D
  • vg33e powervg33e power Member Posts: 314
    I am fairly new to the Mazda5 forum and I stumbled upon this thread and read it all. I am in my early thirties so by no means did I ever grow up in the muscle car era nor the pre-muscle car era. I know I will probably get a lot of negative responses (maybe not) but as I read this thread it amazed me how much people have changed and progressively transferred "liability" to auto makers.

    Electronics in vehicles is a fairy new concept that dates back maybe 20 or so years. Vehicles now-a-days are better built and way safer then all those vehicles that we as kids and young adults for some rode in or drove. What happened to being a proactive and safe driver? Why "must" you have all these electronic controls just to prevent you from getting in an accident? We never had them before and we did just fine, why "must" you have it now. Very simple people...if you live in a region where it snows, either get yourself an AWD vehicle, but if you must go the 2WD venue then get yourself a set of snow tires to help traction and drive slower than normal conditions. If you cant control your own vehicle in dry sunny conditions then either maybe you should slow down and obey the speed laws or don't drive at all.

    The additon of all these gizmos to vehicles by automakers to make it a "safer" car all evolves from stupid, irresponsible people (for lack of a better term) that get into a major accident and want to blame someone else for their mistakes. Believe it or not people, most accidents are caused by human error and not vehicle malfunction. So if you "must" have DSC or TC or whatever alse you feel you must have on the vehicle to make you a safer driver, then go ahead and buy that vehicle. Hey guess what...? Mazda does not offer it on the MZ5 so stop whinning about the automaker decisions and profit this and profit that and go find yourself the vehicle with all your electronic gizmos and buy it. As for me ABS and EBD is far more than enough to control my MZ5. I am a car enthusiast and the last thing I need is a computer driving my vehicle or telling me how to drive it.

    Just my $0.02
  • kivokivo Member Posts: 64
    Couldn't have said it any better. I'm 63 and have been driving since I was 22 and have been in 1 accident (not my fault). ESC is nice but I've lived without it with my past 4 cars, so what's the big deal? Grow up and learn to drive and anticipate conditions. I have a 2008 and love it. :)
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Since we are having an anti-DSC rally, I'll give my anecdote:

    I was driving my DSC equipped vehicle a few weeks ago and made a planned hot entrance to a turn. Thinking I would have a small amount of oversteer, I began to compensate. At the same time the DSC kicked in and all but halted me in my turn. It did its job and "saved" me from myself. Talk about scary... In the end, it was a letdown and I'm still curious how this particular car slides. The real negative will come when I get back in a car w/o DSC: as I'm careening out of control, I'll be relaxing and waiting for the DSC to really save me. Reminds me a little of Wall-e and BNL.
  • vg33e powervg33e power Member Posts: 314
    I was driving my DSC equipped vehicle a few weeks ago and made a planned hot entrance to a turn.

    Here is the main sentence of your post. ..."you made a planned hot entrance to a turn" meaning that you intentionally wanted to toss what ever vehicle you were driving that has DSC onto a "hot turn", obviously not a MZ5. It kind of goes back to my statement of being liable for your actions. Yes DSC may be nice to have, but on a vehicle such as our MZ5's where its intentions, target, and design were not directly develop to go rally racing down a slope but rather a sporty, small, comfortable and efficient people mover. Perhaps an alternative to a much bigger, unathelitic and bland (may I say the word) mini-van.

    So (not intended directly to you maltb) if you want an awesome handling vehicle that includes just about every electronic gizmo out there to make you the race car driver and still at times be able to carry a few people plus gear, then pay the price and step up to a Subaru STI Wagon.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    There are very few cars out there that come race-ready but that doesn't mean there aren't times when you want to toss around your daily driver. Mostly, the point I made was that DSC took my expectation of normal driving dynamics and threw it out the window, turning my grinning moment into a boring drive.

    As far as the MZ5 is concerned, I met a driving instructor who had one and felt, in fact, it was a very capable racer.
  • vg33e powervg33e power Member Posts: 314
    Sorry maltb, I think I read your post the wrong way. I agree with what you say though, some of these electronic gizmos just put a damper on the real driving exitement and take control over the vehicle leaving the driver often feeling bored and disconnected (at least for us enthusiasts).
  • darisgindarisgin Member Posts: 1
    Consider me in the DSC is REQUIRED camp.

    It's like seatbelts: once you HAVE a safety feature, you are unwilling to regress. I live in New England and drive an AWD Passat. I was *shocked* that the Mazda5 skipped DSC (heck, I want AWD!), especially since it is available outside the US.

    I have wanted a Mazda5 since it came out (it really is a great package), but the wife demands every safety option for the family vehicle; she would CONSIDER foregoing AWD *IF* DSC were available, but it's not, so, so be it: Mazda5 was a non-starter.

    Price is not the issue: indeed, we will gladly pay up for Toyota's AWD Sienna, even if that is a bit of overkill. But I, personally, would have LOVED the Mazda (I have long been a fan and sometime owner of their products: RX7, Protege).

    Some have noted that Mazda will offer it when a suitable competitor arrives--however, if that competitor is, e.g., the Honda Stream, then they will lose again: whichever reaches our shores first, Honda Stream or DSC Mazda5 (or, heck, Mazdaspeed5 with DSC!) will be that which graces our driveway (unless, of course, we have already filled the opportunity slot with something else).
  • dickthebutcherdickthebutcher Member Posts: 4
    Just to make it clear I'm not defending the honor of my "noble steed" (as autoholic put it), I will say I was fully aware our Mazda5 lacked ESC when we decided to buy it.

    My feeling -- already articulated by "chiefbongo" and "vq33e power" -- is that there's really no substitute for safe driving, anyway, so it wasn't a necessity. I wasn't going to pay the extra (in purchase price, fuel, etc.) for something larger with ESC, because I simply didn't think it was worth it. I think Mazda should offer ESC as a readily-available option, but I wasn't going to walk away from an otherwise sensible purchase just because of it.
  • redberryredberry Member Posts: 10
    I haven't bought my MZ5 yet, so nothing to defend. I don't care one whit that it lacks AWD, DSC, or ESC. I know it lacks it - and if it offered it as an extra, I'd probably not opt for it. Put me in the "not necessary" category. I think the 5 offers many other good reasons to choose it, and lack of the aforementioned features doesn't mean the 5 is an unsafe vehicle. It doesn't even mean other vehicles with them are more safe, if all other factors are not equal between compared cars.
  • athenasiusathenasius Member Posts: 118
    I was talking to one of the sales people and he told me that they are not adding stability control till the 2011 model re-make which of course comes out 2010 sometime. So if you guys want options that are available elsewhere you need to start to but Mazda US which of course controls mazda canada of stuff you want added to it. I personally like the option of tinted glass(not the stick on stuff) which is available now in other countries. Another option which is really cheap to add is the back up camera. The power sliding doors which are available elsewhere now would be handy even though the assist ones are on them now the power open and close is handy. Also the sunroof there is loads of room to make it one that slides within the roof of the car and would give a reasonable opening as compared to the tiny one now.
  • dona83dona83 Member Posts: 67
    If it was between spending an extra $500 on VSC or spending $500 on proper winter tires, I would choose proper winter tires. AWD, VSC, ABS, EBD, etc. is not an excuse not to wear winter rubber. Yes that's $500 every three or four years we have to spend but on my Corolla with nothing but EBD, my car was very capable throughout the winter. I've seen SUVs with all four technologies and they would just slide out of control regardless.
  • scj1scj1 Member Posts: 2
    It's been over a couple years since the last post and a lot has changed so I figured this Mazda5 Traction / Stability Control forum needed an update...
    Our 2012 Mazda 5 GT is an incredible car in so many aspects and I am very impressed with it. One area of great satisfaction has been the Traction / Stability Control. The first time driving this car in snow was on a gravel driveway with five inches of snow. To experiment, I floored the gas and tried to spin the tires. They would not spin and the vehicle picked up speed and drove like it was on pavement. This was with the stock all-season tires, before putting on seasonal dedicated alloys and snow tires (it's good to use a narrower width for snow tires). I think the Traction / Stability Control adds a terrific safety measure and drives like an all wheel drive vehicle, but without the reduced gas mileage of an all wheel drive vehicle. Highly recommended vehicle.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Rather than buying a FWD or even a F/awd vehicle for use in inclimate weather, snow, ice, without TRACTION control why not just volunteer for testing electric execution chairs...??
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    edited January 2012
    You intentionally created a circumstance wherein DSC activated....

    But what about instances wherein DSC activates unexpectedly, a bit of black ice just beyond the apex of that same turn...?

    But more to your point....

    Porsche has a bit of an answer, delay the activation of PSM's stability control just a tad to give the driver time to react in a corrective manner.

    But then Porsche's are ALWAYS RWD, "base" RWD. Absent Trac/DSC how would a FWD or a F/awd driver, how COULD a driver react, react constructively even, to "plowing" once on that unseen, unseeable, patch of black ice...??

    QUICK application of the rear implemented E-brake, maybe..??
  • bprendersonbprenderson Member Posts: 99
    Willard,

    Take your meds and go to your room!

    :(
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    I would, but she keeps hiding the Viagra.
  • bprendersonbprenderson Member Posts: 99
    You get the 2012 award for Great Witty Answers! I had to print that out for Buster, my husband. Thanks... :)
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    edited January 2012
    You're quite welcome, but I couldn't have done it without my "straight" man, bp.
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