Hi,
I have 2019 Mazda CX-5 and I love the driving experience as well as the luxurious interior. However, the vehicle has more tire/road noise on coarse pavements (here in WA state, highway pavements are mostly coarse). I recently switched OEM tires to Michelin Primacy A/S tires. These tires reduced the road noise on smoother pavements but they didn’t make much difference on coarse pavements. What are other things I can do to reduce noise on coarse pavements (highway speed)? The excess noise causes a lot of fatigue during long road trips.
I’d expect your CX-5 to deliver a fairly quiet ride irrespective of the tires. So maybe your car has an undiagnosed problem. Ask your shop to check the wheel bearings. Faulty wheel bearings often make a roaring/ growling noise, louder the faster you go, and sound very similar to driving over rough pavement. I had this pro blem on a VW Rabbit, thought it was the road, no play in the bearings, but replacing the front wheel bearings solved the noise problem straight away.
Welcome to the forum…
What size tires and how many miles on your vehicle???
Are your cold (first thing at dawn) tire pressures close to what is specified on your door pillar sticker? Too low or too high can also impact road noise cabin intrusion.
Your tires are creating the noise. You put better tires on and that took care of part of the problem. There may be another brand or model that is quieter. Tirerack.com is an online seller that also reviews tires for ride, noise, handling, ect. You can search your current tire and compare its noise rating to others. Maybe you can find a quieter one.
It is possible to add insulation material to help this. A car customizer or custom interior shop can help do this. It may help a little but not likely a lot.
If I had the problem that the OP does, I would install sheets of Dynamat underneath the carpet, and possibly above the headliner.
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I have noticed a few comments about the Mazda CX-5’s road noise. (Specifically this generation you are stating)
I don’t know if it is just me, but the road noise in my 2022 Mazda3 is fine with the stock tires (Turanza) I have. I would have personally switched out the tires, but the fuel economy might worsen with new tires. (Correct me if I am wrong about this)
EDIT: My advice like what everyone else stated would be to research some better tires that would cause less road noise for the 2019 Mazda CX-5.
Re: New Tires/MPG
Even if replacing tires with same make & model, assuming proper pressures maintained and an alignment done shortly after replacement, you may experience short term decrease in fuel economy as the new rubber ‘works in’. After several weeks to a month of your normal driving, on your new tires, your previous MPG results should return.
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These are 225/55R19. The car has about 35k miles, but the tires have about 10k miles (Michelin Primacy A/S)
I used an app to measure decibel. Bulk of the noise is coming from floor area closer to tire. So, I was thinking I should insulate wheel well first. Soundproofing the entire floor is expensive and time consuming. Plus, there aren’t many shops that do this kind of thing. A shop where I did the floor/door soundproofing charged $2k!!!
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Yes. I have measured it multiple times. I also bought air inflator to ensure correct pressure in the morning. It doesn’t seem to make any noticeable difference.
The car provides serene ride on a smooth pavements regardless of the speed. The new tires helped with this. Car is very stable, it doesn’t drift in the lane or make any noises or cause excessive steering vibration which would indicate alignment issues. I also do not hear any grinding issues that would indicate bearing issue. I will get it checked to be sure.
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Once you remove the carpet to insulate the wheel wells you might as well compete the front floor at least up to the seats.
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Tire Rack included those in a comparison test, liked them, but found them a bit noisy. The Bridgestones were quieter:
“All the tires tested scored very highly with our team, with the Turanza QuietTrack and the Quatrac Pro tied at the top. The ride of the Turanza QuietTrack was a pleasing blend of comfort and control, with firm damping that rounded over large impacts while essentially eliminating small bumps. Sound comfort was another high point, as Bridgestone’s engineers did a good job designing tread features to create tones that, while not completely silent, blend together into a muted, white noise. Crisp, direct steering with just the right amount of responsiveness felt particularly good, as well, lending a sporty vibe to the overall package. The Quatrac Pro exuded a luxurious persona that was arguably as refined as anything we have tested. The ride was nearly as well controlled as the Bridgestone, but where that tire felt taut and sporty, the Quatrac Pro was slightly softer and gentler, further removing road imperfections from the driver’s awareness. Over the smooth sections of our route, the only audible noise came from the engine and the wind, and the Quatrac Pro merely created a slight hum on the worst patches of road. Steering feel was just as precise and direct as the Bridgestone, though it was more fluid and smoother, with slightly less effort required, but it was equally satisfying. The Primacy Tour A/S was commendable on the road, with a ride that was just slightly firmer than we would like from a Grand Touring All-Season tire, though far from objectionable. It was a quiet tourer, as well, with some mild tread growl on most surfaces that was more pronounced when the road was coarse. The steering was precise and naturally linear, with little resistance or feedback to engage the driver. In isolation, the Continental PureContact LS is a fine tire on the road, as evidenced by its high score from our team. In this very strong company, though, the small nits became more apparent. Ride quality was likely to satisfy most drivers, and our testers found a lot to like, but a combination of a firm ride that wasn’t damped quite as well as the other tires here comparatively meant it crashed a little over impacts. Similarly, the tread noise was a little louder, a little more distinctive in tone, so it stood out in this test. Steering is the one place we may have a genuine complaint, but even that was only minor. There was a noticeable lack of feel or resistance directly on-center, though it was quick to respond to inputs, and the response was distinctly non-linear through the full range of steering.”
Tire Test Results : Testing the Best Grand Touring All-Season Tires (tirerack.com)
I have a set of the Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack’s on my daughters car for a little over 3 years now and she loves them and I am very impressed with them as well, great in the rain… She has put over 30K miles on them also… They replaced the OE Michelin’s and she likes the QuietTracsk’s much better…
I have on my DD the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus, 2nd or 3rd set as well as have put them on 3 or 4 other vehicles and multiple times on a few, all driven hard and or a lot… lol I could hit standing water at 80 mph and the vehicle would slow down 10 mph (to 70) and still not hydroplane… Did great in the snow also… Very, very, very hard to break loose in a corner, you had to really push them to get them to break loose in the rain… Some of the test were done on a closed testing ground, like the THP training center in Nashville area, Or closed off parking lots… (so all the haters get over yourselves lol) Bridgestone/Firestone mostly have some of the best wet weather tires out there for OE vehicles…
I have a dumb question to ask, JT, but which side of the wheel wells should I apply adhesive acoustics to - engine and trunk side, or the side facing the wheels?
I would put it on the side that does not get wet. Specifically, inside the passenger cabin. I wouldn’t worry about the wheel wells in the trunk unless lining the entire passenger cabin floor doesn’t help enough and the remaining noise is from the rear. To expand in my suggestion above, I would cover the wheel wells, firewall, and floor up to the front seats since the carpet has to be removed or at least pulled back.
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