Creaking noise while light braking... problem.

Hello,

Regarding my 2016 Mazda 3.

About a week ago I finally swapped my winter wheels out. I drove around a bit, went home and drove the car again later that evening.

Than I started to notice some creaking noise while slow speed, light braking coming to a stop. It doesn't seem to make this noise when I first start to drive the car in the morning and I would need to drive a bit. Once it makes the noise, it is always making during slow speed, light braking.
I also noticed that it did not make any noise during one of the rainy day.

Here is a video/audio recording of it (you may need to crank the volume a bit).
https://youtu.be/GlK4wrwqrg4

I took the car Mazda of Toronto because I was almost due for oil change, had them check it out. Technician* said braking system all looks good but notice some corrosion/rust on rotor and that could be the cause and asked myself to do some hard braking few times.
So same day, I did some hard braking from around 60km/h or so few times here and there. Not sure how many time I would need to do that to smooth out the rust/corrosion but I am still hearing the noise.

What do you think?

I should probably get it check out by a independent shop.



(Oh yeah, during my visit the dealership, I was adviced that there is a bulletin for my car to have touch screen? system replaced. I asked if it was a recall because i never got any letter and service person said, just a bulletin. Whatever that mean.
After the work was competed, I was pissed off at the work they performed on the display. Not sure how long it took before but I can't wait to receive my Mazda survey email.
Story for another time, until I get my creaking noise resolved.

When is the last time you had the brakes serviced? Take it to an independent and have them clean and lube the brakes. Do yourself a favour and go buy some slider pins from Mazda before the servicing and have them replaced. They're cheap like $10. Then see how it goes after that.

I think Mazda recommends a brake service/cleaning every 24k.


_3

If the noise only happens on the application of brakes then it logical to say it is from the contact on brake pad to rotor.
I have have noticed the same now that i do not drive at all ..... rotors rust up...pads particules on it get rusty and you get a metallic rubbing noise when there is a light touch on the brakes when going slow. The remedy for that is to use the brakes , warm them up so they can wear off the rusted debris. If that's not the noise you are hearing (hard to tell from the video) maybe could be brake pedal linkages need lube. Maybe start with the brakes (pad / rotors)and you dont need to do hard braking... several slow long light pressure long brake so pad can clean off rotor surface. If it goes away great...(assuming you your brakes service on the regular) if not it could be Chassis creaks. Suspension creaks. Wheel bearings grinding.

Or what Flagrum says ! If you do alot of highway 24K is a good number. If you do alot of city driving and winter (salt) driving do it sooner. I do it yearly.

@G- Mini - Basically all rotors will build up a corrosion layer on the rotors and sometimes on the pads depending on how metallic they are. Usually any corrosion on the rotors or pads will dissipate after the initial few applications of the brakes. The poster is stating the noise occurs even after driving for a while, which would tend to have one look at another cause. For the sake of safety and piece of mind, I think it worth having the brakes serviced, which would require the calipers removed, everything cleaned and lubed and everything properly inspected.


_3

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flagrum_3

@G- Mini - Basically all rotors will build up a corrosion layer on the rotors and sometimes on the pads depending on how metallic they are. Usually any corrosion on the rotors or pads will dissipate after the initial few applications of the brakes. The poster is stating the noise occurs even after driving for a while, which would tend to have one look at another cause. For the sake of safety and piece of mind, I think it worth having the brakes serviced, which would require the calipers removed, everything cleaned and lubed and everything properly inspected.


_3

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Last time i had mine squeak and creak took a couple of days of driving and it went away ... my brake service interval are frequent ... so i totally agree with you on having a brake service done if it was not done recently. TBH ...i just swapped on my summer tires on an hour ago... and i had a brake service done.

Ok, thanks for the feedback, I'll see what happens.

Small update:
After the initial visit and 2 or 3 days later I received a Mazda Survey email which I gave my honest review to.
One of the important thing I said in the survey was that Mazda of Toronto failed to follow one of their own "enhanced cleaning protocols", specially "Using gloves and covering steering wheels and seats in vehicles".
I was outside waiting for my vehicle and witnessed their technician step out form my vehicle and there clearly wasn't any steering wheel covering or seat cover.
Also, from my initial post I said that I was not happy with the work performed on the display. That is because frame? bezel of the display wasn't installed properly and had a nice big wide gap.

Now 2~3 days later, I received a call from service manager Bill saying he want to make things right by offering to refund brake inspection fee I had paid and wanted me to make a new appointment (which was today) to have a deeper look at to fix the issue.

Now, today they had my vehicle for 6 hours and told me that issue wasn't with the brakes but creaking was due to the bushing. They have told me that there was a bulletin for this and performed the work on it. At same time, they told me that since my warranty have ended it would cost me $400 and change but that they would eat the cost. (they better because all the time I have taken my vehicle to them for service, I was not notified of this bulletin).

When to pick up my vehicle and this type Bill and service advisor explained the work performed, they have test drove the car and all is fixed now. He has also told me that they have disconnected my dash camera because they do not allow that while in the shop. This is the first time I am hearing this since in years of taking my car in for scheduled maintenance. They sure did not disconnect the camera last time I was there, which is how I knew technician only did a U turn after block on the street & without wearing seat belt. They should maybe re-connected the camera after the work was done? Clearly, something they do on regular basis is my guess.
When I asked Bill why was not advised of bushing bulletin before and why I was told result from previous visit was concluded as normal. He didn't wanted to give me a answer and only said, "in the end work is done". Very disappoint reply from a manager.

Now, I took my key and went into the car and started wiping down with Lysol wipe. (plenty of grease/dirt wiped off). I do not know what they consider "fixed", but after short distance drive away from the dealership... guess what? Exact same creaking noise! Performing scheduled maintenance is one thing but their troubleshooting skills, quality control completely failed.

I didn't bother going back to tell them of this as I will not be using their services anymore.
I'll be sure to let them know of their work quality when the survey is emailed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by xxgg

Small update:
After the initial visit and 2 or 3 days later I received a Mazda Survey email which I gave my honest review to.
One of the important thing I said in the survey was that Mazda of Toronto failed to follow one of their own "enhanced cleaning protocols", specially "Using gloves and covering steering wheels and seats in vehicles".
I was outside waiting for my vehicle and witnessed their technician step out form my vehicle and there clearly wasn't any steering wheel covering or seat cover.
Also, from my initial post I said that I was not happy with the work performed on the display. That is because frame? bezel of the display wasn't installed properly and had a nice big wide gap.

Now 2~3 days later, I received a call from service manager Bill saying he want to make things right by offering to refund brake inspection fee I had paid and wanted me to make a new appointment (which was today) to have a deeper look at to fix the issue.

Now, today they had my vehicle for 6 hours and told me that issue wasn't with the brakes but creaking was due to the bushing. They have told me that there was a bulletin for this and performed the work on it. At same time, they told me that since my warranty have ended it would cost me $400 and change but that they would eat the cost. (they better because all the time I have taken my vehicle to them for service, I was not notified of this bulletin).

When to pick up my vehicle and this type Bill and service advisor explained the work performed, they have test drove the car and all is fixed now. He has also told me that they have disconnected my dash camera because they do not allow that while in the shop. This is the first time I am hearing this since in years of taking my car in for scheduled maintenance. They sure did not disconnect the camera last time I was there, which is how I knew technician only did a U turn after block on the street & without wearing seat belt. They should maybe re-connected the camera after the work was done? Clearly, something they do on regular basis is my guess.
When I asked Bill why was not advised of bushing bulletin before and why I was told result from previous visit was concluded as normal. He didn't wanted to give me a answer and only said, "in the end work is done". Very disappoint reply from a manager.

Now, I took my key and went into the car and started wiping down with Lysol wipe. (plenty of grease/dirt wiped off). I do not know what they consider "fixed", but after short distance drive away from the dealership... guess what? Exact same creaking noise! Performing scheduled maintenance is one thing but their troubleshooting skills, quality control completely failed.

I didn't bother going back to tell them of this as I will not be using their services anymore.
I'll be sure to let them know of their work quality when the survey is emailed.

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Which Dealership ?
I would let someone at MAzda Canada know what happened.
Im sure someone on TM3 has a contact you can let know what happened.

I stopped going to Mazda of Toronto after they put a nice dent on my 3 month old car when I was in for a simple oil change, and refused to own-up to it.


_3

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flagrum_3

I stopped going to Mazda of Toronto after they put a nice dent on my 3 month old car when I was in for a simple oil change, and refused to own-up to it.


_3

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Funny you say that...

While I was wiping down before driving out from their parking spot, customer who came in was taking photos of his car from all angles.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by xxgg

Funny you say that...

While I was wiping down before driving out from their parking spot, customer who came in was taking photos of his car from all angles.

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-Well maybe he suffered the same previously, only problem is he doesn't learn and keeps going back.

In my case, if they had owned-up and payed the messily $80 some dollars to fix the dent, I would have kept going to them for a long while.

I know for a fact the dent was not there because I had hand washed the car not an hour before heading to them, which I told them and still they refused to take responsibility. It was obvious from the location of the dent, it was from opening the door hitting the hoist pillar.

Oh well, I just make it my job to warn others of their deceitful ways.


_3

Update:

I took my vehicle to a independent shop to have this creaking noise checked out. Test drive was performed and I was ask if I had changed the wheels prior to this creaking noise because issue could be from loose wheel nuts or rotor have become warped. I said noise started few days after I swapped the winter wheels out and the brake inspection I had done at the dealership, and said I would assume dealership would have took the wheels off to properly inspect all the brakes? Besides, I have torqued it down again day after installing my all season wheels as well. Also told the mechanic that dealership said it WASN'T the brakes but issue was due to bushings and I had it work performed as per the bulletin for it. Mechanic right away told me, it isn't bushing as it won't cause issue my vehicle is experiencing.

So in talking with the mechanic I would start with servicing the brakes (which I have been followed the mazda scheduled maintenance guide since day 1), or replace rotor and pads. I said, we'll start with servicing only and I'll come back for replacement if creaking noise continues or comes back.

So~! It has been several days since brake service and I am creaking noise free, so far.

What a relief to not have to hear that creaking every time I slow down and come to a stop.

As for 'Mazda of Toronto', I fired off a email to them asking why I haven't received my 'Customer Engagement Program Survey'. I would always get a automated phone call from Mazda of Toronto asking how my visit was and to call back if I wasn't satisfied with the service than I would get a survey email within a week. Well... no survey email yet & I don't plan on calling them but to fill out the survey which is sent to Mazda Canada with option to send a copy to the dealership.

Speaking with a representative from Mazda Canada, I was told I could email them directly if I have a complaint as it will be read by Mazda customer experience team and goes on from there.

Even before my vehicle issue, I will bring up the issue about their so called 'Enhanced Cleaning Protocol' put in place due to COVID-19.
Here are 2 of the points in their protocol.

- Disinfecting surfaces and cars more frequently. (i would assume they would disinfect after work is complete and vehicle parked int he lot?)
- Using gloves and covering steering wheels and seats in vehicles. (As I said before, dirt & grease after wiping with Lysol wipe, damn I should have spray the hell out of my seats as well.)

So near end of May, I sent a email to Mazda of Toronto that I have not received my Mazda survey email after the visit and that I would like to receive one.

Not sure whose job function this would be but of all the people at the dealership I get a reply directly from the General Manager Rana Kahn. This is what the general manager do in this dealership now?

Anyways, he said on the email it is sent directly by Mazda Canada and that he would send a request to them. Also asked if there was anything I would like to share beforehand. I simply replied back and said thank you and please make the request.

Waited well over a week before I sent a complaint email directly to Mazda Customer Assistant Team to share my experience since I haven't received my survey. In fact, til' this day (june 20) survey never came in. About 10 days later, I received a reply from Mazda Canada customer assistant team saying they will look into it and contact the dealership for more details.

Another 10 days or so later, I get a call from "private number" on my phone which got sent directly to voicemail by my phone. It was the Mazda of Toronto service manager Bill's personal phone, asking if I could call back to have a talk. Which I did not bother to ask I specifically asked to contact via email only if they wanted to contact myself. Guess my contact method request was ignored or he didn't want any email trace? I don't know, who knows. Regardless, trust is gone & I and done giving them my business.

I would highly recommend disinfecting your interior for anyone using this dealership. I would also like to know from anyone else who have a dash camera, has this or any other dealership have a policy against not allowing dash cams while vehicle is being serviced?



Cheers~

I have asked Mazda Canada Customer Assistance team if I could get the response Mazda of Toronto replied back to Mazda Canada regarding dash camera recording & enhanced cleaning protocols.

Only relayed answer I received was,
"Bill has advised us that the dealer had a discussion with upper management regarding this situation to ensure all protocols are being followed to ensure customer safety during this pandemic moving forward."

No comments regarding dash camera policy. I guess the conclusion is there is no such policy against having a dash camera recording but something they do based on individual situation with a customer.

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