Is my cruise control faulty?
QUESTION
Hi John,
I bought a brand new Mazda CX-5 Akira Diesel in Nov 2020, but I took it back the following week with a couple of problems.
One is with the lift gate. It doesn't always open, just beeps, and sometimes it won't close and does the same thing. I have had it back many times for the problem but they just say they can't get it to not work. They have had it for the last five days and have told me if they can't find the problem, and I take it back again, I will have to pay all labour costs. Is this correct?
The second is the cruise control. If, for example, I set the cruise on 100kph and I come to an incline, it will slow to approx 92kph before or starts to accelerate, and then it sails right past 100 and goes to around 104 before it again starts to slow to the 100 that was set.
If I come to a decline, the vehicle slows, brakes, to hold 100, but when the road levels out the brake does not release, and again slows to around 92 before it again starts to accelerate back up to 100. That is a variation of around 12kph. The dealership tells me it is a flaw, not fault, with the vehicle and there is nothing they can do.
This just does not seem right. A top of the range vehicle with a cruise control that hardly works!
I would really appreciate it if you could give me some advice, or simply point me in the right direction. Thank you for your time.
Mike
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ANSWER
Hello Michael,
The cruise control just operates that way - it’s not defective, it’s an operational characteristic. They could have done this better, probably, but you’re stuck with that.
(Obviously, the cruise control cannot look out the windscreen and see the road ahead. It needs to experience a reduction in speed owing to an incline, to determine that an increase in engine power is required, and vice-versa when levelling out again. All cruise systems function this way. The only difference being how quickly they adapt to maintain the target speed.)
On the lift gate: you’ve got a smart phone, right? Next time the fault occurs, video it. Video you pressing the button and the gate not opening in the background. They cannot charge you for this - they’re obliged under Australian Consumer Law, to investigate and repair defects for free.
Intermittent faults are very challenging, because there’s nothing to diagnose if the fault is absent at the time you attend the dealership - hence the need for credible evidence that shows them the problem occurring.
Also, contact Mazda head office direct (online, so there’s a written record). Adelaide is a small market and dealers can thus get away with shrugging their shoulders when they shouldn’t. Ask head office if there is any technical support they can offer the dealer to resolve the issue.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
Sincerely,
JC
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