Hey Rob55,
Could you run down a list of things you've tried so far to fix this problem please? I'd love to research this for you and see if I can help in any way. If you could just pop out a quick check list of things you have already tried that haven't fixed the problem, I might be able to suggest a couple of other things to try.

I wouldn't trust a dealership to actually do anything they have said they did. I could tell you story after story about what dealerships have said they did, but didn't really do.

 

could a rim be bent?

 

Cadmando18 - Well, I guess I've tried about as much as could have tried so far without incurring more expenses. Also, for me, it's more about what I've tried to do to help diagnose the problem as opposed to fixing the problem. Again, it's a brand-new car and I shouldn't have to pay anything out of pocket for a problem that existed since the 1st test drive. I've tried short drives at various speeds, long drives at various speeds, smooth roads, rough roads, coasting in neutral, harder-than-normal acceleration (something the service manager tried too) and turning the steering wheel back and forth slightly at highway speeds. As I mentioned earlier, I've even taken my car to my local tire center (guy I trust and have been using for years) to have the wheels/tires checked. They discovered that 2 of the tires had pronounced hops. They even called me into the shop and showed me first hand. You could clearly see that the tire's surface was "hopping" up and down at least an 1/8 of an inch. However, the tires have supposedly been replaced since then. The problem was even noticeable on the warmest day we've had since I bought the car, so it can't be temperature related. As far as the dealer is concerned, they balanced the front tires, the back tires, (allegedly) replaced all 4 tires with identical Yokohama AVID S34 and even took the car to their sister BMW dealership to have the tires road-force balanced. The messed up part is that the 1st work order states the problem, lists what they did and then says all check out ok. Then you look at the 2nd work order, they acknowledge the problem, list what they did and then claim all is ok. Then it's the same story for the 3rd work order. I just can't believe how they can claim the problem is fixed, only to admit each successive time that the problem still exists. I mean who do they have test driving the car after each repair that thinks it's ok each time? Anyway, that's about it so far. They get one more chance to try and correct this when they put another set of 4 new tires on the vehicle (not Yokohamas). BTW, what are your thought on the nitrogen they put in the tires?

Sickler - I don't think one of the rims are bent. I would have noticed it when my tire center showed me the tire hop. Even if I didn't, my tire center would have. Though, I guess that wouldn't necessarily rule out a manufacturing defect in the rim(s). The may look perfectly round but may have a variation in density. It would be interesting to run the bare rim (wheel) on a balancing machine to see if it's irregular somehow.

 

Rob, to answer your question, as far as I know the dealer is not using nitrogen. Also, I've already replaced my tires (same Yoko's you have for Kumhos) in an attempt to lessen the road noise (didn't help). Those tires were put on by one of the major chains, and I don't think they use nitrogen either. I was under the impression that tires filled with nitro had green valve caps installed and I don't have that.

For the TPMS, my '07 used to alarm on very cold mornings sometimes. The new car has done it once, again on a cold morning. I am not sure what the tolerance factor is, but in all cases I did have one tire that was 1-2lb. less than the others. So I guess the TPMS was doing its job.

 

One additional piece of info, I found huge weights on my left rear and right front tires (on the inside aspect of the rim where they normally put them). They're approximately 1" wide by 6" long or so. These two wheels also happen to be the same locations that my tire center found to have pronounced hops on them. This is further evidence that they either didn't replace my tires during the 3rd time it was in the shop or that there is something wrong with the wheels themselves. I've never seen such huge weights on a wheel before.

 

I think that if I were you, I'd borrow a bottle of your wife's nail polish and put a dab of polish on the tires (and maybe the rims) so you can prove or disprove they've been replaced next trip in. It sounds like the best way to eliminate the tires & wheels would be for them to replace both, maybe swap them with identical ones from a new car (as a temporary test) to see what happens. Isn't your salesman and/or the sales manager going to bat for you on this? You'd think they would intervene with the service department to keep your business.

 

My salesman is oblivious and hasn't been any help. The sales manager isn't much help either. Last time I spoke to him, he basically "yes'd" me and had the service manager call me. Well, this time around I'm getting a set of four tires of a different make. There will be no confusing them with the Yokohama AVID S34 tires. As for the wheels, one of them has a chip on it from the last time it was in the their shop. I'll be expecting a new one of those too. You know, I'd never guess they're interested in keeping my business from the way we've been treated and how long they've been dragging their feet on this.

 

Well, Mazda screwed me today. They sent out an engineer and I took him for a test drive. I was able to demonstrate the problem and he seemed to acknowledge that it existed. Unfortunately, it seems he was just shining me on, because he then turned around and reported to Mazda corporate that what I was experiencing was normal for the stiffer suspension and low-profile tires of the GT variant of the 3. This, of course, is complete BS and I wish he would have had the ***** to tell me to my face that he thought it was normal. I believe, from what I was told, that he took out a couple of other comparably equipped Mazda 3s and they exhibited the same issue. This somehow lead him to the conclusion that it was normal rather then entertain the possibility that there might be an underlying problem with some of the cars at my dealership. Stayed tuned, this looks like it's gonna get interesting.

 

Any update to this issue?

 

Well, after some back and forth with the Mazda mediation dept., Mazda has washed their hands of this issue. They are taking the official position that it is "normal" for my car to vibrate at highway speeds and will be taking no further action to rectify the problem. After a follow-up phone call, they offered a new set of tires of a different make and model than the Yokohama's that come with the car as a "good faith" gesture, but I'd have to sign a form releasing them of any further responsibility with respect to this specific issue. Since there's no way I'd release them from having to deal with this problem, I have no choice but to contact a lawyer and pursue this via a legal route. That is currently in progress and I have no further information.
To ArixSin: Out of curiosity, why do you ask? Are you having a similar issue with your vehicle.