Hey everyone,

After 52k miles I figured it was a great time to have my mechanic change a bunch of fluids in my car. I ended up having him change the fluid in the transmission, transfer case, and differentials. I also did a balance + rotation on my tires. He only charged me $330 altogether. The car feels silky smooth, and I have the peace of mind that I'm all set for a while. The transmission isn't truly running on "lifetime" fluid like Mazda tries to say. I'd definitely recommend getting this service done for the longevity of your CX-5!

 

 

Hi all,
On my 2018, @ 53,000 miles I did the transmission fluid and filter. I may have jumped the gun, but at least it's out of the way. A month after, I did the radiator. Only thing missing is the transfer case and differential.

 

I hope that y'all are using the correct fluids! Or rather, your tech is using the correct ones.

 

In the future you can easily do the pan and filter service on your Mazda.
I recommend Castrol in place of the Mazda fluid. This way you get 2 things, peace of mind doing the service yourself and replacing the ATF with traditional RED fluid which most of us have learned to read better then the bluish Mazda ATF in then ewer transmissions.
The coolant choice is also very easy to get top brand replacements over Mazda fluids.
For both read the applications directly from the manufacture or supplier of the fluids and not any retail ads.

Regarding any fluids done by DIY or even a service shop you can always have a small sample analyzed to see that your engine, transmission cooling system and drive train deferential are in good health regarding the choice in fluids.

Oil Analysis | Blackstone Laboratories

What’s Going on in Your Engine?
Oil analysis is a quick way to gauge the health of your engine by looking at what’s in the oil.

 

Every automatic transmission we service in the shop and my friend that owns a long standing and top-rated Transmission service shop have seen that NOT servicing the so-called LIFETIME NO SERVICE transmissions has lead to issues at close to the warranty expiration time period and many soon after.

The logic applied to better and knowledgeable DIY is that transmission new like engine have a break in period. During that break in even highly machined parts will still have some degree of metal deposited and will hopefully get caught in the filter or settle to the bottom of the pan. It's also logical that not servicing oil even in a semi closed environment like a transmission (no they are not completely sealed) a varnish will start forming and that varnish will eventually cause some issues. While the practice of only changing the pan and filter should be part of at least every 15k miles at some point perhaps that magic 100k mark a complete comprehensive transmission service be performed by a service shop with a professional grade transmission service equipment.
Below is what was collected from a Mazda transmission at approx. 15k miles or less. This is perfectly normal and yes, it is in your transmission as well. Think about this do you really want this left in your transmission attached only to the pan magnet for "LIFE"?

http://www.youtube.com/shorts/Qrhul2E1x40
There is complete step by step service procedure of how that material was obtained dried and used for the video.

 

Which Castrol ATF are you suggesting as a substitute for the Mazda Blue?
Been a big Castrol fan going back to the 70's and have never had an issue with Castrol. Appreciate your opinion.

 

 

Do you use the Mazda Transmission Sealant for the pan or a Gasket?

 

No, dry gasket only and only use a small amount less then 1/4 inch drop on 4 corners only to hold the gasket in place while I install the fasteners.
This way I know the gaskit will seal correctly . And the next time I don't have to spend all the time removing all the silicone on the pan and transmission.
If you secure the fatteners in several steps like torquing a head to a engine block or wheel on a vehcle you will get the gasket evenly sealed with no leaks.