2016 CX-5 Oil Change Frequency

[yrwei52]

Well, here I am, I am about at 4 months on schedule 2, and only have ~2000 miles. Seems like such a waste to get a change now...

That's why there is "Engine Oil Flexible Maintenance Interval" under Schedule 1. Set your Maintenance Monitor in the Applications on Oil Change to "Flexible" to show the oil life percentage after you had the oil change. Next time you can change your oil when the wrench indicator and red "Oil change due" is displayed which can be up to 12 months or 10,000 miles. Mazda moly oil is required for optimum calculation. Thus you won't void any manufacture warranty and take longer time to change oil with less miles driven. Not to mention less waste for unnecessary oil changes.

 

[mackworth]

That's why there is "Engine Oil Flexible Maintenance Interval" under Schedule 1. Set your Maintenance Monitor in the Applications on Oil Change to "Flexible" to show the oil life percentage after you had the oil change. Next time you can change your oil when the wrench indicator and red "Oil change due" is displayed which can be up to 12 months or 10,000 miles. Mazda moly oil is required for optimum calculation. Thus you won't void any manufacture warranty and take longer time to change oil with less miles driven. Not to mention less waste for unnecessary oil changes.

I live around Boston, drive a lot around the city on short trips (low miles, but high trips), its about to hit winter, basically the things in the list of reasons why you can't use Schedule 1. Once out of warranty, I wouldn't hesitate, but I am little concerned to do that now.

 

[CX-5um]

Here in Phoenix there are numerous testing grounds owned by car manufacturers scattered in the outskirts of town. One of the reasons this area was chosen was for extreme heat testing. The heat here can get up to 118 degrees (not counting the heat from the road literally inches from the engine.)

We use the dealer sourced Castrol which was what I used in my heavy highway used BMW every 7500 miles. The CX-5 and Mazda6 see mostly street miles and are changed every 5-6k miles. The local dealer suggests every 5k miles.

 

[bmninada]

My dealer in NJ - specifically requested me not to change from the settings they have done for maintenance. I checked and it's set to FLEXIBLE for oil changes and # of miles for tires and 1 more item. He said, Mazda Corp recommendations for 2016 built after June is to always set to FLEXIBLE.

 

[ihaveworms]

I asked the dealership what oil they use and they told me kendall oil. I don't really know much about that, though.

 

[Lbear]

I did my first oil change at 600 miles and then at 3000 miles. The 3000 mile oil change had a strong fuel smell.

I always do early changes just for peace of mind. New engines have sand, silicone, metal shavings, etc., due to manufacturing and break in. I would rate get new oil in there to keep things clean.

 

[yrwei52]

I did my first oil change at 600 miles and then at 3000 miles. The 3000 mile oil change had a strong fuel smell.
I always do early changes just for peace of mind. New engines have sand, silicone, metal shavings, etc., due to manufacturing and break in. I would rate get new oil in there to keep things clean.

Many people have tested their used oil from factory and proven their is not much sand, silicone, metal shavings, etc. that you're afraid of from factory. Those worries are the thing of past and modern automobile assembly plants are much more sophisticated and clean. Early change of factory oil is really unnecessary. In addition, some car manufactures use special break-in oil for factory fill such as Honda. Its owner's manual specifically warns people don't change oil early during break-in period and use standard oil change interval for your first oil change.

 

[yrwei52]

I asked the dealership what oil they use and they told me kendall oil. I don't really know much about that, though.

Kendall is a name brand oil and is big in Asia. Honda in Asia used to recommend Kendall oil for their engines in early days. But I'd still pay a little extra to get SkyActiv-friendly Mazda moly oil for oil change. Not only it's been proven Mazda moly oil is one of the best, but also I can use Flexinle Maintenance on oil change interval as it requires Mazda moly oil for accurate calculation according to owner's manual.

 

[KCSam]

Kendall is a name brand oil and is big in Asia. Honda in Asia used to recommend Kendall oil for their engines in early days. But I'd still pay a little extra to get SkyActiv-friendly Mazda moly oil for oil change. Not only it's been proven Mazda moly oil is one of the best, but also I can use Flexinle Maintenance on oil change interval as it requires Mazda moly oil for accurate calculation according to owner's manual.

I agree. I, too, spent the extra $ on my first oil change for the Mazda Moly. After that first oil change, I also switched to flixible oil change interval. I'm at 80% right now (had changed the week before Thanksgiving). What % does the system recommend you begin thinking about getting the oil changed? 25%? Less?

 

[yrwei52]

I agree. I, too, spent the extra $ on my first oil change for the Mazda Moly. After that first oil change, I also switched to flixible oil change interval. I'm at 80% right now (had changed the week before Thanksgiving). What % does the system recommend you begin thinking about getting the oil changed? 25%? Less?

All 2016 CX-5's with VINs lower than JM3KE656820 (assembled before April 8, 2015) have problem on engine oil Flexible Maintenance system according to this TSB and thanks to Kedis82ZE8 providing this info. Our CX-5 was built in Jan. 2015 and I set to Schedule 1 engine oil flexible maintenance via Maintenance Monitor since new. Once it reached to 5K miles with 30% oil life on factory-filled oil, the red "Oil change due" was displayed. I changed oil anyway with Mazda moly and reset the flexible oil change interval. But the same red "Oil change due" message kept popping up and disappeared randomly even though the oil life was at 100%! After I had the PCM software updated by my dealer according to the TSB and the problem seems to be resolved.

Owner's manual says:

""Oil Change Due!" is displayed in red and the wrench indicator light in the instrument cluster will be illuminated when the remaining oil life distance is less than 500 km (250 miles), or remaining days are less than 15 (whichever comes first)."

I fully expect this will happen next time on our CX-5 after the PCM software update. As far as oil life percentage goes, I'd think it has to be under 5% although it varies depending on calculation. And I'd imagine the "Oil change due" message should also be displayed if the vehicle reaches the maximum allowed 12 months or 10,000 miles under flexible oil change interval even if the oil life is still plenty.

And I won't see this happening again: (boom08)

 

[Lbear]

When you guys change your oil. Do you smell a fuel smell in the oil?

 

[yrwei52]

When you guys change your oil. Do you smell a fuel smell in the oil?

No, I didn't.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

I have not noticed any fuel smells or any +/- level changes either... but will take note about any fuel smells when I change this weekend. I am going to send in an oil sample to Blackstone this time around.

 

[MikeM.]

When you guys change your oil. Do you smell a fuel smell in the oil?

If you drain it after short trips in cold weather there will be a bit of fuel in the oil. This is true on all engines (but more so on direct injected and carbureted engines). Whether there's enough to smell depends more upon the sensitivity of your nose than anything. An oil analysis will tell you how much there is but it will vary widely depending on the previous drive cycles and, more importantly, when the oil sample was taken while it's draining (and how many minutes the engine has been shut off before the drain). Gas will migrate to the top so you will get a higher reading when sampling near the end of the oil drain procedure or if you drained the oil immediately after shutting the engine off.

 

[erhayes]

Gasoline is very aromatic and even a teaspoon of fuel in a gallon of oil can smell strong or overwhelming. Ed

 

[MikeM.]

Gasoline is very aromatic and even a teaspoon of fuel in a gallon of oil can smell strong or overwhelming. Ed

Especially if the oil is hot. But strangely, some people say they can only smell the oil, not any gas. Everyone's sniffer works a bit differently.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Just got done changing oil... I pulled a sample in temp container about 1/2 way through drain. (Easy with the Fumoto). I just requested a Blackstone kit so will report back in "many" weeks ahead what shows up.

Typical daily commute is 20-25 miles "each way" and 70% freeway with no noticeable oil consumption at all. Oil had 5,370 miles (8,642 kilometers) on it at change.

Wife and I are fairly gentle overall with vehicle... I get on the CX once and a while. Other than what was in at factory I have only used Mazda moly.

EDIT: Vehicle has not been driven in roughly 24 hours at oil change. I put up on ramps when I got home yesterday.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Finally sent my sample off yesterday so will post results in weeks ahead.

 

[Rader582]

Got my oil changed and within 2 weeks I was getting a small oil leak from the drain plug.

Apparently there was a hole in the drain plug and it needed replacing. The mechanic said he has seen it a few times already this year.

 

[yrwei52]

Got my oil changed and within 2 weeks I was getting a small oil leak from the drain plug.
Apparently there was a hole in the drain plug and it needed replacing. The mechanic said he has seen it a few times already this year.

This is very strange that a thick and solid piece of metal, the drain plug, will develop a hole in it. I'd be inclined to believe whoever changed the oil for you didn't use a new drain plug crush washer. This is more common cause with small leak around the drain plug.