Rear Differential Failing - Warranty Issues

[Jack Rabbit]

did you tell them you need a car?

Especially if you work and don't happen to have a junker sitting around.

Maybe see if they can find someone who is authorized to work on on Mazdas that is closer to you, even if not a dealership and get their ok approval to take it there.

 

[Jnclem]

I heard that AAA pays the most to tow trucks.
Hence, they respond to AAA call with priority.
Before my kids went to colleges, I gave them AAA memberships.
$91 for me, and 50% off each kid, annually.
100-mile range of towing.

I suspect that’s what’s going on. The tow is 185 miles one way. Last night a rep from Mazda Roadside told me that I should see if there was a local company here that they could work with. There is, and I called them this morning. He said he does this all the time with various roadside insurances. I called Mazda RSA this morning to give them the info, and a different rep said they couldn’t do that and that if I wanted a local company I’d be on my own. So far, Mazda USA has been knowledgeable and efficient. Mazda RSA has been anything but. If they can’t do it in the next day or so, I'll just have to try to drive it over there.

I'm going to call Mazda USA again tomorrow and see if they can light a fire under the RSA people. It was USA that got this assistance request done in the first place. When I first called RSA they didn’t even have the correct name, address, etc., info connected to my VIN#, even though Mazda USA had all of that correct before I ever spoke to them. Definitely dealing with two very different entities.

 

[Jnclem]

did you tell them you need a car?

Especially if you work and don't happen to have a junker sitting around.

Maybe see if they can find someone who is authorized to work on on Mazdas that is closer to you, even if not a dealership and get their ok approval to take it there.

They said That’s up to the dealer. The dealer doesn’t have any now, but they might if this ends up being a long process. But, I would have to get over to the dealer to get the loaner.

 

[Jnclem]

To be fair, no one would have towed the car today. It was blowing 80mph + on the passes and snowing hard. But, they could have set it up for tomorrow or the next day.

 

[yrwei52]

To be fair, no one would have towed the car today. It was blowing 80mph + on the passes and snowing hard. But, they could have set it up for tomorrow or the next day.

Yes, I saw the news and the weather is bad yesterday and today in Colorado and Midwest. Many flights got canceled too because of the bad weather. Keep us updated.

 

[Jnclem]

This morning I got a call that they had it scheduled for around noon. However, they no longer had my phone number associated with the order, and it turned out they were going to take it to the wrong location. The dealership there has two locations, one is 7 miles closer than the other. The dealership wants it at the farther location. Mazda USA had arranged for the tow to be fully covered to that more distant location. Today RSA said it would cost me $517.44 out of pocket for it to go to that location. 7 miles! So, I spent over 3 hours on hold today between the two companies, but now it is approved to the right place, and a local driver that I know personally will be here shortly to take it. Wow. Big learning experience. I could easily have driven there and back in the time I've spent on the phone.

Now, if they will just honor a legitimate warranty as they should, it will be well worth it.

The saga continues. Thanks for all the help I've received here so far.

 

[Jack Rabbit]

I

This morning I got a call that they had it scheduled for around noon. However, they no longer had my phone number associated with the order, and it turned out they were going to take it to the wrong location. The dealership there has two locations, one is 7 miles closer than the other. The dealership wants it at the farther location. Mazda USA had arranged for the tow to be fully covered to that more distant location. Today RSA said it would cost me $517.44 out of pocket for it to go to that location. 7 miles! So, I spent over 3 hours on hold today between the two companies, but now it is approved to the right place, and a local driver that I know personally will be here shortly to take it. Wow. Big learning experience. I could easily have driven there and back in the time I've spent on the phone.

Now, if they will just honor a legitimate warranty as they should, it will be well worth it.

The saga continues. Thanks for all the help I've received here so far.

If they plan on having it for a week or two, they need to give you loaner.

Days turn into weeks.

 

[Jnclem]

I

If they plan on having it for a week or two, they need to give you loaner.

Days turn into weeks.

I’m going to check on that as soon as they make a determination.

 

[Anchorman]

Has the car got towing equipment fitted. The clutch for the rear diff is in there and all the wear debris from it ends up in the oil. That may require more frequent oil changes under the “heavy duty conditions” schedule.

 

[Jnclem]

Has the car got towing equipment fitted. The clutch for the rear diff is in there and all the wear debris from it ends up in the oil. That may require more frequent oil changes under the “heavy duty conditions” schedule.

It has a receiver that is used for a bicycle rack 90% of the time. I occasionally pull a light three rail motorcycle trailer with one bike. Maybe 600# total. They may use it as an excuse, but it's not the cause of the problem.

 

[yrwei52]

Has the car got towing equipment fitted. The clutch for the rear diff is in there and all the wear debris from it ends up in the oil. That may require more frequent oil changes under the “heavy duty conditions” schedule.

The owner’s manual for US CX-5 has no maintenance schedule, including “Schedule 2” Severe Driving Condition, on front transfer case and real differential. The manual has never mentioned the gear oil in both needs to be changed when towing is involved. The only time the gear oil needs replacement in a fine-print note is when the CX-5 has been submerged in water.

So having a bicycle rack and towing a light three rail motorcycle trailer can’t be owner’s fault for negligent on maintenance when the rear differential failed at 45,000 miles. On the other hand, we may have found the culprit that the previous owner could have been doing heavy towing (instead of being submerged in water) which has damaged the differential clutch, hence PO changed the gear oil so it looked fine, and dumped the CX-5.

 

[Jnclem]

The owner’s manual for US CX-5 has no maintenance schedule, including “Schedule 2” Severe Driving Condition, on front transfer case and real differential. The manual has never mentioned the gear oil in both needs to be changed when towing is involved. The only time the gear oil needs replacement in a fine-print note is when the CX-5 has been submerged in water.

So having a bicycle rack and towing a light three rail motorcycle trailer can’t be owner’s fault for negligent on maintenance when the rear differential failed at 45,000 miles. On the other hand, we may have found the culprit that the previous owner could have been doing heavy towing (instead of being submerged in water) which has damaged the differential clutch, hence PO changed the gear oil so it looked fine, and dumped the CX-5.

I put the receiver on to accommodate my bike rack. It had no hitch when I got it, so the PO didn’t tow with it.

 

[yrwei52]

I put the receiver on to accommodate my bike rack. It had no hitch when I got it, so the PO didn’t tow with it.

OK, thanks for clarifying. This means the only possible culprit is the differential had been submerged in water ⋯

 

[Jnclem]

OK, thanks for clarifying. This means the only possible culprit is the differential had been submerged in water ⋯

I’m still hoping they warranty it. If it was submerged at some point, and the oil was changed, it would be difficult for them to prove. All I know, is that it had clean oil in it a year ago, it hasn’t been submerged since I’ve owned it, so there shouldn’t be any water in it at this point. We'll see what they say.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

I haven't checked other years but on my '15 (Page 6-6)

https://www.mazdausa.com/siteassets/pdf/owners-optimized/2015/cx5/2015-cx-5-maintenance-schedule.pdf

This is only shown in 13-16 maintenance schedules

 

[Jnclem]

I haven't checked other years but on my '15 (Page 6-6)

https://www.mazdausa.com/siteassets/pdf/owners-optimized/2015/cx5/2015-cx-5-maintenance-schedule.pdf

This is only shown in 13-16 maintenance schedules

View attachment 305636

My manual just says to replace the oil if it’s been submerged.

 

[yrwei52]

I haven't checked other years but on my '15 (Page 6-6)

https://www.mazdausa.com/siteassets/pdf/owners-optimized/2015/cx5/2015-cx-5-maintenance-schedule.pdf

This is only shown in 13-16 maintenance schedules

View attachment 305636

This paragraph has since been eliminated in owner’s menu as Mazda changed the spec on gear lube for front transfer case and rear differential from traditional GL-5 to Mazda’s own SG1.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

It is still in the '16 and 16.5 owner's manuals though.

https://www.mazdausa.com/siteassets/pdf/owners-optimized/2016.5/cx5/2016.5-cx-5-owners-manual.pdf

 

[Anchorman]

The owner’s manual for US CX-5 has no maintenance schedule, including “Schedule 2” Severe Driving Condition, on front transfer case and real differential. The manual has never mentioned the gear oil in both needs to be changed when towing is involved. The only time the gear oil needs replacement in a fine-print note is when the CX-5 has been submerged in water.

So having a bicycle rack and towing a light three rail motorcycle trailer can’t be owner’s fault for negligent on maintenance when the rear differential failed at 45,000 miles. On the other hand, we may have found the culprit that the previous owner could have been doing heavy towing (instead of being submerged in water) which has damaged the differential clutch, hence PO changed the gear oil so it looked fine, and dumped the CX-5.

It was the potential contamination of the oil I was alluding to

 

[yrwei52]

My manual just says to replace the oil if it’s been submerged.

Yes. And be prepared to to fight against Mazda North American Opetations if for some reason the Mazda dealer determined you failed to replace the gear lube in rear differential with towing (you have a tow bar) or you let water intrusion happened. Use the discussions here as needed.

There’re several rear differential TSBs concerning the early front bearing failure and other issues. Mazda has since revised the design including the differential front casing which should have fixed those weakness by the time gen-2 had come out in 2017. But it won’t hurt to find these TSBs in this forum, and if I were you, I’d be also questioning Mazda misled customers putting in not enough gear lube for the replacement. Mazda says 0.37 quart, but if we follow Mazda workshop manual, we need ~0.75 quart quart to bring the gear lube level to the brim of the filled hole. That’s 103% off from the reality!