I have a new GTR and brand new to this forum. After putting a couple hundred miles on my new CX5 I decided to go over some of the fluid levels in the car- even though I have paperwork showing everything has been gone over at prep by dealer and looks good. When I wake up I check the oil using the dipstick. It read exactly on MAX line. I’m happy but then I read the manual section about checking your oil stating turn on the car and run it until normal operating temperature is reached, turn it off, wait 5 minutes or more and take reading on dipstick. I drive the car for 20 minutes and turn it off. Waited 15 minutes and my dipstick it is now showing level above MAX line.
I saw a few post here that state that their initial oil fill on new CX-5 had dipstick reading sometimes as low as midway between Min and Max. Some state that when changing oil that they need to add more oil than what the owner’s manual specifies in order to bring oil up to the MAX line.
I'm new here and new to CX5 but I might suggest that those CX5 delivered with less than full oil readings from factory may have possibly been filled below max and done so purposefully.
It would make sense that the CX5 dipsticks was calibrated to be accurate when oil levels were taken when hot. Manufacturers more and more are recommending hot readings with calibrated dipsticks because they know that oil expands or volume increases when oil is hot and presume most people don't want to wait around if on the road until car cools completely down to check their oil.
I believe this is the case with our CX5's. Otherwise the manual would not describe the process of checking the cars oil like it does. A few Google searches using phrases like 'are oil dipsticks calibrated for cold or hot oil" led me to many credible posts saying that yes - some manufacturers calibrate dipsticks to read accurately when engine oil is hot. Also saying that measurements taken when not hot will not be accurate on a dipstick calibrated for hot readings,
Getting back to what I personally observed I can concur completely with this. MAX line on cold morning reading and noticeable above MAX line when using the recommended oil check procedure in CX5 owner’s manual.
I called the dealer and asked if mine had been raised to max from the initial level delivered by Mazda Japan. The service writers emphatically said ‘no- he has been there 8 years and never seen anyone modify oil levels when checking in a new vehicle. So I said, to be sure you’re telling me that what is in my car was done at factory and no one messed with it. He said yes. That still doesn’t make me feel comfortable on any level –maybe because it is coming from a service writer at a dealership.
FWIW, if my thinking is correct, a lot of the DIY oil change posts here are getting things wrong. They may acctually be overfilling. Max on a cold fill should be lower than MAX. Maybe just putting in what MAZDA says is the right capacity for your engine is where you should be filling your oil regardless of whether it hits MAX on the dipstick or not. Maybe one of you could kindly verify this if after you fill your sump to what is seemingly low level. I'd appreciate it if you would then check it following guidlines in the owner's manual. I would like to know what you find - specifcally if you get a hot reading at the MAX line . I will not happy knowing I have been breaking in my new car with an oil overfill.
So I will call Mazda corporate tomorrow to get a straight answer for ‘Is the CX-5 calibrated for hot oil or cold oil temperature.” I’d also like to make sure the GTR has a different dipstick than the non-turbo since it states it has a slightly larger capacity. If any of you have a good contact number let me know.
I saw a few post here that state that their initial oil fill on new CX-5 had dipstick reading sometimes as low as midway between Min and Max. Some state that when changing oil that they need to add more oil than what the owner’s manual specifies in order to bring oil up to the MAX line.
I'm new here and new to CX5 but I might suggest that those CX5 delivered with less than full oil readings from factory may have possibly been filled below max and done so purposefully.
It would make sense that the CX5 dipsticks was calibrated to be accurate when oil levels were taken when hot. Manufacturers more and more are recommending hot readings with calibrated dipsticks because they know that oil expands or volume increases when oil is hot and presume most people don't want to wait around if on the road until car cools completely down to check their oil.
I believe this is the case with our CX5's. Otherwise the manual would not describe the process of checking the cars oil like it does. A few Google searches using phrases like 'are oil dipsticks calibrated for cold or hot oil" led me to many credible posts saying that yes - some manufacturers calibrate dipsticks to read accurately when engine oil is hot. Also saying that measurements taken when not hot will not be accurate on a dipstick calibrated for hot readings,
Getting back to what I personally observed I can concur completely with this. MAX line on cold morning reading and noticeable above MAX line when using the recommended oil check procedure in CX5 owner’s manual.
I called the dealer and asked if mine had been raised to max from the initial level delivered by Mazda Japan. The service writers emphatically said ‘no- he has been there 8 years and never seen anyone modify oil levels when checking in a new vehicle. So I said, to be sure you’re telling me that what is in my car was done at factory and no one messed with it. He said yes. That still doesn’t make me feel comfortable on any level –maybe because it is coming from a service writer at a dealership.
FWIW, if my thinking is correct, a lot of the DIY oil change posts here are getting things wrong. They may acctually be overfilling. Max on a cold fill should be lower than MAX. Maybe just putting in what MAZDA says is the right capacity for your engine is where you should be filling your oil regardless of whether it hits MAX on the dipstick or not. Maybe one of you could kindly verify this if after you fill your sump to what is seemingly low level. I'd appreciate it if you would then check it following guidlines in the owner's manual. I would like to know what you find - specifcally if you get a hot reading at the MAX line . I will not happy knowing I have been breaking in my new car with an oil overfill.
So I will call Mazda corporate tomorrow to get a straight answer for ‘Is the CX-5 calibrated for hot oil or cold oil temperature.” I’d also like to make sure the GTR has a different dipstick than the non-turbo since it states it has a slightly larger capacity. If any of you have a good contact number let me know.
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