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UOA from 5K OCI on 12/23/25. Comments: "Potassium and sodium went down, but that doesn't mean the coolant leak is going away. The decreases are probably thanks to the shorter oil change interval. That said, the coolant leak doesn't appear to be getting worse, either; potassium & sodium are...

A second sample from my 5K OCI has shown elevated values of potassium and sodium. Need to let it ride. 😬 Should I go with 3K OCI? I had planned to finish 4 rounds of VRP. EDIT: Yes. Cleaning carbon is important but not urgent. After this round of VRP, I will step up to 3K OCI on $24 oil and AC...

I stay out of the fast lanes (#1 and #2 if #1 is HOV or express.) Being in the middle allows me to look ahead and better gauge the flow in neighboring lanes. I also leave room for folks with poor judgment. I would rather they cut in front of me than behind me. It is never personal, they don't...

The factory rear wiper is a life-time component, it was still wiping well after 176K miles. 😂

This is a 1WPE-14-302 from my most recent 5K OCI. Removed on Monday. The can was the most difficult of the 4 that I have cut open so far. Scuffs on the can were left by vise grip and plumbing wrench. The shorty element with metal end caps is a Royal Purple from 2 cycles ago. Shorty is very...

Those headlights are bright! 😎

@bojo It it awesome that you're figuring this out from the beginning of your ownership. I didn't look into it until much later on, like 8 years and 150K miles in. 🤦

Appreciate this!! My rear wiper is as vintage as the car. Can't believe I never looked for help on this in the manual. 🤦

Thank you I am glad I asked!

I bought a replacement but can't seem to remove the old one from the rear. I expected it to slide out like the ones on the windshield. If I apply any more force, I might break it. 🤦

I have used mostly non Mazda filters. The Mazda filters that I have used are made in Thailand. I like oil filters with large inlet holes, large filter media, and holes instead of louvers on the inner tube.

On Monday I drained the first round of VRP after about 5K miles. Took the OEM filter out but couldn't cut it open with the specialty tool. Did the blade go dull after cutting open only 3 filters? Or is the can particularly strong? Will try one more time tomorrow before using the circular saw. 🤦...

Mazda was so confident with the CX-3 that they felt no need to display the engine oil pressure/temp and coolant temp on the dashboard. 😅 I have to get the values from an OBDII device/app. I have tried a few apps but none is showing the oil pressure. The closest item I get is the "oil pressure...

For my 2017 CX-3, the original battery started to act out in 6/2023. Over the span of a couple of months, every time I finished loading/unloading from the hatch, the car would need to get jump-started. The hatch mechanism seems to draws quite a bit of wattage when left unlocked for more than...

Quote: "Mazda's strong results demonstrate our long‑standing belief that true safety comes from the seamless integration of advanced engineering, intuitive technology, and vehicles that respond predictably and confidently to the driver." Jinba Ittai 人馬一体...

Ah I just realized that I can use the same tool to cut the end caps off. Otherwise I should have a hand saw somewhere.

I was told that Volvos are strong and indestructible like tanks. One relative of mine rolled her Volvo in the snow and survived with minor bruises. She wasn't even wearing the seatbelt. A few years after the rollover, I went to visit and rode in her newer Volvo SUV. She took a clover-leaf exit...