2019 Mazda CX-5 GTR Brakes after 34K miles?

Just took our Cx-5 in for an oil change and they are saying we need to get new front rotors and consider changing the brake fluid after 34K miles.. Does this seem right? We have never owned a Mazda before but have never had this issue so soon in owning a car. I will say that I do feel that the brakes are not sufficient enough for how sporty and quick the CX-5 is with the Turbo.


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There are many variables involved. Are you equipped/able to pull the wheels off yourself and look for yourself and/or take more photos? If your not comfortable with taking wheels off, do you have another mechanic or friend that is knowledgeable and you trust to take a look for a second opinion?

My personal experience with "dealerships", unfortunately, has been they are NOT (in general) trustworthy in giving truthful accurate information about the condition of your vehicle and it's maintenance needs.
 
No feedback on the rotor replacement, but my 2019 GTR just went in for an oil change at just under 30K and they recommended brake fluid flush. The wife had taken it in and she said they showed the fluid as dark and needing replacement so she agreed. $130 for that. Seemed WAY early to me -- the vehicle has not even been in service a full calendar year yet. SMH

On the plus side it seems the dealership is using PY8W-14-302 oil filter (listed on the work order) so that is a plus.
 
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Brake fluid is more a matter of time instead of miles, because it absorbs moisture and that is what affects performance. 2-3 years usually when changing the fluid is recommended. For Mazda new gen vehicles (Mazda 3, CX30, etc) the service schedule says to change the brake fluid every other oil change, which seems excessive to me
 
Brake fluid is more a matter of time instead of miles, because it absorbs moisture and that is what affects performance. 2-3 years usually when changing the fluid is recommended. F..

Phoenix Arizona - while we live in the wettest desert in the world - seems odd that such a new vehicle would see seepage into the brake fluid system for moisture. Bought the vehicle in November of 2019, not even a year old.. so yeah way early on the calendar as well. The dealership got a bit of extra profit on this one.. I have informed the wife and hopefully they stop trying to perform unneeded services (doubtful). Oh yeah they are also recommending: Perform Induction Service 4 pack ~244.95

not my dealer .. but I'm guessing something like this:
 
Wow. It is hard to believe the service schedule recommends replacing brake fluid every other oil change - for most people 1-2 years. I do a partial change of brake fluid with brake system work, but that is usually 40 - 50k miles or around 3-5 years. No harm to change it more frequently, but what are the benefits? I know that most cars rarely or never change brake fluid.
 
To the OP: 34k miles for front brakes seems a bit low unless you are doing a majority of city driving. You didn't say you had complaints of vibration and the picture of the rotor doesn't confirm that you need new brake pads and rotors. The thickness of the pads would be a greater concern.
 
My car is three years old but when I bought it it only had 14,150 miles or so on it. 15,000 now.

I wonder how all of my wear items are going to work out....with three years of age but low miles it is going to be odd.
 
Wow. It is hard to believe the service schedule recommends replacing brake fluid every other oil change - for most people 1-2 years. I do a partial change of brake fluid with brake system work, but that is usually 40 - 50k miles or around 3-5 years. No harm to change it more frequently, but what are the benefits? I know that most cars rarely or never change brake fluid.

Dealer "recommending" brake fluid flush on a 2019 model is a pure cash grab.
No way is that necessary. Dealers are such crooks.

FYI, I'm at 18 years and counting on my other vehicle.
Never changed the brake fluid, ever. Still works great.
Cheers all.
 
I just looked at the 2020 CX5 OM. There is no brake fluid replacement schedule.
It says inspection of brake lines, hoses and connections.

To OP:
I would just smile at the service advisor if he/she said that to me.... (get a 2nd opinion if you cannot make a decision on your own). Those guys are willing to say anything to lighten your wallets. Between them and your wallet, it is only you.
> they are saying we need to get new front rotors and consider changing the brake fluid after 34K miles.
 
Dealer "recommending" brake fluid flush on a 2019 model is a pure cash grab.
No way is that necessary. Dealers are such crooks.

FYI, I'm at 18 years and counting on my other vehicle.
Never changed the brake fluid, ever. Still works great.
Cheers all.
BMW says to change the brake fluid every 2 years. I learned this when my sister asked me to take her BMW to get serviced and they changed the brake fluid along with the oil for free. Apparently the BMW maintenance plan included on new vehicles covers all the recommended services while they are under warranty.
 
Just took our Cx-5 in for an oil change and they are saying we need to get new front rotors and consider changing the brake fluid after 34K miles.. Does this seem right? We have never owned a Mazda before but have never had this issue so soon in owning a car. I will say that I do feel that the brakes are not sufficient enough for how sporty and quick the CX-5 is with the Turbo.


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Back in the early 60's I was helping my Dad on his job and his car blew a wheel cylinder. He took the line off at the wheel, crimped it with pliers and since we were miles out in the country, he filled the master cylinder with water. It still had the 3 wheel brakes and water in the master cylinder when he sold it several years later. My Dad wasn't a very good mechanic but it got us home.
 
Re: the story above:
I guess the phrase: It is a temporary fix unless it works applies. But don't know what to say about selling a car with a crimped brake line and water as brake fluid. Hope the buyer fixed it up.
 
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No feedback on the rotor replacement, but my 2019 GTR just went in for an oil change at just under 30K and they recommended brake fluid flush. The wife had taken it in and she said they showed the fluid as dark and needing replacement so she agreed. $130 for that. Seemed WAY early to me -- the vehicle has not even been in service a full calendar year yet. SMH
Having been burned in the past by stealerships charging me for work that was never done, I would actually be skeptical if brake fluid was actually flushed/replaced.
They could have just used a turkey baster to suck out the reservoir and then top it up with new fluid, or worse, they just parked the car in the back for an hour, and then brought it back saying it was done.
How would your wife know the work was actually performed?
First thing I'd do is crawl underneath the car and closely inspect the bleeder nipples on each caliper.
If they were wrenched, it should show. If the nipples look untouched, then you know you were ripped off.
 
Just took my '17 CX5 GT with 20K miles to a local dealer for oil change and free inspection. The brake pads have f:8mm, r:7mm left. Looks like they can last another 30K miles.

Just FYI for reference.
 
Having been burned in the past by stealerships charging me for work that was never done, I would actually be skeptical if brake fluid was actually flushed/replaced.
They could have just used a turkey baster to suck out the reservoir and then top it up with new fluid, or worse, they just parked the car in the back for an hour, and then brought it back saying it was done.
How would your wife know the work was actually performed?
First thing I'd do is crawl underneath the car and closely inspect the bleeder nipples on each caliper.
If they were wrenched, it should show. If the nipples look untouched, then you know you were ripped off.
I could tell right away when the dealer replaced my brake fluid. The pedal was actually stiffer and the braking was more precise.
 
Just took our Cx-5 in for an oil change and they are saying we need to get new front rotors and consider changing the brake fluid after 34K miles.. Does this seem right? We have never owned a Mazda before but have never had this issue so soon in owning a car. I will say that I do feel that the brakes are not sufficient enough for how sporty and quick the CX-5 is with the Turbo.


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A lot goes into that question. Are they warped or just scored? Is the dealer recommending replacement on just the front or all four? You should get more mileage out of rear as a rule of thumb since the fronts do more of the work. I assume he wants to replace the pads too since worn pads are typically how the rotors are scored bad enough to require resurfacing or replacment. If they're just scored has resurfacing been ruled out? Some shops won't even resurface even if that's feasible; they'll tell you the difference in price doesn't justify it. Depends. It's hard to tell from the picture, but if not warped then resurfacing might be adquate.

On the other hand, light scoring is normal. Road junk particles get on there and it happens. You'd be hard pressed to find rotors with a just a few 1000k on them without some light scoring.

You could warp rotors in 10 miles from heat buildup if you're riding the brakes down a long mountain descent. I've done that albeit not on new rotors--fine before the mountain, warped right after. Lesson learned - brake, release, brake, release going down mountains. If you drive frequently in mountains or hills, even if not that extreme, longevity can be reduced. If you drive aggressively, as your post seems to indicate, that would reduce longevity.

Depending on circumstances, 35k miles is not unexpected. I've gotten as little as 25k on sh*tty Accord OEM rotors and 63k miles front, 78k miles rear on OEM Sienna rotors most recently.

A lot comes down to how they feel. If you're not getting any brake pedal vibration or steering wheel vibration or front end shimmy when applying the brakes (any of which would show up most braking downhill), you're not getting any screeching sound when braking indicating the pads might be scoring, and the brake pedal feels firm, then you're probably OK. If something doesn't feel quite right, as you suggest, some work needs to be done. How they feel is the first cut in determining whether you should do something.

As for brake fluid, the 2020 manual does not specify an interval; all it says is "inspect" up through 60k miles then repeat inspections. Whether the screen maintenance reminder comes up with something else I dunno since I'm not far enough along.

Funny story. My last two Toyotas were the same--no specified brake fluid interval. I've taken them to the dealer at every other oil change. Up to 90k miles in my current Toyota they said not a peep about brake fluid. At 90k the service rep recommended a change. I checked my service log, saw it had never been done, and gave the go ahead. What's the recommended interval, I asked? 3 years/36,000 miles. LOL, sorta. Though I had not detected any particular brake issue, I must admit they felt a tad firmer after the service. The fact of the matter is I don't think I've ever changed brake fluid at 3/36 in any vehicle I've ever owned over many years, makes and models. Long story short, 3/36 is probably the most conservative interval. I'm sure you can stretch that if the fluid has good color and the brakes feel fine.
 
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BMW says to change the brake fluid every 2 years. I learned this when my sister asked me to take her BMW to get serviced and they changed the brake fluid along with the oil for free. Apparently the BMW maintenance plan included on new vehicles covers all the recommended services while they are under warranty.
Once the BMW free maintenance plan and the warranties have expired the money shall flow. ;)
 

You should get more mileage out of rear as a rule of thumb since the fronts do more of the work.
This’s hardly a rule of thumb anymore nowadays. The rear brakes are worn out a lot faster due to the brake distribution system which is designed to use rear brakes a lot more for light braking, hence wear out sooner than the front. This’s also apply to our CX-5, based on all the reports here.
 
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