2017~2024 CX-5 Abnormal Oil Use

[shooter357]

I just completed a journey of @ 1800 miles on a 2019 GT. Before I left I checked my oil level and when I got back I checked it again. It was down approximately half a quart. Now I know all cars go through oil but this is the first I've had that lost this much. Actually it doesn't seem like a lot but it's more than I'm used to. Has anyone else noticed something like this?

 

[edmaz]

I've become used to seeing basically no oil usage on our 2020, and my daughter's 2019, although I will always continue to check regularly. And I see almost nothing posted here from other owners about their CX-5 using oil, so IMO 1/2 quart in just under 2K miles is abnormal for these vehicles.

So for openers, I have to ask if you checked the level the same way both times, and particularly if you waited at least 5 minutes after shutting the engine off before checking. Next is the question of a possible slow leak, with the primary suspect being the filter or drain plug not being fully torqued.

In any case, I recommend checking the oil (and all other fluids as well) more frequently - a few hundred mile interval, or something like bi-weekly if you generally don't drive many miles. After doing this for a period of time, perhaps you will discover that your vehicle is actually not using/losing oil, and can then consider the observation that you posted to be an anomaly.

 

[shooter357]

Both times I checked it cold.

 

[edmaz]

Both times I checked it cold.

Ok, then just make sure there are no leaks, continue to check the level regularly, and see what the future brings.

 

[GAXIBM]

Prior to the trip if you have been taking a lot of short trips in winter, you may have had some gas/moisture in the oil that evaprorated or burned off during the long trip with the engine hot, thus reducing the volume.

 

[markjenn]

A qt every 4K miles is probably higher than average but certainly well with the “normal” range so I doubt you’re going to get any warranty support from Mazda. (And assuming it’s burning the oil rather than leaking, the “cure” of tearing into the engine to renew rings or valve seals is worse than the disease.)

I’d continue to monitor. You may be over-worried about one anomalous reading that might be off due to temp, slope, drain back into sump, etc. and engines do sometimes vary short term in how much oil they use. Better to do oil checks on warm engine 5-10 min after shutdown.

- Mark

 

[yrwei52]

I just completed a journey of @ 1800 miles on a 2019 GT. Before I left I checked my oil level and when I got back I checked it again. It was down approximately half a quart. Now I know all cars go through oil but this is the first I've had that lost this much. Actually it doesn't seem like a lot but it's more than I'm used to. Has anyone else noticed something like this?

How many miles on your 2019 CX-5 GT? Have you noticed oil consumption prior to this road trip? Or this’s the first time you checked the oil level due to the 1,800-mile road trip? Is the oil level at the Max mark before the trip? And what kind of oil and viscosity do you use?

Some engines will use more oil for long and high rpm engine work during the road trip, especially with thin 0W-20 oil. My CX-5 uses more oil during the long road trip, but not as severe as your situation, ½ quart for 1,800 miles.

I’d check oil level more frequently like others suggested to find out the oil consumption pattern. If the engine uses ¼ ~ ½ quart of oil consistently for each oil change (5,000~ 7,500 miles) on normal driving conditions like my 2.5L, it’s fine. Just make sure to keep oil level to the Max mark in each oil change (~5.3 quarts on 2.5L) for bigger safety margin. Check oil level more frequently with an additional oil bottle in the trunk during the long road trip. IMO, your 2.5L does burn some oil by your observation after the road trip. But car manufactures will consider it’s normal on oil consumption at 1 quart per 800 ~ 1,000 miles. So you have no chance to make Mazda doing any engine work to your CX-5 under warranty unless you can find some obvious oil leaks.

Check possible oil leaks on timing chain cover、oil pan、and front and rear crankshaft bearing seals if you do find more noticeable oil consumption during normal driving conditions.

 

[181962]

I've become used to seeing basically no oil usage on our 2020, and my daughter's 2019, although I will always continue to check regularly. And I see almost nothing posted here from other owners about their CX-5 using oil, so IMO 1/2 quart in just under 2K miles is abnormal for these vehicles.

So for openers, I have to ask if you checked the level the same way both times, and particularly if you waited at least 5 minutes after shutting the engine off before checking. Next is the question of a possible slow leak, with the primary suspect being the filter or drain plug not being fully torqued.

In any case, I recommend checking the oil (and all other fluids as well) more frequently - a few hundred mile interval, or something like bi-weekly if you generally don't drive many miles. After doing this for a period of time, perhaps you will discover that your vehicle is actually not using/losing oil, and can then consider the observation that you posted to be an anomaly.

Ditto on the 2020--my 2.5L normally aspirated has not lost a drop in it's first 2,300 miles since I bought it as a dealer loaner. Double-ditto on comparing the previous and current always on a cold engine or always a warm one to get a consistent benchmark comparison. Better cold, I agree, since that's the comparable state of the engine when the shop (or the DIYer) fills it after some oil has settled out of the engine into the drain. Cold is when you check tire pressure anyway.

In fact, with my previous four vehicles spanning 10-14 years and 100k - 150k miles each, I added oil two or three times all told between 3k-10k mile change intervals depending on the vehicle and usage. Those are/were a Mitsu 4 cyl. engine in a Chrysler, two Toyota V6s, and a Honda V6, all normally aspirated. Those oil adds were as likely service underfills as anything since they were so rare.

Maybe I'm lucky and spoiled, but I don't consider burning any noticeable amount of oil to be optimal even if it doesn't hurt in moderation. Personally, I if was consistently losing a quart over 4,000 miles I'd have some concern and would do more investigation. The OP might have a one-off circumstance, an underfill or a warm vs. cold comparison.

Anyway, in general, more turbos than normally aspirated engines tend to burn more oil. Consumer Reports did a piece a few years back identifying high end German turbos burning a quart every 500-1000 miles with the makers calling it "normal". No way. I'm not up on every CX-5 year and trim line but I guess the OPs 2019 GT is the 2.5L normally aspirated.

 

[181962]

Prior to the trip if you have been taking a lot of short trips in winter, you may have had some gas/moisture in the oil that evaprorated or burned off during the long trip with the engine hot, thus reducing the volume.

A quart's worth of moisture or gas in the engine would be way excessive and begs a whole other question.

 

[GAXIBM]

A quart's worth of moisture or gas in the engine would be way excessive and begs a whole other question.

OP stated he lost half a quart after a 1900 mile trip.

 

[shooter357]

Both times I checked, before and after the trip. I checked it cold . It was at the top mark before and it was @ halfway between at the end. I use 0w20 like recommended. I may be wrong about the level when I left but I don't remember.

 

[181962]

OP stated he lost half a quart after a 1900 mile trip.

I was thinking about a quart any time between oil changes which is where he was heading at that rate. 1/2 a quart on 2,000 mi. is still way excessive.

 

[181962]

Both times I checked, before and after the trip. I checked it cold . It was at the top mark before and it was @ halfway between at the end. I use 0w20 like recommended. I may be wrong about the level when I left but I don't remember.

Well, if you're not sure about the initial level then keep monitoring. Maybe you had an underfill at the last oil change. If the level keeps dropping then the next thing to do, as mentioned by others above, is check under the vehicle for leaks. The drain plug is the first place to look. I once had a knucklehead fail to replace the crush washer on a Honda filter. Oil leaked and the threads were damaged.

 

[yrwei52]

⋯ The drain plug is the first place to look. I once had a knucklehead fail to replace the crush washer on a Honda filter. Oil leaked and the threads were damaged.

The same thing happened to my 2018 Toyota Yaris iA / Mazda2 a couple of years ago. The tech at the Toyota dealer did something wrong on drain plug during the free oil change from Toyota's 2-year free maintenance program. It kept leaking oil on my trip from San Jose to LA. Once arrived, I’d to add 2 quarts of oil still the oil level could only reach barely above the Min mark. The oil capacity for the Mazda’s 1.5L is 4.4 quarts but the tech over-filled the oil by at least ⅓ quart. This probably is the only time I appreciated the oil over-fill by most car dealers, or my engine wouldn’t be able to survive that road trip. No, the oil pressure warning light had never come on. And the official cause of the oil leak checked by the Toyota dealer is the aluminum crush washer on drain plug was “cracked”!

 

[markjenn]

I was thinking about a quart any time between oil changes which is where he was heading at that rate. 1/2 a quart on 2,000 mi. is still way excessive.

Notwithstanding an obvious defect (like a leak), this level is not “excessive” enough that you can get Mazda to fix it on their dime.

- Mark

 

[181962]

Notwithstanding an obvious defect (like a leak), this level is not “excessive” enough that you can get Mazda to fix it on their dime.

- Mark

I was referring to the theory that a 1/2 quart of moisture and/or gasoline got in the oil over 2,000 miles then burned off over a long trip, or the equivalent of a quart over 4,000 miles.

I agree that is doubtful that any automaker is going to do anything about a vehicle burning the equivalent of a quart of oil over 4,000 miles. At the same time, that amount of water or gas in the oil is among the less likely things that's happening on a 2 year old vehicle.

 

[Mazdiod2]

A qt every 4K miles is probably higher than average but certainly well with the “normal” range so I doubt you’re going to get any warranty support from Mazda. (And assuming it’s burning the oil rather than leaking, the “cure” of tearing into the engine to renew rings or valve seals is worse than the disease.)

I’d continue to monitor. You may be over-worried about one anomalous reading that might be off due to temp, slope, drain back into sump, etc. and engines do sometimes vary short term in how much oil they use. Better to do oil checks on warm engine 5-10 min after shutdown.

- Mark

I agree. I have found that dipstick readings can vary a bit for some reason. I have noticed differences just measuring in the morning vs. the night before.

Sounds like you need to check it at least every 1800 miles. I lose a little on long hot interstate drives. I've read that sometimes oil just vaporizes. I use 5w-30, which might be better for long trips.

 

[Jmaz]

Oil indeed does vaporize. That's what the PCV system routes to be burned so it doesn't condense and cause varnish deposits in the engine. You'll see condensed oil vapor in oil catch cans. Also, different oils have different volatility. There is the NOACK volatility test for this. Finally, although engine temperature may be regulated at 195*F, bottom end (main bearings /crankshaft) temperatures can approach 300*F under heavy load and hot ambient conditions. There's no water jackets down there so the oil gets exposed to high temperatures which increase volatility.

 

[181962]

The basic concept is pretty simple: a warm engine has more oil in the engine itself and less in the pan than a cold engine.

For the 2020's, the North American manual says this on page 6-27:

"Inspecting Engine Oil Level

1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level surface.
2. Warm up the engine to normal operating temperature.
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the oil pan.
4. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and reinsert it fully."

Normal operating temperature can be gauged off the coolant temperature--run the car until the water temp gauge stops going up.

This is middle of the road between warm and cold. More oil will drain into the pan overnight than after 5 minutes.

This begs a question. Does the service tech follow this procedure when checking the oil on a refill? Probably not since spewing carbon monoxide dioxide in a closed garage and spending another 20 minutes on the job is not something he's inclined to do.

More likely the tech will underfill it a bit. Oil expands when hot. After 5 minutes of cool down the oil is still pretty hot. The tech is putting cold oil in. He might recon it will average out.

Keep in mind there is a tolerance. A half quart low or high is not a big deal and could be the amount of variation under the different conditions. The thing to do is check the oil right after an oil change after the prescribed 5 minute cool down. If it's reads a bit low no biggie though you could top it off. If it reads a bit high no biggie; it won't be enough to blow a seal or gasket. Frankly, I think you'd have to be driving the thing with no oil on the stick or the whole stick covered in oil to do any damage.

So, check it right after an oil change under the specific 5 minute cool down (on level ground) to see if it is within tolerance. If it's OK, somewhat high or low, then you have a benchmark against which to check later to see if you're losing oil or not.

Alternatively, if it's within tolerance as above, you could then check it again overnight and reset your benchmark to cold conditions. This is my preferred approach since I check the oil at least a couple hours after driving since I also check tire pressure at the same time. It takes quite a while for tires to get cold.

This may seem overly fastidious because it is. But if you're concerned about oil loss for some reason, this is a way to monitor it.

 

[madar]

I tend to use more oil on trips when I'm doing 75 to 80 mph than when I'm taking trips in the 40 to 50 mph range. Also, and I don't know if this a characteristic of PP oil, but when I reach about 3500 miles on an oil change it starts to go down faster as opposed to fresh oil in the pan. I've noticed that for a few years now. I too like to check it after about 10 minutes with a hot engine.