CX-5 2.5L Oil Usage
- Thread starter Unobtanium
- Start date
Kudos for correcting your initial (erroneous) observations.
It's relatively easy to start a new incident of mass hysteria but you nipped this one in the bud! I think it's relatively easy for a relatively small number of erroneous reports to create a new mass hysteria event because new cars are relatively expensive (compared to other consumer purchases) and are often purchased with a loan of considerable size. This naturally leans to owner's insecurity about the quality and longevity of such a purchase which naturally leads to irrational fears.
It's easy to see how a relatively small number of reports about something like oil consumption or defective windshields can snowball and lead people to draw unsubstantiated conclusions. I think the relatively recent cracked windshield hysteria in Taiwan is one example. The fact that now the Internet exists to facilitate such events just greases the wheels. And the media can add credence to the belief simply by covering the hysteria in a non-critical manner. Before you know it, Corporate Mazda is responding to the issue in the only way they know how to, which in turn allows the hysteria to spread to entirely different markets (with the assistance of the Internet).
It's relatively easy to start a new incident of mass hysteria but you nipped this one in the bud! I think it's relatively easy for a relatively small number of erroneous reports to create a new mass hysteria event because new cars are relatively expensive (compared to other consumer purchases) and are often purchased with a loan of considerable size. This naturally leans to owner's insecurity about the quality and longevity of such a purchase which naturally leads to irrational fears.
It's easy to see how a relatively small number of reports about something like oil consumption or defective windshields can snowball and lead people to draw unsubstantiated conclusions. I think the relatively recent cracked windshield hysteria in Taiwan is one example. The fact that now the Internet exists to facilitate such events just greases the wheels. And the media can add credence to the belief simply by covering the hysteria in a non-critical manner. Before you know it, Corporate Mazda is responding to the issue in the only way they know how to, which in turn allows the hysteria to spread to entirely different markets (with the assistance of the Internet).
New cars burning oil coming off the assembly line is a legitimate concern for buyers considering the cost of synthetic oil. The idea of adding a quart every 800-1000 miles is frightening to people that work hard for a living and simply want a reliable vehicle that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to maintain. I have read very little negative comments about Mazda vehicles and that is one reason I got one. It's good that forums like this can be available to discuss issues such as this.
I have had several new cars of different brands down through the years and none of them burned oil that was noticeable when new but with headlights costing half the price of what a transmission should it is hard to know what the new "normal" is. Thanks for your contributions to this forum even though we may not see eye to eye on everything.
How do you set that?
Of course excessive oil consumption is a legitimate topic for any vehicle (as long as it's based on reliable information). Which is why I was giving kudos to you for having the integrity to return and correct your previous inaccurate conclusion that your CX-5 was consuming 1/2 quart/change.
So often people take a relatively small number of reports (many of which may be based on inaccurate info) and draw unwarranted conclusions that then grows into mass hysteria. Please see the link I posted recently to the case of mass hysteria over pitted windshields. This is actually used as a text book case in psychology classes when studying the phenomenon of mass hysteria and is the potential final outcome of one small kernel of erroneous information (whether intentional or not):
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=5136
I had a 2013 CX5 sport 2.0, which I drove till 38,000 miles and it never used any noticeable amount of oil between oil changes.
Currently own a 2014 CX5 Touring, which has 52,600 miles and it still hasn't used any noticeable amount of oil between oil changes.
Currently own a 2012 Mazda5, which has 33,000 miles and it still hasn't used any noticeable amount of oil between oil changes.
My brother in law currently owns a 2013 Mazda 6, which has 62,000 miles and it still hasn't used any noticeable amount of oil between oil changes according to him.
My brother in laws wife currently owns a 2013 mazda 3 and it still hasn't used any noticeable amount of oil between oil changes according to him. Not sure of the mileage.
My father in law currently owns a 2012 Mazda CX-9, which has ~ 50,000 miles and it still hasn't used any noticeable amount of oil between oil changes according to him.
Anyone see a pattern here?
Currently own a 2014 CX5 Touring, which has 52,600 miles and it still hasn't used any noticeable amount of oil between oil changes.
Currently own a 2012 Mazda5, which has 33,000 miles and it still hasn't used any noticeable amount of oil between oil changes.
My brother in law currently owns a 2013 Mazda 6, which has 62,000 miles and it still hasn't used any noticeable amount of oil between oil changes according to him.
My brother in laws wife currently owns a 2013 mazda 3 and it still hasn't used any noticeable amount of oil between oil changes according to him. Not sure of the mileage.
My father in law currently owns a 2012 Mazda CX-9, which has ~ 50,000 miles and it still hasn't used any noticeable amount of oil between oil changes according to him.
Anyone see a pattern here?
Mazda makes tight little engines with effective crankcase breathers that don't allow big pressure differentials.
Which is why I'm always surprised when someone says they've heard these engines consume oil.
My experience is just the opposite. These types of forums are the best source owners have about a potential issue with a vehicle, because car companies don't share their maintenance data and because sources like Consumer Reports are either too little too late or downright misleading.
For example, with the help of this forum I knew mirror & hood shake as well as potential for windshield cracking could be an issue before I purchased my vehicle. I also learned about the SkyActiv D issues. With the help of Subaru forums I knew oil consumption was an issue with FB engines and of shimmy issue with certain Legacy models. With the Honda forum I learned about the transmission vibration and, years ago, about VW unreliability. None of which could be labeled as public hysteria and all were right on the money.
Yes, these are not scientific polls, definitely not. But, unfortunately or fortunately, they are the best source of timely relevant information. I don't think dismissing stuff with hysteria is correct. For now, there are almost no reports of oil consumption. I don't think this is about to change. However, for windshields there are already reports of spontaneous cracking or cracking after low impact. As I said above, this is not scientific, so we can't really say what is the extent of the issue. But with so many reports, cannot be dismissed either.
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- Plano, Texas, USA
Well said!
As for the oil consumption pattern from Mazda, remember those rotary engines from Mazda as they all were infamous of burning oil? I still have friends surprised by the fact that we'd got our first Mazda. One of them used to buy Mazda's all the time but now only getting Acura's and Lexus' as he had been tired of problems from his previous Mazda's. His mechanic and garage owner told him to avoid 3 "M"s when getting cars: Mercedes, BMW, and Mazda as the guy has seen so many of them in his shop.
draw unwarranted conclusions that then grows into mass hysteria.
Opposite of what? Because you quoted me out of context. This is what I actually said:
MikeM. said:
This happens all the time, there are many examples of it. Some people seem unaware that windshield glass is relatively soft and becomes increasing pitted with use. That's normal. It's also relatively common for windshields to crack without impact due to hidden internal stresses within the glass. Mazda does not use softer glass than Ford, Toyota or Subaru.
Oil consumption is the other example I gave. Right on this forum there has been the impression created that the Skyactiv G engines burn excessive oil. Yet it was created by a very small number of reports (which were probably erroneous like the one I cited above).
Of course it's not scientific, it would only be scientific if the rate of fracture, pitting or breakage (or whatever was being measured) was compared statistically to the rates of this happening on similar cars produced by other manufacturers. And because other manufacturers buy their glass from the same glass manufacturers that Mazda uses, you would likely find similar breakage rates. The fact that 22% of members participating in a cracked windshield poll reported cracks is to be expected. It happens with all cars. It would be more accurate to dismiss the breakage as normal windshield breakage than to hold them up and claim the windshields must be defective because they broke.
Example: Here's a cracked windshield poll that is not specific to any make or model: http://k99.com/is-your-windshield-cracked-poll/
Over half of all respondents reported having a cracked windshield in their current vehicle.
Example 2: http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums...65690-poll-has-your-windshield-cracked-5.html
In this poll a whopping 38% of 2015 Subaru Outback owners reported their windshield had already cracked once, twice or three times! So the CX-5 has almost half the reported rate of breakage vs. the 2015 Outback!
Example 3: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/28629-yet-another-cracked-windshield.html
Toyota Forerunner poll reports 70% have a cracked windshield!
Example 4: http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/foru...1-new-windshield-poll-please-respond-139.html
44% of Toyota FJ Cruiser owners reported their windshield has broken one or more times!
That's all the Internet polls I could find for cracked windshields and the CX-5 had the lowest reported rate of cracking vs. any other make/model including one poll that was not make/model specific.
Yes, the smartest thing to do is to chalk up the breakage as normal (actually, considerably less than normal).
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- Plano, Texas, USA
The questions from above mentioned polls:
"Is Your Windshield Cracked [POLL]"
"Has your windshield cracked on your 2015 Outback?"
"How many of you have had a cracked windshield?" (4Runner)
"Is Your Windshield Broken?" (FJ Cruiser)
are completely different from ours:
"Does Your Windshield Have A Crack Caused By Stress Fracture?" (CX-5)
Apples to oranges.
"Is Your Windshield Cracked [POLL]"
"Has your windshield cracked on your 2015 Outback?"
"How many of you have had a cracked windshield?" (4Runner)
"Is Your Windshield Broken?" (FJ Cruiser)
are completely different from ours:
"Does Your Windshield Have A Crack Caused By Stress Fracture?" (CX-5)
Apples to oranges.
Not exactly.
The numerical results of these polls are inaccurate. However, you *can* count the number of unique complaints as well as info on the vehicle year etc. and monitor the length of the thread. The thread will die down on its own and would get very little traction if there is not real issue. It will keep popping up, grow and refuse to die if more people get the same problem.
Now, if you compare it to other vehicles, you might be absolutely right that some vehicles have it much worse. For example, the FJ forum (which I never followed) has a scary number of posts, if I had any interest in this vehicle, I'd do some research about it. But if you compare this to a CRV or a Forester or an Escape, you'd be hard pressed to find anything that gets any traction.
The Taiwan story only gives credence to the observation that something is fishy.
Keep in mind I bought this vehicle despite knowing in advance this might happen and it did happen to me. It is my opinion that there is an increased risk but this is still not a big issue for this vehicle.
True, none of these polls are scientific. But my point remains:
There is absolutely NO evidence that CX-5 windshields are substandard in any way. In fact, they are made to the same standards, in the same glass factories as other cars.
And if you read the forums for other make/model cars with cracked windshield polls you will see some of the same insecurities being voiced about their windshields. I think it's obvious that windshields fail at a rate greater than inexperienced motorists think they should. Older, more experienced motorists know it's normal and expected to have a certain rate of failure because glass is fragile, especially when mounted on the front of vehicles hurtling down the road at 70-80 mph.
Really? Let's have a look then:
http://www.crvownersclub.com/forums/14-problems-issues/16819-3rd-cracked-windshield-2008-crv.html
Lots of CR-V owners having repeated cracking issues!
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/cracked-windshield-61725/
Oh my! It looks like Subaru Foresters have a high rate of windshield cracking too. In Many cases there was no identifiable rock hit!
http://www.fordescape.org/forum/exterior-interior/3225-windshield-replacement-5.html
Oh - my - God! The Ford Escape has a weak windshield too! They break when the car is only 9 days old! Often there is no impact mark, just a hairline crack running along the windshield.
Lots of the same kind of hysteria on CR-V, Forester and Escape forums. Which isn't surprising since they buy their glass from the same glass suppliers used by other car makers.
(rlaugh)
Just like in the 1954 pitted windshield hysteria!
Judging by the loud "thwacks" my CX-5 has taken from freeway stones without damage, I would have to say the CX-5 windshield is a good example of a modern, state of the art windshield. No sign of unusual weakness or any other issue.
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- Plano, Texas, USA
Please present the source, data, or proofs of your claim...
Although you think there is "a disinformation campaign targeting the CX-5" only towards its windshield at NHTSA website, 70 out of 94 total complaints are windshield cracks for 2014 CX-5 according to NHTSA website, whereas none out of 140 total complaints is windshield cracks for 2014 Honda CR-V and none out of 17 total complaints is windshield cracks for 2014 Toyota RAV4, and not counting there were at least three times more CR-V's or RAV4's sold in the US!
My claim is there is no credible evidence that CX-5 windshields are substandard. I cannot prove a negative. Why don't you present credible evidence that the windshields are substandard?
As I've already pointed out, it is a simple matter to submit multiple false complaints on the government site. You claimed it was difficult because you need to submit a VIN number. (rlaugh)
Chris_Top_Her
Contributor
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- San Antonio, Texas
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- '15 CX-5 Miata AWD
