Guide CX-5 Battery Installation

[DwightFrye]

You are correct about the weight of the AGM battery. The website says it is 40 lbs. I am quite surprised at that. My Jaguar F Type has an AGM battery and I read somewhere that was supplied as a weight savings measure. Maybe the particular battery that JLR uses is lighter than a lead acid equivalent but the one for the CX 5 sure isn't.

I'll definitely verify that the battery is in stock before I make the drive. The two closest Walmarts are about a 60 to 70 mile round trip.

 

[DwightFrye]

I bought one of the Everstart Platinum AGM batteries at Walmart today. The date code is 03/23. Can't get much newer than that. It is also marked Made in Korea. The serial number starts with HAN so my best guess is the manufacturer is ATL (Hankook Atlas). So much for getting a made in USA brand.

It definitely wasn't fully charged off the shelf. I have it on my CTEK battery minder right now and it's been charging for about 4 hours. I'll tackle the installation tomorrow. My CX 5 will be 4 years old at the end of next month so the peace of mind of having a new premium battery is well worth the cost.

I have just under 20,000 miles so far. Not much driving since I retired. And all I have done is routine maintenance like 5000 mile OCI's and replaced the air filter and cabin filter last year. And replaced the crummy Toyo OEM tires. I'm very pleased with my Mazda.

Edited to add: I just installed the new Everstart AGM battery. I had read this entire thread and didn't experience any of the struggles that Jack Rabbit had related. The battery was pretty far back towards the firewall but once I removed the hold down bracket I was able to slide the battery to the forward edge of the mounting tray, tilt it a little to clear and then grab it and pull it out.

The new battery has a folding handle and that made getting it into place a lot easier. Probably the trickiest part was getting the threaded rods that hold the top bracket across the battery back into place. I should have looked at where the J hook ends hook onto the mounting tray before setting the new battery down. I had to peer down with a flashlight and fish around a little to find the anchor points.

Anyway, I had to reset the auto up/down feature for the windows but didn't lose any of my Favorites for the AM/FM/Sirius XM or other settings. And the trip odometer reset itself to zero.

 

[RL911]

I’m still going strong on my original 2018 and 2019 batteries. 2018 reads 12.6 after sitting a while, 2019 reads 12.45. I realize that’s not under load, but usually when a battery reads below 12.4, it’s getting time to replace it. I keep a jump starter in my cars so I’m not worried about the battery dying.

 

[clownshoes2]

I can't remember how much mine to replace was, I had it done at the dealer. Twas expensive. Over $200cdn for sure.

2017 CX-5 Died on the Highway

Glad it was just the battery. Love the "died suddenly" reference- we are on the same page. That being said, I get new batteries in all of my vehicles at the 5 year mark- period. Have to argue with my shop sometimes. They call me and tell me it tests fine- nope yank it please. I changed out...

mazdas247.com

 

[DwightFrye]

I'm glad I bought my new battery a week ago. It was $159.84 on 4/13/23 and when I returned the old battery on 4/17/23 for the core credit the same Everstart Platinum AGM battery was marked $179.84. That's a $20 increase.

Inflation is nailing us at every turn.

 

[yrwei52]

⋯
Inflation is nailing us at every turn.

Yes, the inflation is the worst I’ve ever seen! The price increase for the goods isn’t just 5%, but it’s 12.5% ($20) overnight in your case!

Here the popular (here) Group 35 Interstate battery at Costco used to be $78.99 for many years:

Now:

That’s 40% price increase in last 3 years!

Just on the other day I found the OEM rear shock part no. KA0G-28-910G for my 2016 CX-5 AWD which used to be around $80 each now is selling for $224.80!!! 🤪

 

[wlong01]

Inflation is nailing us at every turn.

That's what happens when you pump 5 trillion new dollars into the economy.

 

[yrwei52]

Inflation is nailing us at every turn.

That's what happens when you pump 5 trillion new dollars into the economy.

That’s only a part of many reasons. US government has started printing large amount of paper money for more than 10 years, but we see the major inflation only since the last 2 ~ 3 years ⋯

 

[wlong01]

That’s only a part of many reasons. US government has started printing large amount of paper money for more than 10 years, but we see the major inflation only since the last 2 ~ 3 years ⋯

Printing 2 trillion in 2021 and 3 trillion in 2022 sure didn't help. Sending stimulus checks to people who didn't need them (they were still working) created a mess.

This is my last comment on this since I know the mods will swoop in soon.

 

[Ole Remus]

I bought one of the Everstart Platinum AGM batteries at Walmart today. The date code is 03/23. Can't get much newer than that.

Date codes no longer mean what they did. They are changed at the local retailer on a regular basis. This kind of false advertising infuriates me, but it is what it is...

 

[Ole Remus]

Two tips on battery life and replacement.

1. Pick up a Batteryminder onboard Desulfator. It comes on when the battery is being charged by the altenator and keeps your battery in tip top shape. I've installed them in all my cars since around 2000 and they extend my battery life to avg of 9 years! I actually just installed one from my 2003 Maxima that the CX-5 replaced. I recently picked my last one up at RV shop for $82 delivered to the door. It was for my 2020 Ford Ranger. These things work!
   
   
2. The second item was purchased quite a while back when I bought my 2020 Ranger. It is a small 12 volt adapter that is designed to keep your auto's computer settings when changing batteries. You simply plug the device into you trucks Diagnostic port, and plug it into either a 9V battery (good for ~30 minutes with a new 9v battery), or a 110v wall outlet with a 12V wall wart PS. Then remove and replace your battery. This keeps power to your systems while you switch out your battery. I bought it on a whim, and thought I'd never need it. https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned). A battery charger does essentially the same thing, but keeping the charger connected when removing cables seems a bit tricky to me.
   
   
   
   

 

[wlong01]

I just read a bunch of articles on battery desulfaction and the devices appear to be the real deal and work. Interesting, never knew they existed.

 

[Ole Remus]

I just read a bunch of articles on battery desulfation and the devices appear to be the real deal and work. Interesting, never knew they existed.

The Battery Minder is the best of the lot. Uses multiple high frequencies to break up the sulfur crystals and lower internal resistance. My batteries stay at around 3 mOhms. I just checked my new CX-5 battery (car 2 weeks off the lot) and it is at 5.5 mOhms! I am desulfating it right now, Will take at least 2 weeks to get it back to optimal shape, but then it is good to go just from driving the car normally. The desulfator starts doing its thing at just above 13V and stops when battery voltage drops to 13V. Pulls no drain at all when they stop. Simple to hook up to. Red to positive post, Black to neg post - Done!

The only battery that I have owned in the last 20 years that didn't make 9 years was an Optima in my 2005 Ranger that sacrificed itself when my alternator died on a road trip 150 miles from destination on Christmas Eve. The battery just barely got me to the destination where I had called ahead and had an Auto parts store waiting with the replacement. The truck dash looked like christmas tree lights to within 20 miles of the destination and then even the lights went off. The truck stumbled to the parts store, Pressing the brakes for more than a second would kill the engine enough to make me let off the brake pedal. I recharged the battery (it was 7+ years old) but it never came fully back... lasted another year, so it made it to 8+ years.

I have these desulfators on all 4 cars that I own. And the batteries typically go 9-10 years. They are worth every penny!