CX-5 Battery Replacement recommendation?

[MEB]

I need a new battery for my 2016.5 GT AWD CX5. I am replacing the original battery, so this is my first new battery experience. Should I go with the "Mazda" battery @ my dealer 2yr replacement warranty / 84MO (prorated) warranty $250, includes labor.

If I buy on my own, what brands & specs. should I consider beyond the right type / size for my CX5? Will I need to "re-set" or lose any existing saved functions with a new install?

I need to replace within the next 5 business days. I'm the orig. owner of the car. It has 48K miles & I've not had any issues with the original battery. I live in the Seattle WA area and my car is not garaged. I plan to keep this car for 2 yrs.

Thanks for your recs!

 

[SparkYellow]

Am at nearly the 5yr mark for my CX-5's battery. (An Optima RedTop 35, 720cca, 44aH, 90min reserve, 3yr warr.)

Considering the idea of going slightly oversize, along with decent group 35 options. Will figure it out by the end of Summer. No need to swap-in a new battery yet, but I'm currently mulling options.

• Optima RedTop 35 AGM -- 720 CCA, 44 aH, 90min reserve, SAE Type A terminals, size 9.4"L x 7.8"W x 7.7"H
• Optima RedTop D34 AGM -- 800 CCA, 50 aH, 100min reserve, SAE Type A terminals, size 10.1"L x 6.9"W x 7.9"H
• Optima Yellowtop D34 AGM -- 750 CCA, 55 aH, 120min reserve, SAE Type A terminals, size 10.1"L x 6.9"W x 7.9"H
• Optima Yellowtop DH7 AGM -- 880 CCA, 80 aH, 155min reserve, DIN Type A1 terminals (slightly larger), size 12.5"L x 6.9"W x 7.5"H
• EverStart Platinum H7 AGM -- 850 CCA, 140min reserve, 4yr warr, ?"L x ?"W x 7.5"H

Will be beefing-up the primary ground cables on the car, this year, once the weather improves.

Will also be carefully measuring the space and considering potential 'nipping' of the two rearward tabs, if I decide to go with the H7 sized battery.

Are you still happy with your RedTop? I am planning to pick one up from O'Reilly's tomorrow morning.

The OEM battery went out after 6 years. Then a Diehard from AutoZone started leaking after 2 years (it had caps on top like the EverStart Max.) Now the Mighty Max from Amazon fails to hold a charge after 10 months. Instead of paying $350 for two batteries in 3 years, I'd rather pay $300 for one to last 5+ years.

A bit overwhelmed by all the maintainence tasks I have to perform recently...

 

[AL Cx5]

Are you still happy with your RedTop? I am planning to pick one up from O'Reilly's tomorrow morning.

The OEM battery went out after 6 years. Then a Diehard from AutoZone started leaking after 2 years (it had caps on top like the EverStart Max.) Now the Mighty Max from Amazon fails to hold a charge after 10 months. Instead of paying $350 for two batteries in 3 years, I'd rather pay $300 for one to last 5+ years.

A bit overwhelmed by all the maintainence tasks I have to perform recently...

I avoid open cell, lead acid batteries for the above reasons. They also corrode the battery posts and the battery cables. I cut my battery cables back on my truck that had open cell batteries. Green and black corrosion.

As they say cry once, get an AGM

 

[cz5gt]

AGM in this day and age

 

[SparkYellow]

I avoid open cell, lead acid batteries for the above reasons. They also corrode the battery posts and the battery cables. I cut my battery cables back on my truck that had open cell batteries. Green and black corrosion.

As they say cry once, get an AGM

I checked my order history with AutoZone and it was a Duralast Gold/Flooded that I got in 2023. I recall not wanting the same one even if covered under warranty.

It is either the Redtop at O'Reilly or Duralast Platinum AGM at AutoZone.

 

[AL Cx5]

I checked my order history with AutoZone and it was a Duralast Gold/Flooded that I got in 2023. I recall not wanting the same one even if covered under warranty.

It is either the Redtop at O'Reilly or Duralast Platinum AGM at AutoZone.

I look for the best warranty/price. AGMs are a big step forward. IF you car came with an AMG battery, then the charging system charges it like an AMG. This is different than an open cell lead acid battery.

On the other hand, I've use Yellow Top in my 06 Ram that has a dumb as a post charging system. Now it has Advance Auto Die hards, AGM, it take two BIG batteries. The AGM last years. I'm on 4.75 years on this set. No issues even not being charged per an AGM instructions.

It's worth it to me not having the acid leaking on battery connectors and corroiding the battery cables.

 

[GFrosty]

Are you still happy with your RedTop? I am planning to pick one up from O'Reilly's tomorrow morning.

It's a very solid, decent battery. Above-average CCA (for the Group 35 category). Though it's aH output is middling and reserve capacity is below 100mins. Still, a very reliable unit. Have used this RedTop 35 in temps from -10ºF to nearly 110ºF.

Over the past three vehicles I've owned, they've all had Optima YellowTop or RedTop batteries. Have only once had one fail, and that was a couple years past "warranty" end-of-life (hence my 5yr replacement tendency). I generally replace after 5yrs, simply out of dislike for getting stranded.

By next year, it's battery swap time again. Which is why I'm mulling slightly-larger sizes. To get much greater reserve, higher CCA. Don't much like the idea of cutting the tray or ending up with a kludge setup, but if it fits well enough and is safely in-place ...


FACTORY = GROUP 35 -- ~ 9.4"L x 6.8"W x 7.7"H

Possible batteries next time around ...

Optima Redtop 35 -- 720 CCA, 44 aH, 90min reserve; 9.4"L x 6.8"W x 7.7"H; have had this one in the current Mazda CX-5.

Optima Yellowtop D35 -- 620 CCA, 48 aH, 100min reserve; 9.4"L x 6.8"W x 7.7"H; have used this one in a previous Mazda Miata.

Optima Redtop 34 -- 800 CCA, 50 aH, 100min reserve; 10.1"L x 6.9"W x 7.9"H.

Optima Yellowtop D34 -- 750 CCA, 55 aH, 120min reserve; 10.1"L x 6.9"W x 7.9"H.

XS Power D2400 AGM 24 -- 1056 CCA, 96 aH, 186min reserve, 3yr warr; 10.3"L x 6.7"W x 8.4"H.

XS Power D3400 AGM 34 -- 1012 CCA, 80 aH, 160min reserve, 3yr warr; 10.3"L x 6.9"W x 7.2"H.

XS Power D3478 AGM 78 -- 1012 CCA, 80 aH, 160min reserve, 3yr warr; 10.3"L x 6.9"W x 7.2"H.

Then, there are some seriously over-sized "pigs" in the running, which would require some judicious snipping, adjustments, anchoring. Still mulling over measurements, adjustments required. But probably these are all too large.

XS Power D4800 AGM 48 -- 836 CCA, 72 aH, 132min reserve, 3yr warr; 11"L x 7"W x 7.5"H.

Optima Yellowtop DH6 -- 800 CCA, 72 aH, 140min reserve; 11"L x 7"W x 7.5"H.

XS Power D2700 AGM 27 -- 1144 CCA, 113 aH, 239min reserve, 3yr warr; 12.1"L x 6.7"W x 8.4"H.

Optima Yellowtop DH7 -- 880 CCA, 80 aH, 155min reserve; 12.5"L x 7"W x 7.5"H.

XS Power D3100 AGM 31 -- 1376 CCA, 127 aH, 273min reserve, 3yr warr; 13"L x 6.9"W x 8.5"H.

NorthStar X2Power AGM 31M-- 1150cca, 100Ah, deep cycle marine; 13"H x 7"W x 9.3"H.

 

[N7turbo]

I don't know why, but I had bad luck with an Optima Red in my 2001 Trans Am. If I didn't drive the car for 1 week, I had to jump it.

Fast forward to 2023 and my much more advanced CX-5 has no issues after 3 weeks on the factory battery.

 

[GFrosty]

I don't know why, but I had bad luck with an Optima Red in my 2001 Trans Am. If I didn't drive the car for 1 week, I had to jump it.

Fast forward to 2023 and my much more advanced CX-5 has no issues after 3 weeks on the factory battery.

Perhaps it was the difference in those two specific cars' rate of parasitic drain. Fairly frequently, a new-ish CX-5 or CX-9 owner comes along, here on the forum, with a fast-draining battery problem, where some measure of parasitic drain is pointed out by respondents.

On my own CX-5 with the Optima RedTop 35, I've had a handful of times away from the car for a week without starting or driving. No issues so far.

 

[AL Cx5]

As mentioned, Ive used Optum Yellow with success.

XS Power is in my race cars. They get abused, deep cycled and quick charged over and over again. I moved one of the AGM XS from the race car to our 08 Honda, it lasted several more years. Then replaced it with a DieHard AGM.

Today we use a XSPower lithium 16 v battery in the race car without an alternator. This 5.5 pound unit is a beast. It handles the 100 amp load the (16) 40,000 volt coils and 17a fuel pump demands for the 5 to 8 second race. Then its back on the charger.

I found XSPower packs more capacity per pound than most other batteries and can buy them well below below retail prices through my shop account.

Now that gfrosty mentioned XSPower, we will strongly consider these at the 5 year mark on the CX5. Like you, we like to get ahead of the inevitable, battery is going on marginal time after 5 years. So change on my schedule, not on the battery.

 

[N7turbo]

Perhaps it was the difference in those two specific cars' rate of parasitic drain. Fairly frequently, a new-ish CX-5 or CX-9 owner comes along, here on the forum, with a fast-draining battery problem, where some measure of parasitic drain is pointed out by respondents.

Right, but I've been a CX-5 driver for 12 years and have never had issues like that.

My 2001 Trans Am was much less advanced. Hard to believe it killed a battery every week.

 

[AL Cx5]

Right, but I've been a CX-5 driver for 12 years and have never had issues like that.

My 2001 Trans Am was much less advanced. Hard to believe it killed a battery every week.

I own two AGM chargers, 3 and 15 amp. We didn't drive the CX5 for 4 weeks last summer. I put the 3amp on the CX5 as a maintainer and avoid deep cycling. I put the 15 amp on the truck with 2 big boy AGMs in extreme heat or cold. We drove the truck to the airport. I had my fingers crossed the batteries were still good. It cranked right up...

Those older cars were prone to develop a small short that was difficult to find. I chased a small ground on my 06 for a few weeks. Today we have broken wire finders. As I've complained, the wiring harness on the 06 is much less than a best effort. It still works 20 years latter but still not to today's standards...

Again, we find many faults with our Mazdas. The wiring is far and beyond better than any other car I've seen. I'll be shocked if it ever fails while we own it...

 

[SparkYellow]

Thank you all for the recommendations! I decided to go with Duralast at AutoZone because of the 4 year warranty. By reading reviews on all eligible batteries, I realized that they all fail prematurely on some unfortunate consumers. I understand that there are other factors that contribute to the failure, such as parasitic draw, alternator faults, and etc.

Knowing my luck (sometimes vending machines don't give me the snacks I just paid for), I need the longest warranty on a decent battery.

 

[N7turbo]

I did have a line lock installed on the TA...I wonder if that could have pulled any power. I never investigated it.

 

[AL Cx5]

I did have a line lock installed on the TA...I wonder if that could have pulled any power. I never investigated it.

Could have had a short. Ya never know...

I bet you could roast the tires....

 

[N7turbo]

Could have had a short. Ya never know...

I bet you could roast the tires....

LS1 with long tube headers and full custom exhaust (X-pipe based, going into Magnaflows). It sounded amazing and yes, had a good amount of power, around 400 to the wheels. At the time, it was a lot of power for not opening up the engine or even tuning yet. I put 315 Nitto drag radials on it, put an adjustable torque arm and a 3600 stall Yank SS torque converter. It could launch without lighting up the tires and made the 6-speed drivers jealous.