CX-5 housekeeping -battery, rotor, coolant,cargo net, black plastic, windshield fluid

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2016 CX-5
CX-5 housekeeping -battery, rotor, coolant,cargo net, black plastic, windshield fluid

finally some nice weather so did some random housekeeping items........ just thought I share and maybe help some fellow CX-5 owners......

1) battery corrosion prevention (brush on type) they have spray type also but it makes a mess, I prefer the brush on to focus on the actual battery connectors rather than sparying all under the hood, the product is like a heavy oil-based with the consistency like maple syrup it it self-leveling and wipes off easily , it prevents the acidic fumes from the battery from building up on the battery posts... see Amazon reviews.








this is an example of what you don't want




2) rotor, added anti-seize to all inside rotors to prevent rust and so they won't be hard to remove later on, after one winter already and the damn things were rusted inside and stuck, had to use a rubber mallet to knock it off to add the anti seize, if waited another winter it would have been a nightmare to get off



3) low coolant, car came like this ? coolant not even to the Full line, ask dealer to add more, I made sure and watched them use Mazda FL22 coolant, now at least there's a quick visual indication if coolant goes low, before as received CX-5 had no green line indication from hood front view









4) windshield fluid, can someone confirm there's no dash indicator for low coolant ?? strange, my first car that doesn't have this feature, i guess I have to rely on the windshield fluid dipstick meter





5) added vertical cargo net for grocery bags





6) black plastic, Mother's Back to Black works really nice on the door pillars



 
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Looking good! I admire your style!

Looks like your were an Eagle Scout? (prepared)

Windshield Washer Fluid Low Level Light? I have not noticed one on the CX-5 in USA, but other markets are different... I imagine if we looked at the parts diagram, we could see if there was a level sensor installed on this vehicle...?
 
Another nice write-up, tomcat1446!

I've mentioned before Mazda seems to lowball all engine fluids, engine oil, engine coolant, rear differential gear lubricant, etc. from factory! I found our special-ordered CX-5 had all these fluids which I could visual low right out off the truck. And out of curiosity I checked several brand new CX-5's in the dealer's lot. For sure all CX-5's I'd checked were having low engine oil and engine coolant! A penny saved is a penny earned for Mazda? ;)

You do have to add a couple of knobs for vertical cargo net, right?
 
Another nice write-up, tomcat1446!

I've mentioned before Mazda seems to lowball all engine fluids, engine oil, engine coolant, rear differential gear lubricant, etc. from factory! I found our special-ordered CX-5 had all these fluids which I could visual low right out off the truck. And out of curiosity I checked several brand new CX-5's in the dealer's lot. For sure all CX-5's I'd checked were having low engine oil and engine coolant! A penny saved is a penny earned for Mazda? ;)

You do have to add a couple of knobs for vertical cargo net, right?

thanks Yrwei and Mazdadude ! yep, always be prepared, as for the cargo net yeah, I had to add two knobs.... here's the how to:

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123856511-DIY-vertical-cargo-net&highlight=vertical+carego
 
Windshield Washer Fluid Low Level Dash Indicator

Windshield Washer Fluid Low Level Light? I have not noticed one on the CX-5 in USA, but other markets are different... I imagine if we looked at the parts diagram, we could see if there was a level sensor installed on this vehicle...?
Yeah there's no dash indicator for low windshield washer fluid on our CX-5 and the 2nd-gen CX-9. Actually a lot of new 2016 CX-9 owners were also found out the hard way and complained about it! Again, like low fluids from factory, a penny saved is a penny earned for Mazda! ;)
 
Yeah there's no dash indicator for low windshield washer fluid on our CX-5 and the 2nd-gen CX-9. Actually a lot of new 2016 CX-9 owners were also found out the hard way and complained about it! Again, like low fluids from factory, a penny saved is a penny earned for Mazda! ;)

I would love to hear other markets chime in on this. From what I have seen, if you have HEADLIGHT sprayer/WASHERS, your Mazda will have a LOW Washer Fluid light.
 
I have a low fluid indicator in my dash. Regular ol' 2014 USA spec GT.
 
They all have a warning light on the dash but most don't have the float switch in the bottle especially if the dipstick is fitted.

The fluids settle after initial start up in production it the DEALER should make sure they arrive with the customer with perfect levels.
 
Windshield Washer Fluid Low Level Dash Indicator

Please show us where the windshield washer fluid low level indicator is?

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Kedis82ZE8, read the fine print. The manual says windshield washer fluid low level indicator is only available on "some models"!
 
Fluids Low from Factory

⋯ The fluids settle after initial start up in production it the DEALER should make sure they arrive with the customer with perfect levels.
It's hard for me to believe the factory filled fluids would "settle" or even "evaporate" within a month or two and become low. How about rear differential gear lubricant? That's a thick 80W-90 lub and it's in an almost sealed environment. Yeah dealers should do the top off during the new car checkup. But apparently they don't unless you ask for it. And why dealers have obligation to top off those expensive fluids on every new vehicle from Mazda? It adds up the cost for dealers! And what would happen if dealer cheaps out and top off with cheaper non-OEM or wrong fluids? Apparently tomcat1446 has the same concern hence we made this comment: "coolant not even to the Full line, ask dealer to add more, I made sure and watched them use Mazda FL22 coolant".

Besides, this Mazda CX-5 is the only one having low fluids at least in three areas from factory among all of the vehicles we'd been special ordered!
 
Windshield Washer Fluid Low Level Dash Indicator

I'm gonna have to take picture of it if there... frankly I can't say with 100% as I never let my fluids gets low but am pretty certain I have seen it displayed at startup...or maybe it is buried in multi-function display interface. I'm away my cabin so I'll sled down to take a pic in a few days.
No biggie! Enjoy your President's Day (possible) long weekend at cabin! :)
 
My 2016.5 GT has an indicator, it just came on the other day. I added over a gallon of Rainx and it still had room for more.


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It's hard for me to believe the factory filled fluids would "settle" or even "evaporate" within a month or two and become low. How about rear differential gear lubricant? That's a thick 80W-90 lub and it's in an almost sealed environment. Yeah dealers should do the top off during the new car checkup. But apparently they don't unless you ask for it. And why dealers have obligation to top off those expensive fluids on every new vehicle from Mazda? It adds up the cost for dealers! And what would happen if dealer cheaps out and top off with cheaper non-OEM or wrong fluids? Apparently tomcat1446 has the same concern hence we made this comment: "coolant not even to the Full line, ask dealer to add more, I made sure and watched them use Mazda FL22 coolant".

Besides, this Mazda CX-5 is the only one having low fluids at least in three areas from factory among all of the vehicles we'd been special ordered!

No, of course the fluids don't 'settle' or evaporate. I mentioned settling as a joke. It's just Mazda pinching pennies is all.
 
Windshield Washer Fluid Low Level Dash Indicator

My 2016.5 GT has an indicator, it just came on the other day. I added over a gallon of Rainx and it still had room for more.
I thought this windshield washer fluid low level indicator in dash got eliminated during 2016 CX-5 refresh as my Smart Start Guide doesn't show this indicator in the picture I posted earlier. And I had turned on the ignition several times checking all indicators in dash and I simply couldn't find it. Now it seems Mazda had decided to put it back to 2016.5 or it's random we simply don't know who'll get it depending on our luck? (dunno)

Would you mind to tell us where the indicator located in dash, or the best post a picture for us?
 
I thought this windshield washer fluid low level indicator in dash got eliminated during 2016 CX-5 refresh as my Smart Start Guide doesn't show this indicator in the picture I posted earlier. And I had turned on the ignition several times checking all indicators in dash and I simply couldn't find it. Now it seems Mazda had decided to put it back to 2016.5 or it's random we simply don't know who'll get it depending on our luck? (dunno)

Would you mind to tell us where the indicator located in dash, or the best post a picture for us?

I think only certain markets have them, I know for sure Canada CX-5's has the windshield fluid dash indicator, they also get front passenger seat motor and memory seats for drivers. I think UK CX-5's also have the indicator.

In the owner's manual there's an asterisk for the windshield dash indicator (* for certain models).

I guess all in the name of cost costing in the very competitive US market so they try to remove costs where they can to keep up with Honda and Toyota, whereas in other markets it's not so competitive and Mazda can add those options but they also cost more, I think in some countries the CX-5 costs $50K USD, just look at adaptive headlights ALH vs AFS. US models use AFS.

this seems very similar to what the 2016 CX-9 members are finding out also, I don't believe US 2016 CX-9's have the windshield indicator, supposedly they have it even worse though, the 2016 CX-9 wipers themselves are not universal standard and seems they have to buy OEM wipers until the aftermarket wipers manufacturers come with this new adapter that the new CX-9 uses,

hope the new 2017 CX-5 doesn't use this new type of wiper attachment........
https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123858253-2016-CX-9-Wiper-Blade-Connector&highlight=wiper




 
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Is it possible that there is no "LIGHT" on the dash, and the alert comes across on the Message screen on the right side of the instrument cluster, or in the Warning Screen on the infotainment applications?
 
Is it possible that there is no "LIGHT" on the dash, and the alert comes across on the Message screen on the right side of the instrument cluster, or in the Warning Screen on the infotainment applications?

Possible but not all CX-5s have the type of dash display that has the Message screen on the right side of the cluster. I believe that the owner's manual differentiates the two displays by calling them A and B display types.

I just went out to the garage to see if our CX-5 has an indicator. I didn't see anything on the dash when I turned the ignition on but in looking under the hood there appears to be a wire connected to the washer reservoir. It's on the front of the tank, between the tank and the radiator. I could be wrong though.
 
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