2017~2025 CX-5 Rear Differential Failure

[jadmt]

What do you know, it is literally right next to the battery, attached to another tube. Is there any mechanism that prevents liquids from getting in? This is good to know for when I wash the engine.

it is designed to allow only air to vent out. I think unless you are really flooding your engine bay you will be fine. I can tell on both my TC and diff the fluid had zero signs of moisture.

 

[N7turbo]

it is designed to allow only air to vent out. I think unless you are really flooding your engine bay you will be fine. I can tell on both my TC and diff the fluid had zero signs of moisture.

I foam, agitate, and rinse engines with my pressure washer.

I've done a 2011 Merdeces OM642.
I've done a 2004 Lexus V6.

I haven't done my car because it is new enough to not need it. But in year 3, I see the dirt is starting to accumulate.

 

[BoomerZoomr]

I foam, agitate, and rinse engines with my pressure washer.

I've done a 2011 Merdeces OM642.
I've done a 2004 Lexus V6.

I haven't done my car because it is new enough to not need it. But in year 3, I see the dirt is starting to accumulate.

Wouldn’t hurt to zip tie a plastic bag over any known vents. My transmission vent by the battery has a little gray cap apparatus on the end… I presume to let air pass freely both ways, but not let water in.

 

[jadmt]

I foam, agitate, and rinse engines with my pressure washer.

I've done a 2011 Merdeces OM642.
I've done a 2004 Lexus V6.

I haven't done my car because it is new enough to not need it. But in year 3, I see the dirt is starting to accumulate.

I am over 3 years and 47000 miles and my engine bay still looks pretty decent. I was changing plugs on my buddy's CX50 turbo the other day and he is at 40,000 miles and 3 years and his engine bay was really dirty.. we do the same kind of driving so not sure why his was so bad.

 

[BoomerZoomr]

2025 transmission vent

 

[AL Cx5]

are you postitive? my ram 2500 does and seems like you would be blowing seals without it able to vent. it should be on the axle tube.

No tube, yes a breather.

 

[Mulligan]

Anybody have suggestions on which sockets work best and any other tips to R&R the fill and drain plugs, both up front and in back?

Tekton sells an "extra-shallow" 23mm socket that's only 0.85" tall (Item #SHD11123). It's so shallow that using it with an average size clicker-type torque wrench might allow access to the differential fill plug despite the tight clearance. I needed a new torque wrench and found Tekton has one with a thinner than average head (Item #TRQ51402), so I bought it too. With the combination of the extra-shallow socket and the thin-head torque wrench, there's all kinds of clearance at the differential fill plug. I haven't done the fluid check yet, but am confident these tools will make the job easy. By the way, the torque wrench is very nice, much nicer than my 15 year-old Craftsman clicker torque wrenches.

 

[cz5gt]

Thats what I used (below) along with husky 3/8 torque wrench. Still very tight but was able to sqeeze it in ar certain angle. Seems yours
may be even shallower and better as I see has diff number.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

This is the one I use:

https://www.amazon.com (commissions earned)

Amazon.com: OEMTOOLS 22297 23mm Socket, 3/8" Drive 6 Pt. Socket, 1.25" Long Thin-Wall Design, Hard Chrome Finish, Posi-Grip No-Slip Design : Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

 

[Mulligan]

Seems yours may be even shallower and better as I see has diff number.

Yes, the Tekton extra-shallow 23mm socket is only 0.85" deep versus 1.2" for the shallow one. Also, the face of the extra-shallow socket isn't beveled, so it gets a good bite on the slim bolt head of the filler plug.

 

[Mulligan]

My 2025 CX-5 has only 3200 miles on it, but since people have reported finding less oil in their differential and transfer case than specifications call for, I topped mine off today.

Before adding gear oil, I probed into the filler ports with a bent wire to get a rough sense of how far down the top of the fluid was. Neither was terribly low, but both needed topping off.

My observations of how much oil each took aren't precise, but I determined the differential took about 80 ml and the transfer case took about 55 ml.

The extra-shallow Tekton 23 mm socket I mentioned in my earlier post was perfect for the job. I was very glad I could use my torque wrench on the differential. To me, 35 ft-lb is a substantial amount of torque, and I would have been uneasy trying to estimate what is tight enough but not too tight.

People who have commented on the vile smell of Mazda SG1 gear oil weren't kidding. I was careful to not get it on my skin (wore nitrile gloves) or clothing, but even several hours after finishing and having changed clothes and washed my hands several times, I can still smell (and even taste!) that stuff. Awful.

 

[jadmt]

My 2025 CX-5 has only 3200 miles on it, but since people have reported finding less oil in their differential and transfer case than specifications call for, I topped mine off today.

Before adding gear oil, I probed into the filler ports with a bent wire to get a rough sense of how far down the top of the fluid was. Neither was terribly low, but both needed topping off.

My observations of how much oil each took aren't precise, but I determined the differential took about 80 ml and the transfer case took about 55 ml.

The extra-shallow Tekton 23 mm socket I mentioned in my earlier post was perfect for the job. I was very glad I could use my torque wrench on the differential. To me, 35 ft-lb is a substantial amount of torque, and I would have been uneasy trying to estimate what is tight enough but not too tight.

People who have commented on the vile smell of Mazda SG1 gear oil weren't kidding. I was careful to not get it on my skin (wore nitrile gloves) or clothing, but even several hours after finishing and having changed clothes and washed my hands several times, I can still smell (and even taste!) that stuff. Awful.

in reality the fill/inspection plug probably would be fine from 25-40ft/lb which is pretty easy to tighten by feel for me..I agree the spec of 30-39ft/lbs seems pretty hight for the application for the fill plug..

all gear oil smells bad because of the sulpher phospherous compound that is used.