My First Oil Change Was a Failure!

[Silentnoise713]

Be warned, this is my frustrated rant.

Once again I am reminded why this car is priced so cheap and same reason why I hate it. This car is made up of absolutely the cheapest quality of components/materials I have seen thus far –compared to round up of Japanese manufactures. Even my dad’s Suzuki Esteem seem to use better parts (115K neglected miles expect oil change and never a problem and everything works except a bent LCA due to pot hole). But I will add that I have not worked on a new-er late 2000 car, mostly late 90s and early 2000. It just seems cars built in the late 90s and early 2000 were better built with better parts. Are all new cars built like this today in the name of cost saving and bottom line or just b/c the Mz5 is priced as an econo equivalent?


So I attempted to do my first maintenance job (oil change) in a laundry list of things I want to do for 30K. Once again I observe low quality of material from looking at the undercarriage. Same theme of cheap plastics and low grade steel, and I can even feel the bolts twist as I turn them.

I attempted to remove the engine bay tray. After a few turns on 3 out of the 4 front bolts, I realize it is just free spinning! It looks like the nut that is welded to the clip seem to have broken off! I question if that nut was welded on or soldered on. What I have now is a nut that has no pressure on it and at a location that I cannot reach. I think the last person who took off the tray might have gorilla tightened it. Actually, one of the rear mounting points broke off b/c the plastic would flex so much but I can also tell the previous person over tightened it. The car has been maintained by a Mazda dealer with records.

Nevertheless, I am stuck at a point where I cannot remote the tray. In past scenarios, I would inset a flat head between the base of the bolt and the mounting surface and use downward pressure on the bolt as I attempted to spin it out. However, I just can’t seem to get these 3 out (prob rusted together) and in the process it seems the tray gets deformed easily!..

Anyhow, phone range so I have to clean up and will have to try again another day. So anyone else have this problem? There seems to be no way of reaching ‘around’ the tray to hold on to the nut on the top/back side. Any tips? I’m thinking of cutting access holes so I can reach the nut in the back but the tray will look pretty bad after all said and done. Another option is to cut a slit on the tray where the bolts so I can slid it out. Still, not the most effective way and render these 3 mounting points much weaker.

Other things I am looking to do and can’t wait to see what other nonsense I’m going to run into… I am now very conscious when touching this car fearing something will snap like a toothpick. This also reminds me why I don’t like working on cars anymore and prefer to just drive them.

Engine oil change
Engine air filter change
Cabin air filter change
Transmission fluid change
Clutch fluid change
Brake fluid change
Coolant flush
Rotor/Pad change
Speed bleeders
Fumoto valve


About the engine bay tray, did Mazda make the access hole (the one to access the filter) as a cruel joke? The hole does not even align with the filter body, or even the drain hole in the canister filter. What the hell is the logic/point of that hole? Can someone enlighten me? The tray does show some design consideration to bring air flow to cool the engine pan.


It’s a shame really b/c we were seriously thinking of getting the Mz2 as a city car –wife likes it. After this experience, there is no way in hell I’m buying another Mazda product (except older Miatas) and not sure I even want to keep the Mz5 now. The 2012 CRV is starting to get my attention –‘anticipated’ 7 seater but won’t hold my breath.

Edit: Motor Trend confirmed the CRV will only have two row of seats. Nontheless, there are no options that have a manual,good interior space yet smaller exterior dimensions, and have sliding doors.

 

[flcruising]

I had the same 'nut' issue when I did my first oil change last year. There's a TSB for the '06-'07 about a change to an integral thread instead of a nut, but alas, they must have still been using up their parts bin when assembling our '08. Some of mine were seized, so when I was loosening, the whole clip tried spinning and ended up cutting a good ways into the plastic. JB Weld was used.

First remove the rearmost 4 bolts that attach to the lower inner fender liners, then drop down the cover and reach up to the front, it can be done.

Secondly, or for the umpteenth time, the access hole isn't an access hole, but an inspection hole for the factory. Remove the tray.

Edit: Forgot, use anti-seize when reinstalling all the bolts and you won't have this issue again.

 

[DKaz]

The 2012 has a nice under carriage tray, filter hole lines up nicely. I removed mine off my 2007, it was useless.

 

[njaremka]

I had the same 'nut' issue when I did my first oil change last year. There's a TSB for the '06-'07 about a change to an integral thread instead of a nut, but alas, they must have still been using up their parts bin when assembling our '08. Some of mine were seized, so when I was loosening, the whole clip tried spinning and ended up cutting a good ways into the plastic. JB Weld was used.

First remove the rearmost 4 bolts that attach to the lower inner fender liners, then drop down the cover and reach up to the front, it can be done.

Secondly, or for the umpteenth time, the access hole isn't an access hole, but an inspection hole for the factory. Remove the tray.

Edit: Forgot, use anti-seize when reinstalling all the bolts and you won't have this issue again.

as was mentioned, get the TSB nuts and shorter bolts and use liberal amounts of anit-seize on the bolts, and future removals should be much easier.

 

[Robotazky]

Mine worked fine until the stupid meathead at the dealer used air tools on it. He proceeded to break two of the bolts exactly in the manner you described. Idiots.

 

[Silentnoise713]

I had the same 'nut' issue when I did my first oil change last year. There's a TSB for the '06-'07 about a change to an integral thread instead of a nut, but alas, they must have still been using up their parts bin when assembling our '08. Some of mine were seized, so when I was loosening, the whole clip tried spinning and ended up cutting a good ways into the plastic. JB Weld was used.

First remove the rearmost 4 bolts that attach to the lower inner fender liners, then drop down the cover and reach up to the front, it can be done.

Secondly, or for the umpteenth time, the access hole isn't an access hole, but an inspection hole for the factory. Remove the tray.

Edit: Forgot, use anti-seize when reinstalling all the bolts and you won't have this issue again.

Didn’t know there was a TSB on this and this is the exact problem my ’08 is having. This is the first time reading this is an inspection hole. But inspection for what? You can’t see much up there and why wouldn’t dealers just drop the try and charge you man hours for inspection? I wonder if this hole aligns with another car's engine or a different engine series (APJ or EMEA engines)?

I will be replacing all of these screws with strong ones and have a feeling I will need another tube (running low) of anti-seize for the other nuts/bolts I am about to touch (cough *break)…

Thanks for the suggestion on coming in backwards! Will give that a try. It’s also sucks that the bolt heads are recessed, making it hard to cut.

 

[flcruising]

It has to do with the final inspection before the car gets shipped from the factory. I read somewhere it was for checking for oil leaks.

 

[Robotazky]

flcruising, how's the JB Weld holding up? Did you just apply it all the way around on the seam where they spin against each other?

 

[Silentnoise713]

I'm not sure I buy that. Do all Mazda's have this inspection hole? Hopefully someone with a car other than a Mz3, MS3, Mz5 can chime in. I have never seen or heard of such an inspection hole. Then again, I wonder if this might be a Ford (or union) influenced thing (never worked on an American car).

 

[mpvue]

your rant is ridiculous. your claims of 'low grade steel' makes no sense at all. hating on an entire car (and the entire company, since you said you won't buy another Mazda) because of broken bolts on the dust shield??? seriously?

I just did my 30K oil change as well on my '09. I've only done 2 of them and a local garage did the others. the bolts still work fine, nothing broken, nothing seized. my mechanic also told me he just removes the rear 4 bolts and lets the shield hang (I removed the whole thing since I don't have a lift).
I think the car is made very well; good sized drain bolt, nicely machined filter mating surface, well located fill hole. easy oil change overall.

 

[Heat]

Where to start?

OK, yes, the Mazda5 has a lot of cheap materials on it. But it's cheap. It's the best bang for the buck. If you hadn't picked up a Mazda5, what else would you have gotten and how much would you have spent?

The problem with your splash guard (what does Mazda call that part?) is that somebody in the car's history abused the screws when they were putting it back on. Probably an air wrench at a quick change place. Can you replace the bolts?

You can extend the observation hole so that you don't have to take off the splash guard again. Here is a picture from an old user named babelbox.

He could then change the filter without removing the splash guard. Personally, it doesn't bother me anymore. Maybe five minutes to take it off and to put it back up, and it gives me a chance to check out the bottom of the car to make sure there is nothing obviously wrong.

As far as the CRV goes- I'm seeing a base "fair market price" by Edmunds as $22,000, for the 2011 model. A 2012 model with seven seats would cost more. The Mazda5 has issues, but it's still the best bang for the buck in my opinion.

 

[flcruising]

flcruising, how's the JB Weld holding up? Did you just apply it all the way around on the seam where they spin against each other?

JB Weld has held up well. I will do another oil change soon, and will try and remember to take pictures. It has been since last summer, but I think I used it to 'glue' the clip to the plastic panel, and around some of the nuts that were spinning.

 

[Hank3]

The undertray issue is the same for first gen MS3 owners ('07-'09). When I owned one, that was the first thing I noticed when I went to change the oil - the hole did not match up to where the oil filter was located. From what the MS3 and MZ3 owners were saying, Mazda cheaped out and used the same undertray from the MZ3 for the MS3, thus the hole not matching up where it was perfect for the MZ3 oil changes.

Is there a Mazda spin-on oil filter kit for the MZ5? That was one of the first things I did when I had my MS3. And then I got a Fumoto Valve which made oil changes easier and less messy. I'm glad I saw this thread as me and my wife will probably get a MZ5 soon. Did the undertray design change for the '10 models or just for the '12 ones? I know the 2nd gen MS3s had the undertray where the hole lined up with the oil filter; and Mazda went back to the spin-on filter instead of the cartridge style.

 

[mpvue]

they changed to a spin on filter in mid '09. my '09 has the spin on (which is A LOT cheaper too; 3.99 vs 8.99!)

 

[Guest20182]

If your really ranting about a splash guard, you shouldn't be working on cars.

 

[Hank3]

they changed to a spin on filter in mid '09. my '09 has the spin on (which is A LOT cheaper too; 3.99 vs 8.99!)

Didn't know there was a '09 and '09.5 model for the MZ5 (how can you tell?). Hopefully they stayed with the spin-on for '10 as well. Is the hole still misaligned with your undertray?

 

[Silentnoise713]

The undertray issue is the same for first gen MS3 owners ('07-'09). When I owned one, that was the first thing I noticed when I went to change the oil - the hole did not match up to where the oil filter was located. From what the MS3 and MZ3 owners were saying, Mazda cheaped out and used the same undertray from the MZ3 for the MS3, thus the hole not matching up where it was perfect for the MZ3 oil changes.

Is there a Mazda spin-on oil filter kit for the MZ5? That was one of the first things I did when I had my MS3. And then I got a Fumoto Valve which made oil changes easier and less messy. I'm glad I saw this thread as me and my wife will probably get a MZ5 soon. Did the undertray design change for the '10 models or just for the '12 ones? I know the 2nd gen MS3s had the undertray where the hole lined up with the oil filter; and Mazda went back to the spin-on filter instead of the cartridge style.

Thanks for confirming the shield works on Mz3s. Is it the 2.0L cars that align or also on the 2.3L cars? I think globally, the lower displacement cars are sold in larger quantities.

Yes, there is a conversion kit to convert the cartridge filter to canister filter. Cartridge filter prices are ridiculous...
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...hat-Years-Had-Cartridge-vs-Spin-On-Oil-Filter

 

[Hank3]

Thanks for confirming the shield works on Mz3s. Is it the 2.0L cars that align or also on the 2.3L cars? I think globally, the lower displacement cars are sold in larger quantities.

Yes, there is a conversion kit to convert the cartridge filter to canister filter. Cartridge filter prices are ridiculous...
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...hat-Years-Had-Cartridge-vs-Spin-On-Oil-Filter

I can't recall which engine in the MZ3s matched up with the undertray hole. But I remember reading that either on here or one of the other two forums that MS3 owners go to. Thanks for the link. That will help for when me and my wife get really serious about buying a MZ5.

 

[Silentnoise713]

My rant is not about the under tray or broken clip, though this lead me to post my rant. My rant is with Mazda using low quality components throughout this car. I completely understand everything depends on the bottom dollar/maximizing profit and the Mz5 is the lowest from an initial cost of ownership perspective, but I am surprised to keep observing cheap parts. Let me clarify that a cheap component has no relation with build OR design quality, which the Mz5 does exhibit.

 

[Robotazky]

I'm agreement with the other two posters who said this is basically a rather silly rant. I figured this was the first car you had worked on or hadn't worked on one in a long time. They're all like this now if they're inexpensive cars. Some expensive ones are covered in cheap crap as well. It depends on factors such as cost of drivetrain, safety equipment, etc. Our cars have expensive chassis and interiors because of all the "stuff". The money has to be saved somewhere if it's a big nice car that doesn't car hardly anything, like the 5. Regardless, all cars have cheap crap like that on them so get used to it or you'll just be pissed at the next one, too.

Go here for more insight on your problem:

http://www.finishlineperformance.com/pdf/mazda5/bulletin/09-012-07-1747.pdf