New 2021 CX-5 Signature, 6,600 miles left before first service?

Just drove our new cx-5 signature 2021 back home. But just realized, the SUV had 5 miles on odometer initially but it showed 6,600 miles left before first service. Is this something I have to worry about? I believe the first service is due in 7,500 miles. Am I wrong?
 
I also have a new 2021 and as I recall it also showed 6600 miles to servicing when it was new. This may be the default if you have it in the mode where it dynamically monitors service intervals based on how the vehicle is driven. If you prefer fixed 7500 mile intervals, that’s an option in the system.

- Mark
 
Upvote 0
I also have a new 2021 and as I recall it also showed 6600 miles to servicing when it was new. This may be the default if you have it in the mode where it dynamically monitors service intervals based on how the vehicle is driven. If you prefer fixed 7500 mile intervals, that’s an option in the system.

- Mark
I also have a 2021 that shows 6600 miles to servicing and thought that changing the mode that monitors the service intervals would change it to 7500 but it didn't, both modes kept it at 6600. I thought that maybe the dealership changed it to allow for more service at their shop but now that I see others have the same issue and at the same exact number of miles, I'm starting to doubt the likelihood of that being the reason...
 
Upvote 0
My 2019 when set to flexible has weird calculations for the countdown until service. The remaining mileage would take leaps.....like 7500 to 6xxxx then to 5200, it was not a linear countdown.

For that reason, I now prefer using a fixed 7500 during summer and 6500 during winter for my oil change intervals.....after setting to fixed it will tick off the miles on a per mile basis, no more mystery as to when the flexible setting will change its remaining mileage.
 
Upvote 0
I think it is funny how dealers set oil change intervals. With my 2018 CX-9, it was set at every 5000 miles. With my 2021, it is set at 7500 miles. The difference, on my 2018, I paid for oil changes and for the 2021, they pay for oil changes.
 
Upvote 0
I like to make sure my infotainment system, manual, dealer paperwork and the little windshield vinyl decal all have different intervals on them. Becomes a fun game!
 
Upvote 0
I turned off flexible service schedule. I go by 5k oil change interval. Easy to remember.
Here is why.

When my '14 Mazda3 was rather new, I was traveling on highway. All of a sudden, the yellow lamp lit up on the dash with a beep. I thought something bad had happened.... (you know, the wrench sign in yellow)

Why don't Mazda shows the warning on engine startup? It had to pop up in high speed travel ?!
I turned that off ever since, for all my three Mazdas.
 
Upvote 0
I also have a 2021 that shows 6600 miles to servicing and thought that changing the mode that monitors the service intervals would change it to 7500 but it didn't, both modes kept it at 6600. I thought that maybe the dealership changed it to allow for more service at their shop but now that I see others have the same issue and at the same exact number of miles, I'm starting to doubt the likelihood of that being the reason...
You have to do a Reset in Flexible oil change schedule to get 7,500 miles back. Changing the mode between Fixed and Flexible won’t change the oil life remaining calculation.
 
Upvote 0
My 2019 when set to flexible has weird calculations for the countdown until service. The remaining mileage would take leaps.....like 7500 to 6xxxx then to 5200, it was not a linear countdown.

For that reason, I now prefer using a fixed 7500 during summer and 6500 during winter for my oil change intervals.....after setting to fixed it will tick off the miles on a per mile basis, no more mystery as to when the flexible setting will change its remaining mileage.
This’s normal and Mazda designed this way. In perfect driving conditions the oil life remaining countdown calculation would be liner, in sync with your actual miles driven. But in reality the driving condition is not perfect to the oil, the oil life remaining countdown will take leaps to indicated shorter oil life remaining, and notify you changing the oil earlier than 7,500 miles.

I definitely prefer the old way on my 2016 CX-5 showing the oil life remaining by % instead of miles. Using miles confuses so many CX-5 owners, and they started to abandon the use of Flexible oil change schedule.

Flexible oil change schedule has been used worldwide especially in Europe mainly for environmental concerns. It’s trying to maximize the service life of engine oil, and reduce the oil waste. And the Flexible oil change schedule can be used in Schedule 1 for normal driving conditions and Schedule 2 for severe driving conditions. We all should try to use it.

Here’s Flexible oil change schedule on my 2016 CX-5 showing 0% oil life remaining due to 12 months time interval with only 2,728 actual miles driven:

8087FBFE-67C1-4300-8D80-674DE5A9257B.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Just drove our new cx-5 signature 2021 back home. But just realized, the SUV had 5 miles on odometer initially but it showed 6,600 miles left before first service. Is this something I have to worry about? I believe the first service is due in 7,500 miles. Am I wrong?
The reason why you see 6,600 miles instead of 7,500 miles on Flexible oil change schedule is because the oil life countdown started right after the CX-5 was assembled. It takes time to ship the CX-5 to the dealership, and the car was sitting in the dealer’s lot for a while too. The oil life will be reduced even if the car is not driven, as the Flexible oil change schedule is UP to 7,500 miles or 12 months whichever comes first.

Use Flexible oil change schedule is the best to maximize the oil life and is good to the environment. It’s designed to use in Schedule 1 for normal driving conditions and Schedule 2 for severe driving conditions. It saves you money by preventing unnecessary early oil changes. And it keeps your new car warranty and powertrain warranty intact by following the Mazda recommended Flexible oil change schedule. You still can change the oil early if you want to by changing the oil with 500 ~ 2,000 miles oil life remaining. In my case I usually do oil change with 30% ~ 10% oil life remaining which is about 5,000 ~ 6,200 actual miles driven. Just remember to reset the Flexible oil change monitor after the oil change.
 
Upvote 0
This’s normal and Mazda designed this way. In perfect driving conditions the oil life remaining countdown calculation would be liner, in sync with your actual miles driven. But in reality the driving condition is not perfect to the oil, the oil life remaining countdown will take leaps to indicated shorter oil life remaining, and notify you changing the oil earlier than 7,500 miles.

I definitely prefer the old way on my 2016 CX-5 showing the oil life remaining by % instead of miles. Using miles confuses so many CX-5 owners, and they started to abandon the use of Flexible oil change schedule.

Flexible oil change schedule has been used worldwide especially in Europe mainly for environmental concerns. It’s trying to maximize the service life of engine oil, and reduce the oil waste. And the Flexible oil change schedule can be used in Schedule 1 for normal driving conditions and Schedule 2 for severe driving conditions. We all should try to use it.

Here’s Flexible oil change schedule on my 2016 CX-5 showing 0% oil life remaining due to 12 months time interval with only 2,728 actual miles driven:

View attachment 295491
The car says to only use Flexible interval if using genuine Mazda oil. That's almost nobody in the US.
 
Upvote 0
The car says to only use Flexible interval if using genuine Mazda oil. That's almost nobody in the US.
Here are paragraphs regarding Flexible maintenance in 2016 and 2018 Mazda CX-5 owner’s manuals. Only 2016’s has mentioned using Mazda genuine oil but only to achieve optimum calculation performance.

2016:
“The onboard computer in your vehicle calculates the remaining oil life based on engine operating conditions when selecting flexible maintenance. Mazda Genuine 0W-20 Oil and Castrol® 0W-20 Oil are required to achieve optimum calculation performance.”
54B45A9A-F906-451F-9B9A-6C39CAAA772D.jpeg


2018:
“The vehicle calculates the remaining oil life based on engine operating conditions. The vehicle lets you know when an oil change is due by illuminating the wrench indicator light in the instrument cluster. Change the oil as soon as possible within the next 1000 km (600 mile) or 15 days. Refer page 6-10 for the details.”
F6256CD3-EB50-41A5-B2DE-0CA787DC9212.jpeg

And I’m using Mazda genuine 0W-20 moly oil and Flexible oil change schedule, and I’m in the US. ;)
 
Upvote 0
Thanks for posting the section. I just changed my oil 3 weeks ago. When I set the oil change to "Flexible" it gave me the notice about using Genuine Mazda Oil or somesuch in the infotainment at the setting. I just set it to fixed 7500. There isn't much point to the flexible if it won't go beyond the 7500, I don't think it would ever go under with my driving either. I've turned off the other notifications.
 
Upvote 0
Thanks for posting the section. I just changed my oil 3 weeks ago. When I set the oil change to "Flexible" it gave me the notice about using Genuine Mazda Oil or somesuch in the infotainment at the setting. I just set it to fixed 7500. There isn't much point to the flexible if it won't go beyond the 7500, I don't think it would ever go under with my driving either. I've turned off the other notifications.

Compared to the fixed interval, you would expect a flexible system would extend intervals for mild service and shorten them for severe. So I don't get the rationale that a flexible system always has to lengthen an interval to be useful. If it shortens the interval from the 7500, presumably this happens because while 7500 would be acceptable, there is some benefit to going shorter.

- Mark
 
Upvote 0
Compared to the fixed interval, you would expect a flexible system would extend intervals for mild service and shorten them for severe. So I don't get the rationale that a flexible system always has to lengthen an interval to be useful. If it shortens the interval from the 7500, presumably this happens because while 7500 would be acceptable, there is some benefit to going shorter.

- Mark
Agreed, if that were the case. But I think the 7500 fixed interval is conservative, and very unlikely that the flexible would flag mine sooner than that.
 
Upvote 0
Wish Mazda would do something like Honda does with their maintenance. There is no way to 'set' oil change schedules. The car just learns how you drive and tells you when you are nearing an oil change.
 
Upvote 0
Wish Mazda would do something like Honda does with their maintenance. There is no way to 'set' oil change schedules. The car just learns how you drive and tells you when you are nearing an oil change.
I’m not sure what you’re referring to with the Honda. I own a Honda Pilot with the system and it’s very “dumb” with no customization of schedules that I’ve ever heard about.

- Mark
 
Upvote 0
Agreed, if that were the case. But I think the 7500 fixed interval is conservative, and very unlikely that the flexible would flag mine sooner than that.
The oil life monitor is doing the mileage countdown even if the CX-5 is sitting. During this pandemic, lots of people work at home and drive less. Which means they will get the Flexible oil change notification even though the car has driven very minimum miles far less than 7,500, but the time duration is approaching 12 months.
 
Upvote 0
The oil life monitor is doing the mileage countdown even if the CX-5 is sitting. During this pandemic, lots of people work at home and drive less. Which means they will get the Flexible oil change notification even though the car has driven very minimum miles far less than 7,500, but the time duration is approaching 12 months.
Yes, I'm currently using 7500 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. Hopefully the fixed mileage also flags at 12 months, but not a big deal for me. If it weren't pandemic times, the time threshold wouldn't be close.
 
Upvote 0
Back