What are all the fluids that need changing? 2016 CX-5 FWD

beep119

Member
:
2005 Mazda 6
Hello all,
Just making sure, (as im still learning) i can change fluids, not rocket science...
But am wondering what fluids are to change on my 2016 Mazda CX5 FWD?
Rear diff, transmission oil, engine oil of course... and am i correct saying there is no transfer case fluid to change as this is a front wheel drive and not AWD?
Or is there a front differential on these? And am i missing something?

Thank you
 
Hello all,
Just making sure, (as im still learning) i can change fluids, not rocket science...
But am wondering what fluids are to change on my 2016 Mazda CX5 FWD?
Rear diff, transmission oil, engine oil of course...
Your 2016 CX-5 is a FWD, and it doesn’t have rear differential.

and am i correct saying there is no transfer case fluid to change as this is a front wheel drive and not AWD?
Or is there a front differential on these? And am i missing something?

Thank you
FWD CX-5 doesn’t have front transfer case.

There always needs the differential even at front axle in an AWD. On CX-5, the front differential is built inside the transmission, automatic and manual, hence the transaxle. The front differential uses either ATF on automatic or gear lubricant on manual for lubrication.

For the AWD on the CX-5, the front transfer case is piggy-backed on the transaxle from a output shaft, and it’s a separate unit with different gear lubricant for lubrication.

Notice that some vehicles do have a separate front differential unit mostly with manual transmission setup, hence they require separate maintenance even with different gear lubricants.
 
@beep119 , section 6 of your owners manual has the answers you're looking for...

Engine oil
Coolant @ 120k miles

That's it. Simple :)

Outside of that, some owners do change their transmission fluid and brake fluid from time to time.

The battery has water in it but is maintenance free.
 
⋯ The battery has water in it but is maintenance free.
It really depends. The factory Panasonic battery is a standard flooded lead acid battery which is NOT maintenance free. I added distilled water a couple of times until it died after 5½ years of usage. The rule of thumb is if there’re 6 caps on battery top which can be opened, it isn’t maintenance free.

Of course there’re absorbent glass mat battery (AGM) and gel cell battery available after-market which have no water inside.
 
Your 2016 CX-5 is a FWD, and it doesn’t have rear differential.


FWD CX-5 doesn’t have front transfer case.

There always needs the differential even at front axle in an AWD. On CX-5, the front differential is built inside the transmission, automatic and manual, hence the transaxle. The front differential uses either ATF on automatic or gear lubricant on manual for lubrication.

For the AWD on the CX-5, the front transfer case is piggy-backed on the transaxle from a output shaft, and it’s a separate unit with different gear lubricant for lubrication.

Notice that some vehicles do have a separate front differential unit mostly with manual transmission setup, hence they require separate maintenance even with different gear lubricants.
so for sure the CX-5 GS, front wheel drive does not have front diff? Does anyone know for sure if these cars have a front diff to change fluid?

This is my first front wheel drive vehicle, always had trucks. I am just so use to rear wheel drives and 4x4. LOL
 
so for sure the CX-5 GS, front wheel drive does not have front diff? Does anyone know for sure if these cars have a front diff to change fluid?

This is my first front wheel drive vehicle, always had trucks. I am just so use to rear wheel drives and 4x4. LOL
No, like I said, both FWD and AWD CX-5 have front differential, but it’s part of transaxle which contains transmission and front differential. The transaxle with automatic transmission uses ATF, and the transaxle with manual transmission uses gear lubricant. There’s no separate gear lube for front differential.
 
So my daughter's 2016 Mazda CX-5 needs tranaxle case and rear diffential fluids changed. (I already changed out her transmission fluid with Mazda ATF.)
Do I really need to spend $30 a quart for the special Mazda stuff (ridiculous price) or are there aftermarket options? (GL4 or GL5??) Even Toyota isn't stupid enough to have proprietary gear oil!!
 
$30 is dirt cheap compared to the price of changing a differential if it were to fail.

I do know that on the older Mazda3's, on the manual transaxle, they required specifically GL4 fluid, and not GL5. Not even a GL4/GL5 compatible. Failure to heed the warning meant your syncros went bye-bye.

After learning that, I go with the stuff that is specifically recommended.
 
I think the rear diff only requires like 0.5 quarts so that $30 bottle is enough for two changes.
 
No, like I said, both FWD and AWD CX-5 have front differential, but it’s part of transaxle which contains transmission and front differential. The transaxle with automatic transmission uses ATF, and the transaxle with manual transmission uses gear lubricant. There’s no separate gear lube for front differential.
So to clarify - for a 2016 FWD AT CX-5 there is no fluid change required for any form of transfer/differential case as it is essentially part of the AT?
 
So to clarify - for a 2016 FWD AT CX-5 there is no fluid change required for any form of transfer/differential case as it is essentially part of the AT?
Yes, the differential is inside of the transmission. This is true for virtually every single front wheel drive car that's ever been made.
 
So to clarify - for a 2016 FWD AT CX-5 there is no fluid change required for any form of transfer/differential case as it is essentially part of the AT?
Like @theblooms said above.

More specifically, there’s NO front transfer case and rear differential on the FWD CX-5; hence you can’t change the gear lube for them as they don’t exist.

And the front differential and automatic transmission are built together as the transaxle for both FWD and AWD CX-5 and uses ATF.
 
I think the rear diff only requires like 0.5 quarts so that $30 bottle is enough for two changes.
Yeah Mazda says in the manual that the gear oil capacity of the rear differential is 0.48 quart for Gen-1 CX-5 and 0.37 quart for Gen-2 CX-5. But in reality even if you follow the steps in Mazda Workshop Manual to fill to the brim of the fill hole, you actually need at least 0.7 quart.

Added another 0.48 quarts for front transfer case, which is accurate as stated in the manual, you do need 2 expensive bottles of SG1 gear oil for one change on both!
 
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