2017~2025 CX-5 Abnormal Oil Use

[Yard Ape]

Yes, I can see it . What grade of oil ( I presume 0W-20) but more importantly, what is the oil change interval in miles. Do you do a lot of high speed (interstate) driving? These factors affect consumption.

wife drives slow and carefully, good amount highway .

 

[edmaz]

... the dealer changes oil every 7K miles. ...

How often do you check the oil level, and do you check it after the oil change is done?

 

[Jmaz]

With a 7k change interval and a good amount of highway driving I'm surprised it doesn't use more oil. As for myself, I switched away from that watery 0W-20 after warranty to 5W-30 and also would never run the 0W-20 for 7k miles. I didn't like the looks of it after 4500 -5000 miles. Not criticism but just my opinion as everybody can do as they choose.
I've always been skeptical of the thinner oils and increased timing chain wear. It's interesting that the latest GF-6 oil formulations address timing chain wear. To me it almost begs the question of what wasn't made known earlier in the game and why so late in the game to address it.

 

[dunhillmc]

With a 7k change interval and a good amount of highway driving I'm surprised it doesn't use more oil. As for myself, I switched away from that watery 0W-20 after warranty to 5W-30 and also would never run the 0W-20 for 7k miles. I didn't like the looks of it after 4500 -5000 miles. Not criticism but just my opinion as everybody can do as they choose.
I've always been skeptical of the thinner oils and increased timing chain wear. It's interesting that the latest GF-6 oil formulations address timing chain wear. To me it almost begs the question of what wasn't made known earlier in the game and why so late in the game to address it.

here's my oil report with "watery" 0W-20 @7k miles

 

[Jmaz]

here's my oil report with "watery" 0W-20 @7k miles

Yes, I was waiting for a reply and a report like this. My engine is quieter with the 5/30 and I like the 'feel' of it . However I do happen to have a 5 qt. jug of Idemitsu 0W-20 I bought over a year ago (smokin' deal closeout @ $5/jug @ Autozone) but never got around to using after trying the 5/30 oils. Maybe I'll temporarily renounce my old school ways and run it through the cold weather this winter. Good report you have there. Clearly it's working for you.

 

[Jack Rabbit]

Yes, I was waiting for a reply and a report like this. My engine is quieter with the 5/30 and I like the 'feel' of it . However I do happen to have a 5 qt. jug of Idemitsu 0W-20 I bought over a year ago (smokin' deal closeout @ $5/jug @ Autozone) but never got around to using after trying the 5/30 oils. Maybe I'll temporarily renounce my old school ways and run it through the cold weather this winter. Good report you have there. Clearly it's working for you.

While going up from 0W-20 to a 5w-20 after the warranty period is over might be feasible, you have to wonder if a heavier 5w-30 weight will circulate thoughout the engine with all these tight tolerances on these new engines.

 

[yrwei52]

While going up from 0W-20 to a 5w-20 after the warranty period is over might be feasible, you have to wonder if a heavier 5w-30 weight will circulate thoughout the engine with all these tight tolerances on these new engines.

No need to wonder. Here are Mazda official engine oil viscosity charts for SkyActiv-G 2.0L / 2.5L and SkyActiv-D 2.2L used in Europe and worldwide, and 5W-30 oil is listed as recommended oil by Mazda:

 

[yrwei52]

⋯ I've always been skeptical of the thinner oils and increased timing chain wear. It's interesting that the latest GF-6 oil formulations address timing chain wear. To me it almost begs the question of what wasn't made known earlier in the game and why so late in the game to address it.

I agree. There’re plenty of reports, especially on Toyota vehicles, that the pre-GF-6 0W-20 oil is lack of protection to timing chain. Hopefully the current GF-6 oil can really do a good job to protect timing chain better.

 

[madar]

GF-6 explained:

https://www.motor.com/2019/05/get-ready-gf-6-motor-oil/

 

[Jmaz]

GF-6 explained:

https://www.motor.com/2019/05/get-ready-gf-6-motor-oil/

Interesting article. Thanks for posting it.

 

[181962]

GF-6 explained:

https://www.motor.com/2019/05/get-ready-gf-6-motor-oil/

I'm not sure what to make of this:

"Sequence VIE – Requires 19-39 percent improvement in fuel economy, depending on oil viscosity."

This cannot possibly mean a 30.0 mpg vehicle will magically transform into 35.7 - 41.7 mpg vehicle.

 

[yrwei52]

I'm not sure what to make of this:

"Sequence VIE – Requires 19-39 percent improvement in fuel economy, depending on oil viscosity."

This cannot possibly mean a 30.0 mpg vehicle will magically transform into 35.7 - 41.7 mpg vehicle.

I agree. Some marginal improvement on mpg is possible with GF-6 oil; but not 19 ~ 39% improvement!

 

[181962]

I agree. Some marginal improvement on mpg is possible with GF-6 oil; but not 19 ~ 39% improvement!

Yeah. 3% is plausible, 30 mpg improving to 31 mpg, varying from vehicle to vehicle, perhaps no change in some.

When mpg testing was done on 2022 vehicles you would reckon GF-6 would have been used since it was first available in May 2020, for marketing purposes if nothing else if those kinds of gains were possible. If one compares 2020 and 2022 versions of any model that did not introduce a new generation or drive train in the interim you would see a big jump in mpg rating. Well, that did not happen, CX-5 being an obvious example.

And we can be sure that if average fuel consumption across all models averaged a 29% drop in consumption it would have been all over the news and probably mandated.

One wonders what that spec actually means because it can't mean what it says at face value.

Anyway, this new standard seems to be targeted primarily to small displacement turbos. Regardless of drive train, any improvement going toward longevity is better than a sharp stick in the eye.

 

[HyFlyer]

I'm not sure what to make of this:

"Sequence VIE – Requires 19-39 percent improvement in fuel economy, depending on oil viscosity."

This cannot possibly mean a 30.0 mpg vehicle will magically transform into 35.7 - 41.7 mpg vehicle.

I agree. Some marginal improvement on mpg is possible with GF-6 oil; but not 19 ~ 39% improvement!

One wonders what that spec actually means because it can't mean what it says at face value.

From the article ...

Compared to older GF-5 motor oil, five tests in the center require performance improvements over GF-5, and the three tests on the right are brand new for GF-6 that were requested by the automakers.

so, that 19-39% (depending on viscosity) is an improvement over what GF-5 achieved.

So if GF-5 made a .1 mpg improvement on overall economy on a car (say 30 to 30.1 mpg) then GF-6 would be 1.39x.1 or .139 mpg improvement over all to the car.

So to your real world economy of your wallet, you would see your 30.1 mpg car now get 30.139 mpg (best case) because of the change of using GF-6 oil.

that's how I see it anyway.

and thanks to @madar for the article link