CX-5 owner's manual

I'd like to start reading the owner's manual for the CX-5. This can answer some of my questions, such as: how easy is it to change the oil filter?

Has the manual been posted anywhere, as a .pdf file?
 
Go to Mazdausa.com. On top click on Owners. Then Manuals & Reference. They have one there for the CX5.
 
How easy is it to change the oil filter?

The manual does not provide any instruction on how to change the oil or filter; it only provides that 0W-20 fully synthetic oil should be used and that a certified Mazda facility should change the oil. However, I too would like to know if the oil & filter change is an easy DYI project, given how much shops often charge for synthetic oil changes (unless your local dealer is good enough to offer a special). My guess is that none of us owners have put enough miles on our vehicles yet (first recommended change is 7500 miles) to have faced this issue directly.

However, one way to save some bucks is to buy your own oil & filter and then just pay the labor portion to the shop. Wal-Mart sells 5-quart jugs of Mobil 0W-20 fully synthetic oil for about $26.50 (the FWD CX-5 requires 4.4 quarts) and Fram makes a compatible oil filter (Model No. PH-6607) that Wal-Mart also sells for about $4.50. So, if you can find a shop who'll perform the labor for $15 - $20, you should be able to save quite a bit versus the $65 - $85 some shops charge for synthetic oil & filter changes. Just be sure to check Walmart.com to see which, if any, of your local stores stock the 0W-20 oil in the 5-quart jugs, as it is not carried in every store but provides great savings (compared to the individual quart bottles, which run about $6.50 - $8.50 each, depending on where you buy).
 
Fist of all I would never use a Fram oil filter. Those filter are pure crap. If I was to change it myself I would be using a Wix filter. I would also never allow Walmart to touch my car. I have heard of plenty of stories where they have damaged the filter housing, plug, and even left oil out of the engine. I know that can happen anywhere but I'd rather that happen at tw dealer so if a catostrophic failure did happen the dealer could deal with it.

When I was shopping for my CX5 the Mazda dealers around me all offered the first 8 services free of charge. Just FYI.
 
Go to Mazdausa.com. On top click on Owners. Then Manuals & Reference. They have one there for the CX5.

I'm grateful for the link to the .pdf. Now, as others have said, we still don't know how easy it will be to get to the oil filter. I would never take any car to a dealer for an oil change, nor would I let any untrained grease monkey do the job. I want to do it myself, as I have for the last 56 years.

I am currently a Forester owner, considering the CX-5. The latest Subarus have the filter located on top of the engine, surrounded by a concentric tray to catch any drips during change-over. This is an idea I hope catches on.
 
Fist of all I would never use a Fram oil filter. Those filter are pure crap. If I was to change it myself I would be using a Wix filter. I would also never allow Walmart to touch my car. I have heard of plenty of stories where they have damaged the filter housing, plug, and even left oil out of the engine. I know that can happen anywhere but I'd rather that happen at tw dealer so if a catostrophic failure did happen the dealer could deal with it.

When I was shopping for my CX5 the Mazda dealers around me all offered the first 8 services free of charge. Just FYI.

First, I certainly wasn't endorsing Fram filters, just pointing out that there are alternatives to the Mazda OEM filter already available (as I believe that this same filter size is already used on one or more existing Mazda models). Second, I did not suggest having Wal-Mart actually change the oil and filter, just that the oil and filter could be purchased there; I'm pretty confident that they can sell you the supplies without touching your vehicle... Unfortunately, I did not purchase our CX-5 locally, so we couldn't avail ourselves of any service deals the dealer was offering (pretty sure the 500-mile drive would offset any savings), but more power to those who can snag such deals.
 
I just went outside and snapped some pictures. Let me get them uploaded and I'll put them up in a few minutes.
 
If looking under the passenger side of the vehicle there is a triangular panel with two 8mm bolts(or Philips head) and one plastic clip.
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Take the two bolts out and the clip off.
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Then you have access to the oil filter and drain plug(Hex bolt).
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I dont have a hex bolt that big so I am not sure of the size, but it is a fairly simple oil change.

Sorry the car is dirty.
 
First of all I would never use a Fram oil filter. Those filter are pure crap.

They used to be. There was a tear-down test online about fifteen years ago, which showed that to be the case.

I've been using SuperTech filters for years, Walmart's brand – these were rated highly in that old test. But last month Walmart finally pulled the plug on the ST filters – they are sold no more. Walmart now stocks the Fram Tough Guard, and this is what I bought. It looked really well-made, but I remembered the bad reputation of Fram, so felt let down.

I feel much better after reading this: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/e...visit-frams-r-d-facility-dayton-ohio-1261517/. You will draw your own conclusions, but it does appear that Fram has changed for the better.
 
Oil filter and drain plug

Thanks for showing the location of oil filter. I tried find it from the top of engine compartment with no luck and the bottom of the engine bay was sealed. I am glad you opened the bottom panel and showed the location of oil filter and drain plug. There is no mention of the location of that in the owner's manual.
 
They used to be. There was a tear-down test online about fifteen years ago, which showed that to be the case.

I've been using SuperTech filters for years, Walmart's brand – these were rated highly in that old test. But last month Walmart finally pulled the plug on the ST filters – they are sold no more. Walmart now stocks the Fram Tough Guard, and this is what I bought. It looked really well-made, but I remembered the bad reputation of Fram, so felt let down.

I feel much better after reading this: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/e...visit-frams-r-d-facility-dayton-ohio-1261517/. You will draw your own conclusions, but it does appear that Fram has changed for the better.


Regardless of what Fram has done in their company, I will never buy a product from Fram again. When I was 16 and worked at an auto parts store I changed my oil using a Fram filter on my 1990 Accord. It was something I had done several times with no issues. I had the filter bust the seam on that car once and luckily I was able to catch it before it did any damage. At that time I was working at an auto parts store and was able to convince to cut open the filters we carried and put them on display as a selling point. After the disassembly of all of the filters the Wix was by the best product. Anytime I change my oil on my own that is what I use and will always use. And that was 13 years ago. I sent the filter back to Fram and they said that it was a manufacturers defect in that filter. Again that's just something that happened to me and why I will not use them.
 
Thanks for the excellent photos, vfrguy; it looks like the oil and filter change would be a fairly easy DIY job. Sorry your Fram filter experience has been haunting you for 13 years. After further research, I probably won't use the Fram ExtraGuard filter sold at Wal-Mart, as it is at the low end of Fram filters. Better options seem to be the Mobil 1 (model M1-108) or Wix (model 57040). Another option is the OEM filter, which my local dealer sells for $6.30 each or a 5-pack with a wrench for $33.65: http://www.mazdaparts.org/gemacxma.html
 
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I asked the salesman about hte filter. He said it is up between the motor and firewall. With the flat panels mounted on the bottom ofhte car, it might be a bit more of work to get to the filter than my old Rav4 but if the shop can do it, so can you. As for Oil and Filters, i encourage folks to search the web. I found several articles by industry and university professionals going into detail about both (actually bisecting the filters). After reading these I agree with the previous poster (and a commercial on TV recently) that Fram filters are garbage. They use cardboard for the back plate on the filter where the bypass valve is. Really? Cardboard to mount an oil pressure bypass valve in a filter?? From the last article I read, filters from Mobil1 and STP/Champion (which interstingly enough includes Walmart Super Tech filters) were better. Go look for "Oil Comparison" and "Oil Filter Comparison" on the web and read up. For what it's worth, my dealer gave me lifetime oil changes but I have to either pay the difference for synthetic.
dj
 
The Mazda oil supplied by Mazda service department for CX-5 oil changes is full synthetic.
 
I asked my Mazda service mgr about this and he said they made a bulk buy on synthetic oil in anticipation of the CX-5 and that they would be charging $5 more per oil change than a regular oil change. They run coupons all the time via email to customers and in snail mail flyers for $29.95 all the time. So it appears, at this dealer anyway, that it will be easy to get a synthetic oil change for around $35.
 
Am I understanding what I'm seeing in vfrguy's pix - a vertical oil filter?
And is the drain plug parrallel to ground or angled downward at all?
 
This is great. A car that I can actually do an oil change on again. How many cars I'v owned and i couldn't reach the oil filter, I can hardly count. Thanks for the photos and info.
 
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