High Mileage CX-5s - report in

I suppose battery life will also be affected by the lenght and regularity of drives.

Short /less frequent driving should result in shorter battery life, as opposed to frequent long drives that charge the battery everytime.
 
I suppose battery life will also be affected by the lenght and regularity of drives.

Short /less frequent driving should result in shorter battery life, as opposed to frequent long drives that charge the battery everytime.

Not necessarily. Most of the 51,000 of mine are highway and the OE battery only lasted 2.5 years. Cells go bad regardless of frequent charges. You are right though in most cases.
 
2013 Certified Pre Owned with 40k miles (I have put on about 10k miles)

1 oil change (local mechanic with mobil 1 syn)
New tires came with purchase - Yokohama tires. Wear / winter - wet traction has been tremendous. Very comfortable ride with low noise.
Door locking mechanism was making clunk sound and replaced under warranty
Brakes felt spongy at time of purchase so dealer resurfaced them free of charge
P0302 cylinder misfire - turned out to be a bad ignition coil. Dealer replaced free of charge.

Other than bad ignition coil - everything has been tight. Not so much concerned about coil as I could understand that part becoming faulty based on a number of factors. Just luck of the draw in terms of the manufacturing processes these days.
 
I'm at 49,300 miles now with no problems but of course this is not considered high mileage by any means. I still have the original Yokohama tires, which I plan to change before the winter. I now drive a company pickup truck (new 2014 F-150) with the new job so I wont be piling on the mileage on my Mazda anymore. The tires are getting noisy, the fuel mileage is the same, and everything is still tight. I sat in a 2016 GT and noticed the greatly improved updated interior over mine. After spending some time in that GT my 2014 Touring's interior felt worn and cheap by comparison. Driving my 2014 Mazda Touring home though made me forget the basic 2014 interior rather quickly because the engine felt strong and the handling was still tight, just like a well behaved sporty sedan.
 
I own the 2014 Grand Touring with the 2.5l engine and have approximately 43000 miles on the odometer. I had to change the factory tires at 20000 miles. I drive 95% highway miles and the premature wear of the tires could be because of the gravel based roads in east Texas. I currently have the "BSM off" warning light flashing on the dash board. The vehicle is out of warranty and I understand that it is an expensive fix for the "BSM" problem. I am going to disconnect the battery, if this fixes the problem I plan on trading it in for another brand vehicle. This is my first Mazda and I haven't been happy with it. Good luck everyone.
 
If you drive a lot on secondary roads be sure to wash and mud/dirt off the inside and outside of the lower panels behind the rear wheels which is where the radar units are that "see" cars in your blind spots. I just ordered replacements for my 2013 GT with over 50,000 miles as the wear bars are showing but most of my miles are interstate miles at 70-75 mph.
 
Not really high mileage yet, at 48K, but FWIW, very early 2013 m/y build. 3 1/4 years ownership. Zero unplanned dealer visits. No monies spent beyond regular maintenance. No significant issues to speak of.
 
I've owned my 2013 CX-5 three years in September and I only have 24,000 miles on it with less than 4,000 in the last 6 months! But this is partly attributable to the weather in the PNW (Washington State) being so suitable to motorcycle riding over the last couple of years. My CX-5 will often sit a week or more at a time. People have opined that sitting around like that is a recipe for unreliability (compared to a daily driver) but she (CX-5) doesn't seem to mind (or even get jealous when I ride by and leave her sitting in the driveway). It's been especially warm this spring/early summer (it didn't even rain on the fourth of July which is what we expect). Feels more like Mexico than Canada. It's rare to see residential air conditioners but I think that's going to be changing.

No repairs to report, CX-5 still runs like a Swiss watch. Very cheap to own.
 
If you drive a lot on secondary roads be sure to wash and mud/dirt off the inside and outside of the lower panels behind the rear wheels which is where the radar units are that "see" cars in your blind spots. I just ordered replacements for my 2013 GT with over 50,000 miles as the wear bars are showing but most of my miles are interstate miles at 70-75 mph.

Thanks GAXIBM, I will give it a good wash underneath and see what happens.
 
I currently have the "BSM off" warning light flashing on the dash board. .

Are you sure that the BSM is on? Maybe the switch on lower left was bumped and the system is telling you that you turned it off for safety reasons.
 
I have pressed and pressed and held the "BSM OFF" switch with negative results. I am thinking it the problem is with one of the sensors. However, I did switch to 17 inch rims and tires and that may make a difference due to height change. I will take it to the local dealership and see what they say. Thanks again GAXIBM for the response. Take care.
 
I'm at just over 58,000 primarily highway miles on my 2013 CX5 touring AWD, not a single mechanical issue to date.
 
34K miles on my 2015 currently. Tires I got rid of at 28K miles. They were dry-rotted and done. Had to replace a rear fender-arch where concrete took it half off and bent it. Total cost including parts was around $150ish I think. I forget. It wasn't bad. Otherwise, solid.
 
I own the 2014 Grand Touring with the 2.5l engine and have approximately 43000 miles on the odometer. I had to change the factory tires at 20000 miles. I drive 95% highway miles and the premature wear of the tires could be because of the gravel based roads in east Texas. I currently have the "BSM off" warning light flashing on the dash board. The vehicle is out of warranty and I understand that it is an expensive fix for the "BSM" problem. I am going to disconnect the battery, if this fixes the problem I plan on trading it in for another brand vehicle. This is my first Mazda and I haven't been happy with it. Good luck everyone.

I was hoping to find someone with 150K plus but that would mean around 50K per annum and it seems to be typical that there are not many truly high miler CX-5 owners. But this does demonstrate one of my fears: the biggest problem with modern vehicles isn't the traditional basic things, e.g., engine/transmission mechanicals, but "technology" and electricals. The problems I've been reading about with CX5 with transmissions seems to mainly involve something with the computer or solenoids.

All of my most recent vehicles I've had to trade were electrical/electronic problems that just became to oppressively expensive to continuously track down and fix. Sensors, motors, relays, solenoids, coil towers, ECU's and etc, have been the things that send me back to the dealer showrooms at about 130-150K miles / 11-13 years old.

As newer vehicles are even more technology-packed than ever (to make CAFE and EPA regulations and to make people think they've added value for the super high prices that requires) I tend to think things will be just like they used to be in the hey-day of Detroit: you drive the car with some things broken. Or trade it every two to three years when lights start flashing at you.

Oh well..
 
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I was hoping to find someone with 150K plus but that would mean around 50K per annum and it seems to be typical that there are not many truly high miler CX-5 owners. But this does demonstrate one of my fears: the biggest problem with modern vehicles isn't the traditional basic things, e.g., engine/transmission mechanicals, but "technology" and electricals. The problems I've been reading about with CX5 with transmissions seems to mainly involve something with the computer or solenoids.

All of my most recent vehicles I've had to trade were electrical/electronic problems that just became to oppressively expensive to continuously track down and fix. Sensors, motors, relays, solenoids, coil towers, ECU's and etc, have been the things that send me back to the dealer showrooms at about 130-150K miles / 11-13 years old.


It seems the small number of transmission issues are confined to the earlier years (I think it was mainly the '13s). There is a TSB IIRC. Will we hear of an occasional issue with one here? Sure.. that will be true with any vehicle & forum. I too share concern for the electronics but in future years if my BSM stops working I'm not going to sweat it. The fixes are bound to be cheaper and write-ups more prevalent on how to fix. The car will still run without it.

I honestly don't expect any vehicle these days to achieve 150K+ miles without some form of electronics failure in it's lifetime. Perhaps a less optioned model is a safer bet for long term owners?

Capacitors seem to be our worst enemy... although I just fixed my old Sony XBR HDTV with a couple IC chips that cost me $20. Cheap fix but I know not many resort to that these days...

Learn a little soldering and basic electronics knowledge and save a lot of money :)

I fixed my hot tub last year... let's see $800+ spa pack replacement or $20 relay.
 
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Learn a little soldering and basic electronics knowledge and save a lot of money :)

I fixed my hot tub last year... let's see $800+ spa pack replacement or $20 relay.

I'm glad to hear I should expect not to have tranny problems on my '14!

I try to fix everything I can... but a $20 anti-knock sensor can still require major disassembly beyond my resources to access. On my most-recent debacle (Maxima) I replaced coil towers, MAF, oxygen sensors twice, alternator, starter, transmission solenoids, electronic motor mounts. Power seats were locked in position and the windows and mirrors were iffy at best. I was planning a suspension rebuild when the IACV blew taking the ECU with it (terrible design: FET drivers on the ECU with no protection in them) at 140K. A replacement ECU guaranteed to work with my VIN was $2000 (junk yard replacements are iffy gambles for a variety of reasons). The motor and transmission were perfect, it was clean and otherwise solid. I'm sure this would have been a fun car even at 200K if it weren't for that ECU.
 
That IACV was a problem area on the '00-'01 Maxima's. My CX-5 replaced a '02 Maxima GLE I bought new.... other than eating pads and rotors every 20K miles, one oxygen sensor and one cam position sensor it was quite reliable. I lucked out that mine wasn't one of the VQ35DE oil burners. IMO..the VQ30DE in your car was mechanically a solid motor.

It needed a sway bar in back and a FSTB in front to make handling even approach the quality of the engine, but once done I really enjoyed driving that Maxima. I come from a day when it was not unexpected to put a can of oil in at every gas fill-up so I'd not have considered dumping a car just for burning a little oil. The whole point is that automotive mechanicals are, generally, very solid these days: it's the electronics that drive me crazy and end up making me junk it. Very sad and unnecessary if mfr's just put half as much effort into spec'ing solid designs for electricals and/or locating things that require replacement in easier to reach locations.
 
2013 Mazda CX-5 62,000 mile check-in

2013 2wd Touring, 2.0l automatic, purchased June of 2012. As of 12/2015 have 62,000.

Repaired: Shaking side view mirrors both fixed under service bulletin (problem on earliest model).

Replaced: Engine air filter at 40,000 - solved slight hesitation from stop: $12
Replaced: Yoko tires with Michelins from CostCo at 60,000 (snow coming here, in desert could've gone another 10,000 miles): $600
Replaced: Windshield wipers at about 50,000: $22 Amazon

Of course: Oil changes (self-done) every 6-7,000 miles: $25 Mobil 1 oil @Wal plus $6 eBay Mazda filter in bulk

Gas mileage (measured in full tanks):
Suburban summer 29-31 mpg - very consistent
Pure highway summer 33-35 mpg at 60-75mph (loaded with gear and bikes on back)
Suburban winter 27-30 mpg - very dependent on temperature, lowest ever was 26 mpg when near zero Fahrenheit

Upgrades:
When new: Mazda rear cargo shade, works excellent
When new: Mazda remote start, terrible design, waste of $400
When new: Tech package, love blind spot warning beeps and adaptive headlights. Navigation works, though with design faults and slow.
Added back-floor cargo net with 4 hooks (originally for a Chrysler): $7 delivered eBay
Added 3M clear door edge tape to hood, 4 doors, and rear lift: $25 for 2 rolls Amazon

Wear:
Door arm rests showed wear within 2,000 miles, understand they changed them for 2014. A damp wipe helps.
Back lift where bike rack rubs and where garage door closed while lift was up. oops. $12 eBay touch-up paint.
Some pitting on front plastic bumper from stones, touch-up paint.
Not a single rattle, very very little wind noise
Other than stone dings paint looks like new, self-wash monthly and self-wax twice a year.
 
2013 2wd Touring, 2.0l automatic, purchased June of 2012. As of 12/2015 have 62,000.

Repaired: Shaking side view mirrors both fixed under service bulletin (problem on earliest model).

Replaced: Engine air filter at 40,000 - solved slight hesitation from stop: $12
Replaced: Yoko tires with Michelins from CostCo at 60,000 (snow coming here, in desert could've gone another 10,000 miles): $600
Replaced: Windshield wipers at about 50,000: $22 Amazon

Of course: Oil changes (self-done) every 6-7,000 miles: $25 Mobil 1 oil @Wal plus $6 eBay Mazda filter in bulk

Gas mileage (measured in full tanks):
Suburban summer 29-31 mpg - very consistent
Pure highway summer 33-35 mpg at 60-75mph (loaded with gear and bikes on back)
Suburban winter 27-30 mpg - very dependent on temperature, lowest ever was 26 mpg when near zero Fahrenheit

Upgrades:
When new: Mazda rear cargo shade, works excellent
When new: Mazda remote start, terrible design, waste of $400
When new: Tech package, love blind spot warning beeps and adaptive headlights. Navigation works, though with design faults and slow.
Added back-floor cargo net with 4 hooks (originally for a Chrysler): $7 delivered eBay
Added 3M clear door edge tape to hood, 4 doors, and rear lift: $25 for 2 rolls Amazon

Wear:
Door arm rests showed wear within 2,000 miles, understand they changed them for 2014. A damp wipe helps.
Back lift where bike rack rubs and where garage door closed while lift was up. oops. $12 eBay touch-up paint.
Some pitting on front plastic bumper from stones, touch-up paint.
Not a single rattle, very very little wind noise
Other than stone dings paint looks like new, self-wash monthly and self-wax twice a year.

Thanks for checking in! It's rare for people to spend the time reporting no unexpected problems. Mostly we hear from people who have a gripe!
 
Here's another with no problems at 53,000 miles on a 2014 FWD Touring CX5.

Upgrades include:
Second Skin Damplifer to all 5 doors and floor pan from front seats to hatch.
Audio Controls DQ-61, and upgraded speakers with amps + JL Audio W3V3 8" micro sub. 460 continuous watts of clean power, 920 peak.
Weather Tech floor mats and cargo liner.
Clear bra hood protector.
Custom made door ding protectors.
Everything else Mazda got right.
 
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