New transmission @ 35k miles

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veedub6

Member
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Mazda CX-5
Just got the CX-5 back from the dealership. The transmission started holding the gears, especially when it's colder outside. The mechanic noted the fluid was dark and smelled burnt.
New transmission was covered under warranty, so if anyone else notices that the transmission is talking longer than usual to shift gears take it to the dealer before warranty expires.
 
I don't know what to think of it. Every transmission is programmed to hold lower gears until it warms up to sane temperature. The decision to replace the tyranny because of how the fluid looks and smells is fishy. May be they just were looking for a quick job in the middle of a slow season. I've been in the industry long enough to know how it goes.
What other symptoms other then holding gears when cold did you experience?
 
yugrus said:
I don't know what to think of it. Every transmission is programmed to hold lower gears until it warms up to sane temperature. The decision to replace the tyranny because of how the fluid looks and smells is fishy. May be they just were looking for a quick job in the middle of a slow season. I've been in the industry long enough to know how it goes.
What other symptoms other then holding gears when cold did you experience?
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To be fair, I'd like to know more, as well. Every transmission I've killed (several) died in the winter, and it died just like OP stated. It would NOT shift out of 1st or 2nd or whatever unless you RAILED on it, like bouncing off the rev limiter. And you can't drive to work at 20mph, so guess what I did :)

Killed a Ford AOD, and an Infiniti transmission. Did not kill the one in my Grand Jeep Cherokee, Trans Am, or CX-5. But the CX-5 is yet young! Automatics just suck in my opinion. They always break. It's a foregone conclusion in my mind, to be honest, which is why I got the 100K mile warranty from my credit union when I bought my CX-5. If it lasts longer than 100K, I'll be pleased!
 
Unobtanium said:
To be fair, I'd like to know more, as well. Every transmission I've killed (several) died in the winter, and it died just like OP stated. It would NOT shift out of 1st or 2nd or whatever unless you RAILED on it, like bouncing off the rev limiter. And you can't drive to work at 20mph, so guess what I did :)

Killed a Ford AOD, and an Infiniti transmission. Did not kill the one in my Grand Jeep Cherokee, Trans Am, or CX-5. But the CX-5 is yet young! Automatics just suck in my opinion. They always break. It's a foregone conclusion in my mind, to be honest, which is why I got the 100K mile warranty from my credit union when I bought my CX-5. If it lasts longer than 100K, I'll be pleased!
Click to expand...

You've killed several transmissions? Didn't I read in one of the other threads on this forum that you're against changing your transmission fluid and never do it? Hmmmm...

I've bought many new cars/trucks in my lifetime. I normally keep my cars for a long time and I do all my own maintenance, which includes changing the transmission fluid. I have never had a transmission fail on any of my vehicles.
 
Conrad 16.5 said:
You've killed several transmissions? Didn't I read in one of the other threads on this forum that you're against changing your transmission fluid and never do it? Hmmmm...

I've bought many new cars/trucks in my lifetime. I normally keep my cars for a long time and I do all my own maintenance, which includes changing the transmission fluid. I have never had a transmission fail on any of my vehicles.
Click to expand...

The mustang died a few thousand miles after a fluid change.
The Infiniti died because I changed the fluid, or...SOMETHING caused it to mess up a few thousand miles later...

My Jeep Grand Cherokee didn't die, but it did shift a bit funny after a fluid change.

My Trans Am, I never touched the fluid in. Did great. Same for my CX-5 so far.

I have NEVER had a transmission die without the fluid being changed...hmmmm my old mechanic was right.

Roommate's truck, never changed the fluid. It went hundreds of thousands of miles. Dad's work van had 440k on it when he retired it. Never had a fluid change.

You do what you want, fluid changes screw a vehicle, and I'm done playing that game. My CX-5 works great at almost 60k miles. OP's died at 35k....
 
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2014 Touring. The only symptom was the transmission holding gears and won't shifting. When it was really cold outside, it would sometimes hold the gear for longer than 10 seconds and I would have to manually shift up to get it to the next gear. I only took it to the dealership regarding the 2 recalls and asked them to check the transmission. They weren't able to recreate it when it was warm, but the next day they were and told me it required a new transmission and would be covered under warranty.
 
Unobtanium said:
The mustang died a few thousand miles after a fluid change.
The Infiniti died because I changed the fluid, or...SOMETHING caused it to mess up a few thousand miles later...

My Jeep Grand Cherokee didn't die, but it did shift a bit funny after a fluid change.

My Trans Am, I never touched the fluid in. Did great. Same for my CX-5 so far.

I have NEVER had a transmission die without the fluid being changed...hmmmm my old mechanic was right.

Roommate's truck, never changed the fluid. It went hundreds of thousands of miles. Dad's work van had 440k on it when he retired it. Never had a fluid change.

You do what you want, fluid changes screw a vehicle, and I'm done playing that game. My CX-5 works great at almost 60k miles. OP's died at 35k....
Click to expand...

Only common denominator there is you. Three fluid changes on three different makes of cars and three trans problems, lol. I, on the other hand, have always changed my trans fluid on everything I've owned, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, Hyundai, Chevrolet...
The only trans problem I've had was with this CX5. It got replaced before I had a chance to change the fluid. Just making a comparison that's 180 degrees out of sync is all.
 
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I have a 2013 AWD and I noticed that it was really holding back on cold days until it warmed up (and we've been having record cold snap for this area, -3 to -10C almost since Christmas) It was also not engaging quickly when rolling backwards out of my driveway and shifting from R into D it almost felt like a slipping clutch on a manual. Anyway, I was having other electrical gremlins and in the process of sorting it out, the mechanic noticed a software update for the PCM that address charging issues in cold weather. He said there was a matching update for the TCM. Anyway, since they've applied the updates my car has been running great and I notice no hesitation in the shifting and certainly no delays in R to D anymore. It's weird how software can now mask hardware issues.... glad I didn't have to replace a transmission too!
 
veedub6 said:
Just got the CX-5 back from the dealership. The transmission started holding the gears, especially when it's colder outside. The mechanic noted the fluid was dark and smelled burnt.
New transmission was covered under warranty, so if anyone else notices that the transmission is talking longer than usual to shift gears take it to the dealer before warranty expires.
Click to expand...

It should be noted that the transmission is under the 5 year powertrain warranty.
 
craigo said:
It should be noted that the transmission is under the 5 year powertrain warranty.
Click to expand...
And that's the thing. Slow season. Nothing to do. So why not go ahead and justify a tranny replacement and get at least paid peanuts on the warranty job. Helps keeping lights on, you know...
 
yugrus said:
And that's the thing. Slow season. Nothing to do. So why not go ahead and justify a tranny replacement and get at least paid peanuts on the warranty job. Helps keeping lights on, you know...
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Although some dealers could be doing some unnecessary warranty work like you implied, but I've to say it's very rare. Especially for the expensive transmission replacement the dealer has certain guidelines to follow, and has to get pre-approved from Mazda North American Operations. Mazda dealer very often has to ship the bad transmission back to MNAO for inspection to verify the problem. No dealers is going to "go ahead and justify a tranny replacement and get at least paid peanuts on the warranty job" just because it's "slow season, nothing to do", and risk the warranty job not getting paid!
 
yrwei52 said:
Although some dealers could be doing some unnecessary warranty work like you implied, but I've to say it's very rare. Especially for the expensive transmission replacement the dealer has certain guidelines to follow, and has to get pre-approved from Mazda North American Operations. Mazda dealer very often has to ship the bad transmission back to MNAO for inspection to verify the problem. No dealers is going to "go ahead and justify a tranny replacement and get at least paid peanuts on the warranty job" just because it's "slow season, nothing to do", and risk the warranty job not getting paid!
Click to expand...
Yeah, I see now that you know what you are taking about....
How long have you been in the industry?

Sent from my VIVO XL using Tapatalk
 
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I had mine replaced. The dealer had to get approval from Mazda to do the replacement. It was noted on the service slip. Not up to the dealer. A transmission is a big ticket item, expensive, not something that's going to be overlooked on the bottom line because business is slow.
 
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I never said that the dealer went ahead by themselves and replaced the tranny without Mazda's authorization. Of course they justified the reason for replacement and got paid. What do you think, they require an engineering delegation to come down from Japan to investigate the issue? There's certain process, a paperwork to be filed, and that's it.
Things I saw done under warranty...
 
yugrus said:
I never said that the dealer went ahead by themselves and replaced the tranny without Mazda's authorization. Of course they justified the reason for replacement and got paid. What do you think, they require an engineering delegation to come down from Japan to investigate the issue? There's certain process, a paperwork to be filed, and that's it.
Things I saw done under warranty...
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Do the dealers even keep transmissions in stock? I could see maybe a bigger one would, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's one-goes-out one-comes-in from a rebuilding depot - hence the need for authorizations.
 
craigo said:
Do the dealers even keep transmissions in stock? I could see maybe a bigger one would, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's one-goes-out one-comes-in from a rebuilding depot - hence the need for authorizations.
Click to expand...

Not usually, most of the time there's a wait.
 
madar said:
Only common denominator there is you. Three fluid changes on three different makes of cars and three trans problems, lol. I, on the other hand, have always changed my trans fluid on everything I've owned, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, Hyundai, Chevrolet...
The only trans problem I've had was with this CX5. It got replaced before I had a chance to change the fluid. Just making a comparison that's 180 degrees out of sync is all.
Click to expand...

Right, but we have such a small sample size that any conclusions drawn from it are just pigeon religion. I'm doing what has worked for me AND what the manufacturer of my vehicle recommends---leaving it alone.
 
Items like a transmission are a ship-to item usually, and yes, they do require contact with corporate to replace. Also, they sometimes want the old item back to analyze it for possible PiPs.
 
craigo said:
Do the dealers even keep transmissions in stock? I could see maybe a bigger one would, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's one-goes-out one-comes-in from a rebuilding depot - hence the need for authorizations.
Click to expand...

Replacement transmissions are new, not rebuilt.
 
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