mazda 5 atf change

08mazda5owner

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2008 mazda 5
hi all,

new to Mazda, just purchased an 08 model with 120k miles on it. I looked at the online owner's manual, it doesn't say when to change the atf fluid but the it looks pretty dark so I think it's a good idea to do a drain and fill.

Is the procedure pretty standard like other make/model? where's the drain plug located? I've done it on my Pathfinder and CRV. Okay to use the Castrol Transmax Import Multi-Vehicle or Valvoline MaxLife Multi-Vehicle?

thanks.
 
Report back how it went for you. Hopefully this isn't the first change for it. Since it's really dark, do it 3X, then do it 1X at regular intervals of your choosing. I just do mine every fall cause it's easy to remember that way. Which equates to about every 15k. Takes 3.5 qts, Valvoline Maxlife, under $20 total each time when bought from wally world.
 
Report back how it went for you. Hopefully this isn't the first change for it. Since it's really dark, do it 3X, then do it 1X at regular intervals of your choosing. I just do mine every fall cause it's easy to remember that way. Which equates to about every 15k. Takes 3.5 qts, Valvoline Maxlife, under $20 total each time when bought from wally world.

planning to do it sometime this week. Will let you guys know how it went. gonna change the transmission filter as well, already bought one from Oreilly for $14.
btw, looked thru all the maintanence records I got from the original owner, looks like one drain and fill was done about 20k ago by the dealer, seems that was the only time it was done.
 
Report back how it went for you. Hopefully this isn't the first change for it. Since it's really dark, do it 3X, then do it 1X at regular intervals of your choosing. I just do mine every fall cause it's easy to remember that way. Which equates to about every 15k. Takes 3.5 qts, Valvoline Maxlife, under $20 total each time when bought from wally world.

did a drain and fill today. it was pretty straight forward. remove bottom plastic guard, remove hex bolt, drain and fill. only gotcha is that I dumped the new fluid too fast and it overspilled a little.

the new fluid still looks kind of dark (after about 20 min of driving) while not nearly as bad as before, is this because of the large amount remained behind. I assume it'll get better after 2nd and 3rd change?

picture is color after today's change. mz5-atf-after1x.jpg
 
did a drain and fill today. it was pretty straight forward. remove bottom plastic guard, remove hex bolt, drain and fill. only gotcha is that I dumped the new fluid too fast and it overspilled a little.

the new fluid still looks kind of dark (after about 20 min of driving) while not nearly as bad as before, is this because of the large amount remained behind. I assume it'll get better after 2nd and 3rd change?

picture is color after today's change.View attachment 216416

Did D&F the other day also. Same issue -- spilled some. Gotta be very slow not to spill!

How much fluid did you get out? My guess is 3.5 qts which has been my experience. I believe full capacity is about 8.5 qts so it takes several D&F's to get most of the old fluid out.
 
Did D&F the other day also. Same issue -- spilled some. Gotta be very slow not to spill!

How much fluid did you get out? My guess is 3.5 qts which has been my experience. I believe full capacity is about 8.5 qts so it takes several D&F's to get most of the old fluid out.

yeah, about 3.5 quarts came out. but I only had to put back just a little over 3 quarts to get to midpoint between high and low on the dipstick.
 
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