2016 CX-9 Automatic Transmission Fliud Replace?

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2016 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD
Coming up on 30,000 miles on my 2016 CX-9. In the manual and on the Mazda website states that the automatic transmission fluid does not need to be replaced and that it is a sealed system. Anyone have any experience in taking your 2016+ CX-9 to the dealer for ATF drain and fill?
 
Modern fluids are designed for a long life, certainly much longer than the fluids in the past. Unless you work it very hard (max loads, maybe towing, fast steep hills in hot weather) I'd plan on a 100,000 mile full replacement plan. On the other hand, a partial replacement with a drain & refill every 30k is never a bad idea. When they say sealed, it usually means no dipstick. It always needs a vent to allow air to move in and out as the fluid and metal heats and expands and cools and contracts in normal usage.

If you really want to do something nice for your transmission, put a filter on it in the hot oil line leading to the cooler.*
https://magnefinefilters.com/main.sc

*We're often told to use these in the cool line exiting the cooler. Filters are very often used after a transmission fails. Lots of metallic bits are carried to the cooler and held there. The filter after the cooler, in this case, catches these bits before the return to the new transmission. On a transmission that hasn't yet failed putting the filter in the hot line lets it clean the hot, thin oil that filters better.
 
My brother has a Scion FRS. His automatic transmission is vacuum sealed. Not only can you not check the fluid, you have to have special equipment to service it.
 
I had the dealer perform the transmission drain and fill on my 2016 CX-9 this weekend. Cost was $120 (4 quarts of ATF for $68.48 and $51.52 in labor).
 
Good to know the pricing but may I ask why? In your original post you said the manual didn't call for any tranny service yet you went ahead with it. Any specific reason behind this at 30k?
 
Good to know the pricing but may I ask why? In your original post you said the manual didn't call for any tranny service yet you went ahead with it. Any specific reason behind this at 30k?

Because of this -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o690DovjDAc

I am going to do this same thing at 60k. 30k just seems a bit early. In my opinion, Mazda's for life fluid means until warranty expires.
 
I had the dealer perform the transmission drain and fill on my 2016 CX-9 this weekend. Cost was $120 (4 quarts of ATF for $68.48 and $51.52 in labor).

SCJ79-Did you learn anything from the dealer about how they perform the drain and fill procedure? Is there a drain plug? Or did they use the transmission cooler lines to perform this?

I agree with you about more frequent, less invasive drain and fill procedures rather than waiting longer and performing a full flush.

Please post again if you have any additional information.

Thanks.
 
You could get the ATF and do it yourself. Shouldn't be all that difficult. Access to the transmission dipstick is obscured by the engine air filter housing and I think the air filter housing needs to be removed first before accessing the transmission fill plug/dipstick.

What I plan to do is use an oil extractor to suck out all the ATF in the transmission pan via the dip stick and fill in an equal amount of fresh fluid. This is what I've been doing on other vehicles. You don't have to go under the vehicle or remove the transmission drain plug this way.
 
It is essential for the longest life of any machinery, including our cars, to keep all fluids in very good condition. Engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, gear oil, (where used, power steering fluid), coolant.

The video is pretty good. I give him a B. A much better way to test the transmission fluid, if you can extract 4 ounces, is a lab analysis.
https://www.blackstone-labs.com/engine-types/transmission/

His description of the types of fluid way missed the mark. There is little to no relationship between the specs for the type of fluid and the base of the oil. Conventional or synthetic bears no relationship to the type of fluid: MerconV, Dexron VI, Mazda's requirement for our cars. Then, there are the "universal" fluids that come close but may exactly meet no spec, or maybe do meet some specs and come close to others. Not to mention the transmission fluid supplements said to convert one fluid to meet the spec of another fluid--LubeGard is an example. Some modern fluids have such a high performance spec that only a synthetic or syn blend base oil can meet the spec, but there's much more to it than that. So...either use a fluid labeled to exactly meet or exceed the spec, or use a fluid from a trusted maker that "is suitable for" the spec knowing that it doesn't exactly qualify.

Some shops use an exchange machine where one chamber contains the new fluid and the other chamber is empty. The machine is connected to the transmission cooling hoses. Running the engine causes the transmission to pump the fluid through the hose filling the empty chamber where a diaphragm pushes the new fluid through the return hose and into the transmission. The concern is whether the new fluid chamber is clean of a non-spec fluid (a bit won't hurt), or even if they use the spec fluid at all, not just a standard fluid plus a supplement. A shop without the machine may just disconnect one hose and put a bucket under it. Run the engine and pump a couple of quarts of fluid, clamp the hose with vicegrips, add a couple of quarts into the fill hole, pump more, add more, until a case of fluid has been used. I wouldn't do it this way. Starting and stopping the engine is a pain, but it works well. No, you can't suck the new fluid in...there is no internal pump pulling the fluid back to the transmission.
 
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I did not specifically ask what the procedure was when they did the drain and fill.
 
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