2008 CX 9 AWD with 103,000 miles on it. Never had a problem

[Cory2]

Well I received the car with 100,000 miles on it from my mom, and all that's been done to it is oil changes every 5k and new rotors on front. I know for a fact this vehicle never had a recommended service other then the oil changes! The transmission works fine, breaks work fine, seems that the car doesn't over heat. All that said I want to start getting some of the long over do service done to this 9! I have read so many forums and recommendations about transmission drain and fill as opposed to flush and fill that my head is spinning. I try looking for trans pan gasket at dealerships and they recommend flush and fill until I explain its got over 100k, then they say just leave it and keep on going, so i just walked away and need to get in touch with some owners who have an educated idea of what I should do here! Please HELP ME(cryhard)

Transmission never serviced:
Radiator never serviced:
Rear differential never serviced:
Brake fluid never serviced unless with the change of rotors and pads:
Yeah I'm not mechanicly inclined here so please be gentle

 

[max75]

Just read the owners manual, they list what needs to be done and when, fallow that, have the dealer do it, it will be spendy, but hey, its worth it and then you'll have the service records and stamps in your records tyat show you have continued where your mom left off, then, just get the oil changes from now on whereever. Hope mine goes another 90 some odd thousand miles with only a break job, treat it right, it could be good for another 100 grand with only a break job.

 

[ceric]

Cory2,
My advices are:
1. drain and refill transmission ASAP, and do it a couple times after driving it around. (do not flush it)
otherwise, the clock is ticking...
2. change fluid of the differential (it is over-due, way overdue. Should be 28K for short-drives. Anyway you look at it, 100K is way over due.)
3. Brake fluid and coolant are OK as long as no signs of problems showing. You can replace them if you have extra money to spend

For 2, dealer can do it (around $128). For 1, dealer probably won't do it if it has never been done to it.
Find some indie shop that is willing.
Just my two cents opinions....

 

[Cory2]

Thanks for the info ceric!! I see you have given much advice throughout the forum threads I have read. I just need a little peace of mind as I begin starting to begin my attempt to get the ball rolling. I have not yet found a transmission pan gasket yet online or thru a dealership. I have been told that there is a tube that is spread around it to seal it back up, is this true ceric? I ask this cause I would like to get the strainer either cleaned or replaced. Then I will proceed to start on the rest of the lack of maintained service. Also I am worried that since the trans fluid is synthetic and now quite a bit thicker then what it should be, is there a trans fluid more suited to lessen the possibilities of trans problems that could occur? Again I appreciate all the advice possible that will help me thru this ordeal!

 

[ceric]

My transmission fluid has been flushed three times (30K/45K/60K), all at a dealership.
I believe they have a kit for the fluid change. I posted the number in another thread. Please search for it.

 

[10Molavi]

Thanks for the info ceric!! I see you have given much advice throughout the forum threads I have read. I just need a little peace of mind as I begin starting to begin my attempt to get the ball rolling. I have not yet found a transmission pan gasket yet online or thru a dealership. I have been told that there is a tube that is spread around it to seal it back up, is this true ceric? I ask this cause I would like to get the strainer either cleaned or replaced. Then I will proceed to start on the rest of the lack of maintained service. Also I am worried that since the trans fluid is synthetic and now quite a bit thicker then what it should be, is there a trans fluid more suited to lessen the possibilities of trans problems that could occur? Again I appreciate all the advice possible that will help me thru this ordeal!

If your 2008 transmission is like my 2010 (which I believe it should be), you can not get access to the strainer without taking the whole thing apart. There is no pan gasket to change either.

There is a 10 mm hex drain bolt with a crush washer. You open it, get 3+ qts of fluid out and then close it, re-torque it and refill with new transmission fluid. You can drive around and repeat 2 more times to get most of the fluid changed. I used the Toyota T IV fluid and also got the crush washer for my Camry's transmission, both much cheaper from my Toyota dealer than the Mazda (Mazda did not have the crush washer in stock). I have reused the washer twice without any leak, but your call on this one.

 

[kornholio]

Is the camry crush washer the exact same size? if so can you share the part number with us and the cost. The mazda one is 7 bucks just for the washer.

 

[10Molavi]

Is the camry crush washer the exact same size? if so can you share the part number with us and the cost. The mazda one is 7 bucks just for the washer.

It is the exact same size and it is ~$2 at my dealer, they usually have a 15% off coupon online that you print. Unfortunately I do not have the part number, but you can ask for the washer for a 2005 Toyota Camry 4 cylinder with the 5 speed automatic transmission, US built. If the part counter guy is not a J***, he will get it for you. That is all the info I provide at my dealership anyway.

 

[Veilside1]

IMHO first thing to do is check the state of your spare tire. It probably hasn't been touched in 5 years. Make sure it's properly inflated and in working order.


Then as others have suggested:

1. Tranny drain and fill X3 will get you probably about 90% new fluid in the tranny. Do this over the course of a few weeks. As for fluid, Mobil 3309 or compatible is the recommendation from Mazda. The OE fluid is not synthetic. You can use Toyota T4 fluid, or do as i did and buy 3309 from amazon shipped to your door for essentially what you'll pay for T4 from a local stealership. I'm still under warranty so i've got to follow the rules. When the warranty is up i intend on using Valvoline Import ATF with the appropriate spec which is a synthetic fluid.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Not sure why folks here stress so much about crush washers, can honestly say i've never bought a new crush washer for any of the vehicles i've owned. Just don't torque the hell out of the bolt and reuse the washer, nuff said.

If as you say you are not mechanically inclined, i would not attempt to replace the pan gasket. The factory gasket is a form in place gasket, ie material squeezed out of a tube and evenly distributed onto the mating surfaces then clamped in place. Not something a novice should be attempting especially since the pan on this tranny is in vertical orientation and not horizontal.

Rockauto sells a rubber gasket and strainer kit if you're interested for about $20.

2. Drain and fill Coolant. Use OE coolant. This is the only time i will use OE fluid. I don't want a chemistry experiment in my cooling system.

3. Brake fluid refresh can probably wait for a bit. But it does need to be done. Buy a big bottle from the auto parts store. Turkey Baster the reservoir almost dry being careful not to get the level low enough to get air in the system. Fill with new fluid. Flush until fluid runs clear starting with wheel furthest from master cylinder to closest.

4. Rear differential fluid drain and fill.

Happy motoring

 

[ceric]

Keep in mind that modern coolant also serves as lubricant for water pump.
Using alternatives w/o lubricating ingredients might shorten life span of your water pump.
This was the case w/ BMW, not sure about Mazda, but I will assume so.

 

[Cory2]

Thanks for the heads up on some much needed work to be done! I did 2 drain and fills on transmission and my mechanically inclined brother in law is helping me take the pan off and we will attempt to clean the existing strainer unless there is a good reason not to. next week we are draining the old coolant and filling up. brake fluid will be done when replacing the brake pads and calipers. But so far we have the old black trans fluid most the way gone now looking red, which makes me happy since there has been no slipping in the gears! I haven't even thought much about the rear differential but will have to get started on this as well.

 

[ceric]

Differential schedule is 28K for heavy use.
I would assume it is time to change no matter how your mom used it.
It is over-due.

 

[Cory2]

IMHO first thing to do is check the state of your spare tire. It probably hasn't been touched in 5 years. Make sure it's properly inflated and in working order.


Then as others have suggested:

1. Tranny drain and fill X3 will get you probably about 90% new fluid in the tranny. Do this over the course of a few weeks. As for fluid, Mobil 3309 or compatible is the recommendation from Mazda. The OE fluid is not synthetic. You can use Toyota T4 fluid, or do as i did and buy 3309 from amazon shipped to your door for essentially what you'll pay for T4 from a local stealership. I'm still under warranty so i've got to follow the rules. When the warranty is up i intend on using Valvoline Import ATF with the appropriate spec which is a synthetic fluid.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Not sure why folks here stress so much about crush washers, can honestly say i've never bought a new crush washer for any of the vehicles i've owned. Just don't torque the hell out of the bolt and reuse the washer, nuff said.

If as you say you are not mechanically inclined, i would not attempt to replace the pan gasket. The factory gasket is a form in place gasket, ie material squeezed out of a tube and evenly distributed onto the mating surfaces then clamped in place. Not something a novice should be attempting especially since the pan on this tranny is in vertical orientation and not horizontal.

Rockauto sells a rubber gasket and strainer kit if you're interested for about $20.

2. Drain and fill Coolant. Use OE coolant. This is the only time i will use OE fluid. I don't want a chemistry experiment in my cooling system.

3. Brake fluid refresh can probably wait for a bit. But it does need to be done. Buy a big bottle from the auto parts store. Turkey Baster the reservoir almost dry being careful not to get the level low enough to get air in the system. Fill with new fluid. Flush until fluid runs clear starting with wheel furthest from master cylinder to closest.

4. Rear differential fluid drain and fill.

Happy motoring

 

[Cory2]

As I started looking into the drain and fill on rear differential I noticed the mount bushings are starting to tear! Any idea where I could buy these at a lesser rate then the dealership at about $50 per? I noticed there is four of them bad. I figured I should replace them at the same time as I replace the fluid!

 

[table5511]

www.rockauto.com
http://www.jimellismazdaparts.com/
ebay

cheers

 

[table5511]

Well that kind of mileage is usually end of life for a regular passenger auto trans. If you dont have any problems I wouldn't do anything. I dunno. By the way if you look under the hood do you have any significant oil leak on the left side of the motor between the heads above the belt near the motor mount? I've got something going on there with only 66k miles. Looks like either some round fluid pipe or a head gasket maybe. Not cool.

 

[Bgallodoro24]

my cx9 has 240k miles on it and i havent changed trans fluid yet. Runs like a dream. Im contemplating doing a drain and refill but am afraid of messing up trans. Right now it runs great. Trans oil isnt red but isnt burnt either.