Do You Need to Change Transmission Fluid in a Mazda?
Taking care of some of the simple and regular maintenance needs your vehicle requires can be a great idea for some, but when you have questions, it’s a good idea to consult the experts. That’s why many may be wondering the following question: do you need to change the transmission fluid in a Mazda? If you’re asking the same thing, we’ll explain what you need to know.
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How Often Do You Need to Change Your Mazda’s Transmission Fluid?
You probably know by now how often you should be changing the oil in your Mazda, but what about the transmission fluid? Well, there’s a good chance the answer is “never.”
Or, at least, almost never. If you purchased your Mazda new and it is equipped with SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY, it will have lifetime transmission fluid that only requires changing should a critical component or the whole transmission need to be replaced. If you have one of the newer models produced in the last few years, there’s a good chance it has SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY, but be sure to contact us if you’re unsure.
So, what do you do if your Mazda does not have SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY? Although there’s a good chance your transmission still won’t require regular maintenance, you’ll want to check the owner’s manual to be sure or get in touch with us/professional Mazda service technicians, as some Ford-sourced products like the Mazda Tribute (or other models) will actually require transmission fluid changes regularly. That said, if you’ve already done some inspecting and have noticed the fluid is dark, dirty or smells bad, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment to have it inspected.
Hopefully you now know if you need to change the transmission fluid in your Mazda, but if you’re still unsure or if you can’t find the information in your owner’s manual, just let us know. Don’t forget to check back to the Mazda of Lodi blog for more about life with your Mazda.
I have a 2014 Mazda 6. Great car ! Our local dealership here in Guam has been recommending to flush and change the transmission fluid since 50,000 miles. I just read your article and our vehicle is skyactiv technology. You mentioned lifetime fluid being used. Our Mazda was built in Japan and I am wondering if it would make any difference? Also, if it really needs to be done? Although the cost is $179 it’s not the cost. I ve had a couple bad experiences where we had car trans serviced and shortly after the trans went bad. In both cases there had been no previous problems. There’s presently been no issues with our Mazda 6…looking for a second option I guess. Thanks, Larry
If you plan on trying to get all the miles you possibly can out of your car and then it goes to the junk yard change the transmission fluid every 50-60K miles. I would not flush. Just have it extracted through the dipstick, and replace that amount. Drive it around a week and do it again. Repeat the process every 50-60K miles.
You might have to hunt for a shop that has the top quality device I am talking about. It is hooked up to a compressor.
Jim
what type of ATF does a 2001 2WD use? I live in Zambia and the only brands we have around here are Castrol transmission fluids
what type of Transmission fluid does a 2001 Mazda Tribute 2WD automatic transmission use?. How often do I have to change it?. please recommend a castrol fluid alternative as it is the only brand found In my area/country
I have 2016 mazda6. My mileage now is 45,000. Do I need to change my transmission oil now? LMK. Thank you!
I have cx9 2015 ( 60500 km ) only ،So far I have not changed the oil .. so advise me if I should change it or not .. thx
I mean oil gear
Lifetime transmission fluid in Skyactiv is a dangerous hoax. I have a 2014 Skyactiv 3 sGT and at 40k my dealer inspected and recommended a drain and replace (never a flush!). I looked at the fluid and it was darK and definitely not encouraging to think this is advertised as “lifetime” fluid. I asked my mechanic about that “lifetime fluid” thing and he laughed. Then he showed me an actual Mazda service document that showed transmission fluid SHOULD be drained and replaced every 50k in a Skyactiv vehicle. So Mazda says one thing in its marketing materials and you repeat that marketing line in this post, but I have seen a service manual advisory saying otherwise, and my dealer mechanic says you’d be nuts not to replace the fluid for 100k miles or more. “Lifetime” for Mazda appears to mean “lifetime of your powertrain warranty.” REPLACE YOUR TRANSMISSION FLUID EVERY 50k people. A new automatic transmission is gonna run you at least three grand.
greetings, I have a cx9 and my summary like many of you drain& fill every 40-60k miles! I really like my local firestone folks they did the service including the pennzoil cvt-2 flud for $105.00. this fluid is approved for all including mazda, nissan, honda, bmw& mercedes as well as all amercan made brands. I believe it is better than the mazda oem fluid.
I have a 2009 CX-7 with 103,000 miles on it. Do I need to change the transmission fluid and/or is a good idea to do it?
Don’t listen to this. Don’t listen to Mazda nor any other manufacturer about not changing “lifetime” transmission fluid.
Even if they call it “lifetime” it will not last more than 100K miles. This is what car manufactures consider to be the maximum lifetime of a car before someone trades it in. However, this does not mean you should change it every 100K miles. You should change it every 30K-50K miles (and change the transmission filter every other change) as PREVENTATIVE maintenance.
The only benefit of changing transmission fluid is preventative. If you wait until the oil is black and burnt or there is a mechanical failure, it’s too late and your transmission is already dying. You need to change it regularly to prevent sludge from killing your tranny.
Of course Mazda and the dealers don’t want you to change the oil and want the transmissions to eventually fail. It always means one of two things: The customer has to buy a new car (hopefully a Mazda from the dealer) or the customer has to pay for a new transmission and a hefty repair bill.
I bought a 2015 Mazda3 with 42K miles on it. While changing the oil, I decided to check the transmission fluid. The service manual states that the fluid should be clear with a blue tint. My fluid was definitely not clear. It was brown with about a 30% shade. It’s time for it to be changed. I’ll be soft-flushing it—only about 50% of the ATF oil is hanged with a drain, so you fill it, drive around a bit, drain again and fill, drive around a bit and do it once more. DO NOT let the dealer flush your transmission. They will use a vacuum pump and the pressure it creates can damage the delicate mechanicals of the transmission.
Hope this helps anyone considering buying a Mazda. Even if you have a service plan, you should be changing the ATF oil yourself, or taking it to a non-dealer mechanic to have them do so.
NO. At this mileage, you may have too much metal breakdown particles settled in various locations all over the inside of the transmission. Changing the oil will force then to recirculate and choke passageways which will kill the transmission in a short amount of time.
I have owned a Mazda Axela(3) 1.5 G SKYACTIV AT (transmission)
Now the odo is 56000 km .
When I have to change the transmission fluid?
Regards
Hi There,
I have a 2010 Mazda5, do I need to get the transmission fluid replaced or no? My mechanic says probably no but he doesn’t seem to be 100% sure on the issue.
David
The transmission fluid is lifetime! Lifetime of the warranty. If you want it to last long beyond that, drain/refill the fluid to clean it out!
I have a 2010 3 mazda and I am at 181,000 mile love the car second owner and never had no big big problems i see that it has the transmission stick so was blessed because i work on my own cars and since yesterday i smelt as well as the auto store some but not alot of burnt on the dip stick so i am going to start with dropping the transmission pan n changing the transmission fuild as well as the transmission oil hope all goes well right never know but great cars long lasting ill say lets see if i can get 300,000 mile out of it lol
I have a 2009 Mazda 3 131,000 miles 2 owner, love this car and want it to last, but no where does it say what kind of transmission fluid to use, any help? Also, should it even be changed, so many different comments, not sure and no I don’t have a drivers manual.
I have a 2015 Mazda CX-5 2.5L with SkyActiv system. My last service at 40,000 miles the Mazda service department recommends a transmission flush at 50,000 miles. The cost for the service is $250. The owners manual maintenance scheduler makes no mention of the transmission. Mazda online site says for Skyactiv vehicles, the transmission does not need service unless there is a failure of some sort. I’m leaning towards accepting Mazda’s recommendation because why would they recommend an action that will cost their dealers money. I mean Mazda built the vehicle and they should know. It’s not like their recommendation is pushing you towards a service that will make the dealers money,
Transmission fluid is an important part of transmission. It lubricates different parts of the transmission. But like other vital automotive fluids transmission fluid deteriorates with time. Transmission fluid is often red, but comes in other colors also. As it deteriorates, it tends to be turn darker. It also acquires a burned odor sometimes which indicates that it needs to be changed. To change the transmission fluid in your car, you need a certified auto repair shop and for this you may contact:
https://www.mastermechanicsauto.com/contact/.