Ford FNR5 Fluid

dmhudson91 · Oct 11, 2015

Hi,

Hoping you guys can help with the above. I did a search but didn't find any questions asked more recently.

I have a 2007 Ford Fusion S 2.3L with the FNR5 transmission. It only has 53k miles on it but all the miles are on the OEM fluid. The manual calls for 150k changes but it's starting to shift a little harder and is especially harsh kicking into or out of Reverse. Fluid color is the typical brown for this transmission and smells normal, no burnt smell or large metal pieces.

Can someone recommend a fluid other than the OEM for this? OEM is Ford FNR5 ATF or Mazda MV. Have heard that Valvoline MaxLife ATF works but haven't found anything concrete. I need about 9-10 quarts and don't want to spend $130 on fluid for this vehicle.

Thanks in advance!

simple_gifts · Oct 11, 2015

It appears some people use Castrol Import Multi Vehicle.

PDS

slacktide_bitog · Oct 11, 2015

Maxlife will work great

Brybo86 · Oct 11, 2015

Leo99 would say everything is fine don't change it.
Atf is lifetime fluid.

I would change it.

Since when is atf brown?

SatinSilver · Oct 11, 2015

MaxLife, Castrol whichever fluid you end up, do change it asap. Get some fresh red in there and OUT with the brown muck.

Maybe get some Lubeguard RED in there as well since you've noticed some bad shifting lately. Available on Amazon, Autozone etc.

Benito · Oct 11, 2015

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
It appears some people use Castrol Import Multi Vehicle.

PDS

Here's why I love the world of ATF.

Castrol's import multi vehicle ATF is Mercon V licensed. And they say it is recommended for Mazda's M-V spec.

Mazda actually say not to use Mercon V and that it is not interchangeable with their M-V spec.

bdcardinal · Oct 11, 2015

Originally Posted By: Benito
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
It appears some people use Castrol Import Multi Vehicle.

PDS

Here's why I love the world of ATF.

Castrol's import multi vehicle ATF is Mercon V licensed. And they say it is recommended for Mazda's M-V spec.

Mazda actually say not to use Mercon V and that it is not interchangeable with their M-V spec.

Ya it gets really confusing. We sold some Mercon V to a shop that called and asked just for that and didn't give an application. They then wanted us to pay for a transmission for the vehicle, turned out it was a Mazda 3 that called for M-V/FNR5 fluid. Mazda determined the wrong fluid was directly responsible for the failure. Luckily we wrote "no application given" on the invoice.

Benito · Oct 11, 2015

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Mazda determined the wrong fluid was directly responsible for the failure.

That is an invaluable data point!

Do you have any other stories of failure due to incorrect fluid uses?

MolaKule · Oct 11, 2015

Do a Google search for something like this:

http://www.motorcraft.com/servlet/BlobSe...&blobkey=id

bdcardinal · Oct 11, 2015

Originally Posted By: Benito
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Mazda determined the wrong fluid was directly responsible for the failure.

That is an invaluable data point!

Do you have any other stories of failure due to incorrect fluid uses?

We have replaced a few of the CVT units in the Five Hundred, Freestyle and their Mercury cousins due to Jiffy Lube and Sears using universal fluid. Sears used MaxLife when I worked there, not sure what Jiffy Lube uses. It is confusing because those cars either had a chain type CVT or a Aisin Warner box that used T-IV. You normally need to run the VIN to see what the vehicle has.

SatinSilver · Oct 11, 2015

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
or a Aisin Warner box that used T-IV. You normally need to run the VIN to see what the vehicle has.

Any issues with the Aisin units that you recall?

bdcardinal · Oct 11, 2015

Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
or a Aisin Warner box that used T-IV. You normally need to run the VIN to see what the vehicle has.

Any issues with the Aisin units that you recall?

There is a control module that will go bad along with something internal to the valve body. Both are super expensive, well compared to anything in a 4R70W.

MolaKule · Oct 11, 2015

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal

You normally need to run the VIN to see what the vehicle has.

And that is the definitive way to do it!

Greasymechtech · Oct 11, 2015

Any of the multi-vehicle import universal ATFs, that mentions Mazda/Ford MV/M5/FNR5/XT9qmM5 can be used. I do recommend synthetic but the blends work excellent.

Most licensed Mercon-V are not JASO capable/certified.

anl0109 · Oct 11, 2015

Based on my research, ATF's that are recommended for M-V (aka Type M5) will work for FNR5. So Castrol Transmax Import Multi-Vehicle and Valvoline Synthetic Import ATF's should work for you.

I do wonder how one bottle of multi-vehicle ATF can be used for so many applications.

bdcardinal · Oct 11, 2015

The Mazda MV fluid, not Mercon V, and FNR5 fluid are the same fluid. Just like T-IV and Mobil 3309 is the same fluid.

Benito · Oct 11, 2015

It's interesting that Castrol specifically state Mazda compatibility for their import multi vehicle atf, while Valvoline do not for any of their products.

anl0109 · Oct 11, 2015

Originally Posted By: Benito
It's interesting that Castrol specifically state Mazda compatibility for their import multi vehicle atf, while Valvoline do not for any of their products.

Valvoline did when I spoke to a product support type rep on the phone a month or so ago. Also see here:
http://www.carquestprofessionals.com/cat...e%206.10.13.pdf

It's true that I have not seen mention of M-V in any of their PDS's.

Benito · Oct 11, 2015

Originally Posted By: anl0109
Originally Posted By: Benito
It's interesting that Castrol specifically state Mazda compatibility for their import multi vehicle atf, while Valvoline do not for any of their products.

Valvoline did when I spoke to a product support type rep on the phone a month or so ago. Also see here:
http://www.carquestprofessionals.com/cat...e%206.10.13.pdf

It's true that I have not seen mention of M-V in any of their PDS's.

So they recommend Maxlife for Ford's with FNR5.

Funnily enough, they allow Mercon V as well as Maxlife for Mazda's spec'd for Mazda M-V fluid.

Did they recommend the import multi vehicle fluid when you spoke to them?

anl0109 · Oct 11, 2015

Originally Posted By: Benito
So they recommend Maxlife for Ford's with FNR5.

Funnily enough, they allow Mercon V as well as Maxlife for Mazda's spec'd for Mazda M-V fluid.

Did they recommend the import multi vehicle fluid when you spoke to them?

Agree that it's odd they have Mercon V next to MaxLife for cars such as Mazda5 and Mazda3. Oh and I asked Valvoline specifically regarding 2nd gen Mazda5 (non-skyactiv 5 speed auto that is asking for M-V or Type M5 fluid). Mine's a '14MY. The answer was Valvoline MaxLife Full Synthetic ATF. Not sure how different it is from Valvloline MaxLife Dex/Merc in red bottle... but pretty sure they are not one and the same. I believe Walmart sells quart bottles of the full synthetic ATF (red bottle lie most of the MaxLife line) for $5 before taxes and rollbacks. I don't think it's offered in jugs unlike Dex/Merc.

Ford FNR5 Fluid

Similar threads