Mazda dealer refused to change transmission fluid

[penz08]

Good day,

Following my previous post, I went to the Mazda dealer for the occasional hard downshift/upshift, and they absolutely refuse to change the transmission fluid, I have an automatic. They claim its lifetime and thats the end of it, no drain and fill, no flush, nothing. They claim if they drain it and put new fluid in, it will block small passages and ruin the transmission.

So, a young mechanic came back from the shop and told me, since its intermittent and occasional, to just unplug the battery and let it sit overnight and plug it back in the morning so the ECU can reset itself. I did that and I don't see much change in the behavior of the transmission.

There is no code, no lights in the dashboard. My car is a 2018 Mazda 3 sedan six speed automatic with the 2.0L engine, with around 126 000 km on the car, bought it new. All the millage is 70% highway and the rest is city driving. I am a spirited driver on occasion, but I mostly drive to work with the car on a daily.

What should I do now? Should I find another shop that would at least drain the pan and fill it up with new fluid? I don't know what to do.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Doc8404]

Go to a transmission shop.
Have the conversation with them.

 

[MRC01]

Given the dates you mentioned, sounds like it's just out of warranty? If so, @Doc8404 has good advice.
If you're a spirited driver, get a stick shift. It's more fun and you won't have this problem

 

[penz08]

Given the dates you mentioned, sounds like it's just out of warranty? If so, @Doc8404 has good advice.
If you're a spirited driver, get a stick shift. It's more fun and you won't have this problem

I bought it in 2019, so technically, its only 3.5 years old and I have powertrain warrant till February 2024

 

[sparky123]

If you're not able, by all means find a shop willing to do this vital service. Just wow for this dealer! Call a few other Mazda dealers in your area and ask. You're a due for new fluid at least. (New strainer and pan/magnets cleaned would even be better.)

 

[JeffKeryk]

Get your Mazda transmission serviced.

 

[MRC01]

I bought it in 2019, so technically, its only 3.5 years old and I have powertrain warrant till February 2024

And these occasional hard up/down shifts are something new that it didn't do before? Have you changed anything about your driving? Or the car?

 

[JMJNet]

Go to another stealership?

 

[Wrenchturner44]

Penz, The good news is I don't believe Mazda has ever used a CVT in one of their cars. I would ask the greater BITOG membership to keep me honest on this psuedo fact. I agree with others. Get the transmission serviced at either another dealer or reputable independent transmission shop.

 

[FordMan59]

I'd either take it to another shop or do it myself. When I planned to change the CVT fluid/filters in my '16 Nissan Versa at 30K miles I spoke to the dealer about it and they told me they would change the fluid but they never change the filters. I ordered the fluid/filters online and did it myself.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

They don't want to do it because they're afraid the bolt will strip out due to being rusty

No really though, there is a shop somewhere that is willing to change the ATF for you

 

[CKN]

I'd either take it to another shop or do it myself. When I planned to change the CVT fluid/filters in my '16 Nissan Versa at 30K miles I spoke to the dealer about it and they told me they would change the fluid but they never change the filters. I ordered the fluid/filters online and did it myself.

That's because in a normal (i.e. healthy) transmission it's not needed. Transmission filter changes are a "money flush" - nothing else-IMHO.

 

[Wrenchturner44]

That's because in a normal (i.e. healthy) transmission it's not needed. Transmission filter changes are a "money flush" - nothing else-IMHO.

I respect your opinion, but I have to disagree after seeing many a transmission disassembled where torque converter clutches were damaged due to contaminated fluid. The converter's life seems to affected more by dirty fluid than the transmission components themselves.

 

[CKN]

I respect your opinion, but I have to disagree after seeing many a transmission disassembled where torque converter clutches were damaged due to contaminated fluid. The converter's life seems to affected more by dirty fluid than the transmission components themselves.

How many miles on this contaminated fluid? Are we talking transmissions with the new generation of synthetic fluids? OR-the stuff of 50 years ago? Are we talking transmissions that are known to have problems? I doubt you are seeing failed transmissions that have had fluid changes every 30,000 or even 50,000 miles.

 

[measureman]

If Mazda says not to drain the fluid and the dealer does it and the trans fails would the dealer be liable for it?

 

[Wrenchturner44]

Depends on the vehicle. I have scene some converters fail at 70k, with dirty fluid......others fail at over a 100k. The issue is that a lot of the newer units do not have a dipstick to check the fluid so you really cannot tell it's condition until you drain it. It's kind of like going to the Dr. and telling them that you don't have a high cholesterol problem without having your blood checked.

 

[FordMan59]

That's because in a normal (i.e. healthy) transmission it's not needed. Transmission filter changes are a "money flush" - nothing else-IMHO.

With Nissan's track record on CVT's I think ~$15 to change both filters was pretty cheap insurance. It also gave me the chance to see how much metallic material was on the pan magnets and clean them.

 

[penz08]

And these occasional hard up/down shifts are something new that it didn't do before? Have you changed anything about your driving? Or the car?

No nothing, just oil changes regularly, cabin and engine air filter, thats about it, spark plugs at 120 000 km were done too.

 

[bdcardinal]

Why won't they change it? We do it all the time. Its just 4 quarts of FZ. I stock tons of the stuff.

 

[Wrenchturner44]

I rest my case about converters going bad.