Transcript of a conversation with Mazda regarding "recommended" vs "required" oil viscosity

[ARCOgraphite]

have you considered the possibility that kimberly was not in fact a person at all?

Funny earlier this year, I was watching a tutorial on S.S. benefits, and it took me almost three minutes into the video to figure out this was an AI bot - not a real person ... and the video is only one min long, lol

similar video -

 

[racer12306]

I was joking, I know I could but I was being a little facetious by going as far from 0W20 as I could.

That would be SAE 70wt from Red Line, Lucas or HPL

 

[MSCH]

Thanks for the feedback, all. My goal was to get a definitive statement but dealing with a call center employee that was probably googling the exact questions I asked means that wasn’t feasible.

they are not going to deviate from the corporate line.

 

[facility1]

run Amsoil oem 0w-20,then after warranty is up then ss 0w-30 with good filter

 

[Urshurak776]

Just picked up my wifes CX-5 weekend before last. Here is what's in owners manual:

 

[tolian21]

Just use 5w-30, all this warranty fears are just paranoia, dont be afraid

 

[cammyfive79]

Just picked up my wifes CX-5 weekend before last. Here is what's in owners manual:

Yep, pretty much identical to the pages in my Mazda 3. Same engines.

 

[cammyfive79]

Just use 5w-30, all this warranty fears are just paranoia, dont be afraid

5W30 in the CX-90 as it's an inline-6 turbo so prepping for fuel consumption and 0W20 in my 3 as it's a naturally aspirated four cylinder.

 

[cammyfive79]

they are not going to deviate from the corporate line.

Or what google said. Haha.

 

[The Critic]

Nothing communicated in the chat is contractually binding, so this is the example of a pointless exercise.

 

[cammyfive79]

Nothing communicated in the chat is contractually binding, so this is the example of a pointless exercise.

Lol. Your outlook on life is unmatched here.

 

[cammyfive79]

Funny earlier this year, I was watching a tutorial on S.S. benefits, and it took me almost three minutes into the video to figure out this was an AI bot - not a real person ... and the video is only one min long, lol

similar video -

There were a few grammatical errors and "she" lacked the normal overly helpful nature of some AI so I tend to thing it is an actual human....that was just reading the cue cards or google'ing.

 

[The Critic]

Lol. Your outlook on life is unmatched here.

Well, what was the takeaway from this chat? They essentially told you to refer back to your owner's manual.

Even on the off-chance that the CSR said something contrary to the owner's manual, good luck with using that as ammunition if the field service engineer or tech line declines your warranty claim.

 

[Oliveoil2]

This is like asking a blind guy how he liked the silent movie.

 

[cammyfive79]

Well, what was the takeaway from this chat? They essentially told you to refer back to your owner's manual.

Even on the off-chance that the CSR said something contrary to the owner's manual, good luck with using that as ammunition if the field service engineer or tech line declines your warranty claim.

Yes, the outcome was a CSR regurgitating from a flow chart on how to handle a question and maybe googling or looking something about on the Mazda intra-web - that was one of 2 outcomes I expected and just confirms that Mazda is vague enough to allow some leniency in what lube you run; unlike a Euro OEM that states use must use X viscosity that meets approvals X,Y,Z. The other outcome I expected was saying something along the lines of "you can run a different viscosity as long as it meets A, B, C". I'm fine with the answer I got as it merely confirms what I and probably you thought. It took a few minutes out of my day and I hope this post can answer this very question to some lurker in the future so they don't have to ask if anyone has attempted to contact the manufacturer.

 

[Urshurak776]

I mean, I don't think there would be any issue using 5W-30 in my wifes car. Non turbo, with "recommended" 0W-20. Especially as warm as it is in South Carolina most of the year. If I did have an oil related issue with the engine, I seriously doubt it would have anything to do with the viscocity of the oil. Isn't the identical same engine in Mexico spec'd for 5W-30? No way using 5W-30 could void a warranty. If it would, it would have to say it in manual. Just says recommended for best fuel economy.

The real question is, would It be advantageous for me to use a 5W-30? I don't know........

 

[cammyfive79]

I mean, I don't think there would be any issue using 5W-30 in my wifes car. Non turbo, with "recommended" 0W-20. Especially as warm as it is in South Carolina most of the year. If I did have an oil related issue with the engine, I seriously doubt it would have anything to do with the viscocity of the oil. Isn't the identical same engine in Mexico spec'd for 5W-30? No way using 5W-30 could void a warranty. If it would, it would have to say it in manual. Just says recommended for best fuel economy.

The real question is, would It be advantageous for me to use a 5W-30? I don't know........

That’s pretty much the conclusion I reached as well. I think 5W30 is recommended for the turbo because of fuel dilution and other factors. The non-turbo has been around long enough that I’m sure every reasonable viscosity has been run in one at some point. As far as why you would to run 5w30 in the non-turbo…..because in some/many ways of thinking a 0W20 is too thin and only used for CAFE purposes.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Look-up all the actual warranty documentation from Mazda for that model year vehicle. It's most likely on Mazda's website. Does it say anything in the detailed warranty documentation that using non-recommended fluids will void the warranty? If not, then it's just a "Recommendation" as said in the owner's manual.

 

[priler]

I service a 2014 CX-5 and the manual is still exactly the same as the others here, literally. It used to get 0W-20 until i advised different, now it gets 5W-30. I'm currently thinking, for next time, possibly switching brand and use Valvoline European XL-III. I don't think it necessarily needs API SP but all of those approvals ( especially MB 229.51 ) really has me thinking. The only difference from before are comments like "wow, it runs smoother and quieter now." Please note that, i'm not saying you'll note this too if you do the same. also, no difference in MPG have been noted and i've asked. We're in FL.

The most interesting part to me is that you can see in the manual the API SM under the 5W-30, not SP.

 

[DuckRyder]

All of these sorts of exercises are pointless for the most part for several reasons.

Not the lest of which is that outside of a few known problem children the chances of you having an engine failure in a new car are very small, the chances its related to oil even smaller...

Another big factor is that people don't know the question to ask as i already pointed out... a manufacturer of dealer can say unequivocally that using 20/50 wont void your warranty because it wont. A denial of coverage does not void the contract.

People see MMWA as some sort of Kryptonite and it isn't, in addition to the fact it isn't kryptonite how are you going to enforce it? Unless you're a bored lawyer looking to do a bunch of pro bono work for yourself it is a losing proposition.

What you need to be asking your self it at what point the burden of proof shifts to you and what the payoff is for the risk.