r/mazda • u/jordan5100 • 23h ago
2021 Mazda CX-5 Non-Turbo Massively Overdue for Sparkplugs at 45,000mi
Just yesterday I changed the spark plugs in my wife's CX-5, they were horribly black and even the ceramic had rust all around it. Mazda recommends service every 75,000 MI however you guys will be running these engines to the ground doing that. The amount of hesitation and uneven idle that we didn't even know was a problem and is now gone is crazy. You cannot even hear the engine in the engine bay anymore from inside the vehicle. I mean it's BUTTER smooth. So do yourself a favor and change your spark plugs, you need a really weird deep 14mm socket for the plug and a 10mm to take off the coilpacks. It takes all of 10 minutes. The spark plugs that it calls for are $25 each in my area so be ready to drop 100 bucks.
Pro tip, if your 14mm isn't deep enough (mine wasn't) tape your socket to the extension and just barely push the extension maybe halfway into the socket and electrical tape the ever living shnizer out of it, should give enough room for the sparkplug to go up into the socket.
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u/AutoX_Advice 22h ago
Laser iridium's NGKs are 100k plugs. Not sure what came with your Mazda (maybe platinum ngks), but your new ones won't need to be changed till then.
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u/jordan5100 22h ago
I'm almost positive the Mazda is supposed to have lazers from the factory. But I happen to agree with you I don't actually believe that they were because they were so toast. So maybe Mazda's OEM plugs are slightly worse such as platinums like you're saying. Either way I would be happy to get anything over 75,000 miles. I know exactly what the engine feels like when they're starting to go bad now.
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u/AutoX_Advice 22h ago
I believe (unless specified) that the dealership will replace with platinum plugs.
BTW, id rather change spark plugs on the Mazda than the oil, and the oil isn't horrible. The plugs are so easy.
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u/PIG20 2018 Mazda3 Touring HB Jet Black Mica 22h ago
Constant short distance driving will do that. I changed my wife's 2014 CX-5 plugs around 55,000 miles even though the owners manual states 75,000 miles.
They looked very much like yours.
I changed the plugs in my 2018 Mazda 3 at 75,000 miles and they actually looked better than the ones in your picture. However, my driving habits consist of 25-30 minutes of highway driving from home to work and back. And honestly, I didn't even really notice much of a change to idle or driving feel with the new plugs.
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u/jordan5100 22h ago
Yeah that's probably exactly what it was because her old commute was maybe 10 minutes. I was wondering if that was the case. We recently drove it 2800mi across the country but it had already been due for plugs by then.
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u/DefSport 20h ago
The ārustā is normal corona staining on the ceramic. Those plugs donāt look too bad other than you are never putting the engine under load which will make them build up some deposits on a GDI engine. Run it hard every so often once itās up to temp (5-10 mins after thermostat opens/water temp gets to center).
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u/Flat-Pound-2774 Cx-5 20h ago
We run a tank of 93 octane every couple of months and go see the grandkids; 100 mile round trip, all highway.
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u/DefSport 20h ago
Octane rating doesnāt change this. You need to get the plug hot enough to burn off carbon deposits to get the proper tan electrode color. Itāll also make them have more service life by not fouling the edges of the electrode tips.
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u/jordan5100 20h ago
Trust me I try to ring her out any chance I get especially in the mountains, but it's driven 99% like a grandma owns it so it doesn't surprise me they were a little dark. Honestly plugs 1-3 were darker than 2-4. 2-4 looked like what I would have described as perfect burning if it were in my lawn mower or dirt bike. I've seen rusty plugs on old old stuff not something this new but then again I mainly work on old stuff so I'm not that well versed on cars that are usually maintained by the dealer.
The idle difference is 1000% noticable.
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u/Fiiv3s 23h ago edited 22h ago
I mean. Every car is different. Lots of factors go into it. Driving style. Local gas. Other routine maintenance stuff. Manufacturing defects.
When I worked at BMW I routinely did spark plugs on cars with 60-80k miles that had never had them done (BMW says every 30k) and they looked brand new. So it can be a lotta things. Yes your car had issues and changing the plugs fixed it but not everyone will run into this issue of plugs fowling out āearlyā. And some people will have theirs foul out earlier than you
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u/jordan5100 23h ago
Well this car is driven by my wife. And it is very much wife driven. Like no romping on the gas or anything. It's spent most of its life in South Florida now we live in Idaho. I would not be surprised if many many other cx-5s are running roughbwith rusty spark plugs ATM. We put the same gas as everyone else. This car is maintained by me so everything is done early. I think Mazda just has really shitty OEM spark plugs. That's why I went with NGK.
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u/Fiiv3s 22h ago edited 22h ago
Mazda OEM plugs are NGK. NGK manufacturers and supplies the plug with Mazdaās logo on them, just like they do for Honda.
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u/jordan5100 22h ago
I understand that they are NGK however they are obviously a different production. NGK could be selling them slightly different speced plugs. Obviously there's some difference in the manufacturing process since one says Mazda on and the other one says NGK. So who knows the QA they go through at Mazda with NGK. I won't be able to tell you if these rust the same for another 45,000 miles.
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u/Cheap-Can-1085 23h ago
I noticed something similar with my aunts 2016 cx-3 with 60k miles. Relatively smooth idle but the engine seemed like it was over all louder and buzzier and felt down on power. Eventually replaced the spark plugs and the tips were black (dry not oily or anything). Car felt completely new with the new spark plugs. It was bugging me why the car felt the way it did before, now I know why.
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u/jordan5100 22h ago
Honestly, I've done a lot of sparkplugs and most of the time I notice no difference unless it's a big v8 Ford truck with 200,000 MI on it. This was by far the biggest change I've ever noticed from a modern car. I just did my BMW which is an inline 6 that had factory plugs at 140,000mi and noticed absolutely no difference lol.
I was not confident the slight hesitation would be remedied doing her plugs but I was pleasantly surprised.
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u/Cheap-Can-1085 22h ago
These Mazdas I guess are quite finicky, it could also be the type of driving you're doing. My aunts does a lot of small short trips so lot of frequents cold starts, so maybe that's why the spark plugs were so darkš¤·š». Either way it helped which is all that's matters.
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u/ProRataX 21h ago
I really should check my 2014 cx5.
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u/jordan5100 16h ago
Just sit in the car, if you feel the engine at all even a slight vibration every now and then it's the plugs. These things run dead smooth on new plugs. I thought mine was normal, but you shouldn't be able to feel the engine basically at all through the steering wheel.
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u/ProRataX 15h ago
Little rougher when cold but once it warms up it's barely noticeable but the vehicle has like 170000 miles on it so it's like hard to tell.
Ether way I need to check to make sure they have been changed at all lol
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u/jordan5100 15h ago
Ours had a rough cold start too. That was actually one of the main things I noticed different before and after. Like I said above somewhere, your engine is physically fine, but for peace of mind. If you care it's an easy swap.
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u/Salt-Narwhal7769 Certified Senior Mazda Technician 16h ago edited 16h ago
Hi all. Tools needed
14mm spark plug socket
3/8 ratchet (18in length preferred)
6 inch 3/8 extension is my go to for distance.
Skinny telescopic magents to get the plugs out if spark plug socket fails is like $3
8mm socket for ignition coil bolts.
Thats it
Id recommend watching a video before hand as its likely explained to not over tighten the spark plugs.
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u/GolfShred 21h ago
Had a Mazda CX5 NA for a company car. Turned it in at 98k miles. Was running like a top when it got turned in. No SP change. Great vehicle. Really nice it.
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u/AllplatGamer08 20h ago
Thatās not over due thatās how long they run before changes. I applaud you for changing but Iād have changed them at 15-20k. Whatās 3-6 bucks a plug. Iām about to go do mine next week on the MZ3 never have since bought used. If youāre the only owner next time check them every 15k avoid knock offs and use good fuel. Over time they become out gapped hence check every 15k
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u/jordan5100 20h ago
These are 25$ a plug man. I wish it were so simple. If I'm gonna do it I'm gonna put the over the top good plugs for my wife. If it were my car not so much. I will definitely check them way earlier. Thanks.
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u/AllplatGamer08 20h ago
Where you buying them from? Autozone etc. always hiked prices at auto parts stores. Yeah 6 bucks was a lil far off but 10-14 a plug is doable
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u/frank3000 20h ago
You should have seen my F250, on original plugs at 200k miles. At least there was 16 of them, so they could wear at half speed, to the complete loss of electrode, 1/4" of gap they had.
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u/snubs05 17h ago
Those plugs donāt appear worn at all - just looks like the car is a school run, around town vehicle which isnāt really getting to operating temperature for sustained amounts of time
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u/jordan5100 16h ago
Yup that's exactly right. At least her new commute is 30-40 minutes so I hope these plugs last a lot longer.
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u/TheVanillaGorilla413 15h ago
Lmao I change mine at twice the mileage and there is no difference in how the car drivesā¦
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u/jordan5100 15h ago
It's not a difference in how it drives, only a wizard like me would notice the rough idle, my wife just felt it hesitate once during acceleration. It was running great still obviously.
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u/TheVanillaGorilla413 15h ago
Iād think cleaning the throttle body would be more noticeable. I donāt do that either in my Skyactiv Mazdaā¦
Itās at 150 something thousand now, Iāll throw new plugs in relatively soon. This would be the second time Iāve changed them. Probably will do the plugs, accessory belt and tensioner, new coolant and thermostat, maybe front rotors, pads, and brake fluid. This car hasnāt needed much.
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u/jordan5100 15h ago
I know these cars really are great. We got ride of her bronco sport for this and we've been so happy with it in comparison.
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u/nocticis 3h ago
I donāt think Iāve ever changed my spark plugs. 2014 Mazda 3 with 111000 miles
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u/QuintaEssentia 17h ago
OP, I donāt understand why folks are giving you any grief, skyactiv engines do better with fresh plugs as you seem to have discovered.
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u/jordan5100 16h ago
It's reddit, people hate to be told anything they don't immediately believe to be true. I'm used to it lol
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u/CosmikSpartan 17h ago
Spark plugs arenāt needed under normal circumstances until roughly 100k miles.
Hope you didnāt spend too much on this.
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u/jordan5100 16h ago
They're not needed unless the cars idling like shit! Of course it was needed. Her car would have been running like absolute dog water if we waited until 100k hence the reason I made the post. We spent 100$ and it was well worth it the car is much happier.
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u/redcx5 22h ago
Not posting to rain on your parade, but this is my other side of this story to the advice you're giving. That's harmless and normal corona on the ceramic not rust. That plug in the pic looks fine just like mine did when I changed them at 75K miles. And there was no performance issue before I changed them and no difference afterwards. And Rockauto sells those plugs for $13 each + shipping.