Mazda Service Departments, just don’t get it.
 

4 Months ago I took my RX-8 in for its first servicing. Representative writing up the order was very familiar with the RX-8 and beat me to the punch on both 5W20 and stalling if not warmed up or revved. So I gladly hand him my keys to do the change, and we review the receipt (which he wrote up) and everything looked good.

Yesterday I am driving in to get my second oil change and service, and I just noticed the little plastic sticker that they put on the inside of your windshield, and it had 10W30 written in the grade section of the sticker. So I get to the dealer raise a stink, about possibly 10W30 being put in my car during the last servicing and he goes to get the last receipt, which I already know says 5W20. I then explained to him that he fills out the receipt at the point where he types in my order. Normally the plastic sticker is filled out by the tech that replaced the oil. The fact that I had driven it for 3000 miles had me kind of upset.

He went back and talked to the tech and of course the tech said he put 5W20 in it, and had filled out the plastic sheet wrong. 10W30 is the oil that this dealer puts in 98% of all cars, with the RX-8 being one of the exceptions. Then he went and got the garage manager who told me that even if they had put 10W30 in the car it would have no adverse affect. I told him that if this were not an RX-8 he would probably be right, most other cars would be fine to put just about any oil you want in it as long as its certified. But this is an RX-8 and a caution on page 8-9 states that “Using oil of viscosity besides those recommended for specific temperature ranges could result in engine damage”, and 5W20 is the only oil recommended. He then assured me that 5W20 was used.

Most of the office got a good laugh out of me being upset over them possibly servicing my car improperly, and as the caution says possibly damaging my engine. I told the manager that since his records show the possibility of my car being improperly serviced, I would like for him to drain all the oil and refill it with 5W20. He told me that he could only replace the filter and four quarts that come out during normal oil changing, but he would at that point with me being there, take a sample and send it off to a lab for analysis. I said that that would be fine, and that’s what happened.

Am I being too anal about this. I have never had a car that recommended one type oil, then cautioned you about using anything else because it might damage your engine. My Dodge Truck doesn’t caution me, My Cougar doesn’t caution me. My understanding is the viscosity range is the way it is due to how the Rotary engine uses its oil versus other engines.

Anyway, My new plastic sticker does not have the grade of oil on it anymore, they left that line blank. Receipt does say 5W20. I’ll hear back on the lab test in three weeks.

WENT TOO FAR? DIDN’T GO FAR ENOUGH? FEEDBACK PLEASE.

Me thinks you need a Proctologist sir!

Good for you! Even if they did put the right oil in there, I'm sure they won't forget from now on to put the right oil in your car!! Somehow I feel you made an impression :D

And there is too much that could happen to a dealership or service tech for sabotage, so don't worry about them doing anything in the future.

... But if you are wrong, take them doughnuts!!

Well, there was a service bulletin released about 2 or 3 months ago which allows for some other kinds of oil...forgive me, I'm not a gearhead, and I'm not sure which oils are acceptable, but I thought 10W-30 was ok. Maybe someone can translate this bulletin for us:

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...cs/03-004.html

For the record, the dealership put 10W-30 once, and 5W-30 the last time. I didn't really mind, because I didn't think it'd hurt.

Now that I reread that bulletin, I'm even more confused. What the hell is differential lubrication!??

My sticker from the dealership oil change said 10W-30 as well. My understanding is that despite what the manual says, it is OK to use 10W-30. There have been other threads on this.

Surely someone knows what that bulletin is saying. Maybe it's too early.

the limited slip differential oil called for in the manual is not readily found here. so they are saying other oils are acceptable. but it has nothing to do with the engine oil.

Ah, thanks. I still have no clue what limited slip differential is, but that is another thread.... I guess I'll demand 5W-20 from here on out.

limited slip means if 1 of the rear wheels is spinning on ice or snow the other rear wheel tries to compensate. basically it just limits wheel slip.

You should ask for the contact information of the LAB he claims to have sent the oil to for analysis....might evoke an interesting response.

And, btw, all of your owners' manuals probably caution you from using any oil other than those recommended in the manual. I know all of my cars do, did, and probably always will. Special thanks the legal dept. for their contribution.

-Eric

That TBS specifies what gear oil is acceptable for you Manual transmission gearbox and your differnetial gearbox. You don't really need those changed for like 60k miles.. but I had mine replaced after about 5k.. there were alot of metal on the drainplugs so I'm glad I did.

Hey,. how come there are 9 replies to this thread but 0 views??? Can you reply without looking?

Does anyone else own a vehicle that tell you exactly what oil to use, then put an engine damage could occur caution if it is not expressly followed. My other two vehicle don't. I don't see this as a standard owners manual warning, my other two vehicles do not caution. Anyone with a Miata or another Mazda see this as a standard Mazda caution? If, not, then I think the dealers need to get in touch with their products needs, or get it changed if its not critical. There are other threads on dealers inadvertantly using other grades of oil, totally disreguarding the manual, then giving some excuse that altering the grade will have no affect. Who do we trust, the 10 dollar an hour oil change man, or the engineering studies that went into sellecting a specific grade and caution against all others.

I don't trust them. I change my own oil. It's simple, you dont even need to jack up the car.

I'm taking my car in on Monday for the recall services, and I'm due for my 10k oil change.. but I'm not going to have them do it.

On a related topic, has someone done a DIY Oil Change Thread....looked over in that forum and also did a search did not see anything. Would be helpful to see the process with pictures. Thanks.

I don't understand if people are so paranoid about their dealer being incompetent, why even go to the dealer?

There's plenty of threads.. I dont think anyone has taken pictures though..

If you've done oil changes before it's simple..

If you havent it's still simple.

The filter is accessible from under the hood, and the drain plug is accessible from under the passenger side wheel well.. You do not need to jack up the car if you are somewhat thin.. I can reach fine i'm 5'8 155-160

Because a large segment of RX-8 owners get free scheduled maintenance for the life of the warranty. Even with that, I am seriously considering doing it myself.

I only go for warranty work

Thanks guy321, it is just that I am a total rookie to doing even this simple job so I would certainly need to see a step by step (I know it's embarrassing - I just want to do it right !)

Good Lord, there are people here who don't know what differential oil is? Puhlleeeze. I'm female and I know what it is. It's NOT the engine oil. It's not what you check with the dipstick under the hood. It's the lubricant that is used in the differential, which is that big bulbous thingie that sits underneath the car between your rear wheels and delivers power from the driveshaft to the rear wheels (yes, the RX-8 is a REAR WHEEL DRIVE car!).

And why do people act surprised when the idiots at the dealerships put the wrong oil in their cars? This topic has been beaten to death (mostly by yours truly) already.

I would say you went too far. You state the manual says only to use 5W-20, which is correct. That is for CAFE reasons in the U.S., not for engine longentivity.

Outside the U.S., other viscosities are recommended by Mazda.

Then why is there a caution that using other than the specified oil could cause engine damage. Specifically, “Using oil of viscosity besides those recommended for specific temperature ranges could result in engine damage” I can't find this warning in any of my other vehicle manuals. Other vehicles recommend a very wide range of oils. Just seems to be an important fact for the rotary.

For CAFE reasons - nothing more. Why does Mazda suggest other viscosities outside the U.S.? Do you think their RENESIS is any different?

There's no getting around it......if it's in the owner's manual, it's law...no going around it.