What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - Engine cylinder head was broken and caused oil leakage How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Oil leakage resulted in a smoky smell while driving and could have led to cars on the road or my own car could have skid leading to a fatal accident Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Dealer has inspected. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear - No warning lamps but there was a smoky smell while driving & visible oil leak under the front hood.
2018 Mazda CX-5 engine complaints
Page 4 of 7: complaints 71 to 100 of 186, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Cylinder head cracked at 46,000 miles causing smoke and oil leakage. This was the root of an almost $6,000 repair, leaving me without a vehicle for 15 days. This issue could also lead to more extensive engine problems in the future.
My vehicle has been diagnosed with a cracked cylinder head. The problem began when the vehicle had less than 28,000 miles on it. Mazda is repairing it and has agreed to cover the repair under Mazda Customer Care Assistance.
At approximately 57,000 miles, the cylinder head cracked. It was leaking oil and white smoke was coming out of the engine bay. There were no warning lights. I have since gotten the cylinder head replaced.
At approximately 65,000 miles, a burning oil odor was detected, and we took our vehicle to the nearest Mazda dealership. Techs confirmed a failed master cylinder resulting in a leak, and that this master cylinder failure is common with 2018 CX-5s resulting from porosity in the cast metal wall creating a leak path over time. I was able to retain the failed casting and all parts which were replaced and am saving for records and analysis. Mazda customer service was contacted about the master cylinder casting failure and declined to cover it because the vehicle was beyond warranty period and because the failure was repaired before I was able to establish contact with Mazda customer service. Note that the failure happened in the approach to the holidays, and while efforts were made to establish contact with Mazda service via website chat, e-mail form submission, and phone, they were unsuccessful due to technical issues on the Mazda site and a non-responsive phone line. I can confirm that my local dealership POC provided me with Mazda corporate contact info per my request when the diagnosis was made (e-mail copies available.) The issue was not on my end, as efforts were made again immediately after Christmas, and phone and website chat were immediately successful when attempted. The website chat log indicating their denial and rationale for denial is available. This same vehicle has also had an issue with the front timing cover leaking as several others have noted, and this issue was also acknowledged by local dealership technicians as an endemic issue with this model. The front timing cover issue were identified and repaired within the 60,000-mile warranty. Copies of available correspondence with Mazda, including dealer invoices/receipts, service records for the vehicle (all done at Mazda dealerships) and chat history with Mazda customer service can be provided.
Purchased vehicle from dealership drove 1650 miles, cylinder head began leaking, excessive oil. Took vehicle to repair shop their assessment cracked cylinder head. Warranty expired, dealership refused help in addition to Mazda Corp. unless brought to nearest dealership 140 miles away, with no guarantee. Vehicle is not driveable, I do have photos of the cracks.
The cylinder head on my 2018 Mazda CX-5 developed cracks on the exhaust side, leading to significant oil leakage onto the exhaust manifold. This has caused engine damage and safety concerns. The vehicle is currently at a Mazda dealership, where the issue has been inspected and documented. The component is available for further inspection upon request. The oil leaking onto the exhaust manifold creates a serious fire hazard due to the high heat generated in this area. Additionally, the vehicle experienced burning smells and visible smoke coming through the air vents, which could impair visibility or cause distraction while driving. These conditions place the safety of myself, my passengers, and others on the road at risk. The issue has been confirmed by a Mazda dealership. They provided a video showing oil actively dripping from the cracked cylinder head and stated that the engine requires a full replacement. Mazda dealership video: [XXX] This video contains the engine inspection findings conducted at the dealership during my recent visit. It clearly shows the damage and highlights the issues identified. The vehicle has been inspected by the Mazda dealership service team, who identified the cracks in the cylinder head and documented the oil leakage and related engine damage. There were no warning lamps or messages on the dashboard prior to the failure. The symptoms began with a noticeable burning smell inside the cabin, followed by a slight mist coming out of the air vents and smoke from under the hood. Oil leakage was later observed on the ground, and the coolant level appeared empty. I’ve received a video inspection of my vehicle from the service center on March 7, 2024 with no concerns at that time, which you can view here: [XXX] . This link leads to TruVideo, a platform that many dealerships use to share service videos with customers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Excessive intermittent Engine vibration at 10 mph to 40 mph at very light load, very light throttle. If a very light throttle Is applied or removed the vibration seems to go away. In light traffic at low speed the vibration is of concern as to the damages it may further cause. On 11/19/2024 Boucher Mazda charged me to perform PCM and TCM updates which did not correct the problem. On 12/11/2024 Russ Darrow Mazda of Greenfield Wi, thought a motor mount KN-39-040 should be replaced. $540.28 later, the problem is worse. I believe the problem is caused by the CYLINDER DEACTIVATION issue Identified by Recall 3719F which I was never notified. This is a safety issue, because I don’t know when the engine is to fail or stall or what the damages will be. I pay a large fee for Diagnosing only to get “LIP” Service.
There was a burnt rubber smell coming off the vents, took to dealership and they confirmed there was an issue with the front timing cover and was replaced. Less that a week later, there was smoke coming from the hood of the car. Took back to dealership unaware if it was recurring issue but it was determined there was a NEW oil leak due to faulty cylinder head needing replacement on my car which has less than 50,000 miles. While there was no warning lights, the car was unsafe to drive in that condition.
The cylinder head cracked while waiting for a light to change at a busy intersection, causing heavy smoke to enter the vehicle through the air vents with the heater on. The smoke filled the car quickly, causing my wife and me to exit the vehicle at the very busy intersection. A local independent service center diagnosed the problem. I was unable to drive the vehicle to the manufacturer for safety reasons and smoke filling the cabin. No warning lights were displayed. This vehicle was maintained following the manufacturer's recommendations throughout its 77,000 mile life.
We are a senior citizen couple driving this 2018 Mazda. Went out to garage to find a significant size area of oil spillage on the floor. The car has just over 25,000 as we are low mileage drivers. Took to a mechanic to find out it is a cracked head and oil is steaming out of the crack.i have since learned that Mazda is well aware of the weakness in this model and has chosen not to do anything about it. Our car is out of warranty. It would be a hardship for us to repair. And if repaired, would it happen again? This has recall written all over it, as well as a class action suit. I would like our vehicle repaired at no cost to us. How long were they aware of this issue? I have found hundreds of complaints. I prefer not to pursue this legally but this is unacceptable by Mazda. This was my second Mazda purchase but will be my last if they cannot stand behind their products.
2018 CX-5 has a cracked or porous (depending who is telling me the issue) cylinder head at 60000 miles. I was told by the Mazda service advisor that the issue is common. I reached out to Mazda for assistance in covering their faulty part and was told they would not cover any of it.
The car would produce white smoke under the engine hood after getting to speed. It would smell like burnt oil. The shop found a crack in the 3rd cylinder. Will need to replace the cylinder head.
The engine cylinder head has a crack that has caused the engine oil to leak from the engine. This seems to be a common issue known by Mazda. The oil has saturated the right front brake and portions of the undercarriage, that will also need to be cleaned and or replaced. We had the car looked at a repair shop in Portland OR. they let us know this is a huge problem with this engine and we have not had this repaired as of this note. we will contact or dealer where we purchased the CX-5 and see about getting it replaced. This happened as my Wife was driving from California to our home in Washington. She noticed the oil light was flickering and she found a repair shop in Portland that looked at it and for that the head was cracked. Our car has 89,413 miles on it and has been maintained and does not have any other issues at this time.
The engine makes a tapping noise during the cold weather that will only go away after the engine has been fully warmed up. This a known issue for with a TSB sent out. However, the issue persist even after repair. The repair is extremely costly and can reach the thousands. This issue also causes worry there is no knowing if the problem will lead to issues further down.
One of the Cylinder heads has a crack in which has cause some oil to leak in the affected area. This is not the 2.5T engine, there is a TSB out for those engines. The affected engine is the 2.5 NA engine.
Vehicle has a cracked cylinder head at 43,000 miles. It is leaking oil and will lead to further engine damage if not repaired. Dealer inspected and diagnosed the problem. There were no vehicle warnings. It was brought to dealer because it was leaking oil and smelled of burning oil. It appears to be a common problem with Mazda Cx5s.
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving downhill at an undisclosed speed, the oil warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with a cylinder head leak. The dealer replaced the cylinder head and the gasket. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
First warning was the oil light came on and I became aware of a leak. When I took it to the mechanic the next day, he described a porous spot on the side of the cylinder head that had opened up and was rapidly losing oil when the engine was running. I understand that this is not a unique problem to my vehicle but is common with this model year. I am concerned that the engine will run out of oil and malfunction causing loss of control at highway speed. The car is currently scheduled for confirmation of the problem with the local Mazda dealer.
Defective sealant used on timing cover, already leaking engine oil at 85000km… also confirmed as the same engine prone to cylinder head cracking from poor casting dimensions resulting in engine oil contacting the exhaust manifold and smoking. Possible fire hazard. Engine can seize up from low oil pressure at highway speeds and lock up the wheels causing an accident. Not sure why Mazda hasn’t issued a recall for this obvious safety concern… reminds me of Hyundai/Kia engine problems and now they’ve been sued and replacing thousands of engines for free.
Engine seems that it cracked. The car has 66K and has good maintenance record. I took my 2018 CX5 to Mazda for a possible oil leak. Mechanic says block has hairline crack, is leaking oil down exhaust manifold and engine needs to be replaced. It seems a known issue with this model & Mazda is aware of the problem. There is no recall or class action lawsuit that either of us found. Mazda has said this car in no longer under warranty. It has 66K and the engine is broken?
The issue started happening [XXX]. I was driving home and the car went into limp mode. Several errors came on the heads up display and on the dashboard. At first I could not go faster than 31mph, then it dropped down to 17mph, then to 7mph by the time I got home. 1.When accelerating from a stop light, car goes into limp mode and won’t accelerate almost stalling in the road. You must pull over, turn off the car and wait 5 minutes so error clears so you can drive again. 2.Car goes into Limp mode when going up a hill 3.Between 46-48 mph, car hesitates when accelerating 4.Between 56-60 mph, car hesitates when accelerating 5.Error Codes received per Lake Car Care: P2299, C1001, B1303 I brought the car to Lake Car Care and they replaced the spark plugs and coils as the codes said it was a misfire on Cylinder 1 & 2. This cost me $ 947.57. This did not fix the problem. The mechanic Todd took the car for a ride and it went into limp mode for him also. He could not figure the issue out after having the car for a couple weeks so suggested I take it to Mazda in Clermont. Mazda has had the car twice for over 2 months now and cannot figure it out. They replaced the ABS Module for $ 1284 which did not fix the problem. Replaced the injectors for $ 1426 which didn't fix the problem. They did a fuel compression test which came back fine and cleaned the catalytic converter which they said was clogged and this didn't fix the issue either. It is unsafe to drive this vehicle on the road as it does not accelerate so it is putting myself and others at risk. Mazda corporate has been called and case manager has been assigned but has been NO HELP to me at all. Photos are attached of all error messages, text messages with Mazda, repair receipts, etc. August 9th, Mazda told me they are at a loss and don't know what else to do, I haven't heard from them since. Please help. I am at a loss and don't know what my options are. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Cylinder head was found to be cracked for a while on the vehicle. This was discovered at 117K miles but likely was cracked well before judging from the age of the oil in the engine bay. Car has been maintained well this shouldn't be happening at all this early into its life.
Burnt oil smell started being noticed in the cabin. Checked for leaks and none was found. Took the car to the dealer and it turns out the cylinder head is cracked. Dealer acknowledged this is an ongoing manufacturing issue. I contacted Mazda corporate to see if I qualify for after warranty assistance. No engine lights are on. Car has been maintained properly.
I bought this brand new in 2018 (Aug.) and I take care of this car very well. I was in the Korean Army, and I worked at the motor pool taking care of cars and trucks. Last year, I noticed my oil level decreasing that I kept refilling. I just thought it was burning some oil. Last week, I was losing lots of oil with some smoke (oil burning). I took the car to a local shop and they said "the cylinder head appears to be leaking oil from the back drivers side of the head".
Cracked Cylinder Head. Oil leak and smoke near passenger side.
I noticed a burning smell while driving. Smoke started coming through the air vents and made me light-headed. I asked my son to take a look, and he said that oil was dripping onto the exhaust and smoking, and it could have caught on fire. There were no warning lamps or any other indicators besides the smell and smoke. I could have passed out from inhaling the smoke and died, or my car could have caught on fire. I took my car to the Mazda dealer. They confirmed that my car was affected by the well-known 2018-2021 CX-5 cylinder head crack. They quoted me $4848 to fix it. When I asked if they could help me with the price, they offered me 10% off. I told them that’s unacceptable. After much back and forth with the dealer and Mazda Corporate, they dropped the total to $1470.60.
The car (2018 Mazda CX-5) exhibited a strong burning smell coming from either the engine or exhaust which you could smell in the cabin. No warning lamps turned on in the dash indicating any problem. Problem was recreated by Mazda dealership service center and diagnosis is that cylinder head is cracked and is leaking oil into the exhaust manifold. Suggested repair was a replacement of the cylinder head. Was told this is out of the 5 year/60K warranty. Had car for 5 year 11 months and only driven 45K miles. Car has not been inspected by anyone other than Empire Mazda of Huntington.
2018 mazda started smoking from under hood and noticed a burning oil smell. Took to mechanic and was told engine head gasket has a huge Crack. Car only has 22k on it and never been in any accident. All appropriate preventative services are up to date. There was no indication light no warning light nothing to identify why the car was leaking oil and smoking until it was looked at. This has multiple.complaints in regards to this specific year and model and needs to be addresses before someone's car catches fire or stalls in the middle of highway
Oil smell in cabin. Diagnosed by independent repair shop as hairline crack in back of cylinder head. Cylinder head replaced at 91000 miles.
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