Power Train Problems of Mazda CX-5 - part 1

My car only has 65k miles on it and the rear differential failed and needs to be replaced. I am seeing this posted online by many Mazda Cx-5 owners well under the mileage this typically happenes but out of the warranty period. Mazda should start a recall or compensate owners for this. Its never been in an accident simply a commuter car used around town.

See all problems of the 2017 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

2018 Mazda Cx-5, 58,182 miles. Report date is 3/7/2026, low mileage for it's age. Vehicle has been exclusively purchased and serviced at the same authorized Mazda dealership for the lifetime of the vehicle, with all maintenance records on file. I began experiencing a strong burning oil smell inside the passenger cabin while driving. The fumes were noticeable to both the driver and passengers, creating a potential carbon monoxide/combustion fume exposure hazard that posed a safety risk to all occupants. Upon bringing the vehicle to the dealership, the technician diagnosed a cracked cylinder head requiring full replacement. This is a significant structural engine defect. Despite the vehicle being dealer-serviced its entire life, the repair cost was initially placed entirely on the owner. Mazda eventually provided partial financial consideration, though the root cause of why a cylinder head cracked on a well-maintained 58,182-mile vehicle was never adequately explained. I am filing this complaint because fumes entering the passenger cabin represent a serious safety defect, and I believe this issue may affect other 2018 Cx-5 owners.

See all problems of the 2018 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

Started smelling burning oil in 2020 Mazda Cx-5 non turbo with 34,000 miles. Auto shop states it is a cracked cylinder that will cost over $7,000 to repair. A google search shows it is a known issue but Mazda has not extended the warranty for non-turbo models.

See all problems of the 2020 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

The vehicle's cylinder head has developed a structural crack at on the casting, a known manufacturing defect identified by the manufacturer in service advisory sa-037/23. This failure is causing pressurized engine oil to leak directly onto the hot exhaust manifold while the vehicle is in operation. The leaking oil is pooling on high-temperature exhaust components, creating a significant risk of fire while driving. The leak generates heavy smoke and noxious burning oil fumes that are entering the passenger cabin through the hvac system, causing respiratory issues.

See all problems of the 2019 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

Oil is leaking from the front timing chain cover and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The issue was caught early enough before it was an acute safety issue, however this issue can cause smoke while driving and cause the vehicle to lose function while driving, endangering those in and around the vehicle in motion. The vehicle only has 35,000 miles on it, has been confirmed and documented by an independent service center, and this is a widespread well-known issue - the service center has had three vehicles in this week with the same exact issue, and Mazda issued a technical service bulletin detailing the issue and stating the root cause is a lack of sufficient sealant applied during manufacturing. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives - only a service center. There were no warning lamps or messages of the problem prior to failure - I was lucky to have this caught during a routine inspection.

My VIN indicates the 2. 5l non-turbo skyactiv engine. Many 2019 Cx-5 touring models with this engine used cylinder deactivation, which is the version that has had some cylinder head cracking complaints. The engine type has documented failures my mileage (96k) is not extremely high for an engine the repair cost is very high ($5,500+) Mazda is refusing to help me out of goodwill assistance and ive only had the car for a year. They know this is a problem and fixed it for the turbos but not the non turbos! this is ridiculous, I expected a car to last more than 96k miles this can cause a fire or a stall and can cause a crash.

On 12/10/25, my 2019 cx5 na had major oil leak after smelling a burning smell for a few days. Took it into local mechanic and he couldn’t find the leak, did an engine wash and additional testing before identifying a crack in the cylinder head; the leak was coming from the exhaust manifold. There was oil all over the engine and the underbelly of the vehicle; according to the mechanic, I was lucky the car didn’t start on fire with the amount of oil. I was informed that this is a common problem with the turbos and the nas but the extended warranty only included the turbo engines. Contacted Mazda customer experience and set up an appointment. Vehicle went to the Mazda dealership on 12/15 and it was confirmed that there was a crack in the cylinder head and received an estimate of $11,000 needed for repairs. $7000 of that was for a new cylinder head. This was after an independent mechanic inspected my vehicle and stated everything looked good besides the main issue and needing new rear breaks in the next few months. 12/15-contacted Mazda customer experience and and case file was opened. 12/16-contacted customer experience back due to not receiving a call and received the name and extension of the assigned case manager. 12/17- still had not received a call back and left voicemail for case manager. Requested a call back to myself and the dealership; received a call back a few hours later and I was never asked what happened but was informed that Mazda corporate could not help me due to the warranty being expired. I am now required to pay over $250 to the dealership for an inspection of the vehicle I never requested. There were initially no warning signs but then the low oil light came on after 3 days of smelling something burning.

The 2019 Cx-5 awd with the 2. 5l na engine (with cylinder deactivation) has an engine oil leak coming from the cylinder head area. The Mazda dealer confirmed the leak source and found burnt oil on the exhaust. The component is available for inspection. The leak location and symptoms are consistent with the known porous/cracked cylinder-head defect documented in this engine family. Full confirmation requires teardown. In early Dec 2025, a burning oil smell began, then thick white smoke came from under the hood while driving and after stopping. This created an immediate fire risk, and rapid oil loss could cause sudden engine failure or stall in traffic. The issue was inspected and confirmed by an independent mechanic, who noted the leak could only be traced after removing the exhaust manifold. The Mazda dealership then inspected it and confirmed the leak source at the cylinder-head area and the burnt oil residue. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by both the independent mechanic and the Mazda dealer. No warning lights or messages appeared prior to the smoke. Mazda has an extended warranty program for the same cylinder-head defect on the turbo engine, but no equivalent coverage exists for the na engine, despite the identical safety risks.

Timing chain gasket leak, causing oil to go everywhere and smoking could cause a fire.

2018 Mazda Cx-5, 2. 5l na has been diagnosed with leak in the cylinder head cover, which has resulted in engine oil leaking directly onto the exhaust manifold. This leak produces significant smoke and a strong burning oil smell while the vehicle is running. There are numerous reports on Mazda owner forums describing the same issue occurring in Mazda Cx-5 models. Some owners even reported instances of minor fires or active burning under the hood due to oil contacting hot components. Mazda released technical service bulletin TSB #sa-031-21, which includes a redesigned cylinder head for the 2018–2019 Cx-5 models. This bulletin demonstrates Mazda’s awareness of the design flaw. The TSB only covers turbo 2. 5l engines and not normally aspirated engines. There is substantial evidence that this is a widespread defect in these model years, unrelated to owner misuse or vehicle mileage. Mazda should take full responsibility by issuing a formal recall or providing an extended warranty to address the problem and prevent safety risks.

Vehicle suffering from Mazda TSB 05-005/23 chirping noise from transaxle on 3rd to 4th gear upshift. Vehicle diagnosed by dealership as needing new transaxle on 17oct25. Diagnosis stated issue started ~32k miles.

What component or system failed: the cylinder head failed due to cracking around the exhaust manifold, resulting in exhaust and coolant leakage. My independent mechanic and the Mazda dealer both confirmed this was the source of the burning smell and engine risk. The failed parts are currently in the possession of the Mazda dealership and available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: the failure created a strong burning rubber smell inside and outside the vehicle while driving. My mechanic advised this type of leak could lead to engine overheating, sudden power loss, or potential fire risk if not caught early. I frequently transport children in the vehicle, and the unexpected engine damage posed a significant safety concern. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed: yes. The issue was first diagnosed by an independent, certified mechanic and then confirmed by the Mazda dealership, who determined the cylinder head had to be replaced due to premature cracking and leakage. Has the vehicle/component been inspected: yes. The vehicle has been fully inspected by an independent mechanic and the Mazda dealership service department. The dealership stated the failed cylinder head will be sent to Mazda for engineering review. Were there any warning lamps or symptoms before failure: there were no warning lights or error messages prior to the failure - which is alarming. The only initial symptom was a strong burning rubber smell that began shortly before the diagnosis. No overheating warnings appeared on the dash before the problem was confirmed. Additional context: the vehicle has 40,000 miles, has been fully maintained according to schedule, and is garage-kept. The Mazda service department acknowledged this failure is unusual and premature. Mazda has issued prior technical service bulletins and warranty extensions for similar cylinder head/manifold cracking issues on the 2. 5l turbo engine, but no program exists for the non-turbo engine, despite identical symptoms.

Driving about 20 to 35 mph accelerating I would get a distinctive one time chirp noise with a little bit of a stutter it happens every time I go about that speed accelerating. Thankfully my car was under pre-owned warranty but I have to get now. Three transmission flushes I have to pay $400 for and they have to replace a torque converter. I just got the car 10 days ago and only has 61,000 mi on it. Over the long term this could damage the transmission cause more and more issues.

The issue is iron is depositing in the transmission due to a bad torque converter, this is a known issue with Mazda and it doesn't seem to be something they are willing to cover and many people are experiencing this especially with the cx5 models. It causes jerking and chirping noise, plus will eventually ruin the transmission and will cause serious safety issues. Just look into the reddit threads.

Transmission failure, currently reproducible but car is at dealer to be evaluated/repaired. I was safe as I was still in my driveway, however if I was in traffic I would be at risk of an accident, by the time you realize you are not moving you have already let off the brake and could be rolling, fear is that if it happens at a traffic light other drivers woudl assume I am going to accelerate but I'm not. First time this happened dealer reproduced issue, contacted Mazda, and a replacement valve body was installed. Now that it has happened again within the first 33k miles it creates a trust issue. There were no warning sign either time the transmission failed. I also do not drive aggressively, wife says I drive like a grandpa. About 10-15 seconds after failure the alarms and warning lights go off.

See all problems of the 2022 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

The cylinder head has a crack in it witch sprays oil all over the engine. It also sprays oil on to the very catalitic converter that's very hot . Smoke is everywhere and iam afraid it will cause a fire.

I pulled the car into garage, and realized it's not inside enough. So I moved the car forward, but forgot to place the shift to p position. With the shift in d position, I shut off the engine, opened the door, ready to get out. I did not notice the car was moving backward, until the open door hit the garage frame. I file a claim with my insurance, had the front door replaced in a local body shop. I confirmed that in d position, with engine shut off, the car can move freely in my drive way. I did have this issue in my other two cars, I occasionally forgot put the shift from d position to p position, but the car did not move. This issue - a car can move freely without driver's awareness - is a serious and dangerous issue. If this happens in the street, a serious crash can occur. The car manufacturer should figure a way to prevent this from happening when the shift is in d position and engine is shut off.

See all problems of the 2025 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

The “trailing link shaft” broke/split/tore apart at the right rear wheel. My car only has 16,500 miles. The vehicle was inspected by auto manufacturing dealer (Mazda). Mazda refused to admit it’s realting to manufacturing defect(s). I did not report it to police or my auto insurance carrier at that moment because I did not know what the issues were not until I dropped it off to my local dealer.

See all problems of the 2021 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 Mazda Cx-5. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked abnormally while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The manufacturer was notified by the dealer about the failure, and the manufacturer agreed to partially cover the cost of the repair. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

Rear differential failed around 97,000 miles. We were three months past our certified pre-owned warranty. Total cost to repair was around $4400 after a discount on parts and labor through our costco membership. Contacted Mazda to see if they’d be willing to provide any assistance to cover the repair, they declined. Service advisor told us that it was a catastrophic failure that we did not cause. We purchased this car in 2020 and have always had it serviced at the dealership and at no point did they bring it up as it being an issue. The rear differential should not fail.

The timing chain cover gasket failed and is leaking oil at 66,000 miles. It is currently being addressed at borgman Mazda in grand rapids. No crash or safety risk. There were no warning lamps, it was found by an separate inspection not from the dealership.

The contact owns a 2017 Mazda Cx-5. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Rear differential began to leak. Mechanics (3) looked at the part and discovered play in both right and left side axles leading into rear differential along with loud clanking noises inside the differential itself. Seal areas on both sides of unit had extensive play. Diagnosed with worn gears inside rear differential. Vehicle is only 8 years old (bought brand new) and has 74,110 miles. Complaint filed with Mazda claiming that gears and rear differential should not have failed given the mileage. Mazda has advised me that the car was out of warranty (5yrs/60k mileage) that the repairs were not covered. They wanted me to drive my car to a local Mazda dealer but I declined since driving it may/would have caused more damage to differential. Advised them to have their mechanic go to my local repair facility where part was replaced and pick up the differential for verification. Research online has indicated other owners has suffered identical issues. Have not heard anything back from Mazda. Total cost to replace $3,993. 49.

Just got diagnosed with cracked cylinder head. After looking on social media, it appears this is a thing for the model years 2018 and 2019. Bad casting? anyway I believe this should be a voluntary recall to correct such a flawed engine. I bought this new from a Mazda dealership and kept it up to date with service only through the dealer. The 60 month/60,000 mile drive train warranty ran out last July. However I only have 50,000 miles on the car. . . Babied.

One of the cylinder heads on the back portion of the motor cracked, leaking oil down into the engine compartment. I didn't realize this was an issue until I got a warning about low oil. I went and got an oil change and within 2 days I had the low oil warning again. I had no other warnings that this was going on. This creates a potentially dangerous situation with people leaking oil onto roads and highways unknowingly. It was inspected by Mazda and confirmed to be the issue. There is currently a TSB from Mazda about it. But my car wasn't included in it. TSB 01-002/23.

Smelled smoke (burnt oil) for over a year. Dealer could not address. Finally found that the cylinder heads had cracked and required replacement at $7500. Car was only 51k miles.

I purchased my Cx-5 from Mazda dealership when new. The vehicle has been having coolant issues where the electronically controlled thermostatic valve (ectv) will open prematurely at 120°f instead of at higher temperatures. This all leads to higher fuel consumption, premature wear and tear on the engine, higher water condensation in the engine oil, poor engine and cabin air performance. I had it diagnosed at the Mazda dealership where I bought it from (previously it was sussman Mazda of abington, now fred beans Mazda of abington in PA) and they said the values are admissible by Mazda and not indicative of a problem. However, my vehicle cannot reach normal operating temperature of 198°f when driven for 50 miles at ambient 28°f for over an hour due to premature opening of the ectv at lower temperatures. There are no codes showing up relating to the issue, therefore the dealership declined any repair works to be done.

Ticking sound coming from engine. Likely related to the hydraulic lash adjusters. Vehicle has had a recent oil change by a technician.

I was driving on a city street and slowed to turn right onto a driveway at at a private residence. As my car entered the driveway and near the end of the right turn, my car had a sudden unintended uncontrolled acceleration, continued the turn, went over a low hedge of shrubs on the right side of the driveway, continued down a short rocky incline, and landed on a large rock where the car stopped.

See all problems of the 2016 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

I have a 2019 Mazda cx 5 with only 67,000 miles on it and the cylinder head is cracked and leaking oil everywhere. I have noticed tsbs released for this issue, but it seems to be a very common issue with most people not being covered for a very major repair. Mazda refuses to fix the issue created by the improper build of this component and may lock people's engines if not caught soon enough.

Rear differential failed at roughly 80,000 miles. Depending on failure, unexpected loss of traction or a locking up of the drivetrain could occur. We were lucky to catch it before then. Dealer confirmed issue with no clear cause. No warning lamps/messages/etc indicated that the part was failing. The only thing we noticed was increased highway noise, which could easily be ignored by someone who is not as aware of good/bad car noises.

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).

Car was making popping noise, got it checked out at mechanic. Said rear differential had metal in the oil.

This car has a confirmed cracked cylinder head and is leaking oil. This is a known issue and there is a TSB out for it. It happened at $62500 miles and is just outside of the warranty. This has happened to several of these cars. Mazda is not doing "good will" to repair them and there is not yet a recall which there should be. The car suddenly started leaking oil and smoking/burning. It is unsafe and a defective cylinder head. Mazda should be taking responsibility for this.

Engine developed a major oil leak at 70,000 miles, with multiple seals leaking. This appears to be a known defect with these vehicles and owners should not be bearing the cost for repairs.