Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Mazda CX-5 - part 1

My 2019 Mazda Cx-5 (equipped with the 2. 5l naturally aspirated skyactiv-g engine with cylinder deactivation) has experienced a severe structural failure resulting in a cracked engine cylinder head. This casting defect allows pressurized motor oil to leak continuously from the cylinder head down onto the hot engine block and nearby exhaust components. This has led to the following severe safety risks: engine oil is leaking onto the exhaust manifold and creates an extreme risk of engine compartment fire when the vehicle is in motion; sudden loss of oil pressure or complete structural failure of the cylinder head can cause the engine to stall or seize unexpectedly without warning, completely disabling the vehicle in live traffic and creating an imminent crash hazard; and dropping oil levels and leaking fluids burning against the engine produce strong smoke and chemical odors that enter the cabin, which can cause driver distraction and severely limiting visibility if smoke escapes through the hood. We are also inhaling these odors. Mazda is fully aware of this structural engine defect and has detailed it internally under technical service bulletin TSB #sa-031-21 (as well as related tsbs for oil seepage/leaks on these cylinder heads). Despite acknowledging the manufacturing flaw, Mazda has failed to issue a safety recall for this dangerous fire and stalling hazard, forcing consumers to drive unsafe vehicles or pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for a known defect. The vehicle currently has 62,317 miles. The crack and oil leak were officially diagnosed by the carlsbad Mazda dealership service department on 5/26/26. I am requesting that the NHTSA launch a formal safety defect investigation into Mazda 2. 5l cylinder head cracking to force a safety recall before this defect leads to a fatal fire or highway accident.

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My car caught on fire on [ccc] and it's completely burned down, a total loss. Following is information about my car and some summary of what happened. Car information: - Mazda cx5 2024 - bought in June or July 2024(car payment only made 22 times so far) - odometer 24,445mi(as of 05/15/2026) what happened: - in [xxx] Friday afternoon, I was in bellevue and noticed an engine overheat warning. So, I stopped immediately to cool down and called Mazda dealership(lee johnson Mazda) to schedule a service. - then after 20-30 minutes, I started the car again and the warning was gone. So I drove slowly and got on [xxx] to head home in kirkland. I was already driving slowly. - after a few minutes, overheat warning as well as engine warning started firing and noticed that smoke coming out of bonnet. - so, I pulled over on the shoulder near [xxx] and called roadside assistance. But even before I get connected to the roadside service, engine caught on fire and I had to call 911. - the car is completely burned down and it's a total loss. - state patrol wrote me a "exchange of information" and "tow/impound and inventory record". Why I am submitting this form: - this car is less than 2years old and has been seeing Mazda service regularly. The odometer checked by dealership on 05/15 is 24,445mi which is slightly more than 24,000 which is stated in the lemon law. But still, the car is pretty brand new and around 24,000 ish. So, I'm wondering if this still qualifies for lemon law. - even before this happened, I had a service history for engine warning and get the engine checked on 05/15/2026 which is exactly a week ago before the accident. Also, they said the engine thermostat had an issue and replaced and covered by Mazda's warranty. - overheat and engine warning was on and off. As soon as I pull over, it caught on fire. - this happened on [xxx]. It was very dangerous and lucky that we pulled over on right before it caught on fire information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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We purchased this vehicle used from Mazda of orange in July 2025 with 52,399 miles on it. After 6 months of ownership and approximately 3,000 miles there was a burning smell. We took it to our local mechanic and the following repairs were required: replacement of cracked belts, replacement of cracked axle boots, replacement of an excessively loose front axle, replacement of valve cover gasket. Cost was $3,000 and the dealer refused to reimburse us. Now the car is leaking oil and needs a new head gasket and cylinder head surface machined. Quote was approximately $3,500. We have requested Mazda perform this repair. Will you please look into these vehicles? these are significant defects on a car with such low miles. We also believe that some of these defects were know to the dealer but are unable to prove it. We believe our vehicle is part of a batch that has signficant mechanical defects. Current mileage of the vehicle is 56,865.

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Like many other complaints. My 2018 Mazda cx5 gt is having the same issue with the cracked cylinder head. I only have about 36-38k mileage on it ( I forgot the exact). Mazda dealership will not cover the cost. Never had an accident to the front and only one accident to the back when I got rear ended in 2019. If this is a wide spread issue, why is this not a recall? and why is it only the turbo engine gets extended warranty? the repair cost right now approximately $9,500. I never do any maintenance at Mazda so I doubt they will give me the good will assistance but I am still waiting for an answer. I hope nhsta will do something because this issue will continue with all other owners that have the same year model.

Timing chain cover ended up leaking oil everywhere. Was told this was a known issue with Mazda Cx-5 and there was even a service bulletin out.

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My 2021 Mazda cx?5 is experiencing excessive oil consumption. The vehicle is burning oil between regular oil changes, and the oil level drops noticeably before the recommended service interval. I have noticed a burning smell and/or signs of oil loss without visible leaks. This raises concerns about potential engine damage, stalling, or fire risk while driving. The issue has occurred repeatedly and does not seem normal for a vehicle of this age and mileage. I am filing this complaint because this may indicate a defect affecting engine safety and reliability.

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The contact owns a 2017 Mazda Cx-5. While driving the vehicle, the engine overheat warning suddenly illuminated on the dashboard cluster panel. The contact pulled over immediately, restarted the engine, and coasted the vehicle to a local, independent mechanic shop. The independent mechanic diagnosed the issue as a blown head gasket. For a secondary inspection, the vehicle was transported to an authorized Mazda dealership. Dealership technicians determined that the engine cylinder was actually cracked and recommended a full engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 92,000.

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This 2019 Mazda cx 5 is experiencing a crack in the oil cylinder. This appears to be connected there is no official, broad NHTSA recall for cracked oil cylinders in the 2019 Mazda Cx-5, but Mazda has issued a technical service bulletin (TSB #sa-031-21) to address this known issue. It affects certain 2018–2021 Cx-5s, particularly those with 2. 5l engines, where a cracked cylinder head leaks coolant or oil. If this is a known issue with this vehicle, why has a recall not been addressed?.

2021 Mazda cx?5 (VIN: [xxx] ). First low?oil warning at 17,800 miles. ([xxx]) Mazda dealership in la crosse, WI performed an oil change and fully refilled the oil. Second low?oil warning at 18,700 miles — only 900 miles later. ([xxx]) this indicates rapid, abnormal oil loss consistent with the known valve?stem?seal defect for this model year. Sudden low?oil conditions pose a safety risk due to potential engine damage or failure. Requesting NHTSA document this issue. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2016 Mazda Cx-5. The contact stated that the engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic diagnosed with a sensor failure and needing to replace a catalytic converter. The oxygen sensors were repalced. R was replaced by an independent mechanic. The vehicle stalled while reversing. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 131,860.

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Another case of a 2018 Cx-5 cracked cylinder head. 70k miles and regularly maintienced. No warning other than oil showing on the ground. Took it in to Mazda dealership and they came back after looking at it and declared it was a cracked cylinder head priced at 6. 8k. After looking it up it appears to be a casting issue that has affected many Mazdas but Mazda corp. Will not take fault.

I own a 2019 Mazda Cx-5 with approximately 36,000 miles. The vehicle developed a strong burning oil smell while driving, particularly through the hvac/vent system. I initially reported the odor to a Mazda dealership, but no issue was identified. Approximately two months later, the smell returned and worsened. The vehicle was later diagnosed by a Mazda dealership with an oil leak originating from the cylinder head near the exhaust manifold. According to the repair documentation, oil was accumulating on the exhaust due to seepage from the cylinder head. The repair required full cylinder head replacement. This created significant safety concerns because leaking oil was contacting hot engine/exhaust components while the vehicle was being operated. Burning fumes entered the passenger cabin through the vents while driving. I was concerned about the risk of fire, smoke inhalation, sudden oil loss, and possible engine failure while on the road. There were no warning lights prior to the failure. The primary symptom was the persistent burning smell. The dealership replaced the cylinder head. The original repair estimate was approximately $6,000. Mazda later provided partial goodwill assistance, but I was still required to pay approximately $2,500 out of pocket. After researching this issue further, I found numerous similar NHTSA complaints involving 2019 Mazda Cx-5 vehicles experiencing cylinder head leaks/cracking near the exhaust manifold, burning smells, smoke or fumes entering the cabin, and major engine repairs at relatively low mileage. Mazda has acknowledged similar cylinder head concerns in csp11 and TSB 01-002/23 for certain VIN ranges but denied coverage for my vehicle because the leak involved oil rather than coolant and because my VIN was outside the covered range. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this represents a broader cylinder head defect affecting additional 2019 Mazda Cx-5 vehicles outside the currently covered VIN range.

2018 Cx-5, VIN [xxx] , 60,182 miles. Skyactiv-g 2. 5l with cylinder deactivation (VIN 8th digit m). Head gasket leak diagnosed by independent mechanic and confirmed by Mazda dealer, who referenced service action sa-073/24. Oil actively leaking onto garage floor and contacting exhaust manifold, causing burning smell and potential fire risk. Defect was first documented by dealer at 52,966 miles within powertrain warranty. This is a known manufacturing defect affecting the cylinder head casting on 2018+ Cx-5 models with cylinder deactivation information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My Cx-5 has 86,120 miles. I noticed a burnt oil smell coming into the car and later found oil droplets on my garage floor. I took it in to my neighborhood garage and they found an oil leak coming from the cylinder head. They recommended I take to my Mazda dealer. I had it towed to pearson Mazda, richmond,va. They inspected it and stated I had a cracked cylinder head. I have a 100k extended warranty that will cover most of the cost to repair it. However, I found the Mazda Cx-5 2018-2021 models have a cylinder head defect. I found a Mazda service alert, #sa-031/21 and on reddit a Mazda Cx-5 owners page that has many stories of the same problem, cracked cylinder head. Some have had Mazda cover the repair cost or given a major discount and provided an extended warranty after repair. I reviewed this with pearson Mazda and they stated that my car does not fall in the vehicle numbers that they will cover. This is a known issue and they will not acknowledge it for my car. I have contacted Mazda corporate and waiting for a callback. Litigation has been filed for the Cx-5 turbo customers and they have received restitution. This is also a major issue on non-turbo customer’s suvs. I have read that the 2018-2021 manufacturing (casting) of the cylinder head was defective. However, Mazda is not admitting it because a recall would cost them millions to fix the cylinder head issue on all the affected vehicles. But, they are at fault and should work with all customers that have been affected by this issue. Therefore, I am requesting NHTSA to make this a public safety matter and have Mazda be accountable for the issue. Thank you!.

My wife was driving our 2016 Mazda Cx-5, and was getting ready to pull into our daughters' driveway. My wife slowed down to a stop before entering the driveway. She gave the vehicle some gas to move forward. She stated that there was a pause, then the vehicle accelerated forward slamming into the garage door and the corner of the garage/house. There was also a Tesla parked inside the garage that was knocked back about a foot and a half. The distance from the edge of driveway and street to the garage door is about 27 feet. This happened at 1:30 pm. The weather conditions were great, sunny and dry. Thankfully, no one was hurt. If my wife was another foot to the right, she would have hit the support post for the upper balcony, and there would have been a good chance of the balcony falling on top of her. Or, if someone was standing in front of my wife when she entered the driveway, they could have seriously been hurt! there were no warning lights on prior to the accident. This happened last Sunday, April 19, 2026. We had the car towed to a local body shop on the same day as the accident. The vehicle was towed away the very next day to our insurance company's salvage lot in bakersfield. I do have all the information, address and phone number, of the lot where our car was towed to. Hopefully, the car can still be inspected by the proper authorities. Thank you for your time!.

A Mazda dealership should me a Mazda cx5 2019, in 2023, at nearly 38k miles, right about where many have reported a cracked cylinder issue due to a manufacturing issue in age, and in milage. There is a lawsuit ongoing regarding the turbo version, however many reporting the same issue in the non turbo versions. My engine started smoking while on the highway causing a highly dangerous scenario to which I was barely able to make it to a mechanic where all the oil spilled out upon arrival. I got a diagnostic from a reputable mechanic confirming the cracked cylinder.

While driving on the freeway, the car stopped having the ability to accelerate. The engine light came on, and I received a notification on the Mazda app stating there was an "engine malfunction. " I took it to Mazda, and they told me nothing was wrong. Flash forward a month and the same exact situation occurred. I took it to Mazda, and they told me the same thing. This is incredibly dangerous, as losing the ability to accelerate on a very busy freeway is life-threatening.

The cylinder head cracked, causing a coolant leak, which then lead to the car overheating. My car was taken into Mazda dealership because there is a warranty extension for this specific part csp111. The Mazda dealership, corporate, and warranty department all stated the known widespread defect cracked cylinder head will not be replaced on their behalf due to an overheating code. Mazda is using a symptom as an excuse to the problem. Due to the overheating code, Mazda recommended replacing the whole engine for $10,000 with 20 hours of labor. This defect part and Mazda’s unwillingness to provide a proper solution caused my car engine to fail, posing a safety risk. No symptoms other than low coolant were present, which my car was then parked, not driven, and towed to the dealership, in hopes the warranty would be honored.

The head gasket on the engine is cracked and is leaking oil and causing the oil to burn when car is driven. The problem was identified by a local Mazda dealership and it is a well documented and known issue among skyactive non-turbo engines. There were no warning lights or messages on the car, other than the smell of burning oil and smoke coming from the engine after driving. I have a toddler and the smoke and burning smell coming into my car every time I drive is concerning to our health. Mazda is well aware that the cracked head gasket issue extends beyond their turbo engines but did not include the non turbo engines in their extended warranty.

My 2018 Mazda Cx-5 with 81,000 miles and an up to date maintenance record started leaking oil after an oil change. It started to notice smoke coming from under the hood and a puddle of oil in my garage floor. I took it to the shop where they determined it was a cracked cylinder head. I purchased this vehicle new from the dealership, and I have taken really good care of it. They need to issue a recall because it is a very expensive repair. Shame on you Mazda!!.

My car has an issue officially diagnosed by a reputable mechanic that matches the claim of the former TSB sa-058/20 that was changed and clarified through the now existing TSB sa-031/21. My car has a cracked cylinder head. This is the non turbo engine but it does have cylinder deactivation which his believed to be a culprit. The cracking is known to be caused by a manufacturing defect. There is an existing class action lawsuit regarding the turbo versions. There are complexities as to wh this lawsuit is on behalf of the turbo engines, and not the non turbo engines, however the same problems are well documented and widely acknowledged throughout hundreds if not more instances of people online and by Mazda's acknowledgment of the problem through the TSB's. This put me at great safety risk. I was driving north bound right beside semi trucks and busy traffic at speed limits of 70 mph when my engine started smoking. I was able to pull over and get it to a nearby mechanic. They officially diagnosed the vehicle w the cracked cylinder head matching the aforementioned tsbs. Mazda denied my goodwill case, even though it was made without complete information on my situation and car, despite my best attempts to get to the one representing my case with the dealership(I tried to reach him for 2 days with no success). Getting a repair from Mazda dealerships was inconvenient for my location and schedule, but I've always had my vehicle properly serviced. Mazda said this repair would cost near $7500. A mechanic quoted me at least the amount of $5500.

The vehicle exhibits unintended acceleration behavior when the brake pedal is applied. Instead of slowing down, the engine revs and the vehicle does not decelerate as expected. On March 16, 2026, while merging onto a highway and applying the brakes, the engine suddenly revved to approximately 3,500 rpms while the vehicle failed to slow down. There have been previous issues with the vehicle not slowing when breaks are being applied, nut this is the first instance when it was noticed that the rpms increased while breaking. This issue has also been reported to the dealership, with service documentation noting that when applying the brakes, the engine revs and the vehicle does not slow or accelerate properly. This creates a dangerous condition where braking input does not result in expected deceleration and may instead cause acceleration-related behavior. The issue has not been resolved. This issue significantly increases the risk of collision and loss of vehicle control.

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The contact owns a 2021 Mazda Cx-5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the forward collision avoidance automatic emergency brakes activated unintendedly, and the vehicle jerked to the left and independently accelerated and moved back in the lane intended lane. The vehicle then jerked to the right, unintendedly accelerated, and then went back into the intended lane. Then the vehicle resumed normal operation. While driving approximately 60-65 mph a week later, the vehicle started jerking. The “Smart city brake malfunction” message was displayed, and the engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

Vehicle developed burning oil smell. Dealership diagnosed a cracked cylinder head. No warning lights (yet. Eventually low oil pressure light would come on. ) potential for engine to lock up and lose power while driving putting occupants and others at risk. Know problem for 2018-2021 model years. Car no longer under warranty. Cost to repair $7,100. Technical service bulletin sa-031-21 issued regarding this problem.

Cracked cylinder head at 109521miles, no warning, no temp gage no light indicators came on. I have pictures of vehicle dashboard showing no warning as it is smoking going to Mazda dealership. Dealership advised me of this being an issue in my make and model> I also have video from dealership. I have reached out to Mazda several times, its going on 5 weeks and I am getting the run around. Please let me know what other information is needed.

Vehicle was taken to an authorized Mazda dealership for 60,000-mile service; coolant system drained and refilled. Immediately after service, check engine light illuminated (p011a – engine coolant temperature sensor correlation issue). Dealership retained vehicle, drove ~300 miles, performed a second coolant flush; issue persisted. Dealer determined heater core clogged, attributed to coolant contamination/corrosion introduced during service. Another Cx-5 at the same dealership experienced the same issue. Safety concerns: heater and coolant system failure may affect cabin comfort and engine temperature monitoring. Occurred immediately after authorized service, suggesting procedural or system-related defect. Noted in Mazda technical service bulletin 07-007/19 as a known issue. Attempts at resolution: Mazda offered partial goodwill assistance (~$775–$875) and assigned partial responsibility to the customer. Multiple attempts to escalate with Mazda customer experience (case manager betty) have not resulted in a satisfactory resolution. Dublin Mazda dealership service department, mr. Frank gozales (866-502-9912) mentioned original coolant by Mazda has caused this issue on 2016, and 2017 Mazda cx5 and is Mazda problem. I am requesting NHTSA review of this issue for potential defect or safety investigation.

Cracked cylinder head confirmed by Mazda dealership. No warning lights or indicators. We noticed white smoke and a burnt plastic smell after a drive one night. Dealership confirmed oil was leaking onto the exhaust, a potential fire hazard.

My 2019 Mazda Cx-5 with approximately 78,000 miles developed a sudden major engine oil leak. The Mazda dealership diagnosed the issue as a cracked cylinder head and quoted approximately $5,600 for repair. The vehicle was properly maintained and this failure occurred without warning. A cylinder head failure at this mileage appears premature and may represent a defect. The oil leak created a large puddle under the vehicle and could pose a potential safety hazard due to loss of engine oil.

My 2019 Mazda Cx-5 started to smoke from the engine and I could smell oil burning. My car was due for an oil change so I brough it to a mechanic. After a diagnostic, they determined that there was a major oil leak and that the cylinder head was cracked and suggested I take it to the dealership. I did and they confirmed that there was a cracked cylinder head causing the massive oil leak. The technician even said in a video sent to me that the oil is leaking "in the same place as the others". I was then quoted $5,960. 75 to make this repair. I did research and found that this is a manufacturing defect that is long known to Mazda. There is a TSB and a cps that extends the warranty for this issue but only for turbo engines, not my non-turbo engine. My car is 2 years past the warranty but I only have 32k miles on it. I asked if Mazda could cover all or some of the cost since it is a defect, not caused by anything I did or didn't do. I was then told that because I didn't take my car there regularly for service, that they wouldn't cover it. I regularly took my car in for oil changes and other maintenance to a local shop as the nearest dealership was almost 30 miles away so it was very inconvenient. It's outrageous that Mazda won't issue a recall or extend the warranty for the same issue in the non-turbo engines. Asking me to pay $6k for a defect they caused is unconscionable.

The contact owns a 2021 Mazda Cx-5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was advised by the dealer to continue adding oil to the engine as needed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 46,465.

Cylinder head is cracked and leaking oil. The cylinder head has an active warranty extension but Mazda only applies this to coolant leaks and not oil leaks. The root cause is a casting defect along with a exhaust manifold design issue that imparts undue stress onto the cylinder head causing cracks. The limitation of the warranty to the type of fluid that leaks rather than the failure due to design issues with the exhaust manifold and cylinder head does not make sense given that both components have been redesigned due to the prevalance of both coolant and oil leaks from cylinder head cracks. Problem has been confirmed by quality Mazda service departmetn on April 4, 2026 but no warranty coverage extended to repair the failure due to the fluid leak being oil and not coolant. No warnings or messages given prior to leaks. Leaks began at roughly 76,400 miles.

I started observing oil leaks and took it to the dealership. They changed the gasket for 2500$ and the oil leak worsened. Dealer is asking for $4500 to replace a bad cylinder head. I am told that this is a common Mazda manufacturing defect and Mazda denied the repair cost coverage request. Any help would be really appreciated. This is commonly reported Mazda issue and especially on a low mileage vehicle woth 56000 miles on, this is not fulfilling the promise of quality machinery.

I purchased this vehicle new in June 2025. About a month after the dealer service inspection, the vehicle suddenly would not start at all. The key fob sometimes cannot unlock the door, and I have to use the backup key to open it. After entering the vehicle, the engine will not start. I previously brought the car to the dealer for inspection, but they said no issue was found. Now the problem has happened again and the vehicle cannot start. This is a serious reliability and safety concern for a new vehicle.

Oil leak from defective head that occurred behind exhaust manifold leaking hot oil onto the hot exhaust causing the potential for fire. Leak started at 44,000 miles. This manufacture defect is not being covered by Mazda or a recall even though the high potential of fire and serious injury.

Vehicle information year/make/model: 2018 Mazda Cx-5 engine: 2. 5l mileage at failure: approximately 115,000 miles component: engine complaint summary: I am reporting a sudden and unsafe engine failure involving a cracked cylinder head in my 2018 Mazda Cx-5. This failure occurred without warning at approximately 115,000 miles and resulted in significant oil leakage from the engine. Description of the failure and safety risk: while operating the vehicle, I detected a strong burning oil odor followed by visible smoke coming from the engine compartment. Upon inspection, it was determined that the cylinder head had cracked, allowing engine oil to leak onto hot engine and exhaust components. This condition presents a serious safety hazard, including the risk of fire due to oil contacting high-temperature surfaces. Notably, there were no warning lights, messages, or prior indicators of any issue before the failure occurred. The vehicle has been properly maintained and has not experienced overheating or misuse that would reasonably lead to this type of failure. Repair information: the vehicle was diagnosed by an authorized Mazda dealership, which confirmed a cracked cylinder head. The estimated cost of repair is approximately $5,130. Additional information / defect pattern: through independent research, I have identified multiple reports of similar failures involving Mazda 2. 5l engines in comparable vehicles. These reports describe nearly identical symptoms, including sudden oil leakage, smoke, and cracked cylinder heads at relatively low mileage. This pattern suggests a potential manufacturing or material defect rather than normal wear and tear. Manufacturer response: I have contacted Mazda customer experience and escalated the matter. Mazda has declined to provide any assistance, citing the vehicle being out of warranty, despite the nature of the failure and associated safety concerns. Summary: this issue involves a critical engine component failure that can le.