2019 Mazda CX-5 Engine Problems

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.

I am reporting a premature engine failure on my 2019 Mazda CX-5 with approximately 55,000 miles. The vehicle developed a significant engine oil leak that was diagnosed by a repair facility as a casting failure in the cylinder head behind the timing cover. Due to the location of the leak and the nature of the defect, the entire cylinder head assembly had to be replaced. The total repair cost was $5,262.32, which I paid out of pocket. The repair documentation indicates that Mazda has issued a Technical Service Bulletin addressing this condition, but there is currently no recall or warranty extension covering the issue for my vehicle. A cylinder head casting failure at such low mileage appears premature and not consistent with normal wear and tear on a properly maintained engine. An engine oil leak of this nature could potentially create safety risks, including oil contamination of engine components or the possibility of oil leaking onto hot engine parts. Because this issue appears to be documented by Mazda through technical service guidance and has resulted in a costly major engine repair at relatively low mileage, I believe it should be investigated to determine whether a broader manufacturing defect exists that could affect other vehicles. I am submitting this complaint so that the issue is documented and can be evaluated for potential safety concerns or a future recall if similar failures are occurring in other vehicles.

The engine cylinder head cracked and is leaking engine oil. This component is available for inspection at Liberty Mazda or by an independent certified mechanic upon request. The cracked cylinder head caused significant engine oil leakage, which created the following safety risks: Sudden loss of engine power or stalling while driving Smoke emission from the engine bay Potential fire hazard if leaking oil contacted hot engine components These conditions placed both the driver, passengers, and others on the road at risk. The cracked cylinder head and associated oil leak were diagnosed and confirmed by Liberty Mazda, the authorized dealership that performed prior repairs on this vehicle. The dealership documented the issue and provided a repair estimate of approximately $5,400. No independent service center has inspected the vehicle at this time. The vehicle and cylinder head have only been inspected by Liberty Mazda. Mazda Corporate has not physically inspected the vehicle, but all service records and documentation of prior repairs have been submitted to them during the warranty dispute process. There has been no inspection by police, insurance representatives, or other third parties May 2025: The vehicle intermittently struggled to accelerate. At that time, no dashboard warning lamps illuminated, and the dealership initially reported no issues. June 2025: Following the timing cover repair, the vehicle experienced engine oil leakage due to incorrect sealant installation, which was documented. February 10, 2026: The dealership repaired the oil pan seal and replaced the sealant, refilling engine oil. February 14–15, 2026: Approximately four to five days after the February 10 service, the cylinder head cracked, causing a significant oil leak. All symptoms and related service events are documented in Liberty Mazda’s service records.

The head on the 2.4L engine of the 2019 Mazda CX5 has shown a manufacturing defect that Mazda has addressed in certain models, but not all of the models with this engine. This leaves a large amount of vehicle owners with the financial liability to pay out of pocket for Mazda's engineering and manufacturing defect that they know about. The oil leaks onto the exhaust manifold creating a fire hazard. When driving our car, we cannot use outside air on the vents, A/C because the intake pulls in smoke coming from the engine compartment. I brought the car in today to Mazda and was denied any help in the repair, I am continuing with Mazda corporate to try and reach a resolution. Currently this will be roughly a $7000 repair. I do not have an estimate yet from the dealership.

I am being told there is a crack in the cylinder head that is a known issue for these vehicles. I have done some research online and it says that they installed defective cylinders in vehicles that were made between the years 2018-2020 leaving vehicle owners to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket due to a manufacturing defect. My car was smoking and smelling like something burnt even inside the car causing the driver to inhale those fumes, I took it to the shop and it turns out that the cylinder head is cracked and leaking the oil.

The vehicle has suffered a crack of the Cylinder Head Assembly which leads to engine oil leaking onto hot exhaust and fire hazard. This defect is officially documented by the manufacturer in Service Alert SA-031/21, which identifies a trend of aluminum heads cracking and leaking pressurized oil directly onto the hot exhaust manifold. Although Mazda has issued a 10-year/120,000-mile warranty extension (Program CSP11) for the exact same casting failure in its Turbo-equipped models, it has refused to provide similar "Goodwill" relief for my vehicle, despite it suffering from the identical engineering flaw. Mazda’s refusal to cover a verified latent manufacturing defect that poses a significant fire hazard is arbitrary and unfair. I am requesting that Mazda North American Operations provide full reimbursement for the $6,788.51 repair

While driving a short distance, my engine overheated and there was a strong burning smell. The cylinder head was cracked, causing a significant oil leak. The car is currently at the dealership but is available for inspection upon request. The defective cylinder head is leaking engine oil directly onto hot exhaust components. This creates an immediate risk of engine fire and causes smoke to enter the vehicle cabin, impairing visibility and driver health. The vehicle was diagnosed by an authorized Mazda dealership. They confirmed the cylinder head is cracked and requires replacement. My mechanic advised this type of leak could lead to engine overheating, sudden power loss, or potential fire risk and should not be driven. 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 problems. Mazda should be held responsible for this safety issue. Mazda is aware of this manufacturing defect but has not recalled these engines to be repaired or replaced if they are outside of their warranty period, placing costly repairs and potentially life-threatening situations on their customers. The repair is replacement of the cylinder head/sleeve or replacement of the engine block, which has since been modified by Mazda to resolve this issue. Mazda’s refusal to extend reimbursement to non-turbo owners is unfair and leaves affected customers with no support for a known manufacturing flaw. I urge NHTSA to investigate this recurring engine defect in non-turbo 2019–2020 Mazda CX-5 models and encourage Mazda to offer equal reimbursement.

The Cyclinder Head cracked. This could cause the engine to fail, and leaving the driver on the highway or other unsafe locations of travel. The certified repair shop along with the insurance adjuster advised it was a manufacturing defect. The warning sign was an oil burning smell inside the vehicle while stationary and inside the garage.

Question 1 - What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Answer 1 - The Engine Cylinder Head. The cylinder head developed a crack, causing a significant oil leak. The car is currently at the dealership but is available for inspection upon request. Question 2 - How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Answer 2 - The defective cylinder head is leaking engine oil directly onto hot exhaust components. This creates an immediate risk of engine fire and causes smoke to enter the vehicle cabin, impairing visibility and driver health. Additionally, the loss of engine fluids creates a risk of sudden engine failure or stalling at highway speeds. Question 3 - Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center Answer 3 - Yes. The vehicle was diagnosed by an authorized Mazda dealership. They confirmed the cylinder head is cracked and requires replacement. The dealership acknowledged the failure and offered a partial repair discount, confirming their diagnosis of the defect. Question 4 - Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Answer 4 - Yes. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Mazda dealership technician acting as a representative for the manufacturer. I have also escalated the issue to Mazda Corporate (case number can be provided upon request), who reviewed the dealership's findings but refused to cover the full repair cost. Question 5 - Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Answer 5 - I noticed an oil leak on my driveway. I noticed it and brought it in to be looked at the first week of November 2025.

2019 Mazda CX5 has a cracked cylinder head. This is causing oil to leak out. The oil is leaking out onto the exhaust manifold which is causing the manifold to smoke and has the possibility to catch fire. Mazda is aware of this issue and issued CSP 11( customer service program). This does not cover the oil leak, only coolant leak. Several Class Action Lawsuits have been filed. Local Mazda dealership has inspected the car and confirmed the issue. The issue occurred suddenly with no warning. Again, Mazda is aware of this issue but has failed to issue a recall or service program to fix it, this is a dangerous issue as it can lead to a fire with the oil leaking onto the exhaust manifold.

In August 2025, we brought our Mazda CX-5 (non-turbo engine) to a Mazda service center and paid nearly $3,000 for repairs, including replacement of belts and other related service. Despite this, we continued to experience a burning smell from the vehicle. Shortly thereafter, the problem escalated — the burning smell persisted and smoke began to appear. Mazda is now demanding an additional $4,500 to replace a cracked cylinder head. This defect must have been present when the car was serviced in August, and the initial repairs failed to identify or correct it. While there is an NHTSA Technical Service Bulletin for the turbo version of this engine, there are numerous complaints online about the same defect in the non-turbo model, which is what we own. This indicates that the problem is not isolated. Mazda should be held responsible for this safety issue. A cracked cylinder head that leads to burning smells and smoke is a serious hazard that could cause engine failure or even fire. Consumers should not be forced to spend thousands of dollars on repairs for what appears to be a widespread defect and when our vehicle has only $50k miles and it should last for the life of the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2019 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH with a toddler occupying the rear seat, the contact noticed smoke and an abnormal burning rubber odor coming through the vents. The contact pulled into a gas station and then pulled into a nail salon parking lot. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the residence, where an independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and found an oil leak, and the mechanic diagnosed that the cylinder head had cracked. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer informed the contact that the repair could not be covered under an unknown Extended Warranty because of the type of engine. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair could not be covered under Goodwill assistance because the oil changes had not been mainly performed by the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

Confirmed cracked cylinder by dealership, led to dumping of oil while vehicle was in motion on the highway. Vehicle/engine could have caught fire at any moment. There were no engine warnings that appeared on the dash. This is consistent with other CX-5 complaints on NHTSA. Vehicle had 55,000 miles on it at time of incident, and needed $8,000 worth of repair. Please recall!!

Cracked/Leaking Cylinder Head on my 2019 Mazda CX5. It is understood that Mazda has extended warranty for the Turbo Model (CSP11) of this car, but not the standard engine, even though they both are displaying the same issue in many 2019 CX5s. Quoted at $6000 for a vehicle under 90K Miles. Issue needs to be escalated.

Dealership service department found a cracked cylinder head. This issue has been reported to NHTSA by Mazda. The car is being serviced and this issue was found. I’m attaching photos and also report from dealership l.

Cracked Cylinder Head.

Timing cover oil leak. This is the same issue reported in technical bulletin #01-006/23 issued on 04/26/2023. There is oil leaking and the engine is smoking. No engine warning lights or other messages appeared. My car is a 2019 mazda CX-5 and has 31,954 miles. This problem has been confirmed by both an independent mechanic and the dealer service center. On 08/22/2025, I took my vehicle to dealer service for the repair. I also submitted a ticket to Mazda care for review of the case.

My vehicle has 64k miles and has had regular maintenance - oil changes, etc. it has recently developed an oil leak. I took it to the dealer today & they said the cylinder head and gasket needs to be replaced. My car has not overheating or even run warm. I understand there are 2019 CX-5S that have had a casting issue with cylinder heads. I feel sure that’s what the issue is here yet they want almost $6k to repair my vehicle!

The contact owns a 2019 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message that the engine oil level was low was displayed. The contact stated that oil was added to the engine; however, the next day the message reoccurred. The contact stated that later while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered an oil leak underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the local mechanic who confirmed oil leaking from the engine, but the cause of the oil leak was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted, and a service appointment was scheduled. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 96,600.