Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 83 of 348 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Engine. Review the 177 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
19 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
348 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2025
Unknown Or Other
I am writing to formally report an issue with the infotainment screen of my Mazda CX-5, which has been experiencing a malfunction known as “ghost touch.” The details of the complaint are outlined below: Component/System Failure: The component that has failed is the infotainment screen of my Mazda CX-5. The issue involves persis…
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I am writing to formally report an issue with the infotainment screen of my Mazda CX-5, which has been experiencing a malfunction known as “ghost touch.” The details of the complaint are outlined below: Component/System Failure: The component that has failed is the infotainment screen of my Mazda CX-5. The issue involves persistent and random “ghost touch” inputs, where the screen registers touches and activates functions without any physical interaction. This component is still available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: The malfunctioning infotainment screen poses a safety risk as it results in unintended activation of various functions, including navigation, audio, and phone settings. This distraction while driving can cause the driver to lose focus and potentially lead to accidents. Reproduction of the Problem and Inspection: The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by Browning Mazda dealer and was told that the manufacturer does not believe this poses a safety risk but I strongly disagree Prior Warning Signs: No warning lamps or messages appeared before the issue began. The problem first appeared in 2021 but was reported in 2022
NHTSA ODI #11649987
Mileage unknown · Mar 17, 2025
Engine
My 2018 Mazda CX-5 with just over 45,000 miles is showing the dreaded cracked cylinder head symptoms. Coolant is leaking causing a very noticeable burning smell in the cabin and faint smoke emanating from under the hood. My CX-5 has followed the maintenance schedule at the dealership that the vehicle was purchased. At this point…
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My 2018 Mazda CX-5 with just over 45,000 miles is showing the dreaded cracked cylinder head symptoms. Coolant is leaking causing a very noticeable burning smell in the cabin and faint smoke emanating from under the hood. My CX-5 has followed the maintenance schedule at the dealership that the vehicle was purchased. At this point the dealership has not been helpful at all. Mazda MUST start including 2018 CX-5s to CSP11 (covers 2019 CX-5s).
NHTSA ODI #11648668
Mileage unknown · Mar 5, 2025
Engine
Cracked cylinder causes oil leak in 2018 Mazda CX-5. May occur in other model year CX-5 as well. Issue was inspected by an authorized dealer. Repair by Mazda not performed because vehicle was a few months past warranty expiration date. Issue with CX-5 cylinder-head are shown below: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTE…
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Cracked cylinder causes oil leak in 2018 Mazda CX-5. May occur in other model year CX-5 as well. Issue was inspected by an authorized dealer. Repair by Mazda not performed because vehicle was a few months past warranty expiration date. Issue with CX-5 cylinder-head are shown below: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI #11646608
Mileage unknown · Mar 5, 2025
Engine
I own a CX5 2018 Mazda with around 31,000 miles on it. Two days ago I experienced a smoke/fume event in my car while driving. The cabin filled with burnt oil fumes and a pungent smell. I happened to be near a Mazda dealership and was able to reach it with windows down and slow driving. The dealership inspected my car and confir…
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I own a CX5 2018 Mazda with around 31,000 miles on it. Two days ago I experienced a smoke/fume event in my car while driving. The cabin filled with burnt oil fumes and a pungent smell. I happened to be near a Mazda dealership and was able to reach it with windows down and slow driving. The dealership inspected my car and confirmed a large oil leak caused by a cracked cylinder head. I was told this is a known issue with Mazda CX5/CX9 series and that it would be covered under warranty. Today I was informed by the same dealership that my standard powertrain warranty will not cover it, as it is 60,000 miles or 5 years. My car only has 31,000 miles on it, but it’s over the 5 years by little over a year. I am looking at paying around $6,500 out of pocket to fix my vehicle. I asked if there is an extended warranty from Mazda specifically regarding cylinder heads, due to this being a known defect, however the service person said there isn’t for my car. After some online research I did come across an extended powertrain warranty applying to 2019-2020 CX5 models due to the cylinder head cracking issues. I ask that this is being looked into and that the warranty needs to be extended to the 2018 model as well.
NHTSA ODI #11646483
Mileage unknown · Feb 25, 2025
Engine
Replacement of cracked head cylinder diagnosis completed by Mazda dealer Fred beans in Willow Grove Pennsylvania Mazda is claiming they cannot cover the repair cost due to carfax not reporting all my maintenance services. After speaking to mazda customer service they confirmed that it is illegal to use carfax as documented proo…
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Replacement of cracked head cylinder diagnosis completed by Mazda dealer Fred beans in Willow Grove Pennsylvania Mazda is claiming they cannot cover the repair cost due to carfax not reporting all my maintenance services. After speaking to mazda customer service they confirmed that it is illegal to use carfax as documented proof. I provided proof of the maintenance aka oil change that was not eeported directly through carfax and have not heard anyrhing back. My car is under 60,000 miles and I have maintain my car and this should not be my fault this should not be my fault. Please help if possible i dont know who else to go to
NHTSA ODI #11644882
Mileage unknown · Feb 25, 2025
Unknown Or Other
The infotainment system randomly goes crazy - as if a ghost is touching the screen. This causes navigation to sudden stop, phone calls to randomly be made, the music to turn on and off, all sorts of other odd things. It can be highly distracting and even dangerous when it impacts navigation. This happens randomly and frequent…
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The infotainment system randomly goes crazy - as if a ghost is touching the screen. This causes navigation to sudden stop, phone calls to randomly be made, the music to turn on and off, all sorts of other odd things. It can be highly distracting and even dangerous when it impacts navigation. This happens randomly and frequently and has been going on for about 6-7 months. Date below is approximate date it most recently happened.
NHTSA ODI #11644850
Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 2025
Power Train
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.
NHTSA ODI #11644638
Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 2025
Engine
There is a cracked cylinder head cover and the oil leaks from the crack onto the manifold causing smoke and burning smell. I have read several examples on Mazda forums [XXX] ; [XXX] ) of this happening with the Mazda CX-5. A former Mazda mechanic posted he would see a couple vehicles a week at his dealership that experienced th…
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There is a cracked cylinder head cover and the oil leaks from the crack onto the manifold causing smoke and burning smell. I have read several examples on Mazda forums [XXX] ; [XXX] ) of this happening with the Mazda CX-5. A former Mazda mechanic posted he would see a couple vehicles a week at his dealership that experienced this problem. The odor of the burning oil onto the manifold is overpowering when sitting in the car. Some people with the same problem have posted they actually had small fires / burning under the car. In May, 2021, Mazda issued a technical service bulletin TSB # SA-031-21 with a cylinder head redesign for 2018/2019 CX5 models. this is telling of their awareness of the problem. There were no dashboard warnings to indicate the problem - just the burning smell from oil and oil stains in the driveway which caused me to bring the car in. There is substantial evidence that this is a common problem with these model years and it is not related to the mileage of the vehicle - mine has only 37k miles on it. It should be noted that the cylinder head is aluminum and only 2mm thick vs 5-7mm on most vehicles. Mazda should be held accountable and issue a recall and/or extended warranty to address this problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI #11644513
Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2025
Power Train
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 condensatio…
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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.
NHTSA ODI #11644142
Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2025
EngineFuel/propulsion System
Car has a ticking sound when in idle mode. My mechanic sent me a few videos to reference and a bulletin from Mazda that attributes the clicking to the Hydraulic Lash Adjuster
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Engine
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Consequence: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Consequence: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda CX-5 vehicles. In the event of a side impact or rollover crash, the side curtain air bags may not properly unfold during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the air bags do not deploy properly in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2718F.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗