2019 Mazda CX-5

The engine cylinder head cracked before the vehicle hit 50,000 miles. This caused oil to leak and burn in the engine compartment, leading to a burning smell coming into the cabin. Once enough oil had been lost, I got a low oil pressure light. I immediately pulled over and noticed white smoke was coming out from under my hood, and the smell of burning oil was quite strong. The problem has been confirmed by my mazda dealer. The vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer, police, insurance. Just the dealer. The vehicle is currently at the dealer, and the cylinder head would need to be removed for inspection if requested. The smell of burning oil was the only early symptom, though I did not recognize it at the time.

The contact owns a 2019 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving up on incline at 45 MPH, the engine shut off with the check engine warning light flashing on the instrument panel. Despite the failure, the contact was able to pull the vehicle off to the shoulder of the road. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the residence. The following day the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The mechanic replaced the spark plugs and the ignition coil. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for additional assistance. The contact drove the vehicle to the dealer with an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the vehicle. While at the dealer, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact was provided an estimate for repairs unrelated to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was a 129,000.

I had my vehicle looked at and found a cracked cylinder head on #3 and did some research of people having the same issues. I was driving when the vehicle started smoking it turns out the oil coming out of cylinder #3 flows down the driver and passenger side behind the exhaust manifold which can lead to a fire. My car only has a little over 80,000 miles and this should not happen around that low of a mile vehicle. I believe this is an issue that needs attention.

The contact owns a 2019 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered an abnormal odor coming from the engine compartment. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a cracked cylinder head and that the cylinder head needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

The cylinder head in the engine cracked while I was driving. The vehicle was leaking oil profusely and was down a quart after the oil had been changed the week prior. There were no warning lights or indication and I had just had the vehicle in the dealership the week before. I'm a disabled driver that requires hand controls so if I needed to exit the vehicle and move away from it it would not be possible. It's been at the dealership since 2/24/25. I have found numerous other people that have experienced the same issue online.

The cylinder head on my 2019 Mazda CX-5 failed prematurely due to a known defect. The vehicle is currently at Fred Beans Mazda in Mechanicsburg, PA, where the issue has been diagnosed and confirmed. The defective component is available for inspection upon request. This failure created a serious safety risk due to an oil leak, which led to smoking from the engine bay and a potential fire hazard. If the oil had ignited, this could have caused severe vehicle damage or injury. Additionally, the failure could lead to a sudden loss of power while driving, increasing the risk of an accident. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealership, and Mazda has been contacted regarding assistance. They have acknowledged the issue but have not provided full coverage for the repair. Prior to the failure, there were no warning lights or messages. The only symptom was an oil leak, which led to smoke coming from the engine. This issue appears to be a common problem with this model, and Mazda should take responsibility for addressing it properly before it causes serious harm.

This concerns a 2019 Mazda CX5 with approximately 52,000 miles - the engine of this vehicle is the 2.5L naturally aspirated version. Driving the vehicle with the HVAC system on resulted in a burning oil smell coming through to the cabin. Upon owner inspection, engine oil was seen as coating the underside of the vehicle in various areas. The oil pan drain plug and oil filter were both found to be tight and not leaking oil. The vehicle was taken to a nearby Mazda dealership for inspection on 2/26/2025. On 2/27/2025, Mazda technicians state that the cylinder head on the vehicle engine requires replacement. Replacement is quoted to be in excess of $5000. Reviewing the issue online shows numerous similar cases of engine cylinder head failure. This vehicle comes equipped with cylinder deactivation which seems to have a higher rate of failure regarding cylinder heads and a potential design flaw with cylinder heads manufactured in a time frame of 2018-2020. Leaking oil could potentially start a fire as the oil drips onto the exhaust manifold when the car is at operating temperature.

While driving the vehicle, I started smelling a burning smell about 10 days ago (2/17). I also felt a slightly reduced engine performance and could see the car emitting smoke from the engine bay. I had no warning lights on my dash. For all I know, the engine could've blown while I was driving on the road. Upon taking the vehicle to the dealership 2 days ago (2/25), they informed that my car has a cracked cylinder head, and there was no apparent reason why this would happen. The vehicle has only been inspected by the dealership thus far and I was quoted $5,700 to fix the issue. Upon looking up the problem, I see this is a common issue, with many having experienced it before, but no TSBs issued for this. There is a CSP issued for vehicles of the same year, but limited to the Turbo version on the engine. Unfortunately, I do not have any warranty on the car currently.