2018 Mazda CX-5 Complaint Log

Back seat seat belt cord unlatched from main holding while in use with passenger.

I own a Mazda that I purchased new in 2018. I have kept up with the maintenance to a “T”. I have never abused it. About a month ago I started smelling a strange smell. Like smoke or burnt oil. A couple of weeks later, the engine oil level light came on and the engine was low on oil and that’s when I started seeing that the motor was leaking oil, and I just found out that the engine head cylinder has a crack. I found out that these vehicles have a defect from the factory on this part that cracked, “Engine Head cylinder”. And now to repair it, it is going to cost me around $6,000. The warranty has run out.

Had an slow oil leak. The cylinder head was cracked in my engine

I work for a body shop and we took this seat out in order to replace the frame underneath. While the seat was sitting on the ground, no one near it, the airbag deployed. We have it on video. We have concerns about replacing the seat/airbag if it's going to randomly deploy and potentially injure our technician or the customer. According to Mazda, there are no known recalls related to this and the customer is responsible for buying a new seat and airbag. I see online that other people have said this too, but they were driving the vehicle at the time it randomly deployed. I'm wondering if there are other complaints regarding this/a way for us to get Mazda to replace this since it seems like a part defect.

Many incidents have occurred with this vehicle. First occurrence happened 11/25/21. Attempting to pass another vehicle and the car began slowing down and various warnings came on. Pulled off to the side of the road, turned off the vehicle and restarted without any further incident. This same thing happened 2 times in 12/2021 both time attempting to pass another vehicle. 2nd time in December the check engine light came on. Scheduled to be seen by a mechanic with the earliest appointment on 12/31/21. Mechanic recommended taking to a licensed Mazda mechanic. Appointment was on 01/07/22. They looked at the car and fixed the issue. Can't remember the issue at that time. By 05/2022, check engine light came back on and car would start slowing down and shutting off when attempting to pass another vehicle. If RPMs would go to high, car would do this. Check engine light came back on. Took to Mazda mechanic on 06/17/22. After several troubleshooting fixes, it was determined I needed a new engine as there were parts broken missing or broken. Did not have my car for 13 weeks. Most recently, on 08/13/23, car shut off in a drive through. Towed to mechanic and needed a new camshaft. Picked up my car on 08/21/23 and within 45 minutes, car shut off while driving up a hill. Towed back to mechanic. This time there are electical issues and an ill fiitting pin. Have to take it to a licensed Mazda mechanic. Having to tow it due to how unsafe it is to drive. Reached out to Mazda with my concerns over saftey and waiting to hear back. Very concerned that this will never be resolved and that this is a very unsafe vehicle to drive.

On 7/30/23, I was driving home from church, and was driving on the freeway in the fast lane when my 2018 Mazda Cx-5, that was only 5 years old, with only over 33.2K miles on it, started to stall. Thankfully, it didn't come to a complete stop, but slowed down tremendously, and had at least 5 malfunctioning lights come on all at once. The car wouldn't go over 25 miles afterwards. I was very thankful to make it home safely, but this was very alarming, since I never had any issues with that car, and always kept it very well maintained. For a car that was only 5 years old and had only 33.2K miles on it, to experience such a drastic problem, is very confusing. It was very concerning that the car almost came to a complete stop unexpectedly without any warning ahead of time, especially while driving in the fast lane on a freeway. I also took pictures of the malfunctioning lights that came on right after the incident took place. I had the car towed into the dealer the next day, and they told me that it was unusual that my engine would do that. They said that it needed a tune up earlier than expected. I was told that the 3rd cylinder was misfiring, and also when the engine isn't working properly, everything else in the car would shut down. Now, why would a car that's been very well maintained, with only 33.2k miles on it need a tune-up? And I always kept up with the oil changes on time. I found out that there was an engine recall on these particular models, but I was told by Mazda that my VIN # did not qualify; however, what I experienced, did fit the description of the recall. I've since then, decided to trade in the car, because I was just too afraid to continue driving it after this experience. I am however, very upset that I had to give up a car that I invested a lot of money in and took very good care of, and only had 33.2k Miles on it.

When I turn my car off I get ignition switch and it stalls then my engine come on and off

The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50-55 mph, the sunroof exploded without impact or warning. The sunroof shattered into several small pieces. The glass fell on the driver and she sustained injuries to her body and legs, but medical attention was not provided. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who referred her to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

Cruise control suddenly ceased operating and I believe that is disabling the automatic collision avoidance system.

The contact owns a Baby Trend Easy Ride 35 Travel System Car seat, Model Number: TS40B65B, Manufactured Date: 5/18/22. The car seat was installed in the middle rear seat of a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while the child was seated in the car seat, the car seat harness buckle malfunctioned and could not be unlocked. The child could not be immediately removed from the car seat. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and retailer were not yet notified of the failure.

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)

Engine oil started leaking after I noticed smoke coming from the hood of the car. No warning signs, no check engine light, nothing to indicate any issues until this occurred. Took the car to the dealership who confirmed it was a cracked cylinder head which is now being replaced.

I drive a 2018 Mazda CX5. My "infotainment system" which contains radio, phone, and GPS controls began making random unprompted selections while I would not touch it. This is an ongoing issue. The name for this issue is called "ghost touch" While the Mazda system "locks" the touch screen while the car is moving, the issue continues as soon as you come to a red traffic light. Without putting the car in park, the touch screen reactivates and the issue proceeds. This is a safety issue as it can cause distractions while driving such as sudden significant changes in music volume and it can call a random person if your phone is connected to Bluetooth. Regardless of if the car is moving or not, this causes a driver to take their focus away from the road. From a quick google search, this is a common issue. Mazda is aware of this common issue, and in fact extended a warranty to correct it in 2014-2016 Mazda 3's. However, I called Mazda USA today and they stated that it would have to be paid out of pocket for my car.

Driving down the freeway smoke started coming out of the hood of the car and into the cabin, no warnings or warning lights of any kind, got the car to the Mazda dealer to be inspected. The dealer told me it was 5 months out of warranty and would not be covered its a cracked cylinder head and oil had dripped/leaked onto the manifold causing the smoke. No smoke was coming from the exhaust so the crack only leaked oil to the outside of the cylinder head. There is no oil in my driveway so it happened that day on the road. This is a manufacturing error that Mazda won't take responsibility for.

The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the contact became aware of smoke coming from underneath the hood. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the cylinder head was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,400. The contact stated the cylinder head is porous and oil leaks out of it. Also, 6 hydraulic lash adjusters were failing and needed to be replaced.

Key fob accidentally left inside vehicle when exiting and all door’s automatically locked with 3 year old child inside. No recourse other than breaking window to enter vehicle as it was in direct sunlight on 80 degree day. This dangerous scenario should not be possible and needs to be fixed.

Entire drivers side air bags deployed, with only the driver in the vehicle, after striking a curb, (after striking a coyote, then swerving). Front central air bag did not deploy-only the side, and then for the entire side of a four door SUV, Mazda CX-5. Air bag slammed into neck and chest of driver nearly striking jugular with sharp impact. There does not appear to be any reason for side air bag to deploy, without front center deploying.

Infotainment system has begun exhibiting phenomenon described as "ghost touch" where options are selected randomly by the system due to touchscreen failure. This happens while the vehicle is moving and creates a significant distraction to the driver, creating a safety hazard for driver, passengers, and other cars on the road. This vehicle has not been inspected by a dealership but internet information indicates it is a known issue but a recall has not been issued from Mazda, which compromises the safety of the vehicle. No warning for incidents. This is an ongoing issue and occurs routinely during daily driving.

Parking brake system malfunction. Flashing brake light and the parking exclamation point light on. When I try to release the emergency parking brake it continues to light up on the dashboard as well as yellow flashing light on the physical brake similar problem with 2016 model. Seen multiple people with similar problem but no solution Restarting the car multiple times makes the light go away eventually

When driving I started to smell a burning oil or rubber smell inside the cabin of the car. When I stopped I could see smoke coming from under the hood. When I was able to park, I opened the hood and could see smoke coming from the engine. There were no warning lights displaying on the dash, no leaking fluid from under the car. I did not feel safe continuing to drive the car without having it seen, so I took it to the closest Mazda dealer service. After inspecting the issue I was told there is a cracked cylinder head that is leaking fluid into the engine and the exhaust and I would need a brand new engine. The service manager said this is a known issue with the 2018-2021 Mazda CX-5. Unfortunately, the warranty that would cover this expired in April 2023 (at the time of writing this, it's May 1, 2023). It should be noted that my CX-5 is only 5 years old with ~37,000 miles on it. I was told by the Mazda service manager that the car is not safe to be driven in this condition and would have to stay in their possession on their lot until I decide if I want to have it fixed.

The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that after she drove her four-year-old grandson to school, she parked and turned off the vehicle; however, she left the key on the inside of the vehicle and exited the vehicle to remove her grandson from the rear seat however, the doors inadvertently locked while her grandson was inside. The contact stated that she was unable to unlock the doors as the vehicle was designed to remain unlocked while the key was inside of the vehicle. The Police Department was notified of the issue; however, while the Police Officers were approaching, her grandson was able to remove himself from the safety seat and unlock the door manually. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to schedule an appointment. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Sunroof suddenly exploded on the highway for no reason

Infotainment system has begun exhibiting phenomenon described as "ghost touch" where options are selected randomly by the system due to touchscreen failure. This happens while the vehicle is moving and creates a significant distraction to the driver, creating a safety hazard for driver, passengers, and other cars on the road. This vehicle has not been inspected by a dealership but internet information indicates it is a known issue but a recall has not been issued from Mazda, which compromises the safety of the vehicle. No warning for incidents. This is an ongoing issue and occurs routinely during daily driving.

2018 Mazda CX-5. While driving a burning smell was detected (oil). Oil leakage noticed when car parked. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a cracked cylinder head. There is a service bulletin stating defect in engine head. Mazda will not cover costs, as its outside 60,000 mile warranty. Quote given of $4085 to fix issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 85000.

2023 02 28, 36410 miles - Engine oil burning smell entering the cabin of the car, oil leaking from engine. No warning lights. Diagnosed by Mazda dealer as a cracked cylinder head, will be repaired under warranty. Discovered Service Alert #SA-013/22 that applies to this defect. 2023 02 23, 36,389 miles - Car in for an oil change under extended service program at Mazda dealer. Dealer discovered the timing chain cover leaking, repaired under warranty. Owner also reported that information screen has been malfunctioning intermittantly. Dealer remarked that the screen does have problems, but that it is not covered by the warranty, and would need to be replaced within the next two years and would cost about $2000. Upon vehicle pick-up, several warning lights went on, dealer reprogrammed the code system, test drove, pronounced the lights indicated nothing was wrong. 2022 08 17, 31,174 miles - Fuel pump replaced under recall while car in for regular oil change covered by service contract. 2021 02 04, 17,629 miles - Timing chain cover leaking, discovered by dealer while in for regular oil change, repaired under warranty.

When I drive 100 to 150 fest the front camera blocked warning light come on. The only way to reset is to stop turn of car and restart, only to have it happen again and again. The main thing is when and if I can get into cruise control and I am on a major highway and have the cruise set unannounced the warning comes on and turns off the cruise control. If there is someone close they run up on me. I have had it back to the dealer and have called Mazda, all they said was maybe the sun was setting it off, I guess I can only drive at night. The dealer had the car for over 2 weeks and did not fix it. I have recently discovered that if I keep the cruise control on it will not do it, it is very frustrating and now it is off warranty.

After driving when I got off my car, I could smell something burned. I took my car a dealer shop, and they found the Crack in a cylinder head. The cylinder head has been fixed, but I can still smell something is burning.. I am not sure it is totally fixed or not.

Cracked cylinder head causing oil to leak

Mechanic stated engine cylinder head oil hole leak. Seems to be manufacturer defects

We were driving down the highway in light to medium traffic. Weather was about 40 degrees, no rain. The moonroof suddenly exploded. It does not appear to have been hit by anything. Luckily the shade was drawn so glass didnt go inside the car.

When driving at night or in diminished lighting, the headlights will turn on but the taillights do not. The taillights will only activate if the headlight switch is moved to the on position. When the headlights activate, it gives the driver the appearance of everything is operating as designed when in fact there are no taillights illuminated.

my Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring when the weather is hot, the car’s screen begins malfunctioning while I am driving. It changes screens and settings on its own, creating a highly distracting and dangerous situation while operating the vehicle. This issue has persisted for some time, and I am concerned about the safety risks it poses, not only to myself but also to others on the road.

Sometimes, the breaks will not go all the way down to the floor and act like theyre not working. it's very odd and only does it once in a while. i have constant issues with the technology in the car. it changes my music, the buttons get stuck and my it acts up. my aunt has the same model and is running into the same issues. i never received a letter in the mail about the last recall and have had issues where it doesnt seem like my engine is getting the power it once did. this was early on after i got the car. my gas mileage has significally decreased even after oil changes.

Cracked cylinder head, significant oil leaking, no engine lights. No past collisions in vehicles or indicator engine was running hot. Dealership reported they see no history of fault codes on vehicle computer.

On 12/23 I was driving on the highway approaching exit 43 A-B on I-95 N and the engine oil light came on, I started monitoring the temperature of the car and it was holding steady, neither was it dropping nor was it overheating. I continued driving for a minute more, I am half mile away from home at this point and I smelled burning oil. I pulled the car over and opened up the hood, I turned on the flashlight on my phone and I could see oil on the engine floor. I called up Mazda dealership near me and they were closed for the holidays so I left voicemails. After a couple of days of no answers, I was able to get through to someone and they said they'll take the car in however they can't guarantee if they will be able to even look at it until after the holiday, I speak to the service manager and mention that I have an upcoming trip out of state for Christmas, they said they did not have any loaner cars available either. I got my car towed to the dealership anyways. Next day I get a phonecall from them stating that the oil pump and pressure was fine and they suspect it was the engine head that was causing the leak and that it would cost me 6000$ to fix it. Along with that I need to get my belt tensioner fixed which would be around 680$. The car's estimated value is about 12000$ and I am being asked to pay more than half its value after owning it for 4 years to fix something that was caused by wear and tear. I also did a little digging and I've found that my car falls under ones that have been identified by Mazda to probably have a defective engine head. I am attaching the reports that I have discovered in my research with this submission. I am imploring for assistance in this matter as I cannot afford this expense and I would not like to part ways with something that has been reliable for the last 4+ years. Dealership- Wellesley Mazda

Oil drained to warning level from full during a vacation. The oil leaked out around head gasket level onto every part of the engine below it and the movement of air caused oil droplets to fall on the exhaust and smoke and also coated entire underneath and most of rear hatch with oil droplets.

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

After driving for approximately 1 minute, the vehicle approached a stop sign and car stalled and would not restart. When attempting to restart vehicle, engine was firing but not turning over. Attempted to jump start the vehicle with no success until vehicle was given throttle at which point it restarted. No lights were illuminated prior to the incident, but when the vehicle stalled the battery light and check engine light illuminated.

Calipers sticking causing brakes to wear down every 3 months.

Automatic Emergency Brake comes on at random. Driving at medium speed, no cars in view, car brakes and dashboard displays EMERGENCY BRAKE. Has not yet been inspected by a dealer because car is out of warranty. 2018 Mazda CX5 with only 19,000 total miles driven.

The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by her husband with a DTC code reader that the passenger's side air bag sensor was faulty and the passenger's side air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine Heads Cracked How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Smoke from engine bay and fumes entering cabin via AC vents. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Inspected by Mazda dealer and confirmed defective header from manufacture. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lamps, burning smell Burning oil smoke from engine bay. Smoke order enters cabin via AC vents odor very strong. Appeared at 28,000 odometer mileage.

Hello, I am writing to you for a possible failure post update to the software as specified in Recall 19V-497 dated 09/06/2022 found on the manufacturer's recall website (https://www.mazdarecallinfo.com/). The status is marked as CLOSED. However, I faced the exact problem yesterday as described in the Safety Risk section of the recall details on their website (Summary section on NHTSA website). Below is my best attempt to describe my event: Event: I made a stop at a red light. As it turned green, I accelerated and the engine shut off/stalled. I pushed the engine stop button, switched gear to "P", and the car won't start at all. I was also not able to press the brake or accelerator. I was not able to move the gearstick. Safety risk: My car stalled in the middle of the road. It was a busy junction. If this occurred on a highway, it is possible this may lead to serious injuries or death. After-events: I got the car towed to the dealership where I was told by the service crew that the car worked fine. I was sent a video of multipoint inspection with recommended additional services, a business that I understand. However, they were not able to identify the cause of the engine stall. I decided to check recall information and found this recall (19V-497) with status as CLOSED. But this is the exact problem I faced yesterday. Therefore, either/some/all of the below cases are possible: 1. The status is marked incorrectly as CLOSED 2. The date of recall on the website is misleading; this recall was placed 06/27/2019. 3. My service did not actually service the recall (I service my car every 5000 miles) 4. The recall failed to resolve the engine stall issue. 5. Issue may not be related to failure of this recall remediation; meaning, service did not perform a root-cause inspection of the problem itself. This message is intended to keep you informed in case point (4) holds true.

The informational screen will just start going "haywire"--someone described it as a "ghost touch!" It will change screens without warning, going through my saved contacts and calling or deleting them. Changing channels etc..---it is more than a nuisance, it can be a hazard!

The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a burning odor was detected with smoke coming from underneath the hood. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a cracked engine block. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

The Mazda infotainment system has a problem that is known to the manufacturer and many vehicle owners. It is called "ghost touch" where the touch screen malfunctions and registers an input that is not actually made. The touch screen is not touched, but the infotainment system still reacts and changes inputs, adjusts volume, and performs other actions. This has been a major safety risk for me and my family on several occasions. On several occasions, the infotainment system will be set at a reasonable volume playing music or a radio station or sometimes even off or muted. The "ghost touch" occurred and changed the volume input of the navigation system (which was not being used) to the MAXIMUM level. The car then announces that "navigation will be at this volume." The voice is extremely loud and is completely unexpected. This stated the driver and has almost caused accidents on at least three occasions. It is the equivalent of someone blasting an airhorn in your ear while you are driving. It is shocking and can cause accidents. This problem is known to the dealer and manufacturer. I have taken the vehicle for service of this issue as recently as August 23, 2022. The dealer knows the issue happens with many of its vehicles. They refuse to fix the issue in my car without charging me extraordinary amounts of money because it is out of the full warranty. The car has 44,000 miles and is a 2018 model purchased new in February 2018. They are aware that it is a critical safety issue, but they will not fix it. They have issued a recall for the same issue on another vehicle, but not on mine. This malfunction happens without warning. Again, the dealer and manufacturer are well aware of the issue, but they refuse to fix it even though it is a critical safety issue and it is covered under the implied warranty of the vehicle.

Vehicle was brought to dealership for a fuel pump safety recall. I was advised that the belt tightener was leaking and was in urgent need of replacement. Failure of the belt tightener would result in drive train belts loosening with an impact on operation of the vehicle. The car is 4 years old and has less than 12,000 miles on it. Belt tighteners are normally designed to last 75,000+ miles, suggesting a possible defect in this case.

I had my brakes replaced and when they reactivated the parking brake, it's only working on one side of the car. The mechanic informed me that the car has a faulty actuator and this is a very common problem with my car.

Driving on highway going 70-75 mph, all of a sudden car starts to stall, check engine light lights up informing me keyless, power steering, vehicle system, smart brake malfunction. I almost crashed as I was on I-55 heading to downtown Chicago. My girlfriend and I could have died.

MAGNA MOTORS IN EVANSVILLE, INDIANA IS REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE FUEL PUMP RECALL ON MY 2018 MAZDA CX-5. THEY CLAIM THERE ARE NO PARTS TO FIX IT SO THEY CANT HELP ME. MY VEHICLE DOESNT START HALF THE TIME AND THEY REFUSE TO PROVIDE A LOANER UNTIL MINE IS FIXED. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THEY CAN DO.