2018 Mazda CX-5 Powertrain & Transmission Problems

Upon acceleration it’s not shifting gears properly. The rpm’s rev but the vehicle doesn’t go faster. Traffic behind me continued to accelerate to where i was concerned about being rear ended. I Have not taken it to anyone yet..it has done this a couple of times. Even though it’s a 2018 it only has 25000 miles on it. The dealer is an hour away and i”m afraid to drive it there because i don’t want to cause more problems. No warnings lights or messages.

2018 Mazda CX-5, 58,182 miles. Report date is 3/7/2026, low mileage for it's age. Vehicle has been exclusively purchased and serviced at the same authorized Mazda dealership for the lifetime of the vehicle, with all maintenance records on file. I began experiencing a strong burning oil smell inside the passenger cabin while driving. The fumes were noticeable to both the driver and passengers, creating a potential carbon monoxide/combustion fume exposure hazard that posed a safety risk to all occupants. Upon bringing the vehicle to the dealership, the technician diagnosed a cracked cylinder head requiring full replacement. This is a significant structural engine defect. Despite the vehicle being dealer-serviced its entire life, the repair cost was initially placed entirely on the owner. Mazda eventually provided partial financial consideration, though the root cause of why a cylinder head cracked on a well-maintained 58,182-mile vehicle was never adequately explained. I am filing this complaint because fumes entering the passenger cabin represent a serious safety defect, and I believe this issue may affect other 2018 CX-5 owners.

the cylinder head has a crack in it witch sprays oil all over the engine.it also sprays oil on to the very catalitic converter that's very hot .smoke is everywhere and iam afraid it will cause a fire

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.

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.

Ticking sound coming from engine. Likely related to the hydraulic lash adjusters. Vehicle has had a recent oil change by a technician.

The cylinder head on my 2018 Mazda CX-5 developed cracks on the exhaust side, leading to significant oil leakage onto the exhaust manifold. This has caused engine damage and safety concerns. The vehicle is currently at a Mazda dealership, where the issue has been inspected and documented. The component is available for further inspection upon request. The oil leaking onto the exhaust manifold creates a serious fire hazard due to the high heat generated in this area. Additionally, the vehicle experienced burning smells and visible smoke coming through the air vents, which could impair visibility or cause distraction while driving. These conditions place the safety of myself, my passengers, and others on the road at risk. The issue has been confirmed by a Mazda dealership. They provided a video showing oil actively dripping from the cracked cylinder head and stated that the engine requires a full replacement. Mazda dealership video: [XXX] This video contains the engine inspection findings conducted at the dealership during my recent visit. It clearly shows the damage and highlights the issues identified. The vehicle has been inspected by the Mazda dealership service team, who identified the cracks in the cylinder head and documented the oil leakage and related engine damage. There were no warning lamps or messages on the dashboard prior to the failure. The symptoms began with a noticeable burning smell inside the cabin, followed by a slight mist coming out of the air vents and smoke from under the hood. Oil leakage was later observed on the ground, and the coolant level appeared empty. I’ve received a video inspection of my vehicle from the service center on March 7, 2024 with no concerns at that time, which you can view here: [XXX] . This link leads to TruVideo, a platform that many dealerships use to share service videos with customers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

This car has a confirmed cracked cylinder head and is leaking oil. This is a known issue and there is a TSB out for it. It happened at $62500 miles and is just outside of the warranty. This has happened to several of these cars. Mazda is not doing "good will" to repair them and there is not yet a recall which there should be. The car suddenly started leaking oil and smoking/burning. It is unsafe and a defective cylinder head. Mazda should be taking responsibility for this

2018 mazda started smoking from under hood and noticed a burning oil smell. Took to mechanic and was told engine head gasket has a huge Crack. Car only has 22k on it and never been in any accident. All appropriate preventative services are up to date. There was no indication light no warning light nothing to identify why the car was leaking oil and smoking until it was looked at. This has multiple.complaints in regards to this specific year and model and needs to be addresses before someone's car catches fire or stalls in the middle of highway

Noticed a burning oil smell coming from the car along with leaking oil in the driveway. Vehicle has 53000 miles on it and was 3 months out of powertrain warranty but still under the 60000 mileage cap. Local Mazda dealership came back saying that it was a "SA-037/23 Oil leak at cylinder head, cylinder head replacement with parts kit" and quoted $5100 to repair. Dealership stated that the vehicle was unsafe to operate. There were no dash indicator lights or symptoms of overheating to indicate that there was a problem outside of the smell. After the diagnosis was made, we researched and found that this was a commonly reported problem for this model year

Noticed an oil smell when driving the vehicle, slightly premature to when it was due for an oil change. Engine was emitting light blue smoke when parked after driving for more than 20 minutes. Took the car to a Mazda dealership to get serviced two days after noticing the issue and was told that the cylinder head was cracked and needed to be replaced. There was oil leaking from the vehicle, which I had not noticed, and it had soaked a lot of the front undercarriage of the car. Research into the effects of an oil leak indicate that it can cause a serious malfunction of the engine and other components of the car, but I did not experience that in the time of noticing the problem and taking the vehicle to get serviced. The problem was diagnosed by the service department at a Mazda dealership and is being repaired there. The oil indicator came on a day after noticing the smell.

Cracked cylinder head. Burning oil smell. Coolant leaking into oil. Car purchased a year ago for $21,500. Dealer I bought it from paid 1/2 after sending it out to Mazda to be diagnosed and fixed.

2018 Mazda CX-5 with roughly 52,000 miles on it was emitting a burnt rubber smell and white smoke from the engine. Repair shop thought it was a bad timing lock. Replaced that and car continued to emit white smoke and smell like burnt rubber. Engine then began leaking oil. Took the car back to the repair shop and it was confirmed that the engine had a cracked cylinder head. The repair shop said this is a known issue with 2018-2019 Mazdas. In three days time, the engine leaked roughly 1 quart of oil and was deemed not safe to drive by the repair shop.

Oil leak. Smoke from the engine. Inspected by the local body shop, we were told that the leakage would probably come from cylinder head. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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.

oil leak from a cracked cylinder head, common issue seen

THE CAR TRIES TO LUNGE FORWARD IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. I ALWAYS KEEP MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN I COME TO AN INTERSECTION OR RED LIGHT SO IT HASN'T YET CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND THE FORCE OF THE BRAKING ACTION SEEMS TO BE ENOUGH TO KEEP IT FROM LUNGING FOR THE TIME BEING BUT YOU CAN FEEL IT TUGGING WANTING TO MOVE FORWARD. AN ENGINE LIGHT RECENTLY CAME ON THE DASHBOARD ALONG WITH A TRANSMISSION LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT. I TOOK IT TO LOCAL DEALER AND THEY REPLACED A TRANSMISSION SENSOR BUT THE CAR STILL WANTS TO NUDGE FORWARD AFTER COMING TO A STOP. THE MILEAGE IS ONLY 3500.

THE VEHICLE WANTS TO KEEP GOING WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT, YOU MUST KEEP YOU FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE AS THE CAR WANTS TO LURCH FORWARD. WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR ACTS LIKE THE TURBO IS KICKING IN AND WANTS TO LURCH FORWARD. VERY DANGEROUS. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE ENGINE, BUT SOMEONE TOLD ME IT IS THE TRANSMISSION.