2018 Mazda CX-5 Engine Problems
Owners have filed 179 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2018 Mazda CX-5, 51% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 20,900 miles. The words owners use most often: “cylinder head” (54% of reports).
- 179engine complaints
- 20,900median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $5,850typical repair cost reported by owners
- 53%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Cylinder head: mentioned in 97 of 179 complaints (54%)
- Oil leak: mentioned in 30 of 179 complaints (17%)
- Burning smell: mentioned in 18 of 179 complaints (10%)
- Exhaust manifold: mentioned in 17 of 179 complaints (9%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2018 Mazda CX-5 at $5,850, and half of them between $4,800 and $7,000.
Based on 17 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2022–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 26 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 179 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 1 a fire.
Mazda CX-5 engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 CX-5 | 7 | 25% | — |
| 2024 CX-5 | 7 | 16% | 39,381 |
| 2023 CX-5 | 10 | 16% | — |
| 2022 CX-5 | 13 | 20% | 3,639 |
| 2021 CX-5 | 80 | 54% | 46,465 |
| 2020 CX-5 | 17 | 16% | 9,000 |
| 2019 CX-5 | 131 | 49% | 26,000 |
| 2018 CX-5 | 179 | 51% | 20,900 |
| 2017 CX-5 | 16 | 11% | 63,000 |
| 2016 CX-5 | 39 | 8% | 28,175 |
| 2015 CX-5 | 14 | 11% | 48,000 |
| 2014 CX-5 | 39 | 10% | 52,000 |
| 2013 CX-5 | 42 | 22% | 48,541 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm); engine
Problem: 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.
Risk: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Cracked cylinder head- factory defect, causing oil to leak onto exhaust manifold. Smoke fills engine bay and cab through air vents, very high concern of engine bay fire. 2018 Mazda cx5 non turbo 2.5 sky active engine. Mazda knows of this defect and will not proved remedy.
2018 Mazda CX-5 2.5L NA Engine Cracked cylinder head and blown head gasket with leaking oil onto exhaust manifold resulting in white smoke & burning oil smell. No engine light. Issue confirmed by dealer and independent shop. Commonly reported issue amongst 2018-2021 Mazda CX-5 owners either…
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was leaking engine oil, and there was white smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact stated that upon further inspection, there was a puddle of engine oil on the ground while the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Mazda CX-5s have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 179 owner complaints about engine for the 2018 Mazda CX-5 (51% of the 351 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Mazda CX-5 engine?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 20,900 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2018 Mazda CX-5?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,850 (half paid between $4,800 and $7,000), from 17 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2018 Mazda CX-5?
The most frequent phrase is “cylinder head”, in 97 of 179 complaints, followed by “oil leak” (30).
See all 2018 Mazda CX-5 problems or engine problems across all CX-5 years.