Mazda CX-5 Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Some, but not unusually many. Owners have filed 506 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2012–2025 Mazda CX-5. For the Mazda CX-5, that's 0.36 engine complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, close to the 0.44 median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2019, 2018 and 2021.
Engine complaints
506
Filed with NHTSA, 2012–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.36
2015–2022 cohorts
Share of all complaints
23.4%
of 2,160 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
1
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Mazda CX-5 engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling, and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 0 | — | 0% | 0 | — | 2 |
| 2013 | 43 | — | 22.2% | 1 | — | 141 |
| 2014 | 39 | — | 10.3% | 0 | — | 131 |
| 2015 | 15 | 0.13 | 11.3% | 3 | — | 113 |
| 2016 | 39 | 0.35 | 7.7% | 8 | — | 120 |
| 2017 | 16 | 0.13 | 10.8% | 1 | — | 58 |
| 2018WORST | 95 | 0.63 | 84.1% | 0 | 19V497000 | 184 |
| 2019WORST | 127 | 0.82 | 48.8% | 1 | 19V497000 | 187 |
| 2020 | 18 | 0.12 | 17.1% | 0 | — | 130 |
| 2021WORST | 78 | 0.48 | 56.9% | 1 | — | 150 |
| 2022 | 13 | 0.09 | 21% | 1 | — | 89 |
| 2023 | 11 | — | 18.6% | 0 | — | 81 |
| 2024 | 7 | — | 17.1% | 2 | — | 59 |
| 2025 | 5 | — | 21.7% | 1 | — | 41 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Mazda CX-5 engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 506 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Mazda CX-5 years to avoid for the engine
2019 Mazda CX-5
127 engine complaints (48.8% of the year's 260), 0.82 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: oil consumption or oil leaks. Covered by engine recall 19V497000.
2018 Mazda CX-5
95 engine complaints (84.1% of the year's 113), 0.63 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: oil consumption or oil leaks. Covered by engine recall 19V497000.
2021 Mazda CX-5
78 engine complaints (56.9% of the year's 137), 0.48 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: oil consumption or oil leaks.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Mazda CX-5 years to avoid.
Mazda CX-5 engine recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Mazda CX-5 model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 19V497000 · 2019-06-27 · 2018–2019 models
A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2019 Mazda CX-5 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 127 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2019 Mazda CX-5, 48.8% of all 260 complaints for that year, or 0.82 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "oil consumption or oil leaks" (66 complaints). One engine-related recall covers it: 19V497000. 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2018 Mazda CX-5 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 95 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Mazda CX-5, 84.1% of all 113 complaints for that year, or 0.63 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "oil consumption or oil leaks" (51 complaints). One engine-related recall covers it: 19V497000.
Does the 2021 Mazda CX-5 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 78 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2021 Mazda CX-5, 56.9% of all 137 complaints for that year, or 0.48 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "oil consumption or oil leaks" (44 complaints). 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Mazda CX-5 years have the most engine complaints?
2019 (127), 2018 (95) and 2021 (78), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Mazda CX-5 engine problems?
In the 506 engine complaints, owners most often describe oil consumption or oil leaks (35%), smoke, burning smell or fire (24.5%) and misfire or check-engine light (17.8%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Mazda CX-5 model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration