Complaint volume
252 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2019 Mazda CX-5 Complaints
252 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2019 Mazda CX-5, grouped by component category.
252 Total complaints
7 Crash reports
2 Fire reports
4 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are engine, unknown or other, electrical system. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 7 crash reports, 2 fire reports, 4 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 42 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 25,480 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, unknown or other, electrical system?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2019 Mazda CX-5?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2019 Mazda CX-5
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2019 Mazda CX-5 complaints?
7 Crash
2 Fire
4 Injury
0 Fatality
7 Towed
3 Medical attention
What are the most common 2019 Mazda CX-5 complaint categories?
ENGINE 87
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 25
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 23
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 14
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10
VISIBILITY/WIPER 7
POWER TRAIN 6
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 5
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5
AIR BAGS 4
252 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | EQUIPMENT | The contact owns a 2019 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at approximately 10 MPH, the infotainment system changed settings, made phone calls, and changed the distance for automatic braking, which caused the vehicle's brakes to be applied inadvertently while another vehicle was behind them. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the infotainment screen was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 45,000 |
| May 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2019 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel independently switched between features. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, however the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was requested to pay a diagnostic fee, the contact declined. In addition, the contact was informed that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 35,000 |
| May 2026 | ENGINE | This 2019 Mazda CX 5 is experiencing a crack in the oil cylinder. THis appears to be connected to: There is no official, broad NHTSA recall for cracked oil cylinders in the 2019 Mazda CX-5, but Mazda has issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB #SA-031-21) to address this known issue. It affects certain 2018–2021 CX-5s, particularly those with 2.5L engines, where a cracked cylinder head leaks coolant or oil. If this is a known issue with this vehicle, why has a recall not been addressed? | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My car has an issue officially diagnosed by a reputable mechanic that matches the claim of the former TSB SA-058/20 that was changed and clarified through the now existing TSB SA-031/21. My car has a cracked cylinder head. This is the non turbo engine but it does have cylinder deactivation which his believed to be a culprit. The cracking is known to be caused by a manufacturing defect. There is an existing class action lawsuit regarding the turbo versions. There are complexities as to wh this lawsuit is on behalf of the turbo engines, and not the non turbo engines, however the same problems are well documented and widely acknowledged throughout hundreds if not more instances of people online and by Mazda's acknowledgment of the problem through the TSB's. This put me at great safety risk. I was driving north bound right beside semi trucks and busy traffic at speed limits of 70 mph when my engine started smoking. I was able to pull over and get it to a nearby mechanic. They officially diagnosed the vehicle w the cracked cylinder head matching the aforementioned TSBs. Mazda denied my goodwill case, even though it was made without complete information on my situation and car, despite my best attempts to get to the one representing my case with the dealership(I tried to reach him for 2 days with no success). Getting a repair from Mazda dealerships was inconvenient for my location and schedule, but I've always had my vehicle properly serviced. Mazda said this repair would cost near $7500. A mechanic quoted me at least the amount of $5500. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | ENGINE | I own a 2019 Mazda CX-5 with approximately 36,000 miles. The vehicle developed a strong burning oil smell while driving, particularly through the HVAC/vent system. I initially reported the odor to a Mazda dealership, but no issue was identified. Approximately two months later, the smell returned and worsened. The vehicle was later diagnosed by a Mazda dealership with an oil leak originating from the cylinder head near the exhaust manifold. According to the repair documentation, oil was accumulating on the exhaust due to seepage from the cylinder head. The repair required full cylinder head replacement. This created significant safety concerns because leaking oil was contacting hot engine/exhaust components while the vehicle was being operated. Burning fumes entered the passenger cabin through the vents while driving. I was concerned about the risk of fire, smoke inhalation, sudden oil loss, and possible engine failure while on the road. There were no warning lights prior to the failure. The primary symptom was the persistent burning smell. The dealership replaced the cylinder head. The original repair estimate was approximately $6,000. Mazda later provided partial goodwill assistance, but I was still required to pay approximately $2,500 out of pocket. After researching this issue further, I found numerous similar NHTSA complaints involving 2019 Mazda CX-5 vehicles experiencing cylinder head leaks/cracking near the exhaust manifold, burning smells, smoke or fumes entering the cabin, and major engine repairs at relatively low mileage. Mazda has acknowledged similar cylinder head concerns in CSP11 and TSB 01-002/23 for certain VIN ranges but denied coverage for my vehicle because the leak involved oil rather than coolant and because my VIN was outside the covered range. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this represents a broader cylinder head defect affecting additional 2019 Mazda CX-5 vehicles outside the currently covered VIN range. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | ENGINE | Cylinder head is cracked and leaking oil. The Cylinder head has an active warranty extension but Mazda only applies this to coolant leaks and not oil leaks. The root cause is a casting defect along with a exhaust manifold design issue that imparts undue stress onto the cylinder head causing cracks. The limitation of the warranty to the type of fluid that leaks rather than the failure due to design issues with the exhaust manifold and cylinder head does not make sense given that both components have been redesigned due to the prevalance of both coolant and oil leaks from cylinder head cracks. Problem has been confirmed by Quality Mazda Service departmetn on April 4, 2026 but no warranty coverage extended to repair the failure due to the fluid leak being oil and not coolant. No warnings or messages given prior to leaks. Leaks began at roughly 76,400 miles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | ENGINE | The cylinder head cracked, causing a coolant leak, which then lead to the car overheating. My car was taken into Mazda dealership because there is a warranty extension for this specific part CSP111. The Mazda dealership, corporate, and warranty department all stated the known widespread defect cracked cylinder head will not be replaced on their behalf due to an overheating code. Mazda is using a symptom as an excuse to the problem. Due to the overheating code, Mazda recommended replacing the whole engine for $10,000 with 20 hours of labor. This defect part and Mazda’s unwillingness to provide a proper solution caused my car engine to fail, posing a safety risk. No symptoms other than low coolant were present, which my car was then parked, not driven, and towed to the dealership, in hopes the warranty would be honored. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | ENGINE | A Mazda Dealership should me a Mazda cx5 2019, in 2023, at nearly 38k miles, right about where many have reported a cracked cylinder issue due to a manufacturing issue in age, and in milage. There is a lawsuit ongoing regarding the turbo version, however many reporting the same issue in the non turbo versions. My engine started smoking while on the highway causing a highly dangerous scenario to which I was barely able to make it to a mechanic where all the oil spilled out upon arrival. I got a diagnostic from a reputable mechanic confirming the cracked cylinder. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | My wife's vehicle has a "Infotainment screen" (dashboard touch screen). There is a class action suit (CSP13d dealer letter) for issues regarding the screen performing tasks (Ghost screening touch) on its own. In lieu of a Mazda vehicle mass recall, they agreed to "FIX" the issue with a software update and replace the CMU Module of the vehicle to rectify this issue. I am here to report / advise you that MANY Mazda owners are NOT happy and have taken it upon themselves to disconnect these screens and do other "work around self repairs (removing/ disabling the unit) in order to fix the issues that occur. I have directly contacted Mazda in regards to my issues and they stat they can ONLY do what was advised on the court ordered settlement and NOTHING more to fix the issue. I want to advise you first hand, their FIX for this issue does NOT fix the problems. In fact, it is making it much worse! NOW my wife's vehicle is operating this screen by itself, WHILE driving, creating a MAJOR distraction. This "Ghost Touching" is actually going into the braking system settings and trying to change/ alter them AS she is driving! A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. She has had to, on several occasions, pull over /off the road, shut down the vehicle and try to "reset" what has occurred and check her system for ANY altered setting..if possible. As a retired Police Officer, I can tell you first had that if we ever encountered such thing/ safety issues reported by drivers, we would NOT allow them to travel any further with the vehicle and have it safely towed to a dealer or mechanic for repair. For their safety as well as the rest of the publics safety!! Mazda has refused to fully fix this issue and you can even see on numerous social media posts of MANY others reporting similar issues, disabling their devices on their own and doing other work arounds to mute or disable their devices totally. I Implore you to do a FULL RECALL of ALL affected vehicles to fix the problem ASAP! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | SEATS | Today I was using this vehicle and the cars my pocket got stuck in between the car seat dial for the movement of the car seat and the door and as I was in reverse the car seat started to move and pushed me all the way to the steering wheel as I was in a drive situation mode so I had to break it all off disconnected and everything | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | Engine has a crack in the head, well under 100,000 miles. It's a known defect but Mazda refuses to do anything about it. It is currently a very expensive paperweight sitting under our carport. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | My 2019 Mazda CX-5 with approximately 78,000 miles developed a sudden major engine oil leak. The Mazda dealership diagnosed the issue as a cracked cylinder head and quoted approximately $5,600 for repair. The vehicle was properly maintained and this failure occurred without warning. A cylinder head failure at this mileage appears premature and may represent a defect. The oil leak created a large puddle under the vehicle and could pose a potential safety hazard due to loss of engine oil. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | 2019 Mazda CX5 has a cracked cylinder head. This is causing oil to leak out. The oil is leaking out onto the exhaust manifold which is causing the manifold to smoke and has the possibility to catch fire. Mazda is aware of this issue and issued CSP 11( customer service program). This does not cover the oil leak, only coolant leak. Several Class Action Lawsuits have been filed. Local Mazda dealership has inspected the car and confirmed the issue. The issue occurred suddenly with no warning. Again, Mazda is aware of this issue but has failed to issue a recall or service program to fix it, this is a dangerous issue as it can lead to a fire with the oil leaking onto the exhaust manifold. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | My VIN indicates the 2.5L non-turbo SKYACTIV engine. Many 2019 CX-5 Touring models with this engine used cylinder deactivation, which is the version that has had some cylinder head cracking complaints. The engine type has documented failures my mileage (96k) is not extremely high for an engine The repair cost is very high (5,500) Mazda is refusing to help me out of goodwill assistance and ive only had the car for a year. They know this is a problem and fixed it for the turbos but not the non turbos! This is ridiculous, i expected a car to last more than 96k miles this can cause a fire or a stall and can cause a crash | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | My 2019 Mazda CX-5 started to smoke from the engine and I could smell oil burning. My car was due for an oil change so I brough it to a mechanic. After a diagnostic, they determined that there was a major oil leak and that the cylinder head was cracked and suggested I take it to the dealership. I did and they confirmed that there was a cracked cylinder head causing the massive oil leak. The technician even said in a video sent to me that the oil is leaking "in the same place as the others". I was then quoted 5,960.75 to make this repair. I did research and found that this is a manufacturing defect that is long known to Mazda. There is a TSB and a CPS that extends the warranty for this issue but only for turbo engines, not my non-turbo engine. My car is 2 years past the warranty but I only have 32K miles on it. I asked if Mazda could cover all or some of the cost since it is a defect, not caused by anything I did or didn't do. I was then told that because I didn't take my car there regularly for service, that they wouldn't cover it. I regularly took my car in for oil changes and other maintenance to a local shop as the nearest dealership was almost 30 miles away so it was very inconvenient. It's outrageous that Mazda won't issue a recall or extend the warranty for the same issue in the non-turbo engines. Asking me to pay 6K for a defect they caused is unconscionable. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | I am reporting a premature engine failure on my 2019 Mazda CX-5 with approximately 55,000 miles. The vehicle developed a significant engine oil leak that was diagnosed by a repair facility as a casting failure in the cylinder head behind the timing cover. Due to the location of the leak and the nature of the defect, the entire cylinder head assembly had to be replaced. The total repair cost was $5,262.32, which I paid out of pocket. The repair documentation indicates that Mazda has issued a Technical Service Bulletin addressing this condition, but there is currently no recall or warranty extension covering the issue for my vehicle. A cylinder head casting failure at such low mileage appears premature and not consistent with normal wear and tear on a properly maintained engine. An engine oil leak of this nature could potentially create safety risks, including oil contamination of engine components or the possibility of oil leaking onto hot engine parts. Because this issue appears to be documented by Mazda through technical service guidance and has resulted in a costly major engine repair at relatively low mileage, I believe it should be investigated to determine whether a broader manufacturing defect exists that could affect other vehicles. I am submitting this complaint so that the issue is documented and can be evaluated for potential safety concerns or a future recall if similar failures are occurring in other vehicles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | ENGINE | The head on the 2.4L engine of the 2019 Mazda CX5 has shown a manufacturing defect that Mazda has addressed in certain models, but not all of the models with this engine. This leaves a large amount of vehicle owners with the financial liability to pay out of pocket for Mazda's engineering and manufacturing defect that they know about. The oil leaks onto the exhaust manifold creating a fire hazard. When driving our car, we cannot use outside air on the vents, A/C because the intake pulls in smoke coming from the engine compartment. I brought the car in today to Mazda and was denied any help in the repair, I am continuing with Mazda corporate to try and reach a resolution. Currently this will be roughly a $7000 repair. I do not have an estimate yet from the dealership. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I purchased a 2019 Mazda CX-5 (As is) on July 20, 2015. On September 11, 2025, as I was traveling on a three lane highway. I attempted to pass another vehicle. As I was attempting to go around the vehicle, my Mazda suddenly began braking and quickly losing acceleration. The speed limit on the highway was 70 mph. I estimated my speed at the time was between 70 and 75 mph as I attempted to pass. Pressing on the accelerator pedal did nothing. I had to try and very carefully steer the car to the right hand side of the road while trying to avoid oncoming traffic approaching from behind. When I finally got the car off the road, this is when I noticed that the car had stalled. The car started right back up and I continued to my appointment. The "radar cruise control" was activated at the time of the incident. On September 15, 2025, I contacted the dealer where the car was purchased and explained what happened. I was asked to bring the car in that same day. The car was supposedly looked over and connected to the Service Dept.'s computer to see if any error sign appeared. Nothing showed up. I service technician was then asked to ride with me to see if the car would replicated the same stalling as it has previously done. We could not get the car to stall as it had previously done. Before leaving, a salesman asked me if I wanted him to explain the "radar cruise control" to me some more. I agreed. The salesman then proceeded to tell me that "the car did not stall, it was simply braking from the activation of the radar cruise control". Being an experienced driver, I told the salesman that the car had stalled as evidenced by the fact that I had to restart it. The situation was not resolved to my satisfaction, but no other offers were made by the dealer. I requested additional diagnostic work to be done, but the dealer refused to cooperate. I did take the car to another Mazda dealer, but could get no offer but to connect the car to their computer. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My fuel pump burned out after only 60k miles.... very expensive repair. Mazda said the problem was only with the early 2019 models so mine wasn't included yet my fuel pump did exactly what the ones included in the recall did, but I was left with over $1700 repair bill to replace the fuel pump. Obviously the "improved design" used in the second half of the year isn't really improved, and I've never had to replace a fuel pump on a vehicle with so few miles on it. We were sitting idle waiting for food at a restaurant and the engine just died and we were unable to re-start the vehicle. No issues prior to this, always kept fuel at least 1/4 tank or more full and no engine warning lights until AFTER the engine died. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | ENGINE | The engine cylinder head cracked and is leaking engine oil. This component is available for inspection at Liberty Mazda or by an independent certified mechanic upon request. The cracked cylinder head caused significant engine oil leakage, which created the following safety risks: Sudden loss of engine power or stalling while driving Smoke emission from the engine bay Potential fire hazard if leaking oil contacted hot engine components These conditions placed both the driver, passengers, and others on the road at risk. The cracked cylinder head and associated oil leak were diagnosed and confirmed by Liberty Mazda, the authorized dealership that performed prior repairs on this vehicle. The dealership documented the issue and provided a repair estimate of approximately $5,400. No independent service center has inspected the vehicle at this time. The vehicle and cylinder head have only been inspected by Liberty Mazda. Mazda Corporate has not physically inspected the vehicle, but all service records and documentation of prior repairs have been submitted to them during the warranty dispute process. There has been no inspection by police, insurance representatives, or other third parties May 2025: The vehicle intermittently struggled to accelerate. At that time, no dashboard warning lamps illuminated, and the dealership initially reported no issues. June 2025: Following the timing cover repair, the vehicle experienced engine oil leakage due to incorrect sealant installation, which was documented. February 10, 2026: The dealership repaired the oil pan seal and replaced the sealant, refilling engine oil. February 14–15, 2026: Approximately four to five days after the February 10 service, the cylinder head cracked, causing a significant oil leak. All symptoms and related service events are documented in Liberty Mazda’s service records. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The touchscreen digitizer on the Mazda Connect infotainment system has developed a known defect causing constant phantom/ghost touch inputs. The screen registers random touches without any physical contact, causing the system to navigate through menus, change vehicle settings (including safety-related settings such as blind spot monitoring and heads-up display), exit navigation mid-route, change radio stations, and initiate phone calls to contacts without driver input while connected to Apple CarPlay. This is a significant driver distraction and safety hazard. When the system begins making random inputs, the driver must divert attention from the road to attempt to regain control of the infotainment system or end unintended phone calls. The issue occurs most frequently when the vehicle is stopped or at low speeds but also affects the system while driving. This is a well-documented hardware defect affecting 2017-2020 CX-5 models, acknowledged by Mazda under TSB 09-003/22. The cause is a failing touchscreen digitizer, not a software issue. Mazda has not issued a formal recall despite widespread reports. The component is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealer for this specific issue. No warning lamps or messages preceded the failure — the phantom touch inputs developed gradually and have worsened to the point that the infotainment system is nearly unusable. Current mileage is approximately 60,000-80,000 miles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | The vehicle's cylinder head has developed a structural crack at on the casting, a known manufacturing defect identified by the manufacturer in Service Advisory SA-037/23. This failure is causing pressurized engine oil to leak directly onto the hot exhaust manifold while the vehicle is in operation. The leaking oil is pooling on high-temperature exhaust components, creating a significant risk of fire while driving. The leak generates heavy smoke and noxious burning oil fumes that are entering the passenger cabin through the HVAC system, causing respiratory issues | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Oil is leaking from the front timing chain cover and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The issue was caught early enough before it was an acute safety issue, however this issue can cause smoke while driving and cause the vehicle to lose function while driving, endangering those in and around the vehicle in motion. The vehicle only has 35,000 miles on it, has been confirmed and documented by an independent service center, and this is a widespread well-known issue - the service center has had three vehicles in this week with the same exact issue, and Mazda issued a technical service bulletin detailing the issue and stating the root cause is a lack of sufficient sealant applied during manufacturing. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives - only a service center. There were no warning lamps or messages of the problem prior to failure - I was lucky to have this caught during a routine inspection. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | ENGINE | The vehicle has suffered a crack of the Cylinder Head Assembly which leads to engine oil leaking onto hot exhaust and fire hazard. This defect is officially documented by the manufacturer in Service Alert SA-031/21, which identifies a trend of aluminum heads cracking and leaking pressurized oil directly onto the hot exhaust manifold. Although Mazda has issued a 10-year/120,000-mile warranty extension (Program CSP11) for the exact same casting failure in its Turbo-equipped models, it has refused to provide similar "Goodwill" relief for my vehicle, despite it suffering from the identical engineering flaw. Mazda’s refusal to cover a verified latent manufacturing defect that poses a significant fire hazard is arbitrary and unfair. I am requesting that Mazda North American Operations provide full reimbursement for the $6,788.51 repair | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | ENGINE | I am being told there is a crack in the cylinder head that is a known issue for these vehicles. I have done some research online and it says that they installed defective cylinders in vehicles that were made between the years 2018-2020 leaving vehicle owners to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket due to a manufacturing defect. My car was smoking and smelling like something burnt even inside the car causing the driver to inhale those fumes, I took it to the shop and it turns out that the cylinder head is cracked and leaking the oil. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |