Cracked Engine Block (2018 CX-5)

[edmaz]

From what I have read online it seems to affect mostly the turbo engines? At least that what I thought I saw on a TSB.

I have not kept track of turbo cracked head failure numbers across all of the models and years, so I can't comment on what you wrote above. I do know for certain that the cracked heads on the 2018 CX-5 has been (and continues to be) a systemic issue, and also has been very significant in MY 2019 NA as well. As I wrote previously, the cracked head numbers for 2020 CX-5 and later have so far been much lower than those prior two MY. And for whatever reason(s), there have been far fewer NA cracked head reports in non-CX-5 models (such as the 3), so it's certainly possible that the total number of turbo cracked heads exceeds the NA count. But regardless of how they compare to each other, neither one of those numbers is small

 

[wlong01]

From what I have read online it seems to affect mostly the turbo engines? At least that what I thought I saw on a TSB.

There are two separate issues. One affects NA and the other affects turbos.

 

[yrwei52]

From what I have read online it seems to affect mostly the turbo engines? At least that what I thought I saw on a TSB.

Your 2016 CX-5 Sport has original SkyActiv-G 2.5L (or 2.0L?) NA which has fairly reliable cylinder head. Mazda has modified the head to accommodate the components added for cylinder deactivation to the 2.5L NA since 2018, and IMO which has weakened certain areas on original cylinder head and hence the crack issue. Similarly Mazda modified the original cylinder head on the 2.5L NA for turbo and it has also weakened certain areas on original head and hence crack issue. To me, both issues are design issues, and the problem won’t go away unless Mazda redesign or modify the head to reinforce the crack areas. Yes, 2.5T seems to have more cracked head happening, and Mazda has actually modified the head, but it’d take several years to prove the modification is effective.

 

[txt990]

Your 2016 CX-5 Sport has original SkyActiv-G 2.5L (or 2.0L?) NA which has fairly reliable cylinder head. Mazda has modified the head to accommodate the components added for cylinder deactivation to the 2.5L NA since 2018, and IMO which has weakened certain areas on original cylinder head and hence the crack issue. Similarly Mazda modified the original cylinder head on the 2.5L NA for turbo and it has also weakened certain areas on original head and hence crack issue. To me, both issues are design issues, and the problem won’t go away unless Mazda redesign or modify the head to reinforce the crack areas. Yes, 2.5T seems to have more cracked head happening, and Mazda has actually modified the head, but it’d take several years to prove the modification is effective.

My 2016 has the Skyactiv 2.5L. The 2021 Sport that my brother just bought has the 2.5L also. He has about 19k on car. He probably won't drive it a whole lot since he works from home a few days of the week. Do you see a oil leak or consumption with this issue?

 

[yrwei52]

My 2016 has the Skyactiv 2.5L. The 2021 Sport that my brother just bought has the 2.5L also. He has about 19k on car. He probably won't drive it a whole lot since he works from home a few days of the week. Do you see a oil leak or consumption with this issue?

The 2.5L NA with CD in 2021 CX-5 is a much different engine from the 2.5L NA in your 2016 CX-5. A Ukrainian/Russian YouTube video has shown it’s only 2mm thin at the cracked area on a cylinder head from his 2.5L NA with CD. Even though some may believe the “percentage” of cracked head from a 2.5L with CD is very low, but the potential is alway there. And once it happens, it’d cost you an arm and a leg to fix it.

The head crack on the 2.5L NA with CD usually happens on the back side near cylinder #2 and #3 with oil leak. The oll leak can be minimum and most likely you won’t be able to tell from oil consumption. The best way to check is visual, with plastic engine cover removed.

 

[txt990]

The 2.5L NA with CD in 2021 CX-5 is a much different engine from the 2.5L NA in your 2016 CX-5. A Ukrainian/Russian YouTube video has shown it’s only 2mm thin at the cracked area on a cylinder head from his 2.5L NA with CD. Even though some may believe the “percentage” of cracked head from a 2.5L with CD is very low, but the potential is alway there. And once it happens, it’d cost you an arm and a leg to fix it.

The head crack on the 2.5L NA with CD usually happens on the back side near cylinder #2 and #3 with oil leak. The oll leak can be minimum and most likely you won’t be able to tell from oil consumption. The best way to check is visual, with plastic engine cover removed.

Thanks for the information. So, on the 2021 CX-5 sport if the car is only driven about 5k a year, how often does the oil have to be changed? 6 months or 1 year?

 

[yrwei52]

Thanks for the information. So, on the 2021 CX-5 sport if the car is only driven about 5k a year, how often does the oil have to be changed? 6 months or 1 year?

The manual says the (flexible) oil change schedule is up to 7,500 miles or 12 months whichever comes first in the US. Stick with 12 months per oil change in your case.

 

[txt990]

The manual says the (flexible) oil change schedule is up to 7,500 miles or 12 months whichever comes first in the US. Stick with 12 months per oil change in your case.

Ok, sounds good. Thanks!

 

[labryan7]

I took my 2018 CX5 to a shop for a possible oil leak. Mechanic says block has hairline crack, is leaking oil down exhaust manifold. He tells me from his research it's a known issue with this model & Mazda is aware of the problem. There is no recall or class action lawsuit that either of us found. He doesn't know what they have done or will do to fix the problem. I am over that 75K mile extended warranty I bought, I'm at 77,652.
I'm going to take it to the dealership in the morning. Any thoughts or suggestions on how to proceed?

Mazda covered it 100%!!!!! I was shocked & very grateful to say the least!!

Just replaced my 2018 cx5 at 53130 miles out of pocket (just out of warranty), most likely will sell the car in couple weeks once I know the replacement fixed the problem. I am done with Mazda.

 

[N7turbo]

Sorry to hear, but the grass ain't greener...

 

[wlong01]

Just replaced my 2018 cx5 at 53130 miles out of pocket (just out of warranty), most likely will sell the car in couple weeks once I know the replacement fixed the problem. I am done with Mazda.

What did you replace? The cylinder head? How much did it cost? Any help from Mazda? At 53k they should offer some assistance. Why would you sell the car after having it fixed?

 

[mycoy]

The number of complaints on NHTSA, independent owner reports, and feedback from Mazda techs, all points to much lower number of cracked NA heads on 2020 and newer models. And if a manufacturing issue with the casting process was the one and only cause for the heads cracking, it makes sense that fixing it would resolve the issue.

All of that said, it does continue to nag at me why there have been ANY cracked heads at all on the newer MYs. The Mazda techs say there have been 'a few' newer ones, and we have had one confirmed report (with dealership paperwork) of a cracked head on a 2022 reported here. So this means that, unless they continued to install previously cast defective heads, the casting issue has not been 100% resolved. Or alternatively, there's more to the cracked head issue than just bad casting alone. Regardless of what the actual answer is, it's disappointing and unsettling to me that this mess still has not been completely resolved, six years or so after it began.

So the answer to your question is that 2020 and later NA/CD models currently appear to be much less likely to have cracked heads. However, probably no one outside of Hiroshima actually knows what the future holds for these newer vehicles.

Unfortunately, only time will tell

 

[olraygoza]

Are people still having this issue? I have a Mazda CX5 2018 with 67K miles on it. It recently started smoking three weeks after an oil chance, so I took to the dealership and they said it has a cracked engine and needs an engine replacement. It seems like engines don't crack just like that, and from reading this it seems like a manufacturing defect. Mazda is refusing to pay for it, so I've filed an NHTSA complain. Wondering if people are still having this issue.

 

[labryan7]

What did you replace? The cylinder head? How much did it cost? Any help from Mazda? At 53k they should offer some assistance. Why would you sell the car after having it fixed?

sorry for the late reply but I thought it might help other people. Mazda USA didn't help much. After spending $175 for diagnostic at the local dealer so I have a record to submit to Mazda USA, they gave me $150 credit. I didn't do any regular service at the local dealership, I guess that was my mistake. I ended up buying cylinder head, gaskets, cylinder head bolts at the local dealer for around $1700 and found a good mechanic who only works on the weekend at my house (since he has a full time job during the weekday) and replace it and he charged me $650. The same dealership quoted me $5000 plus tax for 12 month warranty. I already sold the car since it reminds me of the incident.

 

[wlong01]

sorry for the late reply but I thought it might help other people. Mazda USA didn't help much. After spending $175 for diagnostic at the local dealer so I have a record to submit to Mazda USA, they gave me $150 credit. I didn't do any regular service at the local dealership, I guess that was my mistake. I ended up buying cylinder head, gaskets, cylinder head bolts at the local dealer for around $1700 and found a good mechanic who only works on the weekend at my house (since he has a full time job during the weekday) and replace it and he charged me $650. The same dealership quoted me $5000 plus tax for 12 month warranty. I already sold the car since it reminds me of the incident.

Thanks for getting back. Shame Mazda wouldn't help even though they created the problem.
Lucky for you you found someone to do it for half the dealer price. Can understand why you unloaded it, I would of probably did the same thing.

This is the reason I purchased an extended warranty. Let Mazda eat it if it goes South.

Hopefully they'll come to their senses and extend the Power Train warranty.

 

[labryan7]

Thanks for getting back. Shame Mazda wouldn't help even though they created the problem.
Lucky for you you found someone to do it for half the dealer price. Can understand why you unloaded it, I would of probably did the same thing.

This is the reason I purchased an extended warranty. Let Mazda eat it if it goes South.

Hopefully they'll come to their senses and extend the Power Train warranty.

Yes, rookie mistake as far as not taking it to dealership for oil change while it's still under warranty. The other thing is I always bought used cars (less than 50k miles) so I am used to maintain my own car and didn't think about it. It's Japanese car so it should be reliable but I learn no car is perfect. I bought this car when it was 8k miles (theft recovery from insurance) with clean title so didn't think much about it. Logically, I should have kept the car since it has new cylinder head but the psychologically it's better to sell it. Oh well, you live and you learn. Company will do whatever it takes to maximize profit, they are not in a business to do the right thing. This is my second mazda, my first mazda was mazda 3. I do learn a few things after this incident, stay away from turbo even thought mine is NA, stay away from first version of the engine and any new modification to allow all the bugs to resolve.

 

[wlong01]

Yes, rookie mistake as far as not taking it to dealership for oil change while it's still under warranty. The other thing is I always bought used cars (less than 50k miles) so I am used to maintain my own car and didn't think about it. It's Japanese car so it should be reliable but I learn no car is perfect. I bought this car when it was 8k miles (theft recovery from insurance) with clean title so didn't think much about it. Logically, I should have kept the car since it has new cylinder head but the psychologically it's better to sell it. Oh well, you live and you learn. Company will do whatever it takes to maximize profit, they are not in a business to do the right thing. This is my second mazda, my first mazda was mazda 3. I do learn a few things after this incident, stay away from turbo even thought mine is NA, stay away from first version of the engine and any new modification to allow all the bugs to resolve.

What did you replace it with?

 

[labryan7]

What did you replace it with?

I replaced it with 2020 tesla 3 with 46k miles, great technology car, not so much in term of quality and luxury. No frame for the windows so you can hear a little noise when driving above 40mph, some noise in the dashboard area when driving in the rough road in low speed, glass roof so it's extremely hot.

 

[wlong01]

I replaced it with 2020 tesla 3 with 46k miles, great technology car, not so much in term of quality and luxury. No frame for the windows so you can hear a little noise when driving above 40mph, some noise in the dashboard area when driving in the rough road in low speed, glass roof so it's extremely hot.

What's your feelings on the EV? Have you taken it on any long trips where you had to plan out charging stops? What kind of range? How is it affected by cold/hot? Do you charge at home and how has it affected your electrical bill? What's the warranty on the battery? Have you looked into the cost of battery replacement if you keep it past the warranty?
I could go on and on.

 

[N7turbo]

All of that is easily found with Google.