In the market concerned about Cracked Cylinder Heads

[jblake70]

Hello, I've been looking at purchasing a used CX-5 for a couple of months and had previously seen how reliable they were and then stumbled upon the various forums, etc talking about the cracked cylinder heads. Based on all the comments you would think that this happens to 50% or so of the vehicles from 2018 onwards. Some say its due to CD, etc. I wasn't planning to get a 24 or newer used car but if it is just the cd I think I can find a cd without cd. Then other people discuss the dealer with assist with the cost, etc. if under warranty. I had planned to get this vehicle for commuting where I put about 30k per year on the vehicle so unless I get it newish it wouldn't be long before it's over 100k on past any warranty (even if on a cpo).

I've seen cost estimates of over $7k. I'm getting cold feet on a repair that is close to 1/3 of the value of the cost of the used vehicle.

Can anyone talk me off the ledge? Should I go with the 24 non CD? Thanks for the advice.

 

[wlong01]

You're right it does seem like there's a huge community of vehicles where the cylinder head has cracked but in truth it's probably less than 1% of the vehicles mfgrd between 2018 and 2020. Mazda redesigned the cylinder head and 2021 and forward supposedly don't have the problem. There's been a few outliers but not many as fas as I can tell. Mazda also issued an extended warranty for this problem for 2019-2020 CX-5's with the 2.5L turbo motor. It extends the powertrain warranty to 10 yrs/120,000 miles.

The cylinder head problem manifests itself as a coolant leak on the Turbos and an oil leak on the NA engines.
I have one in each variety and neither have had any problems. One is 10 years old and the other is almost 6. Neither have CD.

 

[sm1ke]

To clarify, there are two completely different cylinder head issues. On the 2.5L NA CD engine, the cylinder head can crack in a specific area that leads to an oil leak. On the 2.5L Turbo engine from 2016-2020, the cylinder head could crack at the exhaust manifold, leaking to an external coolant leak. 2021+ models with the 2.5T engine have a redesigned cylinder head to address this issue. The NA engine is unchanged, as far as I know.

There is a TSB for the CD issue, and a customer service plan that extends the powertrain warranty specifically for the 2.5 Turbo cylinder head issue.

If you're only considering Reddit/online forums, the number of complaints does seem high, but it's not 50% of commenters high. In reality, when you consider the total sales of the vehicle, the percentage drops to a very low number. Still worth knowing about so potential owners can remain informed, but the problem is not as common as it seems.

I suggest getting a 2022+ turbo CX-5 if you want to avoid both of these problems, but it's important to remember that none of these cars are perfect. Even the most reliable vehicles can develop one-off issues every once in a while. The best thing you can do is be informed so that you can better prepare and manage risks accordingly.

 

[jblake70]

I've also seen people say they think getting a 2024 without CD solves the cylinder head issue as well. Do you think that has merit?

Thanks again for the background it is very helpful.

 

[HyFlyer]

... I had planned to get this vehicle for commuting where I put about 30k per year on the vehicle ...

Find a nice used 2019 cx5 signature with the 2.2 diesel putting that kind of annual mileage in.

That's my vote

 

[jblake70]

Find a nice used 2019 cx5 signature with the 2.2 diesel putting that kind of annual mileage in.

That's my vote

I'd love the diesel. I came from a 2015 VW Golfwagen diesel that I got over 50 mpg on the highway. Too bad for dieselgate and VW not making anymore after 15 in NA.

 

[sm1ke]

I've also seen people say they think getting a 2024 without CD solves the cylinder head issue as well. Do you think that has merit?

Thanks again for the background it is very helpful.

Yes I think it does have some merit. For a while, due to supply issues, there was a run of 2.5 NA CX-5s that were being produced without CD. I'm not sure if that means they were using "old" engines, or if that simply meant that the feature wasn't active on the new 2.5 NA engines, but those CX-5s did not seem to have the issue that the ones with CD did.

 

[HyFlyer]

I'd love the diesel. I came from a 2015 VW Golfwagen diesel that I got over 50 mpg on the highway. Too bad for dieselgate and VW not making anymore after 15 in NA.

They're out in the wild.

[EDIT ... Apparently the clicky link didn't transfer/include the filter of "Fuel type = diesel]

Used Mazda CX-5 for Sale in Cincinnati, OH - CarGurus

I've had mine since new, now 105,000 miles. It's been a great ride .

That one by Manassas VA could be a nice candidate depending on it's history.

 

[7eregrine]

Just get a 17. Best of the CX5's IMO.
Basically the reliable 16 + the new tech of the next gen - CDA = THE CX5.

 

[jblake70]

Just get a 17. Best of the CX5's IMO.
Basically the reliable 16 + the new tech of the next gen - CDA = THE CX5.

Dont 17 have the problem about the goblins taking over the radio controls?

 

[7eregrine]

Damn Goblins! (I assume you mean Ghost Touches...I think that was an issue over a few years, no?)

 

[NealfromNZ]

Our 2017 KF 2.2 Diesel’s was quite good for first . Virtually just servicing costs with full service history. It had a combo of urban and highway mileage But last year it blew a head gasket and has a slow leak with just 120,000 km on engine. Fortunately dealer picked it up as no telltale signs from dash, but coolant was sprayed around front if engine bay.

Worked out that the issue occurred on a motorway section wife travels on. Its a long and steep incline with a speed limit of 100km. So engine under full torque load at 1800 rpm.

Mazda sorted repairs which was great. Was engine out and head went to specialist to check for cracks and block was also checked.

Advice for 2.2d auto owners is manually change down on long steep inclines to make the load easier on the engine.

Otherise, enjoy being able to drive 800km on a tank and the torque from diesel is excellent. We do about 23,000km a year on the CX5 2.2d