Dangerous cylinder deactivation trouble on 2018 CX-5 and Mazda6 models

[changes13]

I got the P0524 low oil pressure check engine light again on my 2018 CX5. I've had:

1) The cylinder deactivation TSB done a couple years ago
2) The engine oil leak TSB done about 2 months ago
3) The tensioner oil leak TSB done about 2 months ago

I checked oil level, it is between the low and full marks.

This is the 2nd time Ive gotten this light over the last 6 months. Im scheduling service with the dealer. Anybody get this occasional issue or know what the cause is?

 

[ruthrj]

Do you get your service done at a dealership? I have heard of aftermarket filters causing a low oil pressure code but that seems to be rare.

 

[yrwei52]

Do you get your service done at a dealership? I have heard of aftermarket filters causing a low oil pressure code but that seems to be rare.

Here is the Service Alert published several years ago by Mazda North American Operations:

Skyactiv Oil Filters
Here is one MNAO PDF to their US Mazda Dealers concerning genuine Oil Filter(s) installation and use for ALL SA Engines..
Mazda Dealers (in USA particularly) are also seeing stored DTC's (Diagnostic Trouble Codes in PCM) when they use even 'other' genuine Mazda oil filters in Skyactiv engines, see pic, they look identical, but it is what is inside.

View attachment 300999

 

[yrwei52]

I got the P0524 low oil pressure check engine light again on my 2018 CX5. I've had:

1) The cylinder deactivation TSB done a couple years ago
2) The engine oil leak TSB done about 2 months ago
3) The tensioner oil leak TSB done about 2 months ago

I checked oil level, it is between the low and full marks.

This is the 2nd time Ive gotten this light over the last 6 months. Im scheduling service with the dealer. Anybody get this occasional issue or know what the cause is?

Can you clarify what kind of oil and oil filter you’re using?

If you use dealer doing the oil change, IMO you want to record the low oil pressure problem as much as you can, and contact Mazda North American Operations complaining. This’s a serious issue and needs to get resolved.

Have you noticed the valves tapping noise when you start the cold engine? There’re a couple of additional TSBs on 2.5L with cylinder deactivation on oil pressure control issue to switchable hydraulic lift adjusters used on cylinders with CD function. Revised HLAs are available now replacing the factory ones to eliminate the valve tapping noise.

 

[changes13]

I change the oil myself using 0w-20 pennzoil and the OEM 1WPE-14-302 oil filter.

The CEL light went off and came back on again. I think this if 5x since we got the car new 3 years ago.

 

[yrwei52]

I change the oil myself using 0w-20 pennzoil and the OEM 1WPE-14-302 oil filter.

The CEL light went off and came back on again. I think this if 5x since we got the car new 3 years ago.

I understand there’s a 5-year / 60K-mile powertrain warranty, but If I were you I’d try to create a case with MNAO while the 3-year / 36K-mile warranty is still there.

it’s not normal in any way in your satiation. The dealer should check at least the actual oil pressure for you to verify the functionality of the oil pump and other things. Or take down the oil pan checking the oil pump pickup inlet and see if there’s any possible blockage. The worse case is the crankshaft bearings could be worn to the boarder line of the specs for the thin 0W-20 oil. Too many possibilities but the culprit need to be found and fixed.

Can you hear the valve tapping noise after the engine started cold?

 

[changes13]

I don't notice any valve tapping noise.

My 3yr/36k warranty expired last month.

 

[yrwei52]

My 3yr/36k warranty expired last month.

That’s fine, you still have powertrain warranty to cove your engine problem. If you had complained the low oil pressure problem before to your Mazda dealer, they should have the record, and you still can contact MNAO to create a case.

 

[changes13]

I have record of the low oil pressure because they applied the TSB for it a couple years back.

What's the benefit of MNAO case? Any suggestions on who to contact and what type of case to create?

 

[yrwei52]

I have record of the low oil pressure because they applied the TSB for it a couple years back.

What's the benefit of MNAO case? Any suggestions on who to contact and what type of case to create?

Any major warranty work by Mazda dealer needs to be authorized by MNAO. In your case, you can contact Customer Experience Center at MNAO and explain to the rep that your Mazda dealer had tried to use several cylinder deactivation TSBs to resolve the low oil pressure CEL problem to no avail. You want the MNAO to help you fixing the problem as the dealer had failed to do it during the new car warranty period. And the low oil pressure problem is a serious problem and you don’t want to ignored it unless you plan to get rid of the car very soon. Here’s a post of your old thread back to August, 2018:

P0524 Check Engine Light on 3 Month Old 2018 CX-5 AWD Touring

ferro_sk had the same CEL on his 2 month old 2018 CX-5 with only 1,800 km / 1,118 miles. Mazda had to replace oil control solenoid valve、oil pump、oil pressure sensor、and even connecting rod bearings to fix the problem!!!

Be prepared to present the proof of purchases on 0w-20 Pennzoil oils and OEM oil filters.

 

[changes13]

Oh my, that much to repair? Car drives ok otherwise, dont notice any adverse affects.

 

[MyFirstMazda]

Looks like they shot the parts cannon at ferro_sk's car.

 

[yrwei52]

Oh my, that much to repair? Car drives ok otherwise, dont notice any adverse affects.

No kidding. It could be worse (i.e. crankshaft itself and bearings、piston and rings etc.) if the repair hadn’t been done early with low oil pressure problem on ferro_sk’s CX-5. The owner’s manual says you don’t drive the car when you have low oil pressure warnings.

On the other hand, your problem can be as simple as an inaccurate oil pressure sensor. That’s why you want your Mazda dealer checking out the low oil pressure problem with DTC code like ferro_sk’s dealer did, not just performing any unrelated TSBs on cylinder deactivation.

 

[yrwei52]

Looks like they shot the parts cannon at ferro_sk's car.

I believe ferro_sk’s repair is legit. His Mazda dealer took the problem seriously on low oil pressure complaint, worked with Technical Support of Mazda Australia, found all possible causes of low oil pressure problems, checked the possible engine damage throughly (imagine the dealer pin-pointed the necessity of replacement on connecting rod bearings), and made the proper engine repair with authority under Mazda Australia Technical Support.

No, IMO, it couldn’t be just shooting the parts cannon at ferro_sk's car. While the oil control valve may not be a major component related to low oil pressure problem, but it’s a part on SlyActiv-G which is historically problematic on oil leak and may cause a bit lower oil pressure. It’s a case that a dealer did his job correctly and responsibly to a customer with possible serious problem on an almost brand new car.

I’d never treat the low oil pressure warnings lightly.

 

[edmaz]

....
This is the 2nd time Ive gotten this light over the last 6 months. Im scheduling service with the dealer. ....

Given the multiple cylinder deactivation TSBs (and revisions of them) over that past few years, I'd expect that Mazda Corporate would want to take a VERY close look at a CD-equipped vehicle that's throwing a sporadic low oil pressure code. CD is highly dependent on proper oil pressure, and IMO a bouncing P0524 like this would be something that the automaker is likely to want to do a detailed data capture on, including actual oil pressure readings from a teed mechanical gauge.

So if this stealership says 'no problem', hands the keys back to you, and gives no indication of having made contact with the Mothership, then by all means do exactly what yewei52 suggested in post #810 above. I would be more than a bit surprised if the automaker wouldn't want to take a really close look at your vehicle, given everything else that's been going on with CD.

 

[changes13]

Based on the dealer service notes, looks like they replaced the oil control valve. From the service notes:

"B0226DrX OCV for Hydraulic Variable Valve Timing"
25035 WM (not sure what this line item is)
PYFA-14-440C C00 Valve, Oil Control
PY8W-14-365 Gasket

They found the PSI @4,500 was 26PSI before the fix. After the fix, it it as 36PSI.

Also, service notes that a factory OEM oil filter is present. I think its important to use OEM parts while still under warranty. Guessing they might have given more trouble if it was after market filter.

 

[yrwei52]

Based on the dealer service notes, looks like they replaced the oil control valve. From the service notes:

"B0226DrX OCV for Hydraulic Variable Valve Timing"
25035 WM (not sure what this line item is)
PYFA-14-440C C00 Valve, Oil Control
PY8W-14-365 Gasket

They found the PSI @4,500 was 26PSI before the fix. After the fix, it it as 36PSI.

Also, service notes that a factory OEM oil filter is present. I think its important to use OEM parts while still under warranty. Guessing they might have given more trouble if it was after market filter.

So you went to the Mazda dealer checking out the low oil pressure CEL. And they replaced the oil control valve PYFA-14-440C and call it a day.

This OCV is located on the side of the engine above the oil filter. The same OCV used on the 2.5L without cylinder deactivation is different with part no. PE01-14-440A. There’s another OCV located on the engine top and used as variable valve timing (VVT) solenoid with part no. PE01-14-420A and this’s the one prone to leak.

Now you really have to be concerned based on the actual oil pressure your dealer measured. They found the oil pressure @4,500 was 26 psi before the fix； 36 psi after the OCV replacement. But based on Mazda CX-5 Workshop Manual, the oil pressure should be 43.6 ~ 62.3 psi @ 4,500 rpm!

So your oil pressure had been way lower than the specs for the last 3 years and 36K miles. Now after the fix, the oil pressure is still lower than the specs!

 

[changes13]

Did they use the wrong ocv? Any suggestions for next steps/get the issue fixed? Call Mazda corporate like you suggested earlier? Any leg to stand on if the check engine light doesn't come back?

 

[yrwei52]

Did they use the wrong ocv? Any suggestions for next steps/get the issue fixed? Call Mazda corporate like you suggested earlier? Any leg to stand on if the check engine light doesn't come back?

No, the oil control valve your dealer replaced is the correct OCV which adjusts oil pressure from oil pump. In post #810 I mentioned ferro_sk had the same CEL on his 2 month old 2018 CX-5 with only 1,800 km / 1,118 miles and Mazda Australia had to replace oil control solenoid valve、oil pump、oil pressure sensor、and even connecting rod bearings to fix the problem. That oil control solenoid valve is the one you just got replaced but it’s 3 years too late.

Mazda CX-5 Service & Repair Manual / Engine / Lubrication / Engine Oil Control

Whether or not the low oil pressure warning is coming back is not the point right now for you, but the fact that the oil pressure checked is still lower than the spec after the “fix” that is the key. At this stage your best bet is to contact Mazda North American Operations and raise the issue. You want to emphasize that you have this this low oil pressure issue with CEL since new, and the dealer had failed to properly check the actual oil pressure until now. With 26 psi @4,500, but the spec is 43.6 ~ 62.3 psi @ 4,500 rpm, for more than 3 years, you believe the engine has suffered the long term damage and you want the entire engine to be replaced.

It could be a long fight. If MNAO refuses replacing the engine or at least replacing many oil pressure related parts and some bearings like ferro_sk’s dealer did, If I were you I’d just try to get rid of the CX-5 once the powertrain warranty runs out. Because the engine definitely has suffered some damage, and that’s why the oil pressure is still below the spec even after the so called “fix”.

 

[changes13]

Check with dealer on this. They used TSB SA-055/20. In that TSB:

Oil pressure (reference value)
Lo: 135-165 kPa {1.38-1.68 kgf/cm2, 19.6-23.9 psi} [1,500 - 1,600 rpm]*
Hi: 225-275 kPa {2.30-2.80 kgf/cm2, 32.7-39.8 psi} [4,500 - 4,600 rpm]*
Oil temperature: 80-90 °C {176-194 °F}, Coolant temperature: 80-90 °C {176-194 °F}

I asked about discrepancy between these values and those in the service manual yrwei52 kindly provided. Response was they can only go by the trouble code and the tsb provided by Mazda. Possible the service manual values were not for the 2018 engine with cylinder deactivation?