2019 Mazda CX-5
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 270 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 14 CX-5 model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 7 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 5 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpNov 12, 2021
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
Campaign 21V875000 on NHTSA.gov
EngineJun 27, 2019
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
Campaign 19V497000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
270 reports, newest first.
Engine, Oct 30, 2023
Noticed the smell of burning oil in the cab on 30 mile drive. No warning lamps or other symptoms; vehicle continued to operate normally. After parking and inspecting the engine for the burning smell, noticed oil dripping from underneath engine bay and a pool of motor oil was forming on the ground underneath the vehicle. The next day, vehicle was brought to local Mazda dealer for inspection. They diagnosed the cause and stated the engine needs a cylinder head replacement. Oil leakage was so prolific, if this were to occur during a long distance drive, the engine would have lost all of the oil and stranded motorist - safety concern. Cylinder head failure is a known issue (Mazda TSB [XXX] ) with this engine. This known safety issue should trigger a recall. At minimum, the repair should covered by manufacturer for life of vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Seats, Oct 28, 2023, crash
We were at a stop light and we were rear ended by a Lexus SUV. We're assuming she was going 45mph + but we're not too sure yet. I couldn't figure out why myself, the drive of the car that was hit, had such a horrendous neck ache after being hit. I turned around & saw that my headrest had been completely ripped out of the seat itself, providing no support for my head and/or neck on impact. I can't find any information of if this is on purpose, as a safety feature, or if the headrest failed.
Engine, Oct 7, 2023
Cracked cylinder head with oil leaking. There were no warning from my car prior to a diagnostic test. The car has a very strong rubber burning smell and white smoke comes out from the engine part before I took my car back to the Mazda Dealer. From a quick search, the cracked cylinder problem seems widespread with the 2018-2021's Mazda Cx-5. Took the car back to the dealer and dealer replaced the head cylinder and gaskets. There were no warning from the car.
Other or unspecified, Sep 15, 2023
the infotainment LCD screen has "Ghost Touch" issue. The screen randomly appears to move around as if a ghost is touching the lcd touch screen. After researching online this is a common problem Mazda will not address.
Air bags, Aug 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the air bags warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the contact was not provided information the diagnostic test results. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the air bags warning light was no longer illuminated. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
Engine, Aug 11, 2023
2 weeks ago I noticed an oil leak 2019 cx5 . Riley Mazda of Stamford check and found a cracked on the cylinder head. The cylinder head needs to be replaced cost around $5000. luckily we noticed the leak while car was park. Imagine if the car was on the road. Dangerous things could have happened. Mazda is aware of this situation years ago. A technician Service Bulletin was released by Mazda in 2019/2021 to all dealerships technicians repair guideline and why the cylinder cracks. On the Mazda bulletin it clearly explained a design defect resulting cylinder head cracks. Also Mazda failed to warn cx5 owners about the dangerous situation. On top of everything Mazda refuse to pay the Defect cracked cylinder head that cost around $5000 . I email mazda Numerous times and decline any goodwill repair . Reason is out of warranty. Most Cylinder heads past 200,000 mile mark. Not unless your engine overheats but it not. Mazda should reimburse us owner who paid the repair cost
Engine, Aug 10, 2023
Smoke started coming from the front end of the car so I brought my car into the Boniface Heirs Mazda dealership for a diagnostic. I was informed by the mechanic that my car has a factory defect and the head of the engine was welded wrong. Apparently this is a known factory defect in the 2018-2019 Mazda CX-5s as I have seen other reports for the same issue. I reached out to Mazda corporate to see if they could help with “after warranty assistance” since this was a manufacturers issue and I do everything to maintain my car properly. They denied any help and do not plan on recalling the part. I had no warning lights just smoke pouring from the font of my car. I do not understand how this is not considered a safety issue. I’m lucky my car didn’t catch on fire. I now have to decide between spending $5000 to fix the engine head or to sell my car and find a new one.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 7, 2023
While driving down the road my Mazda CX-5 continues to just stall and the engine light turns on and the safety features turn off. I was driving down a road in town and the engine started stalling as I came to a red light and slowed the engine shut off and I was almost hit from behind. It took several attempts at starting before the car would start. This has now happened for the past 3 days and is happening more and more frequently. I do not have any other means of transportation and after attempting to get the dealership to check due to the recalls on the Mazda CX-5 for fuel pump failure and the mechanic saying it appears the fuel pump is bad the dealership refuses to attempt any repair because the VIN is not listed in the recall at this time. This is a severe safety problem because if it stalls in traffic I will be in an accident as I have no ability to maneuver the vehicle when it stalls to get out of the way of vehicles approaching. If this issue isn't resolved it is going to cause injury to myself or others. People have had to swerve into the path of other vehicles to keep from hitting me when it stalls, which is eventually going to result in harm to others and/or myself and family.
Engine, Aug 2, 2023
purchase a new 2019 cx5 at riley mazda stamford. after 3 years and with 88t miles ,the head gasket cylinder gasket needs a replacement for $4500. while searching i read the same complaints from 2019 cx5 owners about head gasket blownout. a TSB Technician Service Bulletin was release by Mazda in 2019 regarding this issue and another one 2021 with affected vin numbers included , this car is un drivable , oil leaks like water falls and burning smells along w it
Engine, Jul 26, 2023
Crack in Cylinder Head at only 67,000 miles, leaking fuel into exhaust system, causing smoke while driving. Multiple shops consistently mentioned seeing this problem with this year, make and model. Due to 60k powertrain warranty, no fixes are being covered by Mazda
Electrical system, Jul 25, 2023
The touchscreen randomly turns off, has “ghosting” where the touchscreen will do things on its own. Doing research I found this is a known issue with Mazda touchscreens and had a recall for 2013-2016 models. 2017+ models experience the same issues. This seems like a safety issue as many of the safety options and toggles are within the infotainment center.
Engine, Jul 24, 2023
After noticing a burning oil smell following an oil change, I brought my 2019 Mazda CX-5 Touring (42,000 miles) back to the Mazda dealership assuming an issue with the fuel filter. There were no warning lights/messages associated with the smell. The Mazda dealership inspected the vehicle and indicated the leaking oil was due to a cracked cylinder head, which was known issue covered under Mazda's warranty.
Engine, Jul 21, 2023
Vehicle warning system notified operator of engine overheating. Operator took vehicle to repair shop where mechanic identified a cracked cylinder head. Mechanic mentioned no reason crack should have occurred, potential manufacturer defect with forged aluminum casing.
Air bags, Jul 13, 2023
Wife was 30 weeks pregnant when airbag fault displayed. Was in fact a defective driver side airbag.
Other or unspecified, Jul 13, 2023
The computer monitor on the vehicle seems to have a mind of its own. After talking with the service rep they actually have a name for it because it is happening to many owners "Ghost Touching. The car tends to call people on your contact list automatically, change radio stations, move from settings all on its own. I feel it is dangerous because it will all of a sudden call someone and then you are trying to stop it and it does not disconnect and your focus is now taken off of the road and driving. Even if you try to turn the monitor off it turns on by itself. I was told there is no way to disconnect it and I would have to pay to have it fixed on a car that is only a couple years old. They know this is happening quite a bit, Mazda corporate would not do anything and I think it should be a recall issue before someone gets in an accident. This happens many times in one driving day.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 12, 2023
On my Mazda CX-5, the auto-folding side mirrors began failing to open fully, resulting in poor visibility. It is possible that the mirrors may become fully folded and unable to open resulting in compromised awareness when driving. It is not possible to force the mirrors open without risking damage to the internal mechanism and no guarantee the mirrors would stay open. This seems to be related to Bulletin No.: 09-011/20, however service centers are declining to fix this outside of warranty. There are numerous cases of this happening documented on Mazda forums and online groups, and the service associate admitted to me that just the day before someone had come in for an identical problem, but the owner declined to pay for a nearly $2000 fix.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 21, 2023
Windshield cracks too easy on 2019 Mazda CX-5. The car is 2019 and has already had 7 separate incidents (Crack and or Chip). Mazda knows of the problem and there are many Mazda customers that have reported problems with the integrity of the windshield. It's very concerning because it could be a safety issue if the windshield cracks so easy especially with all the objects and debris on the road that bigger vehicles like trucks kick up. I don't feel safe.
Engine, Jun 20, 2023
Oil light came on. Cracked cylinder head causing oil to leak in rear of engine onto exhaust system. This gives off burnt oil smell into vehicle passenger area. Concerned this could cause fire. Vehicle was taken back to dealer where it was found to be leaking. Dealer stated will order new cylinder head but does not know when it will be in. dealer stated drive vehicle until part comes in.
Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 15, 2023
The 2019 Mazda CX-5 has a design and manufacturing issue with its infotainment system. The screen activates functions without pressing the screen or activating the joystick. It changes the station, calls by phone and changes important security parameters such as braking assistance. Reflecting a notice on the main board. There are thousands of cases of affected vehicles. This problem is a serious situation that Mazda must correct immediately, because it distracts the driver and changes extremely important safety parameters. The infotainment system is not just for listening to music or making calls. This system manages many aspects of vehicle safety. Mazda replaced the part with a new part number for obvious reasons. All vehicles that have the affected part must be replaced with the new part number to avoid possible accidents. The defective part is K123-61-J0A. The replacement is K123-61-1J0C. Thank and best regards.
Engine, May 22, 2023
The cylinder head is “seeping” out oil Not a crack and not gasket failure Dealer service advises they could help us get it fixed IF ONLY we had receipts of oil changes. We do not because we change the oil ourself.
Engine, Apr 27, 2023
My 2019 Mazda CX-5 has 61,500 miles on it and has a cracked cylinder head and has a massive oil leak. I took it to the dealer and they are aware of this issue but told me Mazda hasn't so far made a recall. No warning lights went off and i lost 1 quart of oil over a 30 mile drive. Upon Acceleration the engine could seize and could cause a crash. A fire is also not out of the question as the parts in the engine area are hot and oil can catch fire. Mazda declined to pay for the total cost of the repair but did partially pay for some of it. They should be held accountable for the lousy design and it's only a matter of time someone will have an accident because of it.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 19, 2023
UNKNOWN While stopping the radio system (which can not be powered off) will change and go to other apps. This causes the driver to take their eyes from the road and hand from the steering wheel to press buttons to get the radio system under control. When the radio does this it often goes to the settings and changes the navigation voice volume to the loudest it can go essentially frightening the driver and causing them to look away from the road and divert their attention to the radio system. This occurs every time the vehicle is driven and often occurs when hitting the brakes.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 15, 2023
I purchased this vehicle used and with 35,000 miles on it, took it to Mazda for an oil change. The windshield wipers never seemed to work that well, and Mazda told me that the actual wiper arms (not blades) were installed on the wrong sides of the windshield (ie: Driver arm was on the passenger side, and Passenger arm was on the driver side). I removed them arms and reinstalled on the correct side and now the wipers work fine. I am reporting this as I assume they were installed incorrectly when the vehicle was manufactured, and I'm concerned that other vehicles may be affected.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 14, 2023
The screen in the middle of Mazda vehicle starts selecting menu, change the radio station or selects/plays whatever it likes. It suddenly activates some functions on its own. Most likely similar issue as in this document - https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10164268-0001.pdf This is dangerous for the driver as the automatic change in the screen and menu items distracts the driver which may cause accident and put life in danger. This is generic problem and searching on the internet, lot of people are suffering with this issue. When the issue started last year, we thought this is something random occurrence and will go away by itself but with the time, this has gone worse. Now looking in the internet we came to know this is actually an ongoing issue.
Engine, Mar 20, 2023
While driving the vehicle at highway speed, the check engine light came on at just under 28,000 miles. I took the vehicle to AutoZone, who did not come up with a code; however, I took it to the dealer with engine code P0126, which stands for insufficient coolant temperature. Apparently, there is a flaw in the coolant control valve, but the part is on backorder until June or July. In the meantime, my gas mileage is awful, my car takes forever to warm up, and the engine performance is awful and the vehicle is not safe to drive at highway speeds. This really merits a recall and a whole lot more attention from a company that was Consumer Reports most reliable brand for 2022. I am really disappointed with Mazda and how they have handled this situation and they have permanently lost my business over this.