2018 Mazda CX-5 inspection checklist

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that white smoke was coming from the engine compartment whenever the vehicle reached normal operating temperature. The contact stated that smoke entered the passenger’s side compartment through the air vents and was coming from underneath the hood. The contact stated that there was a burning odor coming from the engine compartment due to an oil leakage. The smoke impaired visibility while driving. The most recent failure had occurred while driving approximately 35 MPH on a city roadway. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and then to the dealer for further inspection. The independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with a cracked cylinder head and recommended that the vehicle be taken to the dealer for additional diagnostic tests. The dealer diagnosed the cylinder head as porous and informed the contact that the cylinder head needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified and informed the contact that the repair would not be covered. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred intermittently and became more frequent and severe during hotter weather. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“My Mazda 2018, CX-5, Grand Touring, was diagnosed with a cracked cylinder head at 64,599 miles. This issue could posed a safety hazard for not only us but others on the road by: *Engine Failure / Sudden Loss of Power-A crack allows coolant and oil to mix or leak, leading to overheating and potential catastrophic engine seizure. A seized engine can cause sudden, unexpected loss of power — especially dangerous at highway speeds or during lane changes/merges. *Oil and Coolant on the Road-Leaking fluids drip onto the roadway, creating slick surfaces for motorcyclists and other vehicles — similar to a spilled oil hazard. This is especially dangerous on curves and in wet conditions. *White Smoke / Steam Billowing from Exhaust-When coolant enters the combustion chamber, it burns off as thick white smoke. This can instantly reduce visibility for drivers behind the vehicle, potentially causing rear-end collisions. *Fire Risk-If oil leaks onto hot exhaust manifolds or engine components, it can ignite. An engine fire can spread quickly and, in traffic, puts surrounding vehicles and occupants at risk. *Debris from Engine Destruction-In extreme cases, a severely overheated or seized engine can cause internal components to fail violently. Debris from a catastrophic engine failure can damage undercarriages of nearby vehicles or become road hazards. *Stalling in High-Risk Locations-A vehicle that stalls due to engine failure in a tunnel, on a freeway on-ramp, in an intersection, or on a bridge creates an immediate collision risk for surrounding traffic. This is part of why Mazda's handling of the cylinder head defect is so problematic — it's not merely a costly repair, it's a public safety issue that arguably warrants regulatory attention (NHTSA). We had NO warning lights, no overheating issues. Repairs have been made to the cost of almost $5400.00 *Please note there are many, many people complaining of this same issue on this model of car in multiple on-line forums.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda CX-5 vehicles. In the event of a side impact or rollover crash, the side curtain air bags may not properly unfold during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation." If the air bags do not deploy properly in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2718F.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“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.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“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.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“On certain subject vehicles, the check engine light is illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0126, due to the fail-safe thermostat being stuck open. Additionally, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms: -Engine takes longer to warm up. -Engine temperature gauge fluctuates. -Low coolant temperature indicator (blue) light stays on longer or turns on while driving. -Poor heater performance, especially at idle. This warranty extension program applies only to the replacement of fail-safe thermostat of the vehicle exhibiting the concerns mentioned above. If the check engine light illumination is determined to be unrelated to the fail-safe thermostat being stuck open, the inspection and repair are not covered under this program.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a Special Service Program (SSP) to extend the warranty coverage for a specific repair of the fail-safe thermostat installed inside of the suspected coolant control valve on certain 2018-2025 CX-5, 2019-2023 Mazda3, 2019-2022 CX-3, 2018-2021 Mazda6 and 2020-2023 CX-30 vehicles. The warranty coverage for an applicable repair has been extended to 15 years (180 months) /150,000 miles (240,000 km) whichever comes first, from the original warranty start date. If you are a recipient of this notice, your vehicle is included in this warranty extension program. What is the problem? On certain subject vehicles, the check engine light is illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0126, due to the fail-safe thermostat being stuck open. Additionally, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms: -Engine takes longer to warm up. -Engine temperature gauge fluctuates. -Low coolant temperature indicator (blue) light stays on longer or turns on while driving. -Poor heater performance, especially at idle. This warranty extension program applies only to the replacement of fail-safe thermostat of the vehicle exhibiting the concerns mentioned above. If the check engine light illumination is determined to be unrelated to the fail-safe thermostat being stuck open, the inspection and repair are not covered under this program.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“SSPD8 - Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00 - WARRANTY EXTENSION For certain 2018-2025MY CX-5, 2019-2023MY Mazda3, 2019-2022MY CX-3, 2018-2021MY Mazda6, 2020-2023MY CX-30 that are equipped with the suspected coolant control valve, the warranty coverage for specific repair of the fail-safe thermostat is extended to: 15 years (180 months) or 150,000 miles (240,000 km) whichever comes first, from the original warranty start date. CONDITION OF CONCERN: On certain subject vehicles, the check engine light is illuminated with DTC P0126:00 (Thermostat stuck open) stored in memory and one or more of the following symptoms may occur: - Engine takes longer to warm up. - Engine temperature gauge fluctuates. - Low coolant temperature indicator (blue) light stays on longer or turns on while driving. - Poor heater performance, especially at idle. Mazda Motor Corporation has made a significant repair change to TSB 01-003/25 which also impacts Warranty Extension Special Service Program (SSPD8). Repair Procedure Update: Effective December 8th all repairs applicable to TSB 01-003/25 or SSPD8 must follow the new repair procedure. The repair now replaces the thermostat with a dummy plug for the coolant control valve (CCV) along with a required software update for the PCM. Prior Repairs: Any repairs previously completed with the replacement of the thermostat or coolant control valve assembly does not require a re-repair unless there is a verified failure following the diagnosis in the TSB. It is expected that there will be no further repairs made for this concern once the plug and software update has been completed. Therefore, a return visit for symptoms related to the TSB or SSP must contact the Technical Hotline for assistance. VITALLY IMPORTANT!: There must be a “Software Update” record for the PCM when using MDARS or IDS. • MDARS - If there is no Software Update entry in MDARS or the Collect Diagnostic Information (ODR Update) is not completed (or both), the vehicle will not be considered repaired and the warranty claim will be rejected. • IDS – Vehicles programed with IDS must Collect Diagnostic Data, and that data must be attached to the warranty claim. If the data is not attached to the claim, the vehicle will not be considered repaired and the warranty claim will be rejected, denied or debited. Failure to complete the above will require the vehicle to return to the dealership and be re-repaired at the dealer’s expense with great inconvenience to the Mazda customer. Failure to perform the software update could also potentially damage the engine which would not be covered by warranty and would expose your dealership to the cost of repairs. ”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“Subject: TSB 01-001/26 Warranty and Parts Kit Update INCLUDES: Warranty Extension Program - Special Service Program (SSP) D8 Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00, 2018-2025 CX-5, 2019-2023 Mazda3, 2019-2022 CX-3, 2018-2021 Mazda6, 2020-2023 CX-30 Dear Mazda Dealer Colleagues, Mazda Motor Corporation has made a change regarding related parts to TSB 01-001/26 which also impacts Warranty Extension Special Service Program (SSPD8). Parts Ordering and Warranty Claims: Effective March 5, 2026 only the related parts kit PYY2-15-SAY can be ordered and claimed for any repair. The two separate parts PYFB-15-169 and PE13-15-296 can no longer be claimed with repaired dates of March 5, 2026 and later. There is no change to the main part, the Plug PYY3-15-SA1. We have updated the TSB 01-001/26 and SSPD8 Repair Procedure and Parts & Warranty Information on Mazda Global Service Support (MGSS) to reflect this change. ”