2018 Mazda CX-5 engine problems

The 2018 Mazda CX-5 has 176 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 38% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

176

Engine complaints

38%

Share of year

Crash-involved

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

CX-5 engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

19V497000EngineJune 27, 2019 · 262,220 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

What owners report

“My wife was pulling into a parking place today with her foot on the brake when the car suddenly accelerated, causing it to jump a curb and come to a stop over two large shrubs, which saved her from entering a busy highway and colliding with another car. This caused damage to the front end of the…”
Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · May 28, 2022 · crash

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2018 Mazda CX-5 have?

NHTSA has 176 complaints about the 2018 Mazda CX-5 engine — 38% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2018 Mazda CX-5 engine?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the engine: 19V497000.

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.