If you are considering buying a used Mazda CX-5, there are several major reliability issues worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 2 known faults for this model, 2 of them rated high severity. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
Are you about to buy a lemon?
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright. Our database tracks 6 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Mazda CX-5 advert and we will check it in seconds.
DPF regenerations causing oil dilution, premature camshaft wear, and oil strainer blockage leading to catastrophic engine failure
Rough guide
£2500-5000
Typical symptoms
oil level rising above the 'X' mark on dipstick
low oil pressure warning
turbocharger failure
engine seizure
Affected vehicles
Engines:
2.2 SkyActiv-D
Typical mileage:
50000-100000 miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
Mazda CX-5 BM / GJ / KE (2012-2016) problems
Engine/EmissionsHigh severity🏛️ Official recall
Early 2.2 SkyActiv-D engines suffer exhaust camshaft wear, and the metal debris it sheds circulates through the oil system. DVSA recall R/2018/236 (cars built 26/01/2012 to 21/01/2016) covers the consequence Mazda treated as safety-critical: the vacuum pump, which is driven off the intake camshaft, wears prematurely and reduces brake servo assistance when you press the pedal quickly at low revs. Specialists and owners report the same debris taking out the turbocharger, and the wear is driven by the oil dilution these engines are already prone to. The recall fix is free, but camshaft, turbo and oil-system damage is not
Rough guide
£1000-4000
Typical symptoms
brake pedal feeling hard or needing more effort when pressed quickly at low revs
whistling from the turbo, power loss or black smoke
rattle or ticking from the top of the engine
oil level rising on the dipstick (dilution) between services
Affected vehicles
Engines:
2.2 SkyActiv-D (SH-VPTS)
Typical mileage:
50000-110000 miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
Mazda CX-5 service intervals: cambelt, chain and gearbox oil
An overdue cambelt is the most expensive thing a seller can fail to mention on a used CX-5. These are the figures UK specialists work to.
Timing chainChain
2.2 SKYACTIV-D, 2.2 DIESEL
No fixed replacement interval
Mazda SkyActiv engines use a timing chain. On the 2.2 diesel, watch out for oil dilution from DPF regens which can cause premature wear to the engine internals.
Always confirm against the vehicle handbook. Intervals vary by engine, and several manufacturers revised theirs after failures in service.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: August 2026
Where this Mazda CX-5 fault data comes from
If you used to check the Honest John “Good & Bad” section before the site closed in 2026, this page is where that information now lives. We rebuilt the Mazda CX-5 owner-report history from the archived Honest John dataset, added our own research, specialist and owner-club sources and DVSA recall data, and we keep it free. Each fault above is badged with its source. The same data feeds our free advert check, which reads a listing against every known fault for the exact engine and year.