Mazda Mazda5 problems, reliability and years to avoid
If you are considering buying a used Mazda Mazda5, these are the common problems worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 2 known faults for this model, 1 of them rated high severity. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
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Is the Mazda Mazda5 reliable?
The Mazda Mazda5 has 2 known faults in our database across 2 generations, 1 of them rated high severity. The most serious are engine (on the 2.0 diesel the sump oil can become contaminated with diesel from DPF regenerations) and engine (the 1.6 diesel can lose power or cut out suddenly on the move with only the TCS/DSC light). None of them makes the car a bad buy on its own; the risk is a seller who knows and says nothing.
That is a count of the faults we hold, not a reliability score. Popular cars get written about more, and a newer generation has had less time to show its faults.
Which Mazda Mazda5 years should you avoid?
No year is a write-off on its own. What matters is which serious faults a given year and engine can have, and whether the car in front of you has had them fixed.
Mk1 CR, 2005 to 20101 high severity
1 known fault, the serious ones in the engine
Mk2 CW, 2010 to 2015
1 known fault, none rated high severity
Years and engines with a serious known fault
2005 to 2010, 2.0 MZR-CD diesel: on the 2.0 diesel the sump oil can become contaminated with diesel from DPF
Each one is set out in full below, with the symptoms, the typical mileage and a rough repair cost.
Generation 1 of 21 known fault · 5 owner reports · 1 good note
Mazda Mazda5 Mk1 CR (2005 to 2010) problems
Engine/EmissionsHigh severity💬 3 owner reports, 2012 to 2014
On the 2.0 diesel the sump oil can become contaminated with diesel from DPF regenerations. The archive traced contaminated sumps to the engine management not being told that the 12,000-mile service had been done, so the DPF light comes on and regeneration runs endlessly, and it recorded one case of the crankshaft drive to the oil pump failing; a 60,000-mile Sport used mostly in town needed repeated forced regenerations. Separately, a 2007 Furano 2.0 diesel's engine failed at 51,000 miles with leaking turbo seals and low compression on all four cylinders, with £7,500 quoted for a new engine.
Rough guide
£150 for an oil change and service reset, up to 7500 quoted for a new engine
Typical symptoms
oil level rising above the maximum mark or smelling of diesel
DPF warning light or regenerations that never seem to finish
blue smoke or loss of power if the turbo seals have gone
Affected vehicles
Engines:
2.0 MZR-CD diesel
Typical mileage:
40000-60000 miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
What owners report on the Mk1 CR
5 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Brakes · June 2016An ABS module failed on a 2008 Mazda 5 Sport at 50,000 miles, with a replacement quoted at £1,449 plus VAT and fitting.
Exhaust · June 2014A 60,000 mile Mazda 5 Sport diesel, mostly used in town, required repeated forced DPF regenerations.
Suspension and steering · March 2014A 2010 Mazda 5 TS2 2 litre petrol at 37,000 miles had perishing front lower arm rear bushes and poor rear trailing arm front bushes.
Engine · November 2013Contaminated sumps on Mazda 5 diesels can occur if the engine management system is not updated after a service, leading to DPF regeneration issues.
Engine · January 2012A 2007 Mazda 5 Furano 2.0 diesel suffered engine failure at 51,000 miles, with turbo seals leaking and low compression.
What owners like about the Mk1 CR
1 note
The Mazda 5 achieved a five-star NCAP crash safety rating, indicating strong occupant protection.
Generation 2 of 21 known fault · 4 owner reports · 3 good notes
Mazda Mazda5 Mk2 CW (2010 to 2015) problems
Engine/EmissionsMedium severity💬 2 owner reports, 2014 to 2016
The 1.6 diesel can lose power or cut out suddenly on the move with only the TCS/DSC light for a clue: a 2012 1.6D Venture cut out in fast traffic, and disabling the DSC did not help; a 2012 1.6D (quite possibly the same car) had six sudden loss-of-power breakdowns in 2014 and spent weeks at the dealer before an injector was replaced under warranty, then broke down the same way again out of warranty. The archive put it down to the same injector problem that affects Ford, Citroen, Peugeot and Volvo cars with this engine.
Rough guide
£300-1200
Typical symptoms
engine cutting out or losing power at speed
TCS or DSC warning light with no obvious cause
fault clearing after a restart
Affected vehicles
Engines:
1.6 D diesel (PSA/Ford 1.6 HDi/TDCi)
Typical mileage:
20000-60000 miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
What owners report on the Mk2 CW
4 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Engine · July 2016A 2012 Mazda 5 1.6D experienced six sudden power loss breakdowns, traced to an injector problem, costing £800 out of warranty.
Suspension and steering · January 2015A 2011 Mazda 5 1.6D at 35,000 miles developed a failed front nearside damper and a failed handbrake.
Bodywork · June 2014Stress cracks across windscreens can occur because the glass edges are exposed at the screen pillars, making them vulnerable to stone chips.
Engine · March 2014A 2012 Mazda 5 1.6D had a phantom fault where the engine cut out in fast traffic and the TCS/DSC light illuminated.
What owners like about the Mk2 CW
3 notes
The sliding side doors are a practical feature, making the car excellent for use in tight parking spaces.
This model is considered an ideal family car that also offers an enjoyable driving experience.
The Mazda 5 exhibits the expected reliability and high build quality associated with the brand.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
We track 6 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Mazda Mazda5 advert and we check it in seconds.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: October 2026
Mazda Mazda5 buying questions
Which Mazda Mazda5 years should I avoid?
No Mazda Mazda5 year is a write-off, but the Mk1 CR (2005 to 2010) carries the most serious faults: engine. The Mk2 CW (2010 to 2015) has none rated high severity. Year matters less than whether the specific car has had the known fixes, so check the history for them.
What should I check when viewing a used Mazda Mazda5?
Ask the seller about the engine faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for oil level rising above the maximum mark or smelling of diesel and engine cutting out or losing power at speed. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against its known faults before you travel. Check a Mazda Mazda5 advert →
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 Mazda5 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.
Knowing what a Mazda Mazda5 goes wrong with is half of it. The rest is reading the advert and checking the car's history before you hand any money over.