YearToAvoid

2020 Mazda CX-5 Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 22 engine complaints for the 2020 Mazda CX-5, 21% of its 106 total complaints for the year. Owners report oil leaks from gaskets, unexpected idle or RPM fluctuation, and oil consumption issues, with median mileage at failure of 9,000 miles. No related engine recalls are listed.

Engine complaints
22
21% of 106
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
9,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report oil leaking from the timing cover gasket, oil pan gasket, and cylinder head gasket, sometimes requiring engine or gasket replacement.
  • Some owners describe the engine idling with fluctuating RPM (600-1,000) even while the brake pedal is depressed and the vehicle appears in park or stopped.
  • Several owners report the engine continuing to run audibly after the ignition was turned off, requiring the car to be restarted and turned off again.
  • Owners describe low oil level warnings appearing well before the scheduled oil change interval, pointing to excess oil consumption.
  • One owner reported a faulty engine coolant thermostat triggering a check engine light with code P0126.
  • An unusual 'whoop' sound was reported coming from the engine area after driving, occurring at idle or at stops.

When 2020 Mazda CX-5 engine complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 28, 2020, latest Jun 19, 2026.

2020 Mazda CX-5 engine complaints: complaints filed per month2Aug 2020Apr 2021Jun 2022Mar 2023Oct 2024Jun 2025Feb 2026
22 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2020 to Jun 2026; peak Jul 2025 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2020 Mazda CX-5

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by CX-5 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20121 (100%)
  2. 201356 (29%)
  3. 201446 (12%)
  4. 201526 (20%)
  5. 201649 (10%)
  6. 201720 (14%)
  7. 2018190 (54%)
  8. 2019142 (53%)
  9. 202022 (21%)
  10. 202188 (60%)
  11. 202214 (22%)
  12. 202315 (24%)
  13. 202411 (25%)
  14. 20259 (33%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2020 Mazda CX-5 have?
NHTSA lists 22 engine complaints for the 2020 CX-5, which is 21% of the 106 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there an engine recall for the 2020 Mazda CX-5?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for the engine on the 2020 Mazda CX-5.
What engine problems do 2020 CX-5 owners report?
Owners report oil leaks from gaskets, unexpected idle and RPM fluctuation, the engine continuing to run after shutoff, and oil consumption triggering low oil level warnings.
At what mileage do engine problems typically show up on the 2020 CX-5?
The median mileage at failure for engine complaints on the 2020 CX-5 is 9,000 miles, based on NHTSA complaint data.
Have engine complaints caused crashes on the 2020 CX-5?
NHTSA data tied to this vehicle year shows 2 crashes and 1 injury across all complaint areas, though the sample complaints in the engine category do not show a crash.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.