Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 07:28
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Lizzie Smith

Hi, I have seen some previous threads on this issue and wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction or offer any advice please.

We bought a Mazda CX5 2.2 2016 diesel 10 months ago from a used car dealership. In Jan, a red oil light came on so we straight away had the car recovered and a mechanic informed us the engine was knocking and would need replacing. After a second opinion we were told by both mechanics that thus is a common problem with Mazda diesel engines and due to a manufacture fault in these cars, diesel is thrown back and contaminates the oil eventually wrecking the engine. We're told by Mazda that it would cost £9,000 to replace the engine! Bought the car for just under £15,000 using a personal loan to be paid over 5 years so basically we are stuck with it!

We were sold an RAC warranty covering up to £2,000 towards repairs by the garage we bought it from, however our claim has been declined as they don't cover oil contamination!

The car has since gone to have the engine reconditioned at a cost of £4,000 to us as this was our best and only option!

We are feeling utterly fed up and frustrated! Would never have bought this car have we known then that this seems to be a common problem with these Mazdas ( have since found a lot of stuff online about it). We deliberately picked a car with full service history and low reativly mileage (50,000) as we assumed it would last us a few years, not 10 months we also paid for the warranty for some extra peace of mind.

Not sure where to go from here as I want to take this further. One of the mechanics mentioned there may be a legal case building against Mazda??

We are now £18,000 down stuck with a car we don't trust as been told this could well happen again over time especially as we use the car mainly for short journeys.

There is literally nothing more we could have done on our part to look after the car . I understand that Mazda are a huge company and legal proceedings against them on our own are pointless but this all just seems so unfair when it's all down to a problem they have caused.

It's taken a lot of stress over the last 2 months to get the car running again and has left us in a total mess financially.

Has anyone had similar problems or can offer any advice about taking this further?

Thanks so much

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 07:50
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - badbusdriver

Taking it further is only going to add to your stress. As you have now found out, it is a well known problem for which many others have suffered.

What this sorry tale should drum in is the importance of researching the pro's and con's of any car you are looking at, before buying. While there are some modern diesels which don't suffer too much from shorter journeys (Honda 1.6 I-dtec springs to mind) , most do to some degree or other. Had you asked on the forum about this before purchasing, you would have been told to steer away from diesel full stop, especially the Mazda 2.2.

As bitter a pill as this is to swallow, the least stressful course of action is just to sell/part ex the Mazda for a petrol engined car. This includes the CX5 which, with petrol engine is absolutely fine.

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 08:55
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - London calling

I had a Mazda CX-7 with a diesel engine, lovely car but noticed the oil level going up on the dipstick?? Checked online and found out about the oil contamination issue so traded it as soon as I could…

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 11:05
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Adampr

Your best bet is to sell it and buy something cheaper to dig yourself out of the financial hole. Keep the receipt from purchase, for the engine work and the onward sale. You can use those in any case that might come to pass, you don't need the car.

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 13:14
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Chris M

"Your best bet is to sell it and buy something cheaper to dig yourself out of the financial hole."

But the replacement may have issues. If the OP's car is now sorted with a good quality engine rebuild, would it make sense to keep it and perhaps do 6 monthly oil changes? When they are financially back on their feet, look to buy a more suitable car.

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 13:17
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Adampr

"Your best bet is to sell it and buy something cheaper to dig yourself out of the financial hole."

But the replacement may have issues. If the OP's car is now sorted with a good quality engine rebuild, would it make sense to keep it and perhaps do 6 monthly oil changes? When they are financially back on their feet, look to buy a more suitable car.

This is a modern diesel being used for short journeys. The problem will return.

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 13:35
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Chris M

Quite possibly, but it took 6 years and 50,000 miles for it to go pop the first time, so hopefully the OP can get a year or two out of the reconditioned engine whilst recovering financially.

The other lesson the OP should have also taken on board is that used car dealer warranties are pants.

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Thu 14 Mar 2024 13:25
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Robert J.
But if it was bought second hand you don’t know if the previous owners have also had this issue. It could be the reason they sold it.
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Sun 19 Feb 2023 14:34
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Engineer Andy

"Your best bet is to sell it and buy something cheaper to dig yourself out of the financial hole."

But the replacement may have issues. If the OP's car is now sorted with a good quality engine rebuild, would it make sense to keep it and perhaps do 6 monthly oil changes? When they are financially back on their feet, look to buy a more suitable car.

This is a modern diesel being used for short journeys. The problem will return.

Indeed, especially if the journey pattern of the OP matches that (as may well be likely here) which causes the issue to develop in the first engine. Short trips from cold are not good for any ICE car, but for modern common-rail turbo diesels, and especially the Mazda 2.2TD, they are a disaster waiting to happen.

BBD is spot on in his assessment - car buyers should always do their homework first before even thinking about parting with their cash. The problem is that most people tend to find cars they like the look / drive of first and only look up about potential issues after they appear following buying the thing.

My advice for any significant purchase - whether they be planned or unplanned, is to do a good deal of reserach on an ongoing basis to get a decent idea of the type of product you will be going for and to narrow it down, making it far easier once you need to start properly looking.

Rather like tidying up / cleaning at home, doing a little bit of research every now and then can go a long way in this regard and help make decent choices when the time comes and rapidly - which can be REALLY helpful if the existing product (whether that be a car, a fridge, washing machine, computer/mobile phone, even a bed/mattress) suddenly breaks and you need a new one pronto (e.g. a car fridge or mattress).

A bad decision often is made because you have significant time pressures. Doing a good amount of up-front work can reduce that likelihood significantly.

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 15:10
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - bathtub tom
which causes the issue to develop in the first engine.

But is it the first engine, we don't know? It's a seven year old car with 50K on the clock. IME, folk often run diesels up to very high mileages before getting shot - unless they experience problems. Perhaps a previous owner did what the OP's being advised to do here?

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 16:57
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - bazza

You're not really £18000 down. You're down £4000 for the repair plus the difference in value between when you bought the car and now, which we all are in the same boat as you when owning a car! If it was me here's what I would do. Have the car repaired as you are and then sell it immediately to an online bulk buyer, it will then go to auction and that's your involvement finished. I'm guessing you'll raise maybe £12k ish? Anyway, go and buy something for that value max, a petrol estate such as a Toyota auris, something bombproof. Buy from a main dealer, you'll get 12m warranty standard, which will be extended yearly if you service it with them. For sure it's bad luck, but you unfortunately bought the wrong car for your useage and one with a bad reputation as well. Good luck, don't let a car ruin your life!

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 18:04
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - pd

If you decide to keep the car then service it more often and if it was oil dilution which caused it that should minimise the chances of it happening again. A fresh sump full of oil every 4000 miles or so will help a lot.

I see no reason why the value of the car should be impaired if fixed properly.

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 18:18
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Steveieb

I’d be interested to learn who is carrying out the work refurbishing the engine ?

At one time a company in Ireland was offering this service including shipping .

But how on earth should I break the news about these cars to a good friend who loves his CX 5. Diesel . It’s a 17 Reg , used mainly for short runs but has full main dealer service record.

The family love the car but like to OPs car it’s a disaster waiting to happen.

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 18:56
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - badbusdriver

I’d be interested to learn who is carrying out the work refurbishing the engine ?

At one time a company in Ireland was offering this service including shipping .

Hagans autos, and they are still on the go.

But how on earth should I break the news about these cars to a good friend who loves his CX 5. Diesel . It’s a 17 Reg , used mainly for short runs but has full main dealer service record.

The family love the car but like to OPs car it’s a disaster waiting to happen.

Just tell him you use a motoring forum and there has been plenty of threads where folk with a 2.2 diesel Mazda have had the engine fail. If he chooses to chance keeping the car?, well that's up to him, but you did warn him!.

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 20:41
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - gordonbennet

But how on earth should I break the news about these cars to a good friend who loves his CX 5. Diesel . It’s a 17 Reg , used mainly for short runs but has full main dealer service record.

The family love the car but like to OPs car it’s a disaster waiting to happen.

As BBD i'd explain about the oil dilution problems of these vehicles, and suggest not only to monitor the oil level but to physically change the oil themselves every few months, buying the oil and filters in bulk should see this cost around £100 a year, which is nothing compared to the alternative...they can either take the warning in good faith or ignore it.

For the OP, assuming they have faith in the workshop who repaired the damage, i'd be inclined to adopt this service regime and have a couple of years use out of the car.

Edited by gordonbennet on 19/02/2023 at 20:42

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Mon 20 Feb 2023 13:31
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Engineer Andy
which causes the issue to develop in the first engine.

But is it the first engine, we don't know? It's a seven year old car with 50K on the clock. IME, folk often run diesels up to very high mileages before getting shot - unless they experience problems. Perhaps a previous owner did what the OP's being advised to do here?

That's what I was saying - if predominantly used for longer trips (car is warmed up and thus only needs to passively regenate the DPF), especially on free-flowing roads, they shouldn't have a problem, and probably why Mazda dealerships aren't choc-a-block full of cars with 2.2TDs with serious problems (i.e. all of them).

The design fault means, in my view, that they are far more suspceptible to DPF and the oil dilution problems, but all modern diesels are, just to lesser degrees. Even with petrol engined cars (without PPFs) you can have problems associated with repeated low mileage trips from cold (noit just battery degridation). My old 90s 1L petrol Micra hated that sort of 'shopping car' treament, due to the car's engine sensor design.

The problem with the mazda 2.2TD design ssems to me that once the issue starts, the only remedy is to replace the engine oil, and that could happen quite often, because no car I know of has a warning light (like some HGVs may do [sensibly]) that an active regen will be needed soon / now, to enable the driver to take action to facilitate it without damaging the oil or DPF.

A manual DPF active regen button would be useful, only enabled when that warning (say 'next 100 miles' or whatever) appears on the dash. Having such a facility would've saved owner a fortune in forced regensm replaced DPFs, extra oil changes and other repairs associated with oil dilution.

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Sun 19 Feb 2023 18:11
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Hoping
Sorry to hear of your troubles, I owned a 2.2 skyactiv mazda 6 2013 (same engine)from newish (3000 miles on it) and sold it with 65,000 miles and it never missed a beat. I did run it on premium fuel and regularly serviced it, I guess the issue is buying one at 50,000 you can’t be sure how it was looked after. I am not sure what mileage you are doing but obviously work out if you need a diesel, less costs for serving and less to go wrong in general but petrol obviously not as economical. You also don’t know how the used engine was looked after.

I would probably move it on if you can afford to, I am sorry it’s happened it sucks when it goes wrong. For what it’s worth I think you chose the right brand but wrong fuel type. I brought an Alfa after the Mazda and regretted it ever since and sold that because I couldn’t trust it and that’s what you need to do find a car you trust - Toyota, Honda, Mazda but petrol versions if possible
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Fri 5 May 2023 16:41
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Peter Elliot

Hi Lizzie,

Sadly I am in the same boat with my 2014 CX5, replaced the turbo in November, cost £2k and now the head gasket is on the way out. Could I ask who you used for the engine rebuild? Its one option I am considering.

Thanks!

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Fri 5 May 2023 20:10
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Warning

I would complain to BBC watchdog (or similar) about such warantees.They should make it clear what they include and what they don't.

Based on what people are saying, may be you should have got a high mileage one!.

We deliberately picked a car with full service history and low reativly mileage (50,000)

I have been looking for a car for ages. I have come to the conclusion the car mileage means very little.Even ones sold by main dealers. In the first 3 year, there is no reason to get MOT which adds to this. When comparing cars, I look at photos and notice discrepencies in condition, which you can't really hide.Of course, if you car had been clocked, it may be good on teh DPF front, but it may mean it has missed servicing.

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Sat 6 May 2023 10:06
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - edlithgow

If keeping such a car (which, as suggested above, may not be your best course) I would:-

(a) Use the highest viscosity oil I could get meeting the other specs for the engine.

(I would ignore the manufacturers viscosity recommendation which is likely to be primarily

concerned with maximising fuel economy.)

(b) Change the oil (yourself) at half or a quarter of whatever the recommended mileage interval is.

(You can probably leave filter change interval as standard since particulate accumulation and oil dilution are not much related)

(c) Look in to DIY oil quality monitoring. Its likely, for example, that a blotter spot test (look it up) would give you a visual indication of fuel dilution. You could check this by spiking a sample of oil with diesel

(d) As a backup/verification of, or instead of, (c) above, send off occaissional oil samples for commercial analysis.

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Tue 12 Mar 2024 21:53
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Jay BA
Hi Lizzie

How’s everything going with your Mazda following the engine replacement?

Did you decide to keep it or sell it?


I gave to say, after owning a good number of cars, it’s great vehicle to drive!

Thanks

Edited by Jay BA on 12/03/2024 at 21:54

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Wed 13 Mar 2024 09:05
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - Steveieb

Let’s hope we hear from Lizzie.

But a good outcome for my friend with the same car and year.

The EGR got blocked which gave warning lights so he traded it in for a CX3 petrol which he likes apart from the smaller boot space.

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Wed 13 Mar 2024 23:21
Mazda CX-5 - Mazda diesel contamination - SLO76
Not unusual with these hopeless aftermarket warranty firms but they’ve cheated you here. The £2,000 claims limit was wholly inadequate for the car itself (but that’s down to the dealer who opted to save money by selecting a low level of cover) but their rejection of your claim is wrong. The oil has been contaminated by a failure in the engine, it is a result of said failure and thus absolutely should be covered.

They’ve fobbed you off here and you should complain vigorously. A nasty trustpilot review tends to motivate firms also, it is flagged up by their customer services teams who will usually act to get it removed. The dealer may on paper not be liable but any decent seller should offer some assistance in a case like this, even if it’s discounted labour or a contribution. Get a nasty review posted on trustpilot about them too, post a review on their social media account and on Google review too. The trade are fully aware of the problems these badly designed engines suffer from, most Mazda dealers won’t stock used examples outside of the original manufacturers warranty - which tells you all you need to know, but at the very least you can help inform others.

This dealer will know all about it yet they choose to sell it and scrimped on the warranty cover too. That it’s an RAC policy is a further disgrace, they used to offer the best cover in the business but here they are selling policies that are simply not worth the paper they’re printed on.

As much as it’s well out of manufacturer warranty I’d also put a nasty review on about Mazda too, they should be recalling these cars to fix them or offering goodwill on failures like this. This is a terrible engine, one with known issues and yet Mazda has done nothing to compensate customers. Keep an eye out for class actions also, I’m surprised nothing has started yet with so many failures reported.

Edited by SLO76 on 13/03/2024 at 23:30

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