Low oil light came on 4500 miles after oil change. Engine used nearly 2 quarts of oil quarl in that distance. Engine burning excessive amount of oil. No oil leaks. Burning oil internally. Reported to dealer.
2021 Mazda CX-5
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2021 Mazda CX-5 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 133.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all CX-5 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 18 of 144 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 77 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
144 reportsVehicle has had excessive oil consumption. Engine consumes approximately one quart of oil every 4k miles or so with normal driving not spirited. Vehicle has no visible signs of outward leaks. First oil change was at 5030 miles with approximately 5.2 quarts of Castrol edge full synthetic oil and a Purolator boss oil filter PLB14…
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Vehicle has had excessive oil consumption. Engine consumes approximately one quart of oil every 4k miles or so with normal driving not spirited. Vehicle has no visible signs of outward leaks. First oil change was at 5030 miles with approximately 5.2 quarts of Castrol edge full synthetic oil and a Purolator boss oil filter PLB14612. Vehicle currently has 9352 miles. I have not let it get to a point where oil light comes on, but it has been to the quart low dot on the stick twice so far. This should not be normal. This has not been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center as I maintain the oil checks and oil changes myself. Tailpipes do have black soot inside but is not greasy or oily. I haven't noticed a lot of smoke from tailpipes just a small bit of whitish vapor that quickly dissipates when my wife pulls it out of the driveway and starts off down the road that I contribute to normal condensation, but I nor she can see tailpipes when we are driving a longer distance of course. I haven't smelled oil burn or seen any leaks on driveway, but the oil is going somewhere. I have seen a TSB from Mazda about possible valve stem seal problems with my VIN number. I hope Mazda will resolve this within my warranty as oil consumption can cause other major engine component damage down the road i.e., catalytic convertor, oxygen sensors, carbon deposits, etc.
Engine oil light indicated low oil level at 6000 miles. Dealer states there is a TSB on this issue but no repair process is available.
Engine oil consumption - around 2000 miles after oil change.
Car purchased new in 2021. Uses 1quart oil every 3,000 miles. Checked at dealer and assured of no leaks. Service bulletin issued by Mazda acknowledges problem probably due to faulty valve stem seals, but no resolution offerree for clients except “stop by for a quart of oil whenever light comes on!”
Motor using excessive amount of oil. Vehicle has just turned 20,000 miles. Uses a quart of oil ever 1500 miles or so.
I bought a 2021 Mazda CX-5 from Ramsey Mazda of Des Moines, IA. It offered comparable comfort & features. A selling point was the safety features touted by the salesman. Odd things occurred during the first few months but I attributed it to a learning curve. I saw some odd messages but I really did not think it was relevant unti…
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I bought a 2021 Mazda CX-5 from Ramsey Mazda of Des Moines, IA. It offered comparable comfort & features. A selling point was the safety features touted by the salesman. Odd things occurred during the first few months but I attributed it to a learning curve. I saw some odd messages but I really did not think it was relevant until June 28, 2022. I was backing out from a parking space. The Blind Spot Monitoring failed to indicate a car approaching from the right that then stopped in my blind spot. I hit the car behind me. Despite the fact, I understand personal responsibility, I never would have had the BSM worked correctly. I dropped the car off on July 15, 2022 to the Ramsey Mazda Service Center after the BSM failure and a Check Engine Light appeared. I already had the Ramsey Mazda Collision Center look at the car and told them of the of the BSM failure. That man doing the estimate said he had heard of those failures before. On July 15, I dropped the car off at the Ramsey Mazda Service Center to look at the BSM, a Check Engine light, the door locks and the hatch opening on its own. I tried to tell the Service Center that there was something severely wrong with the electrical system in this vehicle. I have a witness to its erratic behavior, but I was continually dismissed. There is more wrong now with my car than when I left it with the dealership. They kept my car for 19 days. During the 19 days, I continually had to call and check on the status of my vehicle. Ramsey Mazda was not and is still not initiating conversation with me or responding to voicemails. The manager of the Ramsey Mazda Dealership on Hickman in Des Moines, IA (JD) is supposed to be handling this issue personally with Mazda Corporate because it now “appears” to be affecting multiple systems in his words. Multiple issues include but are not limited to the BSM, Seat Belt notifications, power driver’s seat, camera system, cruise control system, entertainment system, & hands free communications.
Low oil light keeps coming on before it’s due. Went to dealer and they gave me a notice of a bulletin. 01-012/21. It states there is an issue where the engine leaks oil faster and could eventually cause engineer damage. They are asking us to come in more frequently for oil changes or to top off. Unknown what the fix is and it’s…
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Low oil light keeps coming on before it’s due. Went to dealer and they gave me a notice of a bulletin. 01-012/21. It states there is an issue where the engine leaks oil faster and could eventually cause engineer damage. They are asking us to come in more frequently for oil changes or to top off. Unknown what the fix is and it’s been on multiple new Mazda vehicle types.
Engine burns about 1 quart of oil ever 5000 miles since new.
Excessive oil consumption on brand new vehicle 1qt after 3800 miles
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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