Really, a $4K leak! What could be wrong with this '16 Mazda CX9 that could possibly cost that much?

It's just a leak, so how can it cost $4K to fix? The CAR WIZARD 🧙‍♂️ explains what is leaking and why it costs so much to just fix a leak.
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[@diazrigoberto1525]

Hey wizard just want to give you a heads up as a Mazda technician. I have seen this coolant leak many times and it is actually not the head gasket. It is the cylinder head itself that cracks right where the exhaust ports are in this case most likely it is going to be the cylinder head that needs to. Be replaced there is ATS B on this specific issue.

[@BmwMe-uh9sy]

he needs to see this

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

You would think the Wizard would do 5 minutes worth of research before making a 19 minute video filled with misinformation.

[@runningawayvagabond5876]

Does this mean Mazda covers it under some type of extended warranty?

[@tim3172]

@@OMGWTFLOLSMH I mean, he called the engine "basically a Ford" engine so...

[@wolfeadventures]

Would it show up on Identifix?

[@hunterf3]

The 2.5 turbo Mazda engine is actually a great engine. The early ones had this problem with the head gaskets because of a crack in the cylinder head between cylinders two and three. I worked the Mazda dealership for over two years and this happens on only the early CX nine‘s and ones that are really beaten up. They are good cars but this is definitely a known problem. This has no Ford parts and has nothing to do with Ford. This is a complete Mazda engine from the ground up.

[@kdomster9141]

Thank you

[@zerkfiter]

So...is head repairable? If not how much is new one?

[@kdomster9141]

@@zerkfiter I did read that early models of CX-9 can have this issue , I wonder if it has anything to do with how often and what quality is 5W30 used ? There is plenty of basic 5W30 oils that may not last past 3000miles in such Direct Injection Turbo motor. That turbo was oil cooled until 2022 models that are air cooled now .

[@thetechlibrarian]

Yes it is. I can't even find a single one being torn down on the internet

[@christianmonreal9303]

So which year ranges should you avoid? I actually wouldn't mind a mazda 3 hatch with this engine

[@JohnKelly-lo8td]

The 2.5 liter Sky Active engine is a Mazda-designed engine. Mazda was completely separated from Ford before 2016. I have a non-turbo 2.5 L in my 2016 Mazda 3. I have had no problems with it.

[@nirvfan81]

Same here I have the non turbo 2.5 in my 2022 Mazda 3 Hatch and it’s so solid. Whole car is actually premium solid feeling. I can’t believe we caught the wizard on an information error.

[@simoncarter4231]

Spot on they parted ways in 2015. I've had Ford and now own Mazda's, would never have bought the Mazda if they had anything to do with Ford that's for sure.

[@scottarmen9097]

Some of the original engine design might be Ford but yes Ford was 100% gone in 2016.

[@gabrieliacoboni6951]

​@scottarmen9097 Other than some parts sourced from Ford this is 100 percent Mazda. Mazda spent tons and took a huge gamble with it at the time they designed it as it was during the great recession and Ford was selling their stake in the company.

[@Patrick94GSR]

My 2014 CX5 with the NA 2.5L Skyactiv just started having small amounts of coolant show up in the oil on my oil reports. Not looking forward to this. I’m hoping it’s something like an oil cooler issue and not the head gasket.

[@jeton924s]

Sorry Wizard I hate to disagree with you but Mazda it’s an independent company since 2013 and Ford 2.5 Duratec inline 4 design by Mazda,previous and Mazda used it too but this Skyactive line of engine are 100 %Mazda made in Hiroshima Japan and are very reliable cars

[@jeton924s]

And don’t take me wrong Wizard !! I love ❤️ you videos and your family thanks buddy

[@JROCC205]

2016 heard wasn't great year for that mazda type

[@craiggourley8703]

Our 2018 CX-9 had the same problem. Apparently it's common, and is a manufacturing flaw with the head casting. The fix is not just a head gasket, or even a new head. Aluminum engine block and head have to be decked, and at that point you've pulled and torn down the engine. It requires a new engine at $10K plus.

[@jackryder6732]

​@@craiggourley8703 That is scary Would you recommend me to buy this suv used with 120k? What year would you recommend?

[@craiggourley8703]

@jackryder6732 Ours was fixed for almost $8000. They put a new head and a new exhaust manifold on, since both were cracked. The block was apparently fine, and it didn't need to be decked. But I understand the entire engine comes out of the vehicle when this job is performed. Honestly, I love the car, but I sure didn't love the repair bill. If you get one, verify that this work has already been done with the "new" head casting. The defective ones will eventually require a major repair. Otherwise, I expect this car will easily reach 250K with nothing more than routine maintenance.

[@scooterwoodley195]

I have their 180hp 4 cyl skyActiv engine in my 2015 Mazda 6. In a few months, I’ll be over 400,000 miles!! Only thing I’ve ever done to this car has been a belt tensioner and a lower control arm. Still runs and shifts great and 34mpg. Most reliable car I’ve ever owned.

[@altergreenhorn]

skyActiv is not a Ford engine

[@juzoli]

@@altergreenhorn Neither are Ford. Ford was using Mazda engine (parts), not the other way around.

[@SofaKingTouge]

I'm always amazed how much people drive. My daily is a 2016 nissan and it only has 40k miles on it. Can't imagine driving 400k miles.

[@scooterwoodley195]

@@SofaKingTouge gotta feed those kids and pay the bills!

[@SofaKingTouge]

@@scooterwoodley195 put those kids to work.

[@thomasmiller1364]

Hey Dave, Point of interest, the Mazda Skyactiv 2.5 Turbo is actually NOT a Ford engine. It is 100% Mazda. I actually enjoy your videos and I like to see you do well and be accurate with information for your fans. Have a good day.

[@conradscheepers]

Just as Hyundai owning Kia and VW owning Skoda ..... So Ford can own Mazda.

[@thomasmiller1364]

@@conradscheepers Ford and Mazda had a partnership that started back in the early seventies. It’s no secret that Mazda for a long time made vehicles for Ford and Mazda in turn gave Ford a percentage of stocks and for quite a long time, shared designs back and forth between the two companies. That said, Mazda has always remained the same small independent car manufacturer that has been in Japan all its history. The tiny factory that originally was known for manufacturing cork and moved into building small vehicles several decades later has always been its own company, and still remains that way to this day.

[@rolandm9750]

Ford did not completely divest itself of Mazda until 2015. That said the Skyactiv-G is presumably a descendent of the Mazda L series engine--they share the same bore & stroke and it's likely a very similar block. I'm no Mazda expert here but the fundamentals seem the same. To be clear, the L-series engine *is* a Mazda design engine. However it was certainly designed during the period when Ford and Mazda had a partnership, so there is likely some "Ford technology" and input in there for sure, but the engine is not "a Ford engine" it's a Mazda engine. Ford took the L engine and named it the "Duratec" 2.5L I4, for use in its own models. This is not to be confused with the Duratec 2.5L *V6* which was developed by Ford and Porsche. Ford actually still uses a variant of the Duratec 2.5L I4 engine today, in some hybrid models. Which is funny because Mazda themselves don't use it anymore I don't think. The Skyactiv-G, even if derived from the L-series engine, would be quite a departure and had very little or no tech/input from Ford...other than what we can reasonably say was "absorbed" into Mazda from such a long partnership and what came along with whatever came with the L-series. I doubt there will be many parts here (at least engine wise) that say "FoMoCo" on them as claimed but remains to be seen. I don't think Wizard mentions this again in the follow up video, lol.

[@JAO911PLIST]

If they have a supply line to ford parts that they know are good, why make their own. And they might share some patents.

[@Daryl-id2if]

True, its the other way around Mazda engine not a Ford. Ford did use some Mazda motors.

[@tenneseeboi]

I am a Mazda technician and for a select few years they had faulty head gaskets, they usually fail while under the 60k powertrain warranty, but it’s unfortunate theirs failed outside of that warranty. Also the 2.5 is not a ford engine, Mazda built and designed that in house.

[@mnwolves180]

The gaskets don't fail. The cylinder heads are defective....... Mazda is selling updated/ redesigned heads to fix this issue. I was a former Mazda Service Advisor and we did quite a few of these.

[@joshhaber7985]

Yes the cylinder head cracks. Seen it about 20 times at my current dealer. Replaced a few heads and full long blocks

[@wolfeadventures]

Heads cracked.

[@ctbale1]

There is a tsb on this

[@anthonyz7023]

Customer concern verified. Cylinder head leaks/cracks.

[@fragbanana]

We did a lot of these leaks at the dealer and it was a porous head where a little pinhole almost invisible to the naked eye would form and appear to be coming from the head gasket but it will most likely need a cylinder head… The turbos do this with coolant, NA’s do it with oil. Also it’s a Mazda engine not Ford.

[@spencerward3606]

We bought a used 2018 Mazda CX-9 with almost 28,000 miles on it from Carvana. I took it to our local Mazda dealer to have it inspected to make sure everything was alright but they called back and mentioned the crack in the cylinder head that I see people mentioning on here. The car was still under warranty so the engine was replaced at no cost to us. I’m so happy that Mazda stood behind their product, this car has been great for us ever since.

[@jackryder6732]

Great input. For just that less kilometers engine crack. That's not good. Would you recommend me to buy this suv used with 120k? What year would you recommend?

[@spencerward3606]

@@jackryder6732 That’s a lot of miles but I would recommend taking it to a Mazda dealership to have it inspected before purchasing it if possible. As far as the year goes the Mazda Cx-9 has the same engine and transmission from 2016 to 2023 but I’m sure improvements have been made over the different model years so I would try to get the newest model you could afford.

[@mnwolves180]

The head gaskets don't fail. The cylinder heads are defective. Mazda is selling updated/ redesigned heads to fix this issue. I was a former Mazda Service Advisor and we did quite a few of these. The engines and trans however are Mazda designed, not Ford. This issue affects 17-20 CX-5 turbo and non turbo engines as well and the CX-9s and 6s.

[@jackryder6732]

Hello I am from Toronto. What year mazda cx9 would you recommend with hardly issues.?

[@nedaltrebor8553]

Is my 2017 safe? 😂

[@mnwolves180]

@nedaltrebor8553 yes 17 should be fine. The heads were redesigned in 18. I have a 14 3 and that isn't not affected either.

[@laiyuanwei]

my 17 CX-9 just got this issue, so i don't think it's safe as well @@nedaltrebor8553

[@Khoanguyen2010]

@@mnwolves180 Please double check your statement regarding the redesigned heads timeline. I've read quite a few threads related to this cracked heads issue and they were at least upto 2019. 2018 is definitely affected.

[@alexgarcia9779]

Wizard - that is not a Ford motor. Ford and Mazda split completely in 2014 This motor is a Skyactiv-G 2.5 (PY-VPS)

[@Emily1963eh]

I have owned one for 5 years, That is not a headgasket issue. The head is blown where it meets the turbo, common due to a manufacture defect. The headgasket likely blew due to over heating after the head cracked. Mine went a few months ago and to Mazda's credit, they covered the whole repair which would have been a 6 - 7K bill, even at 100,000 km (Live in Australia). When mine blew, it was a cold night and noticed that the heater no longer worked, the temp gauge showed no over heat. I only had a 15 or so minute drive and got back home. I could smell the heat from the engine bay as soon as I got out of the car. I was due to change the oil later that night and did so, but there was pool of green blood all over the underbody covers, it was done. If the temp gauge never showed an overheat (due to reading only air at this point), and you were using the aircon in cold mode, with little to no fluid spills due to the covers underneath, you might not even notice that the head has blown, right up to the point where pistons start coming out of the block.

[@moniack]

This is one of those times a trip to the dealer and a diagnosis fee might be worth it to see if Mazda will cover some cost or most of it. My sister had a turbo issue on her Cruze (lol 1.4T Ecotec), and she was just out of warranty. I told her to see if she could get some goodwill, and the dealer called back they would cover it for $150.

[@flr8475]

I had a 2018 CX-9 bought in Australia but only put 18k km on it before I left that part of the world (pacific island) and sold it. I remember that Mazda increased the Aussie warranty to 5 years but I guess you also only had 3 years.

[@jackryder6732]

Would you recommend me to buy this suv used with 120k? What year would you recommend?

[@Emily1963eh]

@@jackryder6732 I would get one used, as long as the headwork has been done. Always get the latest model you can with the lowest km, also make sure it has been serviced. Also look for rust if you live in winter areas where salt is used. They are a great car, not perfect but good value for the money.

[@john7365]

Mazda tech here The cylinder head is cracked where the studs go into the head from the manifold. If the vehicle has p011a it needs the engine replaced because it went over 250°. But you can replace just the cylinder head if no code is present. Make sure you get the upgraded exhaust manifold gasket that prevents heat from the weak parts of the head. See TSB 01-013/21

[@johnstipic1628]

Would there be any benefit to preemptively have the upgraded manifold gasket installed in order to prevent the original head from failing? I have a 2020 CX-9 and the vin# does fall within the numbers noted on the TSB.

[@john7365]

​@John Stipic you could but the it's the cylinder head that has a weaker casting near the exhaust studs. Monitor coolant level really closely. Also look near the studs and make sure it hasn't started yet. You might not see it leaking down, but it could be at the beginning stages. Usually occurs between 75-90k

[@simpleman5541]

@@john7365Yes, I have couple drops down to the lower heat shield to the catalyst and my is 2018 cx5 under 54k miles.

[@McGJonin]

Yeah Wizard I'm sorry but you're wrong. I don't know if you actually saw FoMoCo badges on parts but Ford no longer owns Mazda. It's been that way for a while. On the dealer sticker you can see that 90%+ of the parts come from Japan. Mazda is probably one of the most japanese Japanese brands since most of their cars are made there.

[@jonsimmons4150]

FORD ownership is the kiss of death to any car manufacturer.

[@Neopumper666]

Not true bro, at least the last part. Mazda produces its car both in Hiroshima and In Mexico. Quality is top notch in both facilities tho, but yeah it also relies on outsourcing

[@jonsimmons4150]

@@Neopumper666 mazda dont make head gaskets

[@bikeman1x11]

regardless mazda is a third or fourth tier maker- def not among the best

[@alistairharris7891]

@@jonsimmons4150 it’s not a ford engine

[@AndresSalazarAutos]

Not, it is not a Ford engine... this was the very first year of production of the Turbo 2.5 skyactiv engine. It is not rare to have issues in the first 1 or 2 years of production. It's been a pretty solid engine and any car maker has issues. Remember not long ago Toyota had issues with their then new K-CVT transmission. Honda with the 1.5 turbo oil dilution. I mean, Japanese brands may have less issues than European/Korean or American brands, but still, new designs, there's always the possibility of something happening... That is also why I am happy with brands like Honda, Mazda or Toyota keeping their engines in production for a long time, and not trying to develop a new one every 5 years.

[@rosssmith9941]

Mazda and Nissan are the chrysler of japan

[@HellaNooBs]

​@@rosssmith9941 nah only Nissan

[@know916bound]

​@@rosssmith9941Chrysler, GM , and Ford literally all suck the same amount 😂. BAD. They're only lucky the US doesn't let other brands import large trucks here cheaply or they'd really be screwed!

[@jamesbarnhart3642]

Hey, Wizard! Former Tire Tech now apprentice. That tire code starts with a tire style (model) then the plant code (where it was produced) and the last four digits (4921, in this case) indicate the week produced (49th week) and year produced (2021)

[@GFS695]

Surprised he didn't know that, I'm no mechanic and familiar which tire code.

[@mrdumbfellow927]

As others have said this is a mazda engine through and through. I know wizard likes to hate on Ford, but i think he needs to look into when mazda cut ties with Ford (over a decade ago)

[@bbishoppcm]

This generation is past the Ford ownership period - some parts may be carryovers in 2016, but the engine is a Mazda-designed 2.5L. Even the Ford Duratec was based on the Mazda MZR engine. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong.

[@joshhaber7985]

You are correct but for some weird reason the head bolts come in a ford parts box when we do the cylinder head repair. Rest of the engine is mazda

[@raymondedmondson7001]

After watching your story on the head gasket leaking on the Mazda cx9, I'm a little concerned for my Mazda cx5 , which is same year (2016) and 143,000kms. Which I recently sold to a good friend, because I wasn't driving it at all. No problems so far, but can this be an issue with the cx5 ?? Love your channel ! Keep up the good honest work !

[@bbishoppcm]

@@raymondedmondson7001 I wouldn’t worry - my girlfriend drives a 2016 CX-5 with around 100,000 miles on the clock and it’s tough as nails! She drives it like a rented mule, and it hasn’t had a single problem apart from a bad radiator cap.

[@flr8475]

@@raymondedmondson7001 There is a similar problem with the naturally aspirated CX-5 after they added cylinder deactivation. Not sure when that happened. If they did not by 2016 then your engine is bullet proof. BTW, the issue is not the head gasket but the cylinder head cracking.

[@flr8475]

@@raymondedmondson7001 I think you are in luck. It appears that they added cylinder deactivation for the 2018 model year.

[@gertstolk]

This CX9 shows all the signs of an unloved car 😢

[@heiner71]

Pretty crusty inside.

[@kylemontano228]

100%

[@anthonyz7023]

Verified customer is a crackhead

[@brandonruhl4525]

it is a turd mazda so

[@midcenturymodern9330]

Agreed. It's treated like a commuting appliance. ☹

[@KDogggRock]

2017 CX-9 owner here. Just had this leak issue resolved. Live in South Jersey outside Philly. Ours had 84k mi when I noticed a sweet smell. Looked underneath, green stains on everything and wet spot on ground. Reservoir empty but radiator full. Took to independent shop that would work on it. Wanted $8k. Said heck no. Called Mazda corp to lodge a complaint. Made a case that this is unacceptable at this mileage even though out of warranty. I said it’s in your interest to keep us (wife and I) happy, cuz who’s most likely to buy your fancy new CX-90? They said to take to dealer for inspection, and they would consider a relief reimbursement. The one Mazda dealer in NJ outside Philly refused to participate. The stealership manager said car is out of warranty and Mazda is crap and don’t buy another one, called me a freeloader, and told Mazda corp case mgr to buzz off. Wow, way to sell the brand bro…😮. Then corp had us take car to Mazda dealer in PA suburbs that was willing to work with us and corp. After the PA dealer did inspection, discussed with corp and Mazda corp agreed to pay for all costs except $250 (cost of fluids and gaskets). It took 2 weeks to get a new cylinder head from Japan. A top spec CX-50 turbo used for demo & sales training was provided during the whole ordeal, which was a month. Our CX-9 runs like a top and drives great, even with the leak and now with leak fixed. The dealer situation in NJ, however, I think will keep us from buying another Mazda.

[@georgepaniagua6115]

Thank you for sharing you experience. I heard my owners bring their car complaints to Mazda headquarters and they honored engine replacement even after the engine was out of warranty. I’m glad to hear it worked out well. I have a 2016 CX9 with 65k miles. It runs great. I hope it doesn’t have the same issue.

[@mnwolves180]

Can't let one bad dealership ruin the brand rep. Those kind of dealers are all around for every brand

[@ATICrossX]

Wow, pretty shocked that Mazda worked with you and paid for the repair out of warranty.

[@KDogggRock]

@@ATICrossXMy wife and I were expecting Mazda corp to reject our petition for relief or give us a token BS discount. Some things to note for our case… - We (wife and I) are the original owners - All service performed on schedule at Mazda dealers. Follow severe driving schedule. Very through maintenance record on vehicle. I anticipated something like this happening, so we paid for overpriced dealer service instead of independent shop so if something happened, Mazda couldn’t use that excuse if we had to file a case to apply for post-warranty relief. - The dealer in PA willingly worked with us and the corp case manager and engineering support. They advocated for Mazda corporate to play the long game and that this is very bad look for the brand, and they should cover this. (while the dealer in NJ wanted nothing to do with us) So we found a dealer willing to go to bat for us. - This happened at the same time as the CX-90 launch (tops out at $62k!!!), and I reminded our case manager of the power of social media and this would be a bad time for a video to be posted showing that Mazdas are half-baked crap, failed head gasket at less than 100k miles. I know Subaru owners that got no-cost CVT out of warranty replacements for sake of keeping people loyal to brand. Argued Mazda should do the same for us. - The dealer and Mazda engineering support decided to replace the cylinder head instead of recon/reinstall, so our car would have the current revised design. They had to drill and tap new beefier studs into short block for the head attachment. Mazda engineering said the cause for first iteration turbo engines to leak is heat sink from turbo’s housing that’s integrated into exhaust manifold creates a localized hot spot compared to rest of engine, and the thermal expansion/contraction of the head and short block not being consistent because of this heat concentration will cause the head gasket breakdown after X thermal cycles, near the the turbo. Once it starts leaking, you’re screwed. But it is on the short block perimeter and not around cylinders, so leaking like crazy, it will still drive fine, assuming you keep topping off the reservoir tank. - I was persistent and kept calling and emailing, until I could find a sympathetic ear attached to a person with power to make something happen.

[@emadalhariri5563]

Hi KDogggRoc, thank you so much for your comment. I really have the same problem with my ,Mazda CX9, 2017 and I went to Mazda dealership after checking it they said that I need a new engine which is about $8500 CAD. For sure, I will file a complain and see what is going to happen.

[@maximerebelo6601]

You are wrong, sky-activ are no more connected with Ford. Mazda splited ways more then a decade ago when Ford sold their shares and Volvo, Jaguar, etc. I think the last engine with a Ford origin was the 3.7 V6.

[@MatrixDiscovery]

My eyes rolled when you said "Ford" engine.

[@williamperrry6864]

Why? Because its not a Ford?

[@bobcoats2708]

@@williamperrry6864 Yep. Wizard is full of it. There aren’t Ford badges all over that engine. Sky active is a Mazda design

[@pablonavaridas3302]

@@bobcoats2708 This one is not an Skyactiv engine. This engine actually is an old Mazda 2.5 that Ford uses in their models too.

[@bobcoats2708]

@@pablonavaridas3302 Please research details for PY-VPTS engines, as installed in 2016 and later Mazda CX-9s

[@rafaelg9016]

@@pablonavaridas3302 you are totally wrong! All Mazda engines are engineered and made by Mazda

[@jamesschlueter8285]

Wizard needs to do some research before he starts recording. Just a thought.

[@marroco94]

The most honest mechanic I have seen giving details about a repair and time plus cost

[@aarown1017]

You are 100% wrong on the engine being a Ford. Its Mazdas own skyactiv designed engine.

[@aarown1017]

Also, see Mazda TSB 01-013/21 for this exact issues. Most likely needs a new cylinder head.

[@radicalgreek99]

My buddy had a 1987 Mazda sedan and was built like a tank. The thing was unkillable it had almost 700,000 miles on it when it finally died because his son was driving it and got caught in a flash flood.

[@paulhoskins7852]

They were some of the best cars when they were mostly Japanese.

[@Veikra]

late 80 to early 2000 are the best cars for reliability

[@rebeltvr6046]

@@Veikra Yup.

[@HulluJanne]

And it probably had a crotch cooler vent under the dash

[@d47000]

​@@HulluJanne bring back the ball chillers!!

[@KDogggRock]

As others have pointed out…. This car is a post-Ford era Mazda. This car shown in video and mine is 100% Mazda-Japan engineered and designed, with no Ford content. The Maroney sticker says that 100% Japan parts content. The corp folks were quick to point that out. Mazda is basically a startup with a legacy brand, and all the negative baggage that brings from the bad ol’ Ford days.

[@triathleteover5030]

Wizard it’s not a Ford 2L ecoboost engine. This engine is different from my Ford ecoboost engine. I know the skyactive engine is built by Mazda after the first Ford engine they used. I hope Wizard research and corrects this to be fair with Ford.

[@bobcoats2708]

13:50 “Ford owns Mazda!” Wizard losing credibility

[@md2k8]

My best friend owns and drives this vehicle. It is the 2018 model year of the Mazda CX-9 with this similar engine and transmission. It was a good thing that the spouse keeps the vehicle well-maintained, in order to avoid any problems down the road. Thanks.

[@JasPlun]

Correction Wizard no offense intended as things change so fast now days, but Mazda is owned by the Mazda Motor Corporation, based near Hiroshima, Japan. Back in 1979, the Ford Motor Company bought shares in the company and owned over 33 percent of the company by 1995. By 2015, the shares were sold and the Ford Motor Company no longer owned part of Mazda.

[@motordown7664]

TSB on this exact issue. This 2.5L is NOT a ford engine but the earlier 3.7L was a ford engine. Mazda offers a cylinder head kit that reinforces the area and supports the weight of turbo……hopefully. Ha

[@davidcochrun5448]

I would recommend checking TSB for cracks on head. The head cracks near exhaust and leaks out and can poor out.

[@christopherkraft1327]

Hey Wizard & Mrs Wizard, thanks for sharing another informative video!!! 👍👍🙂

[@topdog19945]

That's kind of what my head gasket did in my 05 Mini. It wasn't leaking into the cylinders. It was just leaking out the back. Replaced it myself in a few days a couple years ago and it's still holding well.

[@Allcarnews]

As someone who works closely with mazda both at work and for my review channel, this 100% is not a ford engine.

[@rysiucastro]

I have a VW Golf VII, had a coolant leak through the exhaust system, and the shop had to remove the engine from the engine bay to address that leak, due to the design of it (things like the particulate filter are in the way to reach the head). While they were in there, the EGR valve, the headgasket, spark plugs, and so on, also had to be replaced. Ended up in about 2 000 euros, most of it for all the intricate and long labour.

[@scottimusgarrett15]

I have a CX 30 Turbo with the 2.5, and had a 3 before that. I've done nothing but get them serviced at the dealer; no problems whatsoever, and my CX 30 is making 310 hp with a tune! Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Wizard! ✌️❤️🙂🇨🇦

[@cp1407]

Where did you get your tune?

[@scottimusgarrett15]

@@cp1407 from Thorton Chip Tuning. Very happy with it, as I can remove it from the OBD2 port for service at the dealership, and plug it back in after. It does make a big difference. Like, 0-60 under five seconds. It sounds like I work for them, but honestly, it actually works.

[@scottimusgarrett15]

@@cp1407 you may want to look up Corksport as well. They have great stuff for these cars.

[@cp1407]

@@scottimusgarrett15 thanks, that one I know about

[@waynejones1833]

yes you are very correct, the last ford engine was used in the 2015 cx9 and was a v6 duratec engine.the engine in this model is the new sky active engine by Mazda,if this engine has a coolant leak at the back it may have a cylinder head issue caused by the strain from the turbo, have a close look at that area!

[@djpags2540]

Are you sure the 2016 cx9 uses a ford engine? I thought the cx9 was all Mazda.. made in Japan for the US market only.

[@McGJonin]

You're right.

[@bvedant]

There are a few other markets where the CX-9 is sold like Europe but yes many sales are for the US/North America

[@garyg8036]

Ford sold a 20% ownership in Mazda back to the Japanese automaker in 2008. Mazda was part owned by Ford Motor Company from 1974 to 2015 and now stands as its own entity.

[@nowzthetime]

Also let's not forget that the expansion tank can crack and the only way to see the cracks in it is by holding a flashlight up to it

[@mph5896]

Broken plastic tank. Cheap in comparison.

[@thelastgoodbrother]

My 2016 CX-9 w/ 117000 miles is currently at the dealership having the engine rebuilt because of the known head crack. They first said that it was a thermostat that was causing the overheating. Replaced that to the tune of $500. Then they said that the engine needed to be rebuilt and quoted $10k. I decided to appeal to Mazda Corp since I figured that they knew that it was a known problem. Tack on another $500 for a rental car while Mazda reviewed the case. After 3 weeks, Mazda said that they would cover $7000 of the $10000 quoted. It’s bitter sweet because we had already spent so much on the misdiagnosis and rental car. Keep in my that our 2011 CX-9 has 225000 and has given us zero issues.

[@alanwignall3016]

I almost bought one of these a couple years ago but got a QX60 Luxe instead which I really liked. The one I was going to buy also had the issue with the wheels flaking which is a factory defect as well as the cracked radio screen like the one in your video. There is a service bulletin that covers the cracked radio screen. I called to confirm this with the dealership in case I ended up with one of these.

[@mph5896]

Go look at labor times on some of the newer stuff. That head gasket job is 11 hours. $3-4k repair for 11 hours with parts. That is what modern cars are like to repair. I just did a 3.6 Dodge for a friend. Cam was ground down due to a locked up rocker, and had a couple broken timing chain tensioner guides. Any shop in the area, the bill would have been 3-4k. I scrimped on parts and only replaced exactly what needed to be done. I even sourced a used cam since a new one was $350. Even so, $400 in parts and 10 hours labor.

[@rmp5s]

I've never seen such a head gasket fail so thoroughly...wow...

[@2nickles647]

Happens when the customer ignores the problems.

[@georgebettiol8338]

Ignoring the problem usually results in more leakage, harder to maintain the optimum coolent level and usually continued engine overheating. Result more damage to the engine and its ancillaries - and often not helped by a frustrated 'time poor' owner having to pull up by the side of the road in order to refill the hot engine with cold water - i.e. pouring cold water into a hot engine can cause more damage. With such a prolific leak, I wouldn't be surprised if the car overheated on the way to the Wizard's workshop.

[@john7365]

The cylinder head is actually cracked near the exhaust studs. It is super common on these

[@wolfeadventures]

It’s not the gasket. Head is cracked.

[@Angel_Tejada_86]

I’m a master mazda technician. Replaced dozen of cylinders heads for coolant leaks on the back near the turbo. Easier to drop the engine and trans then try to do it in the car.

[@Angel_Tejada_86]

Also those engine use 3 different type of timing chains and crank sprockets. Make sure to see whether it’s type a, b or c when setting the timing.

[@lstruggy]

My 2007 3.7 v6 4wd jeep grand Cherokee just hit 218K miles and still runs amazing will drive her till the wheels fall off.

[@iphone3guru]

Hey Wizard, want to give you a heads up. My mazda cx5 has been in the shop for over a month because the head itself is cracked. A manufacturing defect apparently related to the cylinder deactivation

[@crlaw75]

Cylinder deactivation is horrible for the engine.

[@wolfeadventures]

Why a month? Are heads hard to get?

[@charlesbartholomew2910]

What year CX-5 is it, iphone?

[@Suction_]

@@crlaw75 Outside of 2018/2019 the amount of issues related to cylinder deactivation are next to nothing when compared to GM AFM/DFM.

[@napoleontheclown]

Cylinder deactivation is only present on naturally aspirated engines, not turbocharged.

[@omnicode]

Never heard of a failed HG leaking ALL coolant out overnight. Must be a figure of speech but I'm worried the block or head is damaged. More info and video plz!!

[@trevorlees1241]

Gee I love your programme !! So glad I drive a Tesla - only aircon and checks done every not very often - one leak in a model S I had - Tesla told me by remote how low the fluid was !!!! No wonder Tesla are killing it when you see these videos !! But If I had an ice car it would go the Wizard !! 😀👍

[@jstnbullock]

Didn't see much of an angle to the belt tensioner, but definitely check to see if there's oil leaking at the tensioner pulley dampener. It looks like a little shock. There's TSBs put and a redesigned part. Both my 2016s needed it replaced as they were leaking and making the engine growl a bit on acceleration.

[@andybub45]

Ford has not owned Mazda since 2008. The Skyactiv G isn’t a Ford engine. That car is completely Mazda.

[@phil4208]

Ford never owned Mazda but had a stake in shares up to 2015 but my guess was a blown head gasket

[@JDYOUNGEARTH777]

I’ve got a 2019 CX3 160k kms I’ve done nothing to it but fluids not even brakes!! Runs like new!

[@stephenschneider9209]

Have to say that I enjoy your channel. Your honesty and willingness to share what engine's are turds is awesome! People buy these cars and trucks with NO IDEA what a pile they just signed up for. The only foreign car I will ever buy is made in Japan. Same goes for motorcycles. Been there done that

[@kevinandrew_]

Mazda has a pretty interesting history of dead reliable Mazda-made NA 4 cylinders, V6's borrowed from Ford with their issues, rotaries that customers didn't know how to take care of and were finicky, and now these early 2.5Ts that had this issue which it seems was rectified after 2020. Might make for a good which Mazda "to buy and not to buy" video to add to that video series!

[@md2k8]

We need that video permanently.

[@adamleckie8582]

You need to address all the errors you made in making this video and to correct them. To keep your well earned and respected integrity intact.

[@antonpandoursky9790]

Hi,Wizzard!Almost 2 years ago I had the head gasket replaced on my 2013 Freightliner Cascadia with Detroit DD15 engine and its ofcourse diesel. I just noticed that there was coolant sipping on the side of the block and the repair was for $4200.The head and block were good and the gasket itself was $300,but alot of labor on that 15 liter diesel.This CX-9 probably would need alot more work like you said to make it good again.By the way the new CX-9 comes with I6 turbo wich makes about 280 hp and also a hybrid version with I think about 330 hp wich is very respectable.Nice video guys 🙂

[@mikerobbins5049]

Things are very complicated these days. A far cry from the first engine I had the pleasure of rebuilding.... it was a 327 in a 64 Impala. Dad and I actually took the engine apart in the car and found nothing wrong with the block except 2 busted pistons. Proceeded to fix it in the vehicle. Couldn’t do that today I don’t think on a v-8 car...

[@johnsee7269]

I'll never forget 'finding out' that my 2010 HHR was made in Mexico. Next time I'll get a Toyota made in Georgetown, Kentucky!

[@familyvalues2020]

Very common for this motor especially for those early production years (while some folks have had 200k+ trouble free miles, its hit or miss) Luckily I got mine CPO so I got a 7 year powertrain warranty on mine for this very reason.

[@mr.mr.3301]

Not a Ford anymore. Ended their relationship In 2008.

[@defresurrection]

That's OK. Anything for YT...

[@rsubie]

Ford and Mazda have only recently cut ties. The Mazda BT50 and ford rangers are the same car up until a few years ago

[@Torontodude20000]

I got a 2018 cx-5 and just got a 2023 cx-30 for my wife. We are both very happy with it. So far no major problems with the cx-5 except for wear and tear.

[@NeedtoSpeak]

Your “Do the job, and do it Right” approach is correct. Stay that course.

[@FCReviews]

@carwizard that's all Mazda sir... 2016 mazda became independent from ford so the engine, transmission, and drivetrain its all 100% Mazda developed in-house. As always great video love your content.

[@LSR-YT21]

I would also inspect the head very carefully. These early model 2.5Ts had some head cracking issues because of the integrated exhaust manifold in the head.

[@thetinpin]

Ugh! I can't (but yet I can from the manufacturer's position) understand why part integration like that is done! It just makes repairs insanely expensive for the customers!

[@stevew6910]

Im glad you mentioned the timing chain, If it comes off it gets changed, Even chain guides, If the water pump comes off, It gets replaced , New thermostat ect , Some people will just throw it together, I think that is craziness,

[@travyb4608]

Have been with Mazda and still am for almost 10 years. This is not a blown head gasket. The 16 and up CX9s had a bad run on cylinder heads and have problems with cracking by an exhaust port where the manifold meets the head. It has happened to a decent amount of them in the time ive been with Mazda. Typically the exhaust port that fails is on cylinder 4. The crack runs deep enough to pierce the water jacket and leak out coolant. I have yet to see a blown head gasket on a Skyactiv 2.5T for these generation CX9s.

[@darrensanimalsreptilesfish30]

I like that you said you feel for the customer here. 3k just to get back to normal is definitely a kick in the pants to the average family

[@Bertuslouw76]

Aluminium is a very dynamic metal and it’s size will increase as it heats up. It also seems to me that this large vehicle could be slightly underpowered by this small engine. It’s probably wise to drive the vehicle very gently early in the morning when the engine is still cold and heating up to operating temperature.

[@nicholasvinen]

It's always a good idea to avoid thrashing an engine until it's warm but this one is pretty torquey and has no trouble getting it moving. If anything is a weakness it'd be the transmission.

[@waltchan]

Is cast-iron engine block better? Only Audi Q7 2.0L I4 turbo comes with a cast-iron engine block in its class.

[@mickeyandlucy]

In this case it seems that in some cases the head casting isn't strong enough to hold the weight of the small exhaust manifold, the turbocharger, and part of the exhaust system.

[@nicholasvinen]

Aluminium blocks are fine if designed properly. The biggest problem with them is the cylinder liners. Some just aren't robust enough. Alusil is the notorious one but Nikasil has been known to fail too. Iron liners are robust and I think the modern plasma coatings are OK.

[@Dcc357]

@@waltchan EA888 is a great engine, but always change the oil often and watch when you may need to replace timing chains, guides and tensioners

[@peterquach85]

Great video much appreciated. My 2016 CX9 done 47k km, how can i prevent this head gasket from happening? I don't like to spend this sort of money if i can prevent it. Thanks and hope to get advise from you.

[@stevemslater7203]

I have a 2007 Mazda cx7 with the 2 3 Liter Turbo engine and same for us that the head gasket blew at 250,000 kilometers as well as the timing chain. It was expensive to fix but well worth it as most Mazda SUVs are $50000 and up for a new one in Canada.

[@alansmith5255]

Do your research next time Ford does not own Mazda

[@jacquesc3166]

Not a Ford motor, David. At this point I'm convinced you insert 'mistakes' in your own script to foster YT 'engagement' in the form of comments. Oh well.

[@WayApp]

Wow, that's quite a price tag for a leak! Must be a pretty elusive one. Hope it gets fixed soon!

[@isbemorph]

While at it i'd test a thermostat opening temperature, and also drill a bypass hole in it. This would prevent an air pockets and also lower the temperature stress when the thermostat opens.

[@HypocriticYT]

Any higher powered 4 cylinder engines are grenades with the pin slowly working out 😮

[@jonsimmons4150]

Add "FORD" to the equation and thats screaming for trouble.

[@UnknownUser-rb9pd]

@@jonsimmons4150 Except it is a Mazda engine, NOT a Ford engine.

[@pablonavaridas3302]

That's actually not true. Just look at for example the honda civic type R, is just about how well they are made.

[@HypocriticYT]

@@pablonavaridas3302 many 4 cyl engines with turbos will pop at lower mileage. Yea there are exceptions

[@HypocriticYT]

@@pablonavaridas3302 many 4 cyl engines with turbos will pop at lower mileage. Yea there are exceptions

[@blaakrose]

Definitely worth fixing.

[@mvc2177]

66k miles on my 2016 Mazda cx-9 grand touring and no issues. Reliable. About to replace the drive belt and lower control arms. That’s about all I’ve done major to it besides brakes, filters and oil changes.

[@MatthewTheCCMA]

Had a 2020 Mazda CX-9 signature for a week as a rental and absolutely LOVED it. We own nothing but Toyotas however this made me put Mazda on my list. I feel as time moves on they will keep getting better.

[@stever41g]

Ford is no longer (since 2015) related to Mazda. The Sky Active engines were 100% developed by Mazda. This is NOT a Ford engine. Blown head gasket is probably a result of the very high compression ratio the Sky Active engines employ.

[@jrmotorsports5532]

This is unfortunately a common issue on the 2.5 turbo engines (at least the earlier ones). I have seen them go at 50k miles.

[@petesmitt]

@Bobby the heads on these engines crack due to manufacturing defect.

[@jrmotorsports5532]

@Bobby good question. Load? Design flaw? Casting issues?

[@kevinrobinson8474]

Must be maybe the 2.5 turbo version my Mazda has over 60K and I have had no issues at all the engine has been completely trouble-free.

[@jrmotorsports5532]

@@kevinrobinson8474 good to hear.

[@emotionz3]

Don’t buy turbo engines if you want 100k trouble free miles. Yes some last quite a while before issues (like diesels or the Honda Earthdreams) but that isn’t the status quo.

[@MichaelSchneiderTexas]

My friend had a used '16 CX 9 I helped her pick out , her wheels did the same thing and the coating was flaking like that. We drove it from Tx to New Mexico no problem. She had no problems with it before wrecking it and getting a '19 CX9 she has now.

[@thetechlibrarian]

I still can't find a single skyactive being torn down on KZbin

[@TakuroSpirit77]

4921 is the last of the DOT code... and that's a MAZDA SKYACTIV motor, has nothing to do with Ford. They split over 15 years ago, the 3.5 and 3.7 in the old CX-9 was the last engine they shared.

[@donaldavid]

Well...I was going to correct you regarding the "FORD" engine, but I see scads of people beat me to it. You don't drop the ball very often, but you sure did this time. I hope this doesn't cause any surprises for Magic Mike, or your customer.

[@hhova29]

Glad you mentioned it also. I even contacted Mazda to confirm and on Mazda forums. He’s definitely INCORRECT. I don’t watch his channel much, but I hope he rectifies/ edits his video because it will show he listens to his avid subscribers. I own a 21 cx9 signature, and love it.

[@michaeltutty1540]

Nice to know i fugured right about the head gasket. I onow what you mean about shops and foreign cars. I have a 1990 Volvo 240DL wagon. I asked a transmission and driveline shop about doing some work on the car. I was told they dont normally touch imports. Had to tell them that since they had a Jeep in the shop they were familiar with the back axle in the Volvo. Dana 30. Nothing exotic about an Aisin-Warner AW70 automatic overdrive transmission either. Always fun finding a decent mechanic. The second last shop had not been able to install a new rear U-joint properly.

[@sucharithbattina6659]

Very informative guy.

[@Amored_Red_Ranger]

Question, if the block is warped can you machine it while its in the car or is that an engine out job?

[@johnb7430]

Out of car

[@jayt6023]

I am actually surprised it was the head gasket and not a cracked block.. These CX-9s have a common problem of the head actually cracking and coolant leaking out.

[@andoletube]

So if the cracked head is a common problem, why would you suspect a cracked block? It's like you provided the explanation, but you don't believe it.

[@petesmitt]

@@andoletube I think block was a typo.. he meant head.

[@jackryder6732]

Would you recommend me to buy this suv used with 120k? What year would you recommend?

[@jayt6023]

@@jackryder6732 The CX-9 is a solid SUV as is any Mazda. I wouldn’t shy away from that mileage as long as it doesn’t look like it was beat on. The turbo engine in CX-9s develop the cracked head issue from excessive stress on the engine(towing, hammering the gas pedal all the time ect).

[@batboy-xf3ki]

THANKYOU WIZARD! Promise the customer the worst case and deliver great news. I cannot explain how many times i have quoted 2/3 grand and delivered a 1200 dollar bill. Yeah it still sucks, but at least your not promising them 1200, and ending up at 5 grand.

[@andyboyko2766]

Mr Wizard, does the 2.5 non turbo use the same cylinder head as the turbo version? My wife delibertely bought a 2022 Mazda CX-5 non turbo to avoid issues related to turbo engines. BTW you make very informative videos!

[@otisdriftwood8469]

What the average person out there doesn't know is, a small engine in a large vehicle will not last. There is a reason larger vehicles got larger engines. Many times, these little turbo engines do NOT get better gas mileage. They are working way to hard, and just burn out.

[@schwenda3727]

Yep, when the midsize sedan is only SLIGHTLY less fuel efficient than the compact that uses much of the same components, while the Edge/Highlander sized 3 row SUV built on the very same family sedan frame, transmission, and with a little turbo slapped onto the NA 4 banger is rated a noticeable ways below plentiful V6 sedans made within the past 20 years, one can only imagine how hard that “little engine that could” is working… particularly whether it’s straining itself over even grandma-like driving/accelerating in that thing… Hopefully that brand new i6 in the recently launched Cx90 holds up very accordingly; even if it’s smaller than many V6s pumped out in recent years…

[@conquistador2]

It's not the turbo that's the problem...

[@flr8475]

Nonsense. This engine has plenty of power. The issue is a design flaw the cylinder head that was fixed in 2020.

[@md2k8]

All repairs for vehicles are extremely expensive at this time, so please be careful when you plan to buy your first or next used vehicle.

[@gergelyturcsanyi6743]

Yeah, to keep the old one will be cheaper.

[@miguelvega7769]

Not my 2010 BMW x5 in-line 6😂😂easy to work on and parts are reasonably priced

[@timothygibney159]

I bought a Mazda for this reason as they are going up in reliability while Toyota and Honda are going down

[@h7pubg]

this is why i bought a used jaguar, car costs the same if not less in many cases to service than most cars, breaks down just as often as anything else (once in 2 years of daily driving because of alternator), and it’s a fun charactered car, the rare times it has issues, things can be expensive, but similar prices to people I know with “normal” cars.

[@broeheemed32]

Heat is a head gasket's enemy. Turbos make heat. Lots of heat. This will be the future for most cars made today, since government mandates have been forcing carmakers to increase MPG, so most cars now have puny displacement engines and high-strung heat-generating turbochargers. Of course, this will cease to be an issue after petrol and diesel-powered cars are illegal and electric cars are mandated...... then you'll only have to deal with $15,000 - $20,000 battery replacements and car fires. Lots of car fires.

[@animestarlord9021]

Newer cars and head gaskets are a common issue. So glad I got out of that 20 years ago. I still fix my cars but it sucks being it takes two full weekends normally when ones blows on me. Finding parts for foreign cars is also a huge issue. 90% of them have to be ordered online.

[@jeffzekas]

My very first Mazda, and the only one I ever bought, it had a freeze plug come out, caused the head to be warped, this in the first 6 months, brand new car, never bought another Mazda after that. It should be noted that my buddy bought a new Toyota at the same time, the Toyota is still running with over 200,000 miles.

[@petesmitt]

I'll counter with my Mazda, has over 200,000 miles; engine runs like new, with perfect compression.

[@jeffzekas]

@@petesmitt So, basically, you have a 50-50 chance of getting a good car or a bad car, according to this informal survey

[@csjrogerson2377]

Cylinder head issues are a known problem in the CX series. Here in Thailand, Mazda have fixed most of them for free and extended the warranty to cover the work and parts. Doesn't appear to be a problem in newer CX series SUVs. Ford and Mazda split in 2016.

[@bonle3771]

What years are the newer cs?

[@byronswogger]

2013

[@sergeymatpoc]

agree with top commenters. Matter of fact - Mazda does their own business from ~2012. And it's hard to find any details made by FoMoCo in modern Mazdas. Definitely, the traces should be somewhere, like, I don't believe Mazda built from scratch these engines, they should've been using previous gens of these motors with shared roots. But it'll be hard or even impossible to find any FoMoCo branded detail on the modern Mazda engine block. P.S. is it more reliable than Ford? You tell me =).

[@bobbyserchion]

Wiz you and Ms wiz you just awesome great video man 😊