CX-5 engine rattle

[jdoub1331]

Hi all,

I just signed up to post this question - maybe it could be helpful to some others too. I did a search and didn’t find this issue yet.

Our CX-5 (2018, grand touring FWD- ~45000miles) makes this noise almost every time driving it. It usually goes away after half an hour or so. We mentioned it to Mazda but didn’t have the video at the time, they said what we described sounds normal . Does anybody know what it could be? Or is it infact normal?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[CX5_Driver]

normal. sounds like a lifter tick maybe an fuel injector. Advise -- don't ever drive a Toyota truck, that noise never goes away and could make you question your sanity.

oh you are not alone.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cx-5+engine+tick

 

[yrwei52]

The ticking noise is from valve clearance and it should be very minimum with hydraulic lifter or hydraulic lash adjuster in Mazda’s term. I won’t buy a used car with such a loud valve noise. Oil quality would be my first guess which causes this ticking noise. Using inferior oil or wrong oil viscosity would cause this issue in the long run. Where and when did you make your last oil change? And how often do you change the oil each time? You can try changing to thicker 5W-30 full synthetic oil and see if the noise would be gone. If not, bring it up to your Mazda dealer and ask for warranty repair under powertrain warranty, especially if you use Mazda dealers doing the oil change all the time.

Have you done the recall for cylinder deactivation?

 

[cz5gt]

the ticking noise is normal ignore it, but the other louder banging noise is weird.

Also it does increase when you rev the engine, yes?
Can you locate which side/part of the engine makes it?

 

[jdoub1331]

Thanks for the replies all. I always service it at the local Mazda dealer and follow the normal oil schedules etc. I'm not 100% on the cylinder deactivation recall, ill check that.

Sounds like its fairly normal, just wanted to check it before the warranty is up! Ill show the video to the mechanic at the next service to make sure.

Thanks again and happy new year!

 

[ColtX-5]

Hard to tell from the audio in the video on my laptop. Sounds like excess valve clearance on one cylinder, or an exhaust leak from one cylinder at the head. Either way, take it to your favorite dealer with the video and see what else they say. A tell-tale is that it goes away after a while (1.5 hours?!), so I vote exhaust leak that closes off with heat.

 

[yrwei52]

Hard to tell from the audio in the video on my laptop. Sounds like excess valve clearance on one cylinder, or an exhaust leak from one cylinder at the head. Either way, take it to your favorite dealer with the video and see what else they say. A tell-tale is that it goes away after a while (1.5 hours?!), so I vote exhaust leak that closes off with heat.

At least we agree that the engine noise is excessive and need some attention for warranty service. I couldn’t hear any exhaust leak but that could be my hearing which is not as good as yours. My 2016 CX-5 2.5L with 42,060 miles doesn’t have such a loud ticking noise 30 seconds after the cold start.

 

[Hal A.]

Its probably a valve lifter, but not a sound you should be hearing so clearly on a 3 year old vehicle with 45k miles. (145k miles maybe) I’m hearing one very distinct one. Have no idea if it’s oil related but I’d definitely get it into the dealership and have them pull the valve cover for a little look around before an annoyance becomes a big problem. And the vehicle goes out of warranty.

 

[MyFirstMazda]

It sounds boarder line normal. Is the engine cold in your video? I think I hear the high pressure fuel pump.

 

[cz5gt]

The banging noise its not normal for me.
It sounds like bad common rail diesel with sticking injector or rattling chain thats not the normal for this engine.
Its even going up when revving the engine.

The other sound which is ticking is normal but not the first sound which can be heard even from inside the car.

 

[RubyNeal]

The faster ticking sound, sounds like typical valvetrain and or fuel injector ticking.
The louder clack-clack-clacking noise is running at half or quarter engine RPM like a collapsed lifter, severely worn down cam lobe, or worse... a spun rod bearing where you're only hearing it on the power stroke of the borked piston/rod assembly. If the latter, that means the engine is toast and about to go tango uniform on you.

 

[minnesotaart]

I dunno, that engine is WAY louder than my 2014. I would be concerned.

 

[ruthrj]

I dunno, that engine is WAY louder than my 2014. I would be concerned.

I agree with most of the comments. The ticking is normal, but I’ve never heard slower rhythmic bang from my ‘13 2 liter or my mother in laws ‘18 2.5 liter. That banging is concerning to me and I’d for sure want a dealer to hear that. Doesn’t sound ok.

 

[CX_FIVER]

Your warranty for powertrain is 5years or 60,000 miles so not about to expire.

 

[CX5Nut]

Any follow up on this? Our 2018 with 22K miles started making a similar, but less noticeable sound, when first started on a cold day. Goes away after driving for 2 minutes.

 

[erhayes]

I vote for a collapsed or broken valve lifter.

 

[Chas]

Definitely louder than our 2014 CX5 GT Tech AWD with 2.5L. Does not sound right. Certainly hope the tango uniform opinion does not come to pass for you!

 

[AVC]

Quick analysis; RPM = 652. The fast lighter ticking are injectors (double crank speed for 4 cyl), the slower heavier ticking is at the cam speed (half crank speed), so a lifter or less likely, the high pressure fuel pump (driven from the intake cam). It might also be the purge solenoid, which I recall cycling at about cam speed. My memory is that this is more a rhythmic puffing noise, rather than a heavy tick. A Harbor Freight mechanics stethoscope would make quick work as to the location; purge solenoid, high pressure pump or from under the valve cover.

I agree with others; *IF* the noise is from under the valve cover don't ignore it, as a lifter/cam lobe will eventually wear badly from slamming into the lifter. You don't want to deal with that out of warranty. I'd then press the dealer to inspect the other intake/exhaust lifters, whichever is sticking. It'd be quite premature (45k miles) for the lifter to be clogged up with sludge or carbon, unless your oil or change intervals were totally derelict (they weren't). More likely a manufacturing defect, which might effect all the lifters of that type (intake or exhaust). Even worse would be factory machining debris in the block that got lodged in the lifter orifice; ideally ALL lifters would be removed and the block oil circuits back flushed.

 

[bucko2855]

Hi all,

I just signed up to post this question - maybe it could be helpful to some others too. I did a search and didn’t find this issue yet.

Our CX-5 (2018, grand touring FWD- ~45000miles) makes this noise almost every time driving it. It usually goes away after half an hour or so. We mentioned it to Mazda but didn’t have the video at the time, they said what we described sounds normal . Does anybody know what it could be? Or is it infact normal?

Thanks for any advice!

That is in no way normal! That is a heavy metal in metal sound and needs to be addressed. I suspect lifters aren’t spaced properly. That knock is worse than mine and I’m concerned about my engine noise.

 

[yrwei52]

That is in no way normal! That is a heavy metal in metal sound and needs to be addressed. I suspect lifters aren’t spaced properly. That knock is worse than mine and I’m concerned about my engine noise.

I agree OP’s tapping noise is not normal, and most likely is from switchable hydraulic lash adjusters (HLA) which are only on cylinder #1 and #4 for cylinder deactivation.

Service Alert No.: SA-012/19 VALVE TAPPING OR KNOCKING NOISE HEARD FROM CYLINDER HEAD

TSB No.: 01-006/20 TAPPING NOISE FROM ENGINE