Mazda CX-5 Complaints

346 consumer complaints on file.

#11719606February 21, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Adaptive headlight motor does not work. It makes a huge noise. Unfortunately it is not under warranty but Mazda dealerships have informed me that this is a known issue. This is a concern because the headlight does not function properly and does not work. The issue is a motor that fails, however you cannot just replace the motor. The entire headlight assembly needs to be replaced and is over 2,000. I strongly believe Mazda should be looked into and a special recall should be issued due to this. There should not be. $2 part that fails continuously causing a $2,000 repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718630February 17, 2026
STEERING, SERVICE BRAKES, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Breaks and gas pedal simultaneously stopped working while driving and steering wheel locked up
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718109February 15, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Premature failure of headlight assembly unit, (buzzing sound, known issue) completely unacceptable for this to happen right out of warranty. I don't think I will touch another Mazda in the future.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718027February 14, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The system that failed was the acceleration. This how it happened the first time, because after that it has happened at least two more in one year. I was leaving my office parking area, and I was waiting for the cars in front of me to continue moving. Then I was ready to start moving and put my foot on the accelerator and just went to a high acceleration. Which I immediately slammed the brakes because otherwise I would have smashed the rear part of the vehicle in front of me. My safety was in jeopardy because if I would have hit the car in front of me and my airbags would have deployed. And the speed of the acceleration was so, that the driver in front of me would have definitely felt it in his neck and God forbids what else!!! Yes, I reported to my dealer, and they said that nothing showed in their computer system, and mentioned something of a throttler not been wrong, (which I don't know what that is). There were no warning lamps or messages in the dashboard prior to the failure. This happened to me again in random occasions where I was just getting my car out of my parking in my condominium, also lucky, it was early in the morning and no cars around. AND the other instance also in my condominium parking area, but this time arriving, and also, lucky no cars near!!!! Your website describes a similar complaint for the same make and model of my car, thus implying that there is a problem with the system.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717052February 10, 2026
ENGINE
Timing Chain cover leaking
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716399February 7, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
My headlights have a motor (or motors) in them. This feature is to adjust headlights in accordance with the steering wheel. I think it's referred to as AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System). The left headlight's motor makes a noise. I do not always hear it when driving but when stopped or parking and exiting the vehicle, I can hear it until the lights turn off. The car has about 37,000 - 38,000 miles on it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716269February 6, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Over the past several weeks, we began hearing a pronounced noise coming from the front of the vehicle, which the dealership diagnosed as a failing motor within the driver-side headlight unit. Given that this is a critical safety component, and part of the upgraded package purchased when the vehicle was new — we were surprised to encounter this issue on a vehicle of 4 years and 41,540 miles. Mazda Customer Care told me to pound salt
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713167January 25, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The right headlight is very noisy. Like it is going to fail very soon. People say it's the problem with the cooling fan inside. A lot people have the same issues， Mazda should recall it ASAP
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713034January 23, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The LED Headline Assembly in the 2022+ CX-5 frequently malfunctions by itself causing the headlight to burn out and fail on a frequent basis. This is an unacceptable issue that is causing new car owners in lost time and money to get this poor headlight design repaired on a frequent basis. This is a known issue for this vehicle and has been frequently reported online that it really needs a recall for Mazda to change the headlight design to ensure the entire lighting system does not fail on a frequent basis. This has happened to both headlights.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11712715January 22, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - Smart Brake Support (SBS) & Forward Obstruction Warning system malfunctioned. Front radar sensor malfunctioned. Parking brake malfunctioned. I-activesense system malfunctioned. Emergency lane keep disabled. Dynamic stability control malfunctioned. Traction control system not operating correctly. Anti-lock brake system (ABS) malfunctioned. Brake system not responding. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? In total 10 malfunctions led to brake not responding and could not stop the car and resulted into a car accident. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? NO Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? POLICE report from car accident states brake malfunction. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Car was totally fine until all 10 error messages appeared on Jan.17th 2026 12:42-12:43PM and immediately the brake system did not respond and resulted in the car accident. **important** Police report documented that the officer on scene is a witness of the car dashboard shows “brake malfunction”
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11712669January 22, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Hello. I started hearing this noise on my car, it was distracting and found it that it only happens when my headlight is turned on. I believe that the headlight leveling motor went out, I have an appointment for next week to have it checked, but the more i reach out to others Mazda drivers, the more I hear this is a common issue. My car is brand new, well taken care of, this seems to happen a lot.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11712543January 21, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Headlight motor created a loud noise while it's on distracting driving and indicating an impending failure .This happened when the vehicle just got out of warranty (38000 miles approximately). Mazda refused to replace the headlight assembly for free. They charged for replacing it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11711544January 16, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Drivers side LED headlight cooling fan is making a loud buzzing noise 100% of the time when the headlight is turned on which indicates that the fan is failing. If fan fails, it will lead to overheating and failure of the headlight. Vehicle was inspected by Mazda to confirm the issue. Mazda issues Service Alert SA-013/23 and Technical Service Bulletin 09-015/23 have been issued for this problem. TSB states: Some customers may notice an abnormal noise (i.e. whine, groan, rattle or squeak) coming from the front combination lights when turning them on, or a few minutes after turning them off. The noise may be due to contamination by foreign matter during the manufacturing process. The fan motor bearing may become worn out during use. To eliminate the noise, the production process at the supplier and the material has been modified.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11711078January 15, 2026
TIRES:TREAD/BELT, TIRES:SIDEWALL
The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-5 equipped with Firestone Tires, Tire Line: Destination LE3, Tire Size: 225/55/R19, DOT Numbers: 17XEFLE320725 and 17XEFLE321524. While the vehicle was parked, the contact was informed by a co-worker that there was a bubble on the rear passenger's side tire. The contact inspected the tire and noticed that there was a bubble that was two inches deep and 3 inches long on the side wall of the tire with DOT Number: 17XEFLE321524. The vehicle was taken to Tire Plus, where the tire was replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, there was an abnormal popping sound heard, and the TPMS warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact noticed that there was a 2-inch long crack in the tread of the rear driver's side tire, the tire with DOT Number: 17XEFLE320725. The tire was replaced with the spare tire. The vehicle was then taken to Tire Plus, where the contact was awaiting the tire replacement. The tires were replacement tires. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The tire failure mileage was approximately 15,000. The vehicle failure mileage was approximately 64,000. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710883January 14, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Autobraking activates randomly. Mazda scans codes and returns the vehicle. They have refused to service or disable the system. NHTSA laws are dangerous and this tech is not ready for road use. Avoid Mazda at all costs!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710141January 10, 2026
AIR BAGS
Its been few months its giving me air bag issue sign in my car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709508January 7, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake rotors on all four wheels measured below minimum thickness specification at only 17,000 miles, requiring complete replacement of all rotors and pads. Rotors replaced at Koch Mazda (Easton, PA) on January 7, 2026 and no longer available for inspection. SAFETY RISK: Rotors below minimum spec have reduced structural integrity and heat dissipation capacity, creating risk of warping, cracking, or failure during emergency braking or sustained braking. Under-spec rotors can cause brake fade, increased stopping distances, and potential catastrophic failure. At 17,000 miles, this represents premature failure of a critical safety system. DEALER CONFIRMATION: Koch Mazda initially charged $89.99 for diagnostics claiming "nothing wrong" despite customer providing TSB 04-003/24 documentation. After formal complaint, dealership measured rotors below minimum spec and replaced all four rotors and pads as "non-warranty goodwill repair" (value $1,184.97). Calling it "goodwill" rather than warranty avoids documenting as defect claim. Dealership stated Mazda corporate approved the goodwill repair, indicating manufacturer awareness of widespread defect being managed case-by-case rather than through recall. WARNING SYMPTOMS: Popping/clicking noise when first moving forward or reverse after sitting idle. This symptom is specifically described in Mazda TSB 04-003/24 as caused by deteriorated grease between brake pads and shims. SYSTEMIC PATTERN: Research reveals hundreds of similar complaints across 2013-2025 CX-5 model years involving premature rotor/pad failure at 11,000-35,000 miles. TSB 04-003/24 addresses this exact pattern across multiple model years, confirming manufacturer awareness. Normal rotor life is 50,000-70,000 miles; failure at 17,000 miles suggests manufacturing defect, improper heat treatment, or design flaw affecting entire CX-5 brake system across 12+ model years.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709239January 6, 2026
AIR BAGS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
I was entering a traffic circle when i slid slightly as there was some ice on the roadway and came to rest against a curb, bumped lightly. There was no damage to the vehicle, but the entire driver side curtain airbags as well as the driver seat airbag deployed. The speed at which I was traveling was roughly 10 mph or less. My wheels never hit hard nor did they leave the pavement.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709112January 6, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Cracked cylinder head probably caused by cylinder deactivation causing catastrophic oil loss on the highway. Upon researching this, I see that it is a known issue with Mazda. My car is now in the shop awaiting repairs. It only has about 35,000 miles on it. This is obviously a known defect and is simply not acceptable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706797December 23, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The battery died, the car wouldn't start one night. The battery which is the original that came with the car is only about 2 years old. I googled the code from the code reader, it said some mazda cx-5 have a starting problem but then I checked the recall website and there was none.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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