Mazda · NHTSA safety record
Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 63 safety complaints about the 2023 Mazda CX-5 with the US government. Of those, 8 describe a crash, 5 people were injured and no death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.
The most complained-about system is the brakes, named in 11 complaints, 17% of the total.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers January 2023 to September 2026 · How this is counted
63
Complaints
8
Describe a crash
0
Mention fire
5
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 63.
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 20.
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2023 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2023 Mazda CX-5, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.
| Test | SUV AWD |
|---|---|
| Overall | |
| Frontal crash | |
| Frontal, driver | |
| Frontal, passenger | |
| Side crash | |
| Side barrier | |
| Side pole | |
| Rollover | |
| Chance of rollover | 16.9% |
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.
2 injured · crash · towed
Airbags failed to deploy in a collision where the front end of the vehicle was crushed, and a driver wearing a seat belt hit the steering wheel with enough force to fracture their sternum and cause two cervical fractures as well.
NHTSA complaint 11724515. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
1 injured · crash · towed
Brand new 2023 Mazda CX-5 with 150 miles on it experienced unintended acceleration while braking. Pulled into a parking spot with my foot on the brakes but the car didn't stop & even accelerated over a sidewalk and into a building. I experienced a bruise from the seatbelt. Airbags did not deploy. Someone could have been killed if they had been on the sidewalk. Car is currently at an auto body shop to fix the cosmetic damages, and once released, will have the car towed to our local Mazda dealership/service center to get the car inspected. In doing research on NHTSA's website, at least 4 vehicles (2-2023 Mazda CX-5s and 2-2023 Mazda CX-30s) have experienced this issue. Mazda needs to recall
NHTSA complaint 11533801, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
1 injured · crash · towed
At 2:00 on a clear afternoon I was slowly coasting into a right hand turn into a parking space, and lightly tapping the brake to finalize the stop, when the car accelerated HARD forward over a curb and a sidewalk into the brick wall of a building. Airbag was deployed. My injuries were a nasty wrist contusion and bloody gashes where the airbag "door" deployed and I also had complete seatbelt brusing on my throat, chest and across my abdomen. This after traveling a mere 7-8 feet. At the time I was very shaken up and incredulous that such a thing could have happened logically, and conceded that perhaps I had made a mistake somehow. As I settled down later I became dubious, especially when I
NHTSA complaint 11547758, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
1 injured · crash · towed
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
NHTSA complaint 11712715, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
At 44,000 miles, a loud whirring noise started to occur that is due to the failing of the internal LED cooling fan in my left headlamp. I cannot use my headlights, which is a safety concern.
NHTSA complaint 11767366. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
When my car starts up, engine rpm is around 1500 or above 1000. If I would switch to reverse, the car sudden jerks back stronger and quicker than I expected even though my foot isn’t on the accelerator pedal and have pressed the brake lightly.
NHTSA complaint 11762062. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
On 09/01/2026 at approximately 55 mph, I was driving with adaptive cruise control engaged. The vehicle ahead decelerated abruptly. My vehicle began braking hard with no input from me for a fraction of a second. A red BRAKE warning appeared in the instrument cluster with an audible alarm. I then applied the brake pedal hard. On first contact the pedal barely moved from its rest position and was extremely firm. About a second into my application, while still traveling at over 25 mph, pedal resistance dropped sharply and pedal travel increased substantially. I had to push the pedal several inches farther to get back to comparable deceleration. The pedal did not pulse or vibrate. I came to a
NHTSA complaint 11761780, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
We purchased a certified pre-owned Mazda CX-5 from Wellesley Mazda in [XXX] on XXX. As soon as we got home and tried to exit the vehicle, we noticed that the driver's seatbelt was not releasing. Since then, we have noticed that the seat belt has not latched or unlatched properly. Our concern is that a manufacturer-certified vehicle was delivered to a consumer with an intermittently failing primary locking restraint mechanism. There should have been a 160-point inspection done before this car was delivered in order for it to be considered pre-owned. This car is driven by our son who has been put at risk by a faulty restraint device. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
NHTSA complaint 11757773, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
The vehicle experienced a sudden and complete engine stall while idling immediately after fueling the gas tank to capacity on a day with high ambient temperatures (over 100°F). Leading up to the stall, the vehicle was subjected to temporary auxiliary loads (Max AC running and active steering input). Immediately following the stall, the vehicle exhibited a hard-start condition and would not catch fire. After sitting turned off for several minutes, the vehicle restarted normally. The incident left no Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) or Check Engine Lights. Independent of this event, the vehicle intermittently exhibits a raw gasoline vapor smell inside the cabin at idle, alongside slight
NHTSA complaint 11748088, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
Check Engine Light Code P0524 - Low Oil Pressure. Everything check out fine. Checked all the suggested TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) possibilities from a respected and qualified service center. Cleared the code and it keeps coming back on.
NHTSA complaint 11746636. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 44 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 63 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 147 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 107 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 270 | 2 | — |
| 2018 | 350 | 3 | — |
| 2017 | 148 | 1 | — |
| 2016 | 510 | 4 | — |
| 2015 | 133 | 3 | — |
| 2014 | 377 | 3 | — |
| 2013 | 194 | 1 | — |
Every Mazda on this site — 82 vehicles.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst