Problems · by component
2013 Mazda CX-5 engine problems
42 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2013 Mazda CX-5 cite engine, 22% of all 194 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
42
22% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“My car won't shut off! I put it in park and turn it off and the accessories stay on. It is getting worse and worse and has taken up to 7 times of turning it off and on, backing it up and forward before it will just turn off for me. I get scared that it won't turn off. I found this forum online and it seems this is a very common problem that is not being addressed by Mazda. https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Discussion-t49115_ds799849 Not being able to turn my car off is a very big safety risk for me and my 2 year old son.”
“AFTER FIXING THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR NOT FULLY TURNING OFF, THE CAR SUDDENLY DIED IN TRAFFIC AND WOULDN'T RESTART. REPLACING MASS AIR SENSOR, O2 SENSOR, AND PLUGS, THE CAR WILL DIE IN TRAFFIC WHEN COMING TO A STOP, BUT RESTARTS IMMEDIATELY. THE CODE SAYS THIS IS A PCM PROBLEM. INTERNET RESEARCH SAYS THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON RESULTING IN SAFETY RECALLS IN OTHER YEAR MODELS. 2013 SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED.”
“THE IGNITION ON MY 2013 MAZDA CX-5 WOULD NOT TURN OFF AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. THE ENGINE WOULD START WITH THE GEARSHIFT LEVER IN PARK, BUT ONCE I DROVE TO A DESTINATION, PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT, AND PUT THE GEARSHIFT INTO PARK, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ENTIRELY TURN OFF. IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO MANIPULATE THE GEARSHIFT AROUND TO GET THE CAR TO TURN OFF. THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD STILL BE ACTIVE, INCLUDING RADIO, DASH LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WOULD ALL REMAIN ON. AFTER CONTACTING A LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN TOWN, A "PARK SAFETY SWITCH" IN THE GEARSHIFT LEVER IS BEING AFFECTED, AND IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AFFECTING MAZDA CX-5 VEHICLES. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY RECALLS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. THANKS TO A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH SUCH AS "MAZDA CX-5 WILL NOT TURN OFF", I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE SEVERAL YOUTUBE VIDEOS, POSTS ON REDDIT AND MAZDA FORUMS DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE. HAVING A VEHICLE WITH AN ISSUE WHERE YOU CANNOT TURN THE CAR OFF BECAUSE THE CAR "THINKS" THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN PARK IS UNSAFE AND A SAFETY HAZARD AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE.”
“WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE THE CAR LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. ALL OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON AND I HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT BUT I CANNOT TAKE THE VEHICLE OVER 30 MPH NOW WITHOUT IT SHUTTERING AND HAVING ACCELERATION ISSUES. THIS IS A SERIOUS AND LIFE THREATENING ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED FREE OF CHARGE. I HAVE FOUND OTHER REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING BUT I SEE NO RECALL INFORMATION. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED BEFORE MAZDA HAS LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST THEM. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ERROR AND NOT A USAGE ERROR. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS.”
“SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, I'M HAVING TO TURN MY CAR BACK ON TO TURN THE RADIO OFF AND COMPLETELY SHUT THE CAR DOWN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE SUMMER OF THIS YEAR. I HAVE TO CRANK IT UP, PUT IT OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE, AND PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE. AFTER THAT, IT TURNS OFF. I HAVE PUSH TO START AND HAD THE CAR FOR FOUR YEARS PRE-OWNED. YESTERDAY, MY SISTER AND I WERE STRANDED BECAUSE MY CAR DIDN'T START. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS THE AIR INTAKE OXYGEN SENSOR. THEY REPLACED IT PLUS THEY PUT IN A NEW CAR BATTERY. MY HUSBAND AND I THOUGHT IT WAS WEIRD, BUT NOW I'M WONDERING IF THE CAR ITSELF IS COMPLETELY SHUTTING DOWN WHEN I TURN IT OFF. NOW, THIS IS MAKING ME SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR. THE REPAIR COST ME 490 SOMETHING.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA CX-5. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE JERKED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION CONTROL, AND TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LESTER GLENN MAZDA (101 NJ-37 E, TOMS RIVER, NJ 08753, (888)422-5041) HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.*DT*JB*DT*JB”
Showing 6 of 42 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.