Sign inCreate free garage
Research · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2015 Mazda CX-5Recalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 133 owner complaints for the 2015 Mazda CX-5. Most complaints involve structure (27) and power train (19). The EPA rates it 26–29 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
26–29mpg
EPA · 5 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
4campaigns
Latest Sep 2016
Owner complaints
133
Top: structure
Fuel cost / yr
$2,200est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

4 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Structure: hatchback

Free remedy

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.

StructureReported Sep 6, 2016NHTSA 16V644000

Steering

Free remedy

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 2, 2015, 2013-2014 Mazda2 vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to August 8, 2014, 2014-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2, 2015, and 2013-2015 CX-9 vehicles manufactured December 6, 2012, to July 31, 2015. The lower mounting nuts and bolts that attach the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle may loosen, allowing the steering knuckle to separate.

SteeringReported Apr 11, 2016NHTSA 16V203000

Fuel system

Free remedy

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Mazda CX-5 vehicles manufactured June 27, 2013, to February 2, 2016. The affected vehicles have a fuel filler pipe that may rupture in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."

Fuel system, gasolineReported Feb 3, 2016NHTSA 16V064000
See all 4 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

133 complaints filed with NHTSA · Jul 2014 – Sep 2025
  1. Structure27
  2. Power train19
  3. Service brakes14
  4. Engine14
  5. Vehicle speed control12
  6. Visibility/wiper10
  7. Electrical system8
  8. Visibility7
  9. Fuel/propulsion system5

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each CX-5 model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2013194
2014377
2015133
2016512
2017150
2018122
2019273
2020110
2021148
202265
202367
202447
202529
202617
Crashes reported
11
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
7
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Structure

27 reports1 crash
“The contact owned a 2015 Mazda CX-5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V064000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 16V644000 (Structure) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list as she no longer owns the vehicle. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2023Fuel system, gasoline, StructureODI 11533463

Power train

19 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2015 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while pressing the brake pedal the engine had experienced very high revving and the vehicle would lurch forward. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who performed a PCM and TCM program update and reset the KAM per the manufacturers TSB. The contact indicated that the failure was corrected for a while but recently the failure had reoccurred. The local dealer was contacted and a service appointment was scheduled. No further information was available. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 25,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 20, 2024Power train, EngineODI 11572876

Service brakes

14 reports5 crashes
“I was near a red light and applied the brakes, but the car accelerated and ran into the truck stopped in front of me. This happened around May of 2024. I took the car to the Elk Grove Mazda dealer. They ran diagnostic and road tests but found nothing wrong. The car had the same problem again sometime later inside my garage. The car rammed into the drywall while I tried to stop by pressing the brake pedal. I took the car to the AAA repair shop in August 2024. They spent three days, and they told me they found a problem with the "steering angle sensor." It was 22 degrees off calibration. They reset the sensor, and the car ran better. However, the car acted again after some driving. It tries to accelerate while I apply the brake pedal near a stop. I took the car back to the AAA shop, but they did not find any problems in a whole week. I still drive this(my only) car, but extra careful, keeping a longer distance between cars in front of me and braking ahead few times ahead of any stop.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 17, 2025Unknown or other, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion systemCrash reportedODI 11674250
All 2015 CX-5 problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

5 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl · 2.5L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Manual 6-spd · Automatic (S6)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · 4-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
CX-5 2WD
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
263429$2,200306
CX-5 2WD
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
263228$2,300311
CX-5 2WD
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
253127$2,400328
CX-5 4WD
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · 4-Wheel Drive
253027$2,400324
CX-5 4WD
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · 4-Wheel Drive
242926$2,450341
  • CX-5 2WD
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    26 city · 34 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • CX-5 2WD
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    26 city · 32 hwy · $2,300/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
  • CX-5 2WD
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    25 city · 31 hwy · $2,400/yr
    27
    mpg comb.
  • CX-5 4WD
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    25 city · 30 hwy · $2,400/yr
    27
    mpg comb.
  • CX-5 4WD
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    24 city · 29 hwy · $2,450/yr
    26
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Mazda CX-5 SUV AWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
16.9%
Overall
5 / 5
Mazda CX-5 SUV FWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
17.4%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 9008Vehicle 9007
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2015 CX-5 questions

How many recalls does the 2015 Mazda CX-5 have?

4 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2015 Mazda CX-5 problems?

Owners filed 133 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are structure (27), power train (19), service brakes (14). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2015 Mazda CX-5 get?

The EPA rates the 2015 Mazda CX-5 at 26–29 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (5 versions rated).

How safe is the 2015 Mazda CX-5?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2015 Mazda CX-5 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026