Problems · NHTSA complaints

2023 Mazda CX-5 problems

Owners filed 67 complaints about the 2023 Mazda CX-5 with NHTSA between Jan 2023 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is service brakes (12).

Complaints
67
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes12
  2. Exterior lighting11
  3. Engine10
  4. Electrical system9
  5. Visibility/wiper6
  6. Forward collision avoidance6
  7. Lane departure5
  8. Vehicle speed control4
  9. Power train3
  10. Visibility3
  11. Seat belts2
  12. Fuel/propulsion system2
  13. Steering2
  14. Engine and engine cooling2

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
202313
202411
202520
202623

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes

12 reports3 crashes
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 4, 2026Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, EngineODI 11762062

Exterior lighting

11 reports
“I began hearing a loud engine noise similar to a lawn mower whenever my headlights would come on which includes just when I unlock my car. When I first took it back to the Mazda dealership for servicing and mentioned this to the service manager he told me it was an issue with the headlights that they’ve been seeing. They returned the car to me and said they did not hear it. Then after my warranty ended it got worse and when I brought it back to the dealership they stated they had never heard of this happening before and said that I brought my car for an air-conditioning issue. When identified that a service manager had told me that this is something they’re saying they then agreed to pay to have the headlight fixed. Initially they told me I was gonna have to pay approximately $1500 out-of-pocket because my warranty had ended to have it replaced. As I proved that I told them about this before the warranty was ended they covered the cost of it and replaced it. Two weeks ago the noise came back. When I look on the Internet and put in the search terms of loud noise when headlights come on is a common complaint. This seems to be a design flaw which is affecting the…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 5, 2026Exterior lightingODI 11768904

Engine

10 reports
“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 hesitations during low-speed steering maneuvers. This presents a safety hazard due to unexpected loss of motive power immediately after refueling in high-traffic gas station environments.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 2, 2026Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11748088

Electrical system

9 reports2 crashes
“The air conditioning compressor clutch suddenly would not engage, leading to reduced visibility out of the windshield during humid weather in Oklahoma springtime and extended times for windshield to defog. Temperatures inside the vehicle also rose to very high levels without air conditioning available, even with windows down while driving. No crash or injuries but this presented an unsafe situation for a vehicle with only 39,000 miles and purchased new from the dealership. There were no indicator lights, messages, or warnings, other than observation that air conditioner vents were no longer blowing cold air when selecting the AC button after problem occurred. Problem was verified by both an independent mechanic and our Mazda dealership. AC system was overcharged from the factory per diagnostic results, leading to internal AC compressor short and early component failure.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 22, 2026Electrical system, Visibility/wiperODI 11733145

Visibility/wiper

6 reports
“The driver-side power door mirror on my 2023 Mazda CX-5 vibrates excessively at highway speeds above 75 mph, especially on windy days. The vibration is so severe that it causes a blurred and distorted view, making it difficult to clearly see vehicles in adjacent lanes. This poses a significant safety risk, as it impairs my ability to make safe lane changes and monitor surrounding traffic. I brought the issue to the attention of my Mazda dealership during a scheduled service appointment, but they dismissed it as "normal" and quoted approximately $700 to replace the mirror - despite the fact that this appears to be a known issue with Mazda vehicles. Numerous owners of recent Mazda models have reported similar problems online, yet Mazda has not issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) for the 2023 CX-5. I am attaching a previous TSB (09-002/13) that Mazda released for earlier CX-5 models (2013–2014), which addressed the same mirror vibration issue through structural reinforcement and mirror replacement. This suggests the problem may still persist in newer models. The mirror is available for inspection upon request. No warning lights or messages were displayed,…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 4, 2025Visibility/wiper, Lane departureODI 11684928

Forward collision avoidance

6 reports2 crashes
“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 matching speed roughly one car length from the vehicle ahead, and only because I kept braking hard. I did not see an MRCC Cancelled message, though the BRAKE warning occupies the same part of the display, so I cannot say whether the initial deceleration came from Mazda Radar Cruise Control or Smart Brake Support. No brake, ABS, or DSC warning lamp illuminated before, during, or after the event, and none has since. There were no symptoms beforehand, and the brakes have worked…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 2, 2026Service brakes, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11761780
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026

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