2021 Mazda CX-5 Complaint Log

The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Brakes activated unintendedly, and the vehicle jerked to the left and independently accelerated and moved back in the lane intended lane. The vehicle then jerked to the right, unintendedly accelerated, and then went back into the intended lane. Then the vehicle resumed normal operation. While driving approximately 60-65 MPH a week later, the vehicle started jerking. The “Smart City Brake Malfunction” message was displayed, and the engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was advised by the dealer to continue adding oil to the engine as needed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 46,465.

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.

LOW ENGINE OIL LEVEL light on about 1000 miles from last oil changed. Dealer fixed the Mazda recall code: P250F on July 30, 2025. Now is same issue of LOW ENGINE OIL LEVEL light on again on November 19, 2025.

Radio audio randomly stopped working and you have to disconnect the negative or you have to leave the car off essentially all night. It’s definitely unknown issue there’s videos all over YouTube about it and there’s forms on read about it.

Important note for snowing conditions: The radar for adaptive cruise control is located in the front Mazda emblem. Snow buildup on the emblem can block the radar's signal and disable the adaptive cruise control system when driving. A heating element is necessary to prevent snow accumulation and maintain functionality.

My Mazda 2021 infotainment screen goes goes out usually when hit a bump and stays out until it sits awhile. Which when this happens there is no backup camera which is a safety issue. The Mazda dealership said it was the screen which they wanted $2900 just for the screen so I got one off eBay and it's still doing the same thing. Which I think its the CMU

We took our car to the Mazda dealership for routine maintenance. The technician found circumferential cracking along the sidewall/tread junction of all 4 tires. We were told that this suggests tread separation and that we should not continue to drive on the tires. We replaced all 4. I have pictures of all 4 tires.

The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rear back glass fractured without impact. The contact stated that the vehicle had just been parked for several minutes prior to the failure when the contact returned from a doctor's appointment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that the failure had occurred four times since June 2023. In addition, the contact stated that the rear seat was covered with shattered glass. The contact was instructed by the insurance company to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that the Front Brake System Malfunction, Forward Brake Malfunction, and Check Engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started jerking and hesitating as if the wheels would lock up. The steering wheel vibrated while turning to the left or the right. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was able to retrieve a diagnostic code; however, the DTC number was unknown. The dealer was unable to identify the exact cause of the code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.

Its been few months its giving me air bag issue sign in my car.

The tires have lost tire pressure very often. The tires have gotten completely flat 2 times already and I’ve had to call my insurance. The tires are only 6 months old and have been flat 2nd already. 225/55R19 99V BSW ALL-SEASON TIRE

I was driving as normal and the passenger side airbags deployed with a cause. I was driving about 25mph. I didn’t hit anything; no event occurred that would have caused the air bag to deploy. I took the car to a dealer and they recorded the event log which showed a crash but the car clearly did not get into an accident.

Due to oil consumption issues & oil leak on 2021 Mazda cx 5 AWD I was told the timing cover and gasket needs replacement due to oil leakage. This appears to be a very common issue with this vehicle. The engine is at risk of catastrophic failure due to low oil levels

The carseat straps loosen on their own when in use. I buckle my son in correctly, chest clip correct, tightness of straps correct and throughout the drive the straps loosen until they are falling off his shoulders. His safety is at risk because if I drive with him and got into an accident he would potentially fly out due to the straps doing this. It has not been inspected but its available to be. I am not able to keep tightening the straps while driving. I have had to have a second passenger who can tighten them throughout the ride. I just purchased the seat a few weeks ago. I am not comfortable to use it at this time. When I noticed this was a repetitive issue I decided to message the company. When I upload documents this form wont send so I can send them via a different way of communication (email etc)

the “trailing link shaft” broke/split/tore apart at the right rear wheel. my car only has 16,500 miles. the vehicle was inspected by auto manufacturing dealer (mazda). mazda refused to admit it’s realting to manufacturing defect(s). i did not report it to police or my auto insurance carrier at that moment because i did not know what the issues were not until i dropped it off to my local dealer

..... ON AT LEAST 5 SEPERATE OCCASIONS OUR 2021 MAZDA CX5 SUV ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RATE OF SPEED (ON IT'S OWN). IT HAS DONE IT TO MY WIFE AND I BOTH. I CONTACTED TWO DIFFERENT MAZDA SERVICE CENTERS AND WAS ADVISED THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS AND THAT THERE ARE NO OPEN RECALLS OR TSB's AND AS INTERMITTENT AS IT IS IT WOULD BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DUPLICATE. ON JULY 18TH THE CAR ACCELERATED (ON ITS OWN) AGAIN BUT THIS TIME IT DROVE MY WIFE INTO A TREE AT APROX. 35/40 MPH BREAKING HER RIBS. THE BODY SHOP INFORMED ME THIS MORNING THAT THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. MAZDA NEEDS TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS AND RESOLVE THIS ISSUE ASAP. THIS TIME IT WAS A TREE, THE NEXT TIME IT MAY BE AT A CROSSWALK OR AT AN INTERSECTION. IT'S JUST A MATER OF TIME UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED OR AT THE VERY LEAST BADLY HURT. I DON'T KNOW HOW MAZDA CAN BE UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, IT'S ALL OVER THE INTERNET. OUR BODY SHOP PULLED IT UP ON LINE AND WAS SHOCKED AT THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS/ CONCERNS THAT EXISTED RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS BECAUSE THE NEXT PERSON MAY NOT BE AS FORTUNATE. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

Infotainment system went dark and I cannot get it to come back on. I’ve read that this has been an ongoing issue and is covered in Mazda cx5 models up to 2020 thru a class action lawsuit, but my one is a 2021 (manufactured we’ll before 2021 though) with a virtually identical system.

Monday I walked outside and my vehicles back windshield was broken. Oddly enough, there was a big hole on both ends, but the middle began to disintegrate. I got a new glass installed on Wednesday and Thursday morning. I went to get in my car and the new glass was broken. The tech told me that Honda had a recall for the defroster wires Having the same issue, causing the back windshield to break. Although I had not been running my defroster for several months, he said the wires were getting hot even though they were turned off and shattering the windows. Since this is the second windshield that has busted in a week, I assume that Mazda is having the same issue however they have not yet issued a recall.

The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH in an intense rainstorm, the windshield became foggy. The contact activated the HVAC system to clear the windshield, but only hot air was coming from the vents. The contact stated that the hot air made the foggy windshield worse. The contact used a towel to wipe the inside of the windshield. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure occurred during intense rainfall. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.

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.

No codes, dealer unable to duplicate. I have been hearing a lifter tick come and go for months (since February ) with my oil level up to par. The ticking gets louder and then quieter.

Car engine shut down and slowly came to a full stop on the highway on 1/4/25, putting myself and my daughter of being rear ended at full speed on a highway where the speed limit is 65mph. The steering wheel locked and I was unable to move the car to any shoulder. I put the car in park and pressed the start ignition button to start the car and was able to drive again. An appointment is scheduled for 1/17/25 for diagnostics at a Mazda dealership. There were no warning messages prior to this event.. My battery was replaced 2 weeks prior to this incident.

Check engine oil light came on after only 2K miles from last oil change. Upon inspection there was practically no oil in my engine!!! I see there is an ongoing issue since 10/21 with 2021 Mazda CX-5 turbo engines. Despite Mazda’s awareness of the problem, they have yet to issue a recall to fix this issue!!!

I have a 2021 Mazda CX-5 touring with just a little under 26,000 miles. A couple of weeks ago, I started hearing an indescribable, quiet but noticeable sound on the passenger side of the vehicle that started at 15 mph. While attempting to get an appointment at two different booked up Mazda dealerships I noticed the sound getting worse and louder. I was able to get the vehicle into a local shop (not a dealership) close to my home. The technician there stated that my rear differential was leaking and needed to be replaced. He advised me not to drive the car because he said that I could lose total control of the vehicle. I was surprised to hear this as I was planning on picking up my son from school but also because my car has low miles on it. Luckily the repair was covered under my powertrain warranty but I felt the need to share with others. To me, this is a safety issue that Mazda owners should be aware of.

Engine developed a major oil leak at 70,000 miles, with multiple seals leaking. This appears to be a known defect with these vehicles and owners should not be bearing the cost for repairs.

The vehicle is low mileage (11,500 miles) and is burning an excessive amount of oil (up to a quart every 1,000 miles) The dealership is aware of this and just keeps saying to add oil.

Just got a oil change. Told my battery is almost dead. Upon looking up information I found a letter for recall for 2021 Mazda Cx5 for Dealer Rework 41 telematics communication unit concern. I called the Dealership and they are refusing to fix the problem. Looks like its just a software update is needed. My car only has 24,666 miles and according to the letter should be fixed. [XXX] I bought the car used in April and did a search for recalls prior to buying the car. There is non on Mazda website or vin search. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Oil has been leaking multiple times, with warranty repair for a faulty timing cover and gasket. This is now leaking again after being repaired twice already. This most recent time causing error messages regarding oil while driving. Significant burning smell coming from engine area.

Will driving on the interstate, using the adaptive cruise control feature, vehicles were slowing down to a stop ahead and my car accelerated instead of slowing down. I then pressed the brake and simultaneously, the car breaks locked down (automatic braking). Unfortunately I wasn’t able to avoid an accident as I rear ended the vehicle in front of me. My vehicle has been turned over to the insurance company to assess damage. I’m sure it can be inspected by nhtsa. Mine and others safety were at risk due to the malfunction of the cruise control accelerating instead of stopping. It caused an accident. Luckily no one was extremely injured. I have neck and back pain from the collision that will hopefully heal in a few days. Time will tell. But this could have been much worse had I not reacted as quickly as I did. This could cause a fatal accident. The care isn’t drivable so it has not been reproduced by anyone. I have notified the insurance company about the issue and It is my hope that they will inspect this. There were no warning lights or messages displayed prior to the incident.

2021 Mazda CX-5. On 8/6/24, I turned right into a parking space between 2 parked vehicles at the DMV parking lot. I turned right and eased into the parking space facing a large Ford F 150 white pickup truck. I was approximately 1-1.5 feet from the front of the white truck. I had my foot on the brake, suddenly the vehicle accelerated by itself and I heard the car revving at a very high rpm and the car took off. My sister was a passenger and she heard it as well. None of the collision or brake notification avoidance features came on the screen or were implemented as a safety measure or accident prevention. I had my foot on the brake and I had no control over the vehicle. The car lurched forward hitting the right side near the headlight of the car on my left and the pickup that was in front of me. My car hit the white pickup so hard that it pushed it out of the parking space in front of me and perpendicular to the parked cars in the row. We both were injured, my sister in ICU and had to have emergency cervical surgery for fractures impinging her cervical spinal cord. The Mazda was totaled. It is impossible for a Mazda to push the Ford F 150 pickup truck, that was facing me , out of the parking space and perpendicular to the row of parked cars with just 12- 14 inches between the pickup truck and my vehicle unless it was revved up to a very high rpm. The police report has some inaccuracies, it states I was turning left into the space but was actually turning right and says I possibly passed out but that is not true. I was in shock when the police questioned me. I have also relived every second of this accident in slow motion many times since. I am a 5 foot women and would have had to floor the gas peddle and even then would not be able to push a large pickup truck out of the space in front of me, and continue out of the parking space landing sideways in a 12-14 inch space between the front of the 2 vehicles.

For the third time in 3 years we have had to had the timing cover and gasket replaced due to major oil leakage. This appears to be a very common issue with this car, and even after getting it “fixed” the first time it is leaking again.

Low engine oil light 3600 miles before next oil change

I got this suv in 2023 and I kept up with oil changes and I take it in for a oil change and not even 2 days later the oil light came on so I topped it off and I go in for another oil change not even 2 days later I'm running hot so I take it back to the dealer to find out I have either a cracked head or a blown gasket??!!! There is coolant visible and mazda told me they are aware of this problem but why aren't they doing something about it bc ppl are barely making ends meet and they continue to sell these cars with these engine problems without fixing the issue...

In under 36 months failure of the front sensing camera disabled parking brake, traction control, emergency braking assistant, traction control, lane keeping assistance and lane departure warning

Oil light has come on indicating low oil. I have serviced this car through the dealership on schedule since I purchased it new. I don't believe modern cars should "lose oil" at less than 30,000 miles.

Cylinder head crack. Oil leak.

Excessive combustible gasoline vapors in engine compartment and in passenger compartment. Engine, available for inspection. Risk of fire/explosion because of high concentration of combustible vapors/gasoline. Yes -- confirmed by dealer (Safford Brown Mazda of Fairfax (Virginia)). No -- Notwithstanding being apprised of the problem Manufacturer has not inspected No warning signs. Manufacturer has acknowledge gasoline leaking into engine oil. Vapors were exacerbated because of a failed oil enging filler cap (probably cracked), and replacement of the same.

I had driven about 10 miles when the Check Engine light came on when I was far from home. Not blinking. It was not on when I first turned the car on. No symptoms other than check engine light. Got to a garage who got a code p0126 that is covered under TSB 01-005/23 coolant control valve. Called dealer who said it would be safe to drive home 180 miles. I did that. Awaiting appointment tomorrow to get it fixed. I belong to a Mazda Facebook group where lots of others are reporting this same problem - some for a second time!

I thought this was for a mechanical issue (not a safety issue). Check engine light came on not blinking. Was code p0126 covered in bulletin 01-005/23 - Coolant Control Valve. I'm on the Facebook CX-5 page and I see that many people have had this issue. One person had the same problem twice on the same car. I would like very much to have the correct NHTSA link to report this problem so that others may report it as well. In my case check engine light came on far from home. A local dealer said it would be safe to drive home which I did (about 180 miles). But a problem that occurs many times on a given car model perhaps should be a recall. The only charge was about $75 from the garage who read the code and diagnosed the problem. It was covered under warranty so there was no further charge to me.

-My rear differential needs replaced with just 24,000 miles on the car. I have the video from the technician at the Mazda dealership if needed. -My safety was not at risk because I took the car in at the first sign of issue. -Mazda Dealer technician has confirmed problem. -Mazda has been contacted to approve the part/fix since it is still under warranty. -No warning lamps appeared. I noticed a noise that was not something I had heard/noticed before. -I have searched many forums and this is a known/common issue with this make/model.

At 15k mi the rear left wheel started to squeal. Took car to dealer, they claimed all brake pads on the car worn out and replaced all of them (front+back), paperwork is available. That's an indication of a design defect impacting the brake system, this is not acceptable. Next week I was driving in winter storm and at one point the car started shifting to the left. I managed to regain control, dashcam video is available. I used to have a 2016 CX-5 and it experienced exactly the same issue. At one point dealer wanted to change brake pads after just 6k mi, I replaced them myself and noticed that the pads were worn unevenly, but it was easier to get rid of the car back then. The number of reports similar to mine is overwhelming, it is sad to see NHTSA not taking any action on this life threatening ticking time bomb.

There is a ticking sound coming from the engine, it seems like there are many issues with faulty hydraulic lash adjusters after a search online.

Screen blank when I am drving a while without any problem. I saw online and many owner have same problem. I followed company and online instruction. the problem could not be solved.

Excessive oil leak after 11,000 miles/car purchased new from dealer. There is currently a class action suit regarding this issue. Dealer denies problem, offering to top off oil only.

I have had this cc-5 for less than 2 years less than 16,000 miles on it and the rotors on the break are completely rusted! I had a Corolla for 10 years never had this issue before. Brought it to the dealer quirk Mazda in Quincy MA and they refuse to take accountability that this vehicle should not be having these issues and they want to charge me $800 to replace. The service manager here was nasty and rude. I am so beyond disappointed that they refuse to make this right. I saw online so many people with the same issue with this vehicle and seems like the dealers do nothing. I bought this vehicle brand new and should not have these issues.I want someone to look at this and do Justice. I will never buy a Mazda again as this seems like a scam.I fear driving now because every time I hit the break the car stalls and I feel like I am going to hit the car in front of me. Mazdas are a scam and cheaply made with horrible customer service.

Purchasers of Mazda Vehicles are not being notified that tow eye bolts do not come with the vehicle. That is in some fine print somewhere in the owners manual which is as dense as an encyclopedia. When there is a need to be towed with a rope or strap it is impossible without damaging the vehicle. There are no accessible frame areas that can be reached to strap a hook, rope or strap to safely tow a vehicle without damaging it. Out in the desert in a wilderness area, I got stuck in some mud in a potentially dangerous situation, possibly life threatening. Finally, upon a miracle I was able to find someone with an electric wench but we were unable to attach it to the vehicle because THERE WAS NO TOW EYE HOOK where it was supposed to be. Mazda intentionally did not include it. It's equivalent to NOT providing a jack and socket to change a flat tire to a spare tire! I had to abandon the vehicle overnight and eventually had to tow it out of the mud using the rear frame and damaging the plastic bumper. This is bewilderingly negligent and UNSAFE and Dangerous! It is beyond the realm of common sense.

I have an oil consumption on my cx-5 turbo. Have to add 1/2-3/4 quart 4k after service interval oil change.

On 8/7/2023 I noticed that there had been intermittent engine oil level alarms on my phone's Mazda app over the previous several weeks starting on 7/14/2023. In none of the instances did the low oil level light on the instrument cluster light up. I checked the oil level and it was at the bottom of the indicating range on the dipstick. I added 1 quart of oil to bring the level to the top of the indicating range. The oil had last been changed by a Mazda dealer on 10/31/2022 at a vehicle mileage of 13,699. On 8/18/2023 when I took the vehicle in to the Mazda dealer to check this issue the mileage was 20,432, a difference of 6,733 miles. That mileage was well within the owner's manual prescribed service interval mileage. There is no oil on the floor of the garage under where the car is parked leading me to believe the oil has been leaking into the combustion chamber. My vehicle is covered under Mazda Technical Service Bulletin 01-012/21 which offers a possible explanation. I suggest my VIN should be added to TSB 01-003/23 which covers the repair. Without fixing this oil leak, my engine is at risk of catastrophic failure due to low oil level.

Car with 15,000 miles needs a front and back brake job. Front rotors are rusty and chipping. Brake pads are chipping and front end has vibrations when brake pedal is applied. Back brakes are not as bad but will need repair soon. 15,000 miles on a set of front brakes pad and rotors is unacceptable, rust and chips should not happen with a new 2 year car. This is a safety concern. Car was in for oil change an tire rotation when problem was found. I believe brakes should last for at least 25,000 or more. This is a possible defect in materials or engineering. This should be looked into and recall acted upon.