Equipment Problems of Mazda CX-5 - part 1

While driving, a "telematics error" message displayed, a single red light on the sos button turned on, and it started beeping loudly while driving. In this state the vehicle cannot automatically summon emergency help following a crash, and I cannot manually trigger an sos call. We are scheduled to have this repaired on September 15th. We previously submitted a similar case 11744809, which was a similar "telematics error", which also caused the touchscreen to fail to turn on, preventing other safety features from operating.

After vehicle has been parked for awhile, for example over night, there is a popping sound or clunking from front of vehicle after moving vehicle and applying brakes at first stop. Noise has been there since 2024. Popping, clunking sound only when when vehicle parked again. There is also a loud clunking sound sometimes, sounds like it is from the right front suspension, when driving on irregular, or bumpy road surface where I live. Sounds like something is not secured properly , tightened enough, or dampened enough. Like the coil spring flopping around in its holder. Have complained to the dealer numerous times. Was told that they could not duplicate the problem, even when vehicle was left there for about a week. Right front lower control arm was replaced on last visit, but noise is still there.

See all problems of the 2024 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

I purchased a brand new Mazda cx5 in 2020 that now has 46,000 miles on it. It is experiencing the known “ghost touch” issue in which the entertainment system and screen displayed in the center of the dashboard turns itself off and on, changes settings, shuts off navigation while driving, changes the radio from fm to am, changes the time zone, drops hand free phone calls, initiatives hands free phone calls, does not allow me to control the volume, freezes, and more, while driving without me touching the system or even when it isn’t on. It is incredibly disruptive and distracting when driving and is a major safety problem. There was a class action lawsuit for this issue for 2016-2020 Mazda cx5s that expired in 2025 in which Mazda was required to pay up to $1750 for repairs. I was not having this issue at that time and have been told Mazda will only pay a portion to correct this issue. Considering how popular this vehicle is and the likelihood of this being cost prohibitive for many people to pay for themselves this has the potential to be a major safety problem throughout the country.

See all problems of the 2020 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

My 2021 Mazda Cx-5 has developed a persistent rattling/vibration noise from the a-pillar and upper corner of the windshield. The noise appears to originate from the windshield/a-pillar attachment area and may be related to improper adhesion, mounting, weatherstripping, or other components near the top of the windshield. I have found numerous similar owner reports involving Mazda Cx-5 and other fourth-generation Mazda models describing rattling, clicking, or vibration from the same windshield/a-pillar area. Because this issue appears to affect a significant number of vehicles, I believe NHTSA should investigate whether there is a common manufacturing or assembly defect and determine whether a manufacturer repair campaign or recall is warranted.

See all problems of the 2021 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

My Cx-5 has 25,000 miles and recently the a/c failed culminating in a distinct chemical smell in the cabin. The issue was identified as a leaking/failed evaporator which apparently is located behind the dashboard and in turn “dump” the leaking refrigerant into the cabin! the total cost of repair due to the location of the evaporator is between $3000-$4500 in my area, seems a high cost to be poisoned by a vehicle that only has 25,000 miles on the clock!.

I have a serious safety issue with my 2025 Mazda Cx-5, purchased new in January 2026 from island Mazda on [xxx]. A few days before the critical alert, I noticed the car stopping on its own before pressing the brake. While driving on the highway, I received a “faulty sensor” alert that went away. On July 10, 2026, I received a critical vehicle malfunction alert in the mymazda app. The app gave no specific details. I called Mazda customer experience. They confirmed via email the system labels it as a parking brake malfunction and instructed me not to drive the vehicle. They advised it could stop at any time or not stop. I also experienced pulling and unprompted braking while driving. On xxx, I called island Mazda service multiple times (calls went to a call center). No callbacks. I went in person. General manager [xxx] was unavailable; sales manager [xxx] advised towing to [xxx]. The car was towed xxx at 1:29 pm. No confirmation call. I called again at ~2 pm. Technician [xxx] called first. Service manager [xxx] later called and was rude/dismissive. He yelled when I mentioned lemon law saying he can no longer speak to me when I mention that, downplayed the issue, refused to discuss documentation, and suggested I test drive the unsafe vehicle with them to figure out whats wrong. He spoke over me and said it would take a long time to fix because they are busy. He said he would forward my case to someone else and I agreed he is not capable of handling this appropriately. This is a brand new vehicle under warranty. I have a [xxx] son with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (rare condition requiring stress-dosing for injury). I do not feel safe driving it since the alert never even appeared in my actual car just the Mazda app on my phone I do not trust the dealership after this treatment to fix it. Requesting full investigation into the defect and dealership handling. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2025 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

In early 2025, my 2019 Mazda cx5 automatic would not shift always shift when it should - - it would take several seconds. This was especially concerning when I merged onto freeways and when I drove up hills or steep roads, and needed to pass a slower vehicle. The problem was especially noticeable & lasted longer when the engine was cold. I took the car to my mechanic who said it was the tcm, there was a recall notice, & that I needed to take my car to a dealer. (I never received a recall notice. ) I took my car to Mazda in sacramento because my local dealer (salinas, CA) would not address the issue without me paying a $395 "diagnostic fee" - - even though I had the recall info from my mechanic. Maita Mazda ([xxx]) reprogrammed the tcm xxx, but now 16 months later, my car is exhibiting the exact same symptoms as before the tcm was reprogrammed. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2019 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

Sos sounds at random telemetry not working comes up at random touchscreen on infotainment freezes.

Repeated failure and rebooting of Mazda connect infotainment system I am the owner of a 2016 Mazda Cx-5. The factory Mazda connect infotainment system has developed a recurring defect in which the system repeatedly reboots to the Mazda logo while driving. Prior to complete failure, the navigation system became intermittent and bluetooth connectivity frequently disconnected, requiring repeated attempts to reconnect devices. The system now continuously cycles through the startup screen, making navigation, hands-free phone functions, and system settings inaccessible. These repeated reboots occur while the vehicle is in motion and are distracting to the driver. The flashing and rebooting screen repeatedly draws the driver's attention away from the road and interferes with the use of navigation and hands-free communication features that are intended to promote safe driving. After researching this issue, I found numerous reports from other Mazda owners experiencing the same symptoms involving the Mazda connect system, navigation sd card, and connectivity master unit (cmu). The frequency and similarity of these reports suggest that this is a widespread and well-known defect rather than an isolated incident. Because this defect affects driver attention and the safe operation of the vehicle's communication and navigation functions, I respectfully request that Mazda and the national highway traffic safety administration investigate this matter and require Mazda to issue a recall or establish a repair program for affected vehicles. Vehicle: 2016 Mazda Cx-5 mileage: 70k.

See all problems of the 2016 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

About a week ago, a "telematics error" message displayed, a single red light on the sos button turned on, and it started beeping loudly. This has repeated multiple times. In this state the vehicle cannot automatically summon emergency help following a crash, and I cannot manually trigger an sos call. More recently, June 17th, a new symptom has occurred. Vehicle's touchscreen display would not turn on. This display is required to access heating/cooling features including defrost/defog, and is used to show the backup camera. The dealer has informed us that these issues were all caused by a manufacturer-initiated over-the-air software update. We are currently scheduled to have a new software update installed to replace it on June 22nd.

Sunroof blew out while driving down interstate highway. There was no impact that we are aware of, just a complete failure of the sunroof glass. The sunroof was closed, with the shade also closed, so no glass fell down into the vehicle. The glass blew out with a very loud explosion that startled and disoriented all within the vehicle causing us to swerve and look around for what had happened. The glass has been inspected and is being repaired by a local auto glass shop today. No warning lamps or otherwise. I have pictures of the glass if needed.

See all problems of the 2018 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

Sunroof glass failure that occurred on my 2024 Mazda Cx-5. While driving to work on may 9th at 11:16 pm going 67 miles per hour on route xxx in [xxx] , I suddenly heard a very loud popping/explosive sound from above the vehicle. Upon safely pulling over, I discovered that the sunroof glass had shattered unexpectedly. There was no known object strike that I or my two passengers observed, no prior cracks or chips visible before the incident, and no warning signs of damage beforehand. The glass appeared to have exploded outward/ upward and appeared curved upward. Most of the glass we believe hit the vehicle behind us as it was gone by the time we were able to safely pull over. It was approximately 58 degrees outside with no inclement weather. The vehicle currently has approximately 53,000 miles and has been properly maintained. The incident was extremely startling and created a significant safety concern while driving. Luckily, the interior sun visor was closed when this incident occurred, preventing the glass from entering the vehicle and injuring myself or my two passengers. Because the vehicle is relatively new and the damage appeared sudden and unusual, I would sincerely appreciate Mazda reviewing this matter for possible warranty or goodwill assistance. I have always valued Mazda’s quality and reputation, and I am hopeful the company can help support resolution of this unexpected issue. I have attached photographs of the damage and would be happy to provide any additional information needed. I would also appreciate the dealership documenting whether any definitive impact point or external strike evidence was identified during inspection. Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I look forward to working together toward a resolution. Sincerely, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Life-threatening, unoccupied rollaway vehicle with personal injury. Possible and/or suspected issues: "not-p" switch circuit malfunction; "false park"; lack of cross-module redundancy; lack of bcm and pcm redundancy; diagnostic blind spot; lack of occupancy-brake interlock; systematic safety failure culminating in unintended, driverless, runaway zombie vehicle with personal injury. Background info: * low mileage, mainly in-town errands driving. * not previously reported quirks, possible latent defects: liftgate opening that was hit-or-miss requiring multiple unlock trunk-unlock doors + get out of the car manual attempts; intermittent off-shutdown double-tap issue to power off car; ill-timed "rear seat alert". * reported "engine won't start" resulting in three key fob battery replacements and a locked key fob. Day of incident: * auto-lock and the ebs were not used. * driver intent was to park and unload, then permanently park. Car was in-park twice before ultimately placed in reverse and backed into position, facing downhill on a slight slope and along a left-side stone retaining wall. * driver thought vehicle was fully in park. * attempted open liftgate via "open trunk, open door" routine, which did not work, so I exited the vehicle to try the manual liftgate button, which also did not work. * three back-and-forth "unlock trunk/doors + manually press liftgate button" did not work. * note: upon opening the door or anytime after, I did not hear an audible warning that the car was not fully in park. Nor did the car move/creep in any direction. * deducing I must need to shut off the car to open the liftgate -- I leaned in and depressed the on/off button. * this caused the car to move forward, driverless, door open and scraping the stone wall, across a secondary road, over an 11" curb, and down a hill before stopping due to a tree. * I was injured. Pinned between a narrowing door and the car, I tried to turn the wheel right before being knocked down/falling.

I am experiencing “ghost touch” from the faulty laminate on the touch screen. Can literally see it degrading. It is a widely known issue and is dangerous cause I’m cruising along at 70 on the highway then all of a sudden my car randomly changes to different screens or changes sound settings. Very distracting and disconcerting. Unbelievable this hasn’t been a recall - government is certainly complicit in this now.

Unintended acceleration incident. I entered the parking lot of a business where the salvation army is located to drop off a donation. The parking spaces were on the left side. As I pulled into a parking space and was in the process of parking, the vehicle suddenly lurched/accelerated forward unexpectedly and struck the concrete wall of the building. The airbags did not deploy despite the frontal impact. No one was seriously injured, but my husband, daughter, and I experienced soreness the following day from the impact. Thankfully, I had chosen a parking space in front of a concrete wall rather than the glass storefront windows, which could have resulted in far more serious injuries or damage. I contacted my insurance company, and the vehicle has since been repaired.

Another case of a 2018 Cx-5 cracked cylinder head. 70k miles and regularly maintienced. No warning other than oil showing on the ground. Took it in to Mazda dealership and they came back after looking at it and declared it was a cracked cylinder head priced at 6. 8k. After looking it up it appears to be a casting issue that has affected many Mazdas but Mazda corp. Will not take fault.

Sunroof explosion while driving on the interstate and glass shards shot down on us. Sounded like a gunshot by head and it exploded.

See all problems of the 2022 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

The failures are intermittent but recurring, and I have personally experienced them multiple times under normal driving conditions. The dealership has not been able to reproduce the failures consistently, and Mazda has provided no inspection, no investigation, and no acknowledgment of the issue despite multiple attempts to contact them. In addition, numerous other 2026 Mazda cx?5 owners are reporting the exact same problems across multiple online forums and owner communities. These include: • complete center display blackouts • random system errors • telematics failures • driver?assist malfunctions • connected services not working at all owners are actively seeking help from one another because Mazda is ignoring customer reports, providing no guidance, and offering no official communication or support. This widespread pattern strongly suggests the issue is not isolated, but rather a potential systemic defect affecting the 2026 cx?5 platform.

My driver side front headlight fan is malfunctioning. It stays on and makes a loud noise when the car is parked and off and the lights are still on. This is a known defect and my dealership is asking for 2k to pay for it. I am concerned the light will go out causing safety concerns. (TSB) sa01323 and 09-015/23. This should be recalled as is it not a general wear and tear issue, it is a manufacturing issue. My car is out of warranty but this should still be covered.

This is a new rebuild of this vehicle with the electronics now being within the screen. Initially had sos and telematics issues which most of these cars are having. These seem to be fixed after two updates by Mazda. Have continuously been having issues with connectivity with their app and the ability to access my car through the app. Including locking/unlocking the doors, starting the car, having access to info about my car like: mileage and tire pressure etc. Mazda continues to see these cars without proper fixes. I have been thru three updates. And there has been no fix to these issues. I am unable to access alerts or updates regarding the car as well.

I am reporting an ongoing defect with the infotainment system in my 2020 Mazda Cx-5, involving ghost-touch inputs, system freezing, and random reboots. These issues began around the second year of ownership and have progressively worsened. The system constantly registers inputs that are not being made (ghost-touch), changes settings on its own; and occasionally- reboots while operating the vehicle. This makes it difficult or impossible to reliably use essential vehicle functions such as navigation, communication, and audio controls. The issue is particularly concerning because it creates a driver distraction and potential safety risk, as the system behaves unpredictably and requires attention while driving to manage or disable unintended inputs. I reported these issues multiple times to an authorized Mazda dealership while the vehicle was still under warranty. However, I was told no issue could be found or that software updates would resolve the problem. These updates did not fix the issue. On August 9, 2025, another system update was performed under the Mazda connect class action settlement, but the problem persists. The dealership is now requiring a paid diagnostic fee before proceeding further, despite the known nature of this defect. Based on my research and widespread owner reports, this issue is commonly associated with infotainment system defects, including screen delamination and/or failure of the connectivity master unit (cmu). I am submitting this complaint to document the defect and request further review, as it affects safe operation and driver attention.

Complete software issues… 1-yellow triangle with a red exclamation point 2-sos alarm tone continuously goes off 3-radio screen will freeze up, stop and restart to clear 4-hey google commands, will not turn ac off, hey google turn ac down, responds with turning the ac up 4 degrees 5-software turns off traction control 6-extremely dangerous when google does not work, and you have to look at the screen and not the road 7-Mazda has removed physical knobs for entertainment system, and ac system. With a failure of software this is dangerous 8-why did Mazda put this model out for sale to the public, and not notify customers of this potential dangerous issue at the time of sale 9-in 2 months I have had to go back for service 3 times, with as many as 5 warning lights on the custer at 1 time, all regarding software issues 10- each time from the service department we get the… Mazda is aware of this issues but does not have a fix at this time 11- paid $40,000 cash for this 2026 Mazda cx5 premium, is and or will this be considered lemon law in the state of florida. 12- as of now the only fix is a hard reset by disconnecting the battery.

Passenger side headlight was making a loud noise. When it began, it happened sporadically, but in ~two weeks, it happened consistently whenever the car was on and could often be heard while driving. The sound was consistent with other reports of the headlight assembly failure and those covered by tsbs for 2019–2023 models. The vehicle was brought to the dealership, the noise was verified as being the headlight failure, and it was replaced under warranty.

While driving on February 12, 2026, the steering system failed, resulting in the steering wheel locking and becoming impossible to turn. While making a right-hand turn, the steering wheel suddenly locked. I had to forcefully jerk the wheel to regain control and avoid colliding with a concrete barrier on the right shoulder. After several seconds, the steering function returned to normal. This failure occurred without warning and created an immediate safety hazard due to loss of steering control. The vehicle has been inspected by a dealership, but the issue could not be replicated and no repairs were performed. This condition presents a serious safety risk as it can occur during normal driving maneuvers and may lead to loss of control and collision.

Oil is leaking from the front timing chain cover and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The issue was caught early enough before it was an acute safety issue, however this issue can cause smoke while driving and cause the vehicle to lose function while driving, endangering those in and around the vehicle in motion. The vehicle only has 35,000 miles on it, has been confirmed and documented by an independent service center, and this is a widespread well-known issue - the service center has had three vehicles in this week with the same exact issue, and Mazda issued a technical service bulletin detailing the issue and stating the root cause is a lack of sufficient sealant applied during manufacturing. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives - only a service center. There were no warning lamps or messages of the problem prior to failure - I was lucky to have this caught during a routine inspection.

Defect front doors the opening handle has a( trim metal plastic) section separates and the metal part is very sharp and my wife got hurt with the metal portion like I said it's very sharp. I need to cover the handle to prevent that. Now it's in the passenger side too.

Hello. I started hearing this noise on my car, it was distracting and found it that it only happens when my headlight is turned on. I believe that the headlight leveling motor went out, I have an appointment for next week to have it checked, but the more I reach out to others Mazda drivers, the more I hear this is a common issue. My car is brand new, well taken care of, this seems to happen a lot.

Cracked cylinder head probably caused by cylinder deactivation causing catastrophic oil loss on the highway. Upon researching this, I see that it is a known issue with Mazda. My car is now in the shop awaiting repairs. It only has about 35,000 miles on it. This is obviously a known defect and is simply not acceptable.

See all problems of the 2023 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

The infotainment system suffers from ghost touching. It has gotten out of control even after a “recall” fix at the dealership. Without being touched the volume changes, the stations change, the presets change, the car makes calls to my contacts. I am often unable to control the screen as it turns the car to max volume while driving. It is extremely unsafe, distracting and alarming.

See all problems of the 2017 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

Shifter switch has gone out and no longer recognizes the car is in park, causes battery drainage because car cannot fully turn off. Car not recognizing gears can cause car accidents and possible loss of life. This issue can be found online as a known defect in Mazda Cx-5 that has not been recalled. Vehicle has been inspected and issue has been verified. There were no warning lights, sounds or symptoms of potential failure before failure.

See all problems of the 2013 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

Shifter switch has gone out and no longer recognizes the car is in park, causes battery drainage because car cannot fully turn off. Car not recognizing gears can cause car accidents and possible loss of life. This issue can be found online as a known defect in Mazda Cx-5 that has not been recalled. Vehicle has been inspected and issue has been verified. There were no warning lights, sounds or symptoms of potential failure before failure. Mazda has had recalls and service bulletins related to shifter/ignition switches, particularly for models like the Cx-5 and mx-5 (miata) in years like 2013-2019, concerning worn shifter switch units (part #kdy0-46-040) that can prevent the ignition from fully turning off in park, potentially draining the battery or causing accidental activation. While some were major recalls (like the 1. 4 million vehicle ignition switch issue in 2015), many were technical service bulletins (tsbs) for the shifter switch issue where owners sometimes got repairs free even outside warranty due to the commonality.

Shifter switch has gone out and no longer recognizes the car is in park, causes battery drainage because car cannot fully turn off. Car not recognizing gears can cause car accidents and possible loss of life. This issue can be found online as a known defect in Mazda Cx-5 that has not been recalled. Vehicle has been inspected and issue has been verified. There were no warning lights, sounds or symptoms of potential failure before failure. Mazda has had recalls and service bulletins related to shifter/ignition switches, particularly for models like the Cx-5 and mx-5 (miata) in years like 2013-2019, concerning worn shifter switch units (part #kdy0-46-040) that can prevent the ignition from fully turning off in park, potentially draining the battery or causing accidental activation. While some were major recalls (like the 1. 4 million vehicle ignition switch issue in 2015), many were technical service bulletins (tsbs) for the shifter switch issue where owners sometimes got repairs free even outside warranty due to the commonality.

The infotainment system consistently changes stations and volume on its own. Knob will not allow you to make adjustments . Contacted dealer and infotainment is not covered under warranty , or extended warranty. Now the collision notification is not working. Warnings from system that it has failed and causes system to not register any movement . This has been going on recently. Now have to drive it as it doesn’t have the system. And have to use my apple play for radio as infotainment keeps failing to include radio and navigation told by dealer that the infotainment system is not mounted into the dash and sticks up , so the heat from sun and summer has fried th system. Has been ongoing for over a year just found site to report it . Will not buy another vehicle with infotainment system sticking up out of dashboard.

The lower control arm or axel on the front passenger side broke as I was backing out of a parking spot. It is still at the mechanic however that is what is required to put the wheel back on the vehicle. My understanding is that this is the second time I have had this problem with the lower control arm on this vehicle. That could be very dangerous if that happens while on the highway and I’m concerned there is a fundamental problem with this car if it has happened twice. The first time the car was only a few years old. It was around 2016 if I recall correctly and Mazda fixed it.

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.