Exterior Lighting Problems of Mazda CX-5 - part 1

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.

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

My 2023 Mazda Cx-5 (48,000 miles) is experiencing a loud mechanical whirring/grinding from the driver-side headlight assembly, a documented manufacturing defect involving foreign matter contamination of the internal led cooling fan bearings (TSB 09-029/25). Despite the manufacturer acknowledging this factory-installed defect, Mazda has refused to proactively remedy the issue because the vehicle is nominally past its 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper period. I have been explicitly advised by service personnel to continue operating the vehicle until the headlight unit 'entirely fails' before further assistance may be considered. This 'fail-first' directive is a reckless disregard for public safety; the internal cooling fan exists specifically to prevent the high-intensity led from overheating. A failure of this fan leads directly to the sudden burnout of the main headlamp while the vehicle is in motion. Mazda is essentially requiring me to drive a vehicle with a known, ticking-clock lighting defect and wait for a total loss of visibility at night before they will address a part that was contaminated during their own production process. This is a critical safety hazard that places myself and other drivers at risk of a collision due to sudden headlamp failure.

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

Both front headlights are making an abnormal loud whining noise which started intermittently about 6 months ago and became continuous January 2026. Took vehicle to dealership where the dealership reported that the noise may be due to contamination by a foreign matter during the manufacturing process getting inside the adaptive headlight system causing the fan motor bearings inside the headlight to wear out. Mazda dealership in bridgeport wv stated the fix is to replace both front headlights at a significant cost to the owner if the vehicle is outside the warranty. The only indication that there is a problem is the loud noise coming from the headlights, there has been no warning messages. Mazda is not willing to fix the issue unless the vehicle is within warranty. My vehicle is not within the known vins listed below having this issue and is outside of the warranty. I reached out to Mazda corp with case # [xxx] and Mazda corp denied financial assistance, but stated I could work with the dealership to trade my vehicle instead of fixing the issue. Mazda knows the issue is on these vehicles per the TSB report given to me when I took my vehicle to the dealership. Previous tsbs per the report (sa-013/23 & 09-015/23) 2020-2025 cx 30 (mexico built) vins lower 3mv dm **** ** 794028 (produced before Dec. , 2020) 2022-2025 Cx-5 vins lower than jm3 kf **** ** 57088 (produced before Sep. , 2024) 2025 cx-70 vins lower than jm3 *** ** 118240 (produced before Sep. , 2024) 2024-2025 cx-90 vins lower than jm3 *** ** 204555 (produced before Sep. , 2024) 2022-2024 mx-30 vins lower than jm1 *** ** 200939 (produced before Apr. , 2024) 2016-2024 mx-5 vins lower than jm1 *** ** 610111 (produced before oct. , 2024) information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I am reporting a safety defect in my 2023 Mazda Cx-5 involving the right headlight assembly. The internal led cooling fan has failed, causing loud noise and excessive vibration. This is a confirmed manufacturing defect (documented in Mazda service alert sa-013-23). Safety risk: the cooling fan is essential to prevent the led from overheating. A failure of this component can cause the headlight to dim or shut off completely without warning while driving at night, creating a severe visibility hazard and increasing the risk of a crash. Repair details: an authorized Mazda dealer confirmed the internal failure and verified no external damage. Despite being a 2023 vehicle and a known safety issue, Mazda north american operations has refused to cover the repair.

Just out of warranty passenger headlight is making a humming noise. Many other owners are having same malfunctions. Cost to replace at dealership is around $2,000. 00. Led headlight has a cooling fan that is failing. Many have been replaced under warranty. Mine started just outside of the warranty mileage. It’s a known issue that should have a recall issued.

Premature failure of headlight assembly unit, (buzzing sound, known issue) completely unacceptable for this to happen right out of warranty. I don't think I will touch another Mazda in the future.

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

Over the past several weeks, we began hearing a pronounced noise coming from the front of the vehicle, which the dealership diagnosed as a failing motor within the driver-side headlight unit. Given that this is a critical safety component, and part of the upgraded package purchased when the vehicle was new — we were surprised to encounter this issue on a vehicle of 4 years and 41,540 miles. Mazda customer care told me to pound salt.

The led headline assembly in the 2022+ Cx-5 frequently malfunctions by itself causing the headlight to burn out and fail on a frequent basis. This is an unacceptable issue that is causing new car owners in lost time and money to get this poor headlight design repaired on a frequent basis. This is a known issue for this vehicle and has been frequently reported online that it really needs a recall for Mazda to change the headlight design to ensure the entire lighting system does not fail on a frequent basis. This has happened to both headlights.

I have a failed leveling motor on my led headlight assembly causing a constant noise as it is attempting to level. This is apparently a known problem and has had a tsa technical service bulletin of 09-015/23. My car is past the 3 yr warranty but under the 36,000 mile warranty period with only 33,000 miles. Mazda refuses to cover it since it has not had a recall yet even though it is a common and known problem. They are quoting a $1200+ repair cost. Can you please help in any way and address this? thank you.

Drivers side led headlight cooling fan is making a loud buzzing noise 100% of the time when the headlight is turned on which indicates that the fan is failing. If fan fails, it will lead to overheating and failure of the headlight. Vehicle was inspected by Mazda to confirm the issue. Mazda issues service alert sa-013/23 and technical service bulletin 09-015/23 have been issued for this problem. TSB states: some customers may notice an abnormal noise (I. E. Whine, groan, rattle or squeak) coming from the front combination lights when turning them on, or a few minutes after turning them off. The noise may be due to contamination by foreign matter during the manufacturing process. The fan motor bearing may become worn out during use. To eliminate the noise, the production process at the supplier and the material has been modified.

Adaptive headlight motor does not work. It makes a huge noise. Unfortunately it is not under warranty but Mazda dealerships have informed me that this is a known issue. This is a concern because the headlight does not function properly and does not work. The issue is a motor that fails, however you cannot just replace the motor. The entire headlight assembly needs to be replaced and is over 2,000. I strongly believe Mazda should be looked into and a special recall should be issued due to this. There should not be. $2 part that fails continuously causing a $2,000 repair.

Headlight humming / headlight unit failure. Known issue with Mazda but they refuse to repair unless I pay $2k for a new headlight. Vehicle has less than 50k miles and this is a know issue for 2019-2023 cx5s.

Headlight fan motor went out in both lights in under 3 years.

Headlamps cooling fan motors Mazda Cx-5 2022 make loud noise during driving and for few minutes even after the car is turned off. Car is at about 29,000miles. Unfortunately, it's past 3yrs old and hence jimclick Mazda dealer is asking for more than $3000 to replace the lights with motor assembly.

Headlight motor created a loud noise while it's on distracting driving and indicating an impending failure . This happened when the vehicle just got out of warranty (38000 miles approximately). Mazda refused to replace the headlight assembly for free. They charged for replacing it.

The right headlight is very noisy. Like it is going to fail very soon. People say it's the problem with the cooling fan inside. A lot people have the same issues? Mazda should recall it ASAP.

My headlights have a motor (or motors) in them. This feature is to adjust headlights in accordance with the steering wheel. I think it's referred to as afs (adaptive front-lighting system). The left headlight's motor makes a noise. I do not always hear it when driving but when stopped or parking and exiting the vehicle, I can hear it until the lights turn off. The car has about 37,000 - 38,000 miles on it.

Humming or moaning noise from the passenger side headlamp. Inspected by dealer mechanic and mentioned the TSB 09-015-23b bulletin. Dealership replaced headlamp covered under warranty.

The adaptive headlight system and motor in 2023 Mazda Cx-5 has defect and it makes buzzing noise and vibration. It was recognized by Mazda and its known defect. They should replace the defective headlight system even after the warranty period since this is not normal wear and tear part.

Loud fan noise coming from the passenger side headlight. Noise continues when car has been turned off and stops when the light shuts off. Dealer said that replacement of the passenger headlamp assembly needed but would charge because it was not longer under warrant due to mileage. No warning lamps, messages nor other items appeared. The symptoms began around 40,000 miles.

Only one headlight was addressed by dealer in repair for 4320a | NHTSA #20v-063 and they're refusing to cover the other side. The other drl led light is now out from seemingly the same cause. They stated they did not fully follow the procedure in the documents I found regarding this recall when they repaired the first one because they "pre authorized" the swap of one side on "good faith" so there is not a record I can cite around the serial or lot numbers of the new or old lights on my own.

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

A grating/moaning noise started coming from the passenger-side headlight. After googling, it seems that it is a common issue that others have had which requires replacement of the headlight assembly. I took this to the dealership, and the tech told me this is common. They didn’t even have to take it back into the shop to make a diagnosis. He said that dirt gets into the bearings on the fan meant to cool the lamp during manufacturing. This causes the fan to fail and the light to overheat if the headlight assembly is not replaced. This problem seems to be so common that the dealership already had the part in stock that they would need.

Mazda issued a safety recall (Mazda safety recall 4320a, NHTSA campaign number 20v-063) to address daytime running light flickering/failure. At the time, only the passenger side daytime running light was replaced under the recall by Mazda, with a gasket/gas absorption sheet being installed on the driver's side. The driver's side daytime running light is now flickering/dim. Mazda did not repair the safety defect properly on the driver's side for the daytime running lights under Mazda safety recall 4320a, NHTSA campaign number 20v-063, because Mazda only installed the gasket/gas absorption sheets that have since failed, causing the daytime running lights to flicker, increasing the risk of crash. Mazda has refused to cover the cost for replacement of the daytime running lights per safety recall notice 4320a / NHTSA 20v-063, even though replacement of these lights is covered by the recall. Both a Mazda dealer and Mazda corporate customer service have been contacted regarding this issue and both have refused to provide the remedy as outlined in the safety recall. Mazda has provided an estimate of $1,466 to replace the daytime running lights. Attached documents: -correspondence with Mazda where Mazda's refuses to cover work -estimate from Mazda to perform work -original invoice from recall work performed (gasket kit on driver side only, not full light replacement).

I own a 2022 Mazda Cx-5 carbon edition and have recently noticed a persistent noise coming from the left headlight. The noise resembles a fan or vibrating sound. Coincidentally, this issue started only a month after I bought out the vehicle following the lease expiration. Component/system failure and inspection: the issue appears to be caused by a malfunctioning auto-leveling or adaptive headlight motor. The component is still installed in the vehicle and can be inspected upon request by a dealer or manufacturer. Safety risks: while this issue has not yet caused immediate driving hazards, a malfunctioning headlight system could pose a safety risk if the auto-leveling function fails, leading to improper headlight beam alignment. This could impact nighttime visibility or cause glare for other drivers, increasing the risk of accidents. Reproduction and confirmation: the problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center in my case, but many other customers have reported similar issues, some of whom have had the component replaced under warranty. Inspection status: as of now, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or other parties. Warning signs or symptoms prior to failure: no warning lamps, messages, or dashboard alerts appeared before the noise started. The issue began suddenly and has been persistent ever since. I have a video, but it cannot be uploaded in this report.

Headlights on these vehicles go out around 40,000 miles due to issues during their manufacturing. The repair costs $2,500+. The issue is known by Mazda and is widespread but they refuse to recall.

The controls on the windshield wiper/headlight control stalk are not visible when driving at night. The setting markings on the control stalk are completely dark at night. This creates a safety hazard when driving at night in the rain and turning on your windshield wipers or changing your headlight settings is needed.

I own a 2022 Mazda Cx-5 carbon edition and have recently noticed a persistent noise coming from the left headlight. The noise resembles a fan or vibrating sound. The issue appears to be caused by a malfunctioning auto-leveling or adaptive headlight motor. The component is still installed in the vehicle and can be inspected upon request by a dealer or manufacturer. Safety risks: while this issue has not yet caused immediate driving hazards, a malfunctioning headlight system could pose a safety risk if the auto-leveling function fails, leading to improper headlight beam alignment. This could impact nighttime visibility or cause glare for other drivers, increasing the risk of accidents.

Left headlight fails to adequately illuminate left side, produced light appears shaded/obstructed, less than right side. Night visibility is reduced. Dealer examined headlight, found uneven light distribution, shadows, referred to manufacturer , Mazda stated this is normal. Right headlight was previously replaced under warranty, after excess headlight. Noise detected . Is available for examination.

The center display on it own ( ghosting) changes setting randomly this impacts safety information displayed including rear camera, and distracts the driver. The cause is a defectinve digitizer on the lcd screen panel. The 2016 model year of the same car Mazda Cx-5 has a simalar problem and was recalled there is no warning prior to these occurances.

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

When the vehicle light position is on off at night the daytime running lights on the front of the vehicle come on which appear to be the same as the normal headlights, but the back lights are completely out. The brake lights work, but the back tail lights and licence plate light are out. The car's light switch is on the turn signal arm and can be moved inadvertently when using the turn signal. At this point you assume you have all around vehicle lights because the front headlights are on which are really the day time running lights (dtrl). The dtrl are as bright as the normal headlights at night. This gives you the false impression that all of the outside vehicle lights are on. When this happens you are driving with no back vehicle lights which is a major saftey issue.

The contact owns a 2016 Mazda Cx-5. The contact stated that when the headlights were turned on, the passenger’s side headlight failed to operate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with front passenger's headlight failure. The contact was informed that the passenger's side front headlight needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification NHTSA campaign number: 20v063000 (exterior lighting) in 2020; however, only the front driver's side headlight was replaced at that time. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that NHTSA campaign number: 20v063000 (exterior lighting) had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

The lighting system on the 2018 Mazda Cx-5 base sport model has it so that during the daytime, the low beams continuously run. This and the continuously lighted dashboard make it hard to tell when you need to turn on the headlight/tail lights, since the headlights are always on. These arent even side drls, they are full low-beam lights. I've seen many Mazda Cx-5 base models that do not have auto headlights drive around with there without any taillight and makes it dangerous for traffic behind to see the vehicle. Additionally, when others borrow the car, they always never turn on the headlight because there is no indication that anything needed to be turned on unlike older cars where the dashboard is fully black when the headlight/taillight is off.

Humming from cooling fans in headlights. Very distracting sound that only shuts off when headlights eventually go off.

Headlights are exceptionally dim, especially low beams. Recall for other models within same year not considered valid for this particular car. Ongoing but has gotten worse.

The main display has failed and/or malfunctioned regularly. Lighting systems for vehicle navigation system has been impacted and hud lighting and visibility have been impacted. My safety and the safety of my passengers have been put at risk because of distraction and vehicle navigation malfunctions. The component has not yet been inspected. There were no other problems prior to failure. The first incident of this occurred several months to a year ago. This has been a continuous issue. The date provided below is simply to indicate that this has been occurring for an extended period of time.

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