What are the most common problems on the 2023 Mazda CX-5?

NHTSA has 59 owner complaint(s) on record for the 2023 Mazda CX-5. Electrical System is the most-reported problem area on the 2023 Mazda CX-5, cited in 9 of 59 filed complaints (15%).

Problems › Mazda › 2023 CX-5

2023 Mazda CX-5 Problems & Owner Complaints

59 NHTSA owner complaints

8 crash 5 injury

Age-normalised, this year draws ~14.8 complaints per year on the road — ranking 7 of 12 Mazda CX-5 years we track (1 = most complaints per year).

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What owners report

Electrical System is the most-reported problem area on the 2023 Mazda CX-5, cited in 9 of 59 filed complaints (15%).

Engine is next (9 complaints, 15%), followed by Service Brakes (9), Exterior Lighting (8), Forward Collision Avoidance (5).

Across all complaints, 8 report a crash, 5 report injuries.

The most safety-critical cluster is Service Brakes: 3 crash, 3 injury report(s).

Complaints by vehicle system

Owner complaints filed with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2023 Mazda CX-5, grouped by the vehicle system each cites. A single complaint can name more than one system, so the group totals can add up to more than 59.

Unknown Or Other 10 1 crash

“New 2023 Mazda CX5. We have experienced 2 Unintended Sudden Acceleration episodes. The most recent one was while backing down our driveway, the car suddenly accelerated when the brake was applied causing considerable damage to the car and house. Our front porch camera caught the entire episode showing that the brake lights were in fact on. Mazda needs to take responsibility and recall these vehicles to find out what is going on, as there are numerous other similar complaints for this car on this site and others.”
NHTSA complaint #11562540, 2023 · crash

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11709112, 2026

“The car has a lot of vibration when driving 60mph and above. Have had this issue looked at more than 5 times and they had my card for 1 month at the dealership trying to find the issue. This started back in February of 2024 and I have purchased 4 sets of tires and nothing makes the vibrations of the seat, steering wheel go away. Originally it wasn’t vibrating while driving back in February of 2025 only when braking to which I said to them I think it’s the rotors that have an issue. They never check the rotors and said it was my tires that were cupped. I put new tires on the car and still the s…”
NHTSA complaint #11669767, 2025

Electrical System 9 2 crash 2 injury

“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - Smart Brake Support (SBS) & Forward Obstruction Warning system malfunctioned. Front radar sensor malfunctioned. Parking brake malfunctioned. I-activesense system malfunctioned. Emergency lane keep disabled. Dynamic stability control malfunctioned. Traction control system not operating correctly. Anti-lock brake system (ABS) malfunctioned. Brake system not responding. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? In total 10 malfunctions led to brake not responding and could not st…”
NHTSA complaint #11712715, 2026 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“Brand new 2023 Mazda CX-5 with 150 miles on it experienced unintended acceleration while braking. Pulled into a parking spot with my foot on the brakes but the car didn't stop & even accelerated over a sidewalk and into a building. I experienced a bruise from the seatbelt. Airbags did not deploy. Someone could have been killed if they had been on the sidewalk. Car is currently at an auto body shop to fix the cosmetic damages, and once released, will have the car towed to our local Mazda dealership/service center to get the car inspected. In doing research on NHTSA's website, at least 4 vehicle…”
NHTSA complaint #11533801, 2023 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“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 b…”
NHTSA complaint #11733145, 2026

Engine 9

“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 i…”
NHTSA complaint #11748088, 2026

“Check Engine Light Code P0524 - Low Oil Pressure. Everything check out fine. Checked all the suggested TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) possibilities from a respected and qualified service center. Cleared the code and it keeps coming back on.”
NHTSA complaint #11746636, 2026

“Vehicle is a 2023 Mazda CX-5 Signature Turbo model that had a leaking hydraulic tensioner for the serpentine belt at 15,759 miles. Mazda technician cleaned the hydraulic tensioner, and less than 500 miles later the leak returned. This is common enough in the community to expand TSB’s on this part.”
NHTSA complaint #11666001, 2025

Service Brakes 9 3 crash 3 injury

“At 2:00 on a clear afternoon I was slowly coasting into a right hand turn into a parking space, and lightly tapping the brake to finalize the stop, when the car accelerated HARD forward over a curb and a sidewalk into the brick wall of a building. Airbag was deployed. My injuries were a nasty wrist contusion and bloody gashes where the airbag "door" deployed and I also had complete seatbelt brusing on my throat, chest and across my abdomen. This after traveling a mere 7-8 feet. At the time I was very shaken up and incredulous that such a thing could have happened logically, and conceded th…”
NHTSA complaint #11547758, 2023 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Exterior Lighting 8

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11730353, 2026

“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 inte…”
NHTSA complaint #11724195, 2026

“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11722090, 2026

Forward Collision Avoidance 5 2 crash 1 injury

“On October 16, 2025, while slowly pulling into a parking space, my vehicle experienced sudden and unintended acceleration without driver input. I did not depress the accelerator. Despite attempting to stop the vehicle, I was unable to do so. The vehicle mounted the curb, entered the sidewalk area, and struck a community mailbox, a tree, and two legally parked vehicles. My vehicle and the two parked vehicles were declared total losses. At the time of the incident, pedestrians, including toddlers, were present on the sidewalk. This loss of vehicle control created an immediate and severe risk of…”
NHTSA complaint #11736040, 2025 · crash

“After driving a few mile, the following two warnings come up * Smart Brake System Malfunction * Forward Radar Sensor System malfunction. If I turn off the car and then restart, the warnings go away. However, it comes back if I drive for a while again. I have visited dealership a few times for the same issue, they replaced the wheel bearing and brake switch. The warning disappeared for days and came back.”
NHTSA complaint #11691048, 2025

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Visibility/Wiper 5

“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 tha…”
NHTSA complaint #11684928, 2025

“The driver's side mirror tends to vibrate or shake more than the passenger side mirror, especially at speeds above 50-60 mph or in windy conditions. It has been a common complaint among Mazda owners for quite a while, and it seems to be a design flaw that Mazda has not yet addressed with a permanent solution.”
NHTSA complaint #11587268, 2024

Lane Departure 4

“LKA does not work & mazda seems to ignore its many complaints”
NHTSA complaint #11705058, 2025

“Blind spot sensors blocked error messages. This will happen at least a few times a year. Usually on long freeway drives, using cruise control, at night, and when cooler out (less than 60f). Restarting the vehicle makes the error codes go away and the system functions normally afterwards. Seems like either a software glitch or the system detects a guard rail for a while and gets confused and throws a Error message. This shouldn't be happening on a newer vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #11625952, 2024

Power Train 3 1 crash 1 injury

“Slowly and cautiously entered parking lot of a small strip mall. Proceeded to a parking space located in between two parked vehicles.Maneuvering into parking space I removed foot from gas pedal toward the break pedal; before foot made contact with break pedal the vehicle accelerated on its own surging over the cement parking bumper, over bushes, through the grass, down the curb and into the street. I jammed on the breaks. Lifting foot from break pedal I did not touch the gas pedal in fear the surge might happened again. Instead I allowed the vehicle to coast as I guided vehicle to the curb. I…”
NHTSA complaint #11584713, 2024

“When driving the vehicle, my car exhibits a rocking / shake when going from brake to gas at speeds below 20 mph. I was told by the dealership that it is normal operation, but when driving two other CX5’s, the behavior did not exhibit. I do not know what to do. I have also brought it to 2 independent mechanics and they told me the engine mounts needed to be replaced. I did the service at 36,000 miles and it did not get rid of the problem. It seems to be a defect of the car, which I’ve been living with since 2023. The issue has been ongoing.”
NHTSA complaint #11665586, 2023

Vehicle Speed Control 3 2 crash 1 injury

“Sudden acceleration even. Date April 10, 2026, at around 2:30 PM on a clear sunny day. Car make and model Mazda CX5 bought on 7/4/2023 VIN [XXX] , mileage around 10,000, only one owner. While attempting to park at BJ’s Wholesale Club ,when driver started to make a turn to a parking space, vehicle suddenly accelerated, applying the brakes stopped the forward motion, then driver put the car in reverse to try to properly park in a parking space and the car accelerated in reverse, this sudden motion could have killed or seriously injured any person passing in back of the car, when that motion st…”
NHTSA complaint #11735283, 2026 · crash

Visibility 3

“The contact owns a 2023 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, she entered the vehicle and noticed that the sunroof glass had exploded. The contact stated that she inspected the vehicle but could not determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the shade guard was closed at the time of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be serviced because a rock had probably struck the sunroof. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided.…”
NHTSA complaint #11585760, 2024

“The contact owns a 2023 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he observed a crack from the middle of the windshield to the bottom corner of the driver's side windshield. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was unable to assist with the repair. The failure mileage was 2,802.”
NHTSA complaint #11532978, 2023

Engine And Engine Cooling 2

“The contact owns a 2023 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while the temperature was 45 degrees or lower, the vehicle failed to start properly, and the engine failed to warm up properly. The coolant light was illuminated, and the engine temperature gauge failed to rise above COLD. The vehicle occasionally failed to start or while started and driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled while and engine temperature failed to reach the normal operating temperature. The check engine light was illuminated. The contact would shift to SPORT Mode to prevent the cylinder activation from occurring a…”
NHTSA complaint #11634530, 2023

Fuel/Propulsion System 2

“Fuel system failure. The vehicle just dies and does not restart, this is a safety issue due to it happening when you are driving on the highway and unable to get out of the way of traffic.”
NHTSA complaint #11677849, 2025

Steering 2 1 crash

“Was driving up [XXX] when simultaneously my dash board lit up with errors and malfunctions, my interior lights started flickering and my steering wheel and brakes locked. Unable to control the vehicle I gripped the wheel for dear life praying as it veered left. The 2023 CX 5 with only 18K struck the guard rail and went black on the inside and out. Only then was I able to counter the ricochet of the impact by redirecting the vehicle back on the grass to avoid getting smacked by 2 tractor trailers. SMH, I really almost died and now have to fight with my insurance to prove to them this is a real…”
NHTSA complaint #11609317, 2024 · crash

“Extremely heavy steering causing excessive driver fatigue making it difficult to maintain control of the vehicle at highway speeds (up to 70mph). Dealers unable to reproduce, likely due to it being cold outside when I had time to go. The hotter and dryer the roads gets, the better grip the tires have and the worse the heavy steering gets. It is significantly heavier than my old car at higher speeds and that car has no power steering. My arms are very sore after 30min - 1 hour. Mazda refuses to admit this is a significant safety issue. It gets worse when the LKAS activates at least once (too he…”
NHTSA complaint #11654342, 2024

Air Bags 1 1 crash 2 injury

“Airbags failed to deploy in a collision where the front end of the vehicle was crushed, and a driver wearing a seat belt hit the steering wheel with enough force to fracture their sternum and cause two cervical fractures as well.”
NHTSA complaint #11724515, 2026 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

Back Over Prevention 1

Seat Belts 1

“The passenger seat occupancy sensor goes off intermittently, causing an extremely distracting seatbelt alarm in the vehicle during operation. This has occurred to me while driving on a highway; I deeply lost focus on controlling the vehicle as the alarm started suddenly, I shoved the one water bottle off the seat to no avail, and I had to reach way over to plug the seatbelt in to silence it. In other instances where this occurs, only a full restart of the vehicle will reset the sensor. Existing TSB 08-001/23 was deemed to not cover my vehicle by the manufacturer, despite my VIN being in range…”
NHTSA complaint #11741933, 2026

Seats 1

“Small amount of weight such as keys or phone is triggering the Occupant sensor in the front passenger seat. This issue just started and I am finding a lot of complaints regarding this.”
NHTSA complaint #11643803, 2025

Structure 1

“While I was driving I heard an extremely loud noise (like fireworks). I slightly opened the sun roof cover and saw shards of glass. I pulled over to inspect further and realized that my sun roof glass had exploded! I saw no signs of anything (particularly rocks) that may have caused it. I called the dealer, and they had me bring it in. They have ordered a new sunroof, and gave me a loaner car. Luckily I did not have the inside cover open, or the glass would have shattered all over the inside of my car.”
NHTSA complaint #11567636, 2024

Suspension 1

Tires 1

“I purchased a brand new 2023 Mazda Cx-5 on December 2022 from Daytona Mazda. The car has been great up until 34,310 miles when I noticed vibration in the steering wheel. I take the car to Sport Mazda North in Longwood Fl. They checked the brakes and rotors and tires. My brakes and rotors are fine. They stated my tires have cupping. They suggested a wheel balance to slow down the cupping process and they suggested and alignment as well. But that I would need to replace the tires if I wanted that cupping to be gone. I buy new tires and have them installed by Pep Boys because I was tired it the v…”
NHTSA complaint #11583906, 2024

How we read this (methodology)

How to read this: raw complaint totals are not a clean reliability score — a model year with more cars sold, or simply more years on the road, accumulates more complaints regardless of how good it is. So this page leans on two signals that are not distorted by sales volume: the share of complaints falling on each vehicle system (the breakdown above) and NHTSA's own crash / fire / injury / death flags. When we compare model years of the same model, we normalise by years on the road (complaints ÷ vehicle age) rather than comparing raw totals. Age-normalised, the 2023 Mazda CX-5 draws about 14.8 complaints per year on the road, ranking 7 of 12 among the Mazda CX-5 model years we have ingested (1 = most complaints per year on road).

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Data source: U.S. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov). SaveVIN surfaces public recall data and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.