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2016 Mazda CX-5

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most CX-5 years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Mazda CX-5 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 133.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

335 reports with mileage · 175 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 161 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 66 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

31 crash reports10 fire reports13 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

57 reports
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38,000 miles · Aug 20, 2020
Unknown Or Other

AT 38,000 MILES THE AC WENT OUT, WOULD NOT BLOW COLD AIR. HAD IT INVESTIGATED, AND TH SYSTEMS NEEDED A REFRESH. DYE WAS USED TO DETERMINE WHAT MAY BE LEAKING, NONE FOUND. HOWEVER A YEAR LATER SAME ISSUE- CONFIRMED THROUGH TSBS THAT MAZDA EVAPORATORS HAD POOR BRAZING AND COULD DEVELOP SLOW LEAKS. THAT IS THE CASE WITH THIS CAR, …

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AT 38,000 MILES THE AC WENT OUT, WOULD NOT BLOW COLD AIR. HAD IT INVESTIGATED, AND TH SYSTEMS NEEDED A REFRESH. DYE WAS USED TO DETERMINE WHAT MAY BE LEAKING, NONE FOUND. HOWEVER A YEAR LATER SAME ISSUE- CONFIRMED THROUGH TSBS THAT MAZDA EVAPORATORS HAD POOR BRAZING AND COULD DEVELOP SLOW LEAKS. THAT IS THE CASE WITH THIS CAR, AND NOW THE COMPRESSOR HAS FAILED, LIKELY DUE TO LOW COOLANT LEVELS FROM THE LEAK. MAZDA NOT WILLING TO SUPPORT THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11350461

55,000 miles · Aug 5, 2020
Unknown Or Other

AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE INTERSTATE, THE GLASS ON MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE WEATHER WAS ABOUT 70 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND THE CAR IS TYPICALLY GARAGED EXCEPT FOR WHEN I DRIVE IT. WE DID NOT KNOW AT FIRST WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND IT WAS EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING AS THE SOUND WAS VERY LOUD. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE TO THE SUNROOF--CRA…

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AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE INTERSTATE, THE GLASS ON MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE WEATHER WAS ABOUT 70 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND THE CAR IS TYPICALLY GARAGED EXCEPT FOR WHEN I DRIVE IT. WE DID NOT KNOW AT FIRST WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND IT WAS EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING AS THE SOUND WAS VERY LOUD. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE TO THE SUNROOF--CRACKS, ETC. AND IT WAS A FACTORY-INSTALLED SUNROOF. AS YOU WILL SEE FROM THE PHOTOS, THE GLASS EXPLODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

NHTSA ODI #11343510

28,229 miles · May 25, 2020
Unknown Or Other

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASE SEPTEMBER 15, 2016, THE CAR WILL INTERMITTENTLY UPON APPLYING THE BRAKE TO STOP, ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. IF MY FOOT WASN'T ON THE BRAKE I WOULD BE PROPELLED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR POSSIBLY INTO A CROSSWALK. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND TOLD THEY COULD NOT REPROD…

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ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASE SEPTEMBER 15, 2016, THE CAR WILL INTERMITTENTLY UPON APPLYING THE BRAKE TO STOP, ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. IF MY FOOT WASN'T ON THE BRAKE I WOULD BE PROPELLED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR POSSIBLY INTO A CROSSWALK. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND TOLD THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THIS EVENT AND ALL CHECKS OF THE CAR WERE NORMAL. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR. THE LAST EVENT WAS YESTERDAY, MAY 24, 2020. I HAVE READ OF OTHER OWNERS OF THIS 2016 GRAND TOURING CX-5 MAZDA TO HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH NO ACTION ON THE PART OF MAZDA. THIS IS EVEN AFTER ACCIDENTS OCCURRED.

NHTSA ODI #11325834

62,000 miles · Mar 2, 2020
Unknown Or Other

ON MARCH 1, 2020, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT SOUTH ON RT. 41 (TAMIAMI HIGHWAY) IN NORTH PORT, FLORIDA WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE HEARD AN 'EXPLOSION' THAT STARTLED HER. IT WAS THE SUNROOF THAT EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON ON OUR 2016 MAZDA CX-5 PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 28, 2015 AND CURRENTLY WITH 62,000+ MILES ON IT. FORTUNATEL…

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ON MARCH 1, 2020, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT SOUTH ON RT. 41 (TAMIAMI HIGHWAY) IN NORTH PORT, FLORIDA WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE HEARD AN 'EXPLOSION' THAT STARTLED HER. IT WAS THE SUNROOF THAT EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON ON OUR 2016 MAZDA CX-5 PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 28, 2015 AND CURRENTLY WITH 62,000+ MILES ON IT. FORTUNATELY, THE UNDERLYING SUNROOF PANEL WAS CLOSED, SO NONE OF THE GLASS FRAGMENTS ENDED UP IN HER FACE/ARMS/CHEST, WHICH, IF HAPPENED, COULD HAVE ALSO CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #11315630

Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 2019
Unknown Or Other

AT ~26,000 MILES MY DRIVER SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS HAVE FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #11282999

42,000 miles · Jul 5, 2019
Unknown Or Other

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF BROKEN GLASS. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES NEARBY WHEN THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED AND I DID NOT SEE OR FIND ANY OBJECTS THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE GLASS…

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF BROKEN GLASS. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES NEARBY WHEN THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED AND I DID NOT SEE OR FIND ANY OBJECTS THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE GLASS TO BREAK. THE REMAINING PARTS OF THE SUNROOF WERE DIRECTED OUTWARD FROM THE VEHICLE, INDICATING THAT IT HAD EXPLODED OUTWARD. IT WAS A HOT DAY (90+ DEGREES) AND THE AC WAS ON IN THE VEHICLE. AND WHEN THE SUNROOF BROKE THERE WAS A VERY LOUD EXPLOSIVE SOUND. IT IS ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE THE THE GLASS WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED INTO SMALL PIECES, MANY OF WHICH FELL INTO THE CABIN.

NHTSA ODI #11229616

37,000 miles · Mar 24, 2019
Fuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

WHEN I START THE CAR IN THE BEGINNING OF A COLD DAY, I SMELL GAS ALL AROUND THE CAR. I FOUND THAT THE CAR HAS AN INCOMPLETE RECALLS WHEN I ENTERED THE VIN NO., BUT I CALLED THE NO. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CAR HASN'T ANY RECALLS.

NHTSA ODI #11191186

76,000 miles · Feb 24, 2019
Unknown Or Other

DURING THE COLD WEATHER, THE CAR STRUGGLED TO START. AFTER STARTING, THE PARKING BRAKE LIGHTS FLASHED ON BOTH THE PARKING BRAKE BUTTON AND IN THE DASH. THE CAR DROVE AS IF THE BRAKE WAS DISENGAGED BUT THE FLASHING LIGHTS CONTINUE (PARKING BRAKE LIGHT FLASHING). A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWED SEVERAL OTHERS WITH THIS ISSUE AND A WE…

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DURING THE COLD WEATHER, THE CAR STRUGGLED TO START. AFTER STARTING, THE PARKING BRAKE LIGHTS FLASHED ON BOTH THE PARKING BRAKE BUTTON AND IN THE DASH. THE CAR DROVE AS IF THE BRAKE WAS DISENGAGED BUT THE FLASHING LIGHTS CONTINUE (PARKING BRAKE LIGHT FLASHING). A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWED SEVERAL OTHERS WITH THIS ISSUE AND A WEBSITE SHOWS THIS ISSUE ALSO HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST WITH OTHER 2016 MODELS THAT HAVE HAD RECALLS (MAZDA6). SO FAR MAZDA DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11182223

23,000 miles · Jan 27, 2019
StructureUnknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

LARGE FISH HOOK SHAPED CRACK ON WINDSHIELD OF MY 2016 MAZDA CX-5 WITH 23000 MLES. THE CRACK APPEARED ON A 55 DEGREE MORNING AFTER I PULLED MY VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE AND DROVE HALF A BLOCK TO A STOP SIGN AND I WATCHED THE CRACK APPEAR. THE CRACK STARTS AT THE TOP CENTER EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD GOES DOWN ABOUT 6 INCHES, THEN GO…

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LARGE FISH HOOK SHAPED CRACK ON WINDSHIELD OF MY 2016 MAZDA CX-5 WITH 23000 MLES. THE CRACK APPEARED ON A 55 DEGREE MORNING AFTER I PULLED MY VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE AND DROVE HALF A BLOCK TO A STOP SIGN AND I WATCHED THE CRACK APPEAR. THE CRACK STARTS AT THE TOP CENTER EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD GOES DOWN ABOUT 6 INCHES, THEN GOES INTO THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER. IT WAS ABOUT 18 INCHES THAT MORNING AND HAS GROWN TO ABOUT 30 INCHES AND A HUGE FISH HOOK SHAPE IN THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS CAUSED BY A STONE IMPACT. IT WAS NOT AN IMPACT, I SHOULD KNOW, I WAS DRIVING. THE DEALER ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, EVEN IF IT IS A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD OR INSTALLATION AT THE FACTORY. WITH A LITTLE RESEARCH I AM SEEING A LOT OF CX-5 OWNERS ARE REPORTING SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THE WINDSHIELDS CRACKING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN THE NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE.

NHTSA ODI #11172370

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2019
Unknown Or OtherVehicle Speed ControlCrash

I WAS STOPPED BUT DID NOT HAVE THE CAR IN PARK WHEN VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AT HIGH SPEED. I WAS IN A DRIVEWAY AND HIT SOMEONE'S GARAGE.

NHTSA ODI #11164998

Official recalls

4

20V063000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Feb 6, 2020

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016 CX-5 vehicles. The LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) may fail while driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the DRL fails, the vehicle's visibility may be reduced to other drivers on the road, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlights, and replace the sealing gasket or headlight assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 20, 2020. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4320A.

16V644000 · Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate

Sep 6, 2016

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: Mazda dealers will replace the both lift gate supports, free of charge, however parts are not currently available. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9916H.

16V203000 · Steering

Apr 11, 2016

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 2, 2015, 2013-2014 Mazda2 vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to August 8, 2014, 2014-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2, 2015, and 2013-2015 CX-9 vehicles manufactured December 6, 2012, to July 31, 2015. The lower mounting nuts and bolts that attach the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle may loosen, allowing the steering knuckle to separate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the steering knuckle separates from the strut assembly, it can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower mounting nuts and bolts that secure the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle. If the bolts are loose, they will be replaced and then correctly tightened, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9316D.

16V064000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:filler Pipe And Cap

Feb 3, 2016

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Mazda CX-5 vehicles manufactured June 27, 2013, to February 2, 2016. The affected vehicles have a fuel filler pipe that may rupture in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A rupture of the fuel filler pipe may result in a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will alter the attachment between the fuel filler pipe and the left rear side of the bracket of the fuel filler pipe, free of charge. The recall began on February 25, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 9216B.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Mazda CX-5 problems