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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

What owners actually said

510 reports
14,000 miles · Nov 15, 2017
Service Brakes

REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS SHOW SEVERE WEAR AT 14K MILES. ROTORS HAVE VISIBLE WEAR MARKS AND CORROSION. BRAKING FUNCTION IMPAIRED AND PEDAL MUST BE DEEPLY PRESSED TO ACHIEVE DECELERATION. DEALER SAID THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND REPLACED PADS. HOWEVER EVEN WITH NEW PADS, BRAKING IS STILL MUSHY. 2015 AND 2014 MODEL YEARS…

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REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS SHOW SEVERE WEAR AT 14K MILES. ROTORS HAVE VISIBLE WEAR MARKS AND CORROSION. BRAKING FUNCTION IMPAIRED AND PEDAL MUST BE DEEPLY PRESSED TO ACHIEVE DECELERATION. DEALER SAID THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND REPLACED PADS. HOWEVER EVEN WITH NEW PADS, BRAKING IS STILL MUSHY. 2015 AND 2014 MODEL YEARS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM / TSB. APPEARS THAT MANUFACTURING DEFECT CONTINUED INTO 2016 MODEL YEAR.

NHTSA ODI #11046260

6,300 miles · Nov 10, 2017
Service Brakes

CAR HAS 6379 MILES. BRAKES GRABBING AND CAR JERKS AT TIMES WHEN PEDDLE APPLIED. CAR HAS 20% BRAKE PAD LR 20% RR 50%RF 50% LF. TOOK INTO MAZDA DEALER AND THE SOLUTION WAS TO REPLACE PADS. WITH 6379 MILES DRIVEN MOSTLY ON HIGHWAY IS THIS A FAULTY PAD PRODUCT? HAPPENS AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN STOPPING. STARTED 06/17 AND STILL HAPPENI…

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CAR HAS 6379 MILES. BRAKES GRABBING AND CAR JERKS AT TIMES WHEN PEDDLE APPLIED. CAR HAS 20% BRAKE PAD LR 20% RR 50%RF 50% LF. TOOK INTO MAZDA DEALER AND THE SOLUTION WAS TO REPLACE PADS. WITH 6379 MILES DRIVEN MOSTLY ON HIGHWAY IS THIS A FAULTY PAD PRODUCT? HAPPENS AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN STOPPING. STARTED 06/17 AND STILL HAPPENING.

NHTSA ODI #11045211

19,000 miles · Oct 17, 2017
Air BagsElectrical SystemUnknown Or Other

ON 07/28/2017, AIR BAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BEGAN TO FLASH WHILE DRIVING ALSO THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS OCCUPIED. LASTED UNTIL VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. MAZDA DEALER FOUND CODE B00A0 FOR PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM. THEY RESET THE CODE AND TESTED AIR BAG SYSTEM, THEY STATED THAT ALL SYSTEMS PASS TEST. ON 10/16/20…

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ON 07/28/2017, AIR BAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BEGAN TO FLASH WHILE DRIVING ALSO THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS OCCUPIED. LASTED UNTIL VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. MAZDA DEALER FOUND CODE B00A0 FOR PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM. THEY RESET THE CODE AND TESTED AIR BAG SYSTEM, THEY STATED THAT ALL SYSTEMS PASS TEST. ON 10/16/2017, AIR BAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BEGAN TO FLASH AND THE WARNING BEEPING START UP WHILE DRIVING ALSO THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS NOT OCCUPIED. I CONSIDERED THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND NEED TO BE REPORTED. I RECORDED VIDEOS.

NHTSA ODI #11033965

5,000 miles · Sep 29, 2017
EngineService Brakes, HydraulicFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MAZDA CX-5. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE EMERGENCY INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND BEEPED. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR AND OBSERVED SMOKE FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (MAZDA OF OLYMPIA, 2201 CARRIAGE ST SW, OLYMPIA, WA 98502) WHERE IT WA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MAZDA CX-5. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE EMERGENCY INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND BEEPED. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR AND OBSERVED SMOKE FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (MAZDA OF OLYMPIA, 2201 CARRIAGE ST SW, OLYMPIA, WA 98502) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CALIPER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE ON BACKORDER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

NHTSA ODI #11030556

Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2017
Power TrainSteeringSuspension

THERE IS A RUBBING/GRINDING/VIBRATION FEEL ON THE PEDALS AND STEERING WHEEL, INCLUDING THE ENTIRE BODY VIBRATION THAT CAN BE ALSO SEEN IN THE SIDE MIRRORS. THESE PROBLEM ARE MORE NOTICEABLE AT HIGH SPEED. I SUSPECT EITHER THE TIRE, BRAKE, ROTORS, ALIGNMENT, SUSPENSION OR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR 6 TIMES TO TH…

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THERE IS A RUBBING/GRINDING/VIBRATION FEEL ON THE PEDALS AND STEERING WHEEL, INCLUDING THE ENTIRE BODY VIBRATION THAT CAN BE ALSO SEEN IN THE SIDE MIRRORS. THESE PROBLEM ARE MORE NOTICEABLE AT HIGH SPEED. I SUSPECT EITHER THE TIRE, BRAKE, ROTORS, ALIGNMENT, SUSPENSION OR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR 6 TIMES TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP ALREADY WITH THE GUIDANCE FROM MAZDA CORPORATE COSTUMER SERVICE BUT THEY ARE DENYING MY CX-5 ISSUES. THIS IS PRETTY SCARY TO DRIVE, I ALWAYS FEEL THAT SOMETHING BAD GONNA HAPPEN ON MY CAR IN THE FREEWAY BECAUSE OF ROUGH AND BUMPY RIDE. THIS HAPPENED SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT THIS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CAR FOR 32K $. ALL MAZDA DEALERSHIP ARE NOT COOPERATING. VERY BAD EXPERIENCE.

NHTSA ODI #11023733

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2017
Exterior Lighting

DAY RUNNING LIGHT ON PASSENGER SIDE DOES NOT WORK

NHTSA ODI #11022671

50,000 miles · Sep 7, 2017
Exterior Lighting

LED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS BURN OUT AND MAZDA CHARGES $1,200 EACH TIME FOR AN ENTIRE HEADLIGHT LENS REPLACEMENT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME - FIRST TIME WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI #11022118

28,500 miles · Sep 7, 2017
Exterior Lighting

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IS VERY DIM AND NEEDS REPLACING. WHEN REPLACEMENT COST APPROACH $1500, I GET VERY UPSET. THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN WHEN NOT UNDER WARRANTY. SHOULD BE A RECALL AS MANY OTHERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #11022103

27,000 miles · Aug 21, 2017
Exterior Lighting

DAYTIME LED RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL ACCORDING TO A MAZDA OWNER'S GROUP AND OFTEN OCCURS WITH EITHER DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE LED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. HTTPS://WWW.MAZDAS247.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?123857122-DAYTIME-RUNNING-LIGHTS-DIM-FLICKERING…

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DAYTIME LED RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL ACCORDING TO A MAZDA OWNER'S GROUP AND OFTEN OCCURS WITH EITHER DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE LED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. HTTPS://WWW.MAZDAS247.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?123857122-DAYTIME-RUNNING-LIGHTS-DIM-FLICKERING&P=6537092&POSTED=1#POST6537092

NHTSA ODI #11018655

26,000 miles · Aug 21, 2017
Service Brakes

GRINDING AND SQUEAKING IN REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ONLY. CAR HAS 26,000 MILES ON IT WITH VISIBLE MARKS ON REAR ROTORS ONLY! NOISE HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING OR BRAKING

NHTSA ODI #11016546

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