IllustrationBack seat seat belt cord unlatched from main holding while in use with passenger.
2018 Mazda CX-5
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most CX-5 years
Owner complaints for the 2018 Mazda CX-5 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 133.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all CX-5 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 83 of 348 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Engine. Review the 177 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
19 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
3 reportsINTERMITTENT AIRBAG OR SEATBELT FAULT WARNING. EVERY COUPLE DAYS OVER PAST 7DAYS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED LIGHT COMES ON. DISPLAY SAYS FAULT IN PASSENGER AIRBAG OR SEATBELT. ONCE CAR IS SHUT OFF WARNING STOPS AND IS ERASED. NO PASSENGERS ARE IN THE SEAT AT THE TIME. EVEN IF BUCKLE SEATBELT IN EMPTY SEAT WARNING CAN APP…
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INTERMITTENT AIRBAG OR SEATBELT FAULT WARNING. EVERY COUPLE DAYS OVER PAST 7DAYS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED LIGHT COMES ON. DISPLAY SAYS FAULT IN PASSENGER AIRBAG OR SEATBELT. ONCE CAR IS SHUT OFF WARNING STOPS AND IS ERASED. NO PASSENGERS ARE IN THE SEAT AT THE TIME. EVEN IF BUCKLE SEATBELT IN EMPTY SEAT WARNING CAN APPEAR. WILL TRY AND HAVE DEALER LOOK AT IT BUT LIKE I SAID WARNING DISAPPEARS FOR A FEW DAYS ONCE CAR IS SHUT OFF
I PURCHASED A 2018 MAZADA CX5 IN APRIL. IN MAY I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE HESITANT TO STOP AND THAT THEY ALSO MAKE GRINDING NOISE. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MAZADA. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NEW IT WOULD MAKE GRINDING NOISE AND THAT THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY EASE UP. IT IS NOW N…
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I PURCHASED A 2018 MAZADA CX5 IN APRIL. IN MAY I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE HESITANT TO STOP AND THAT THEY ALSO MAKE GRINDING NOISE. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MAZADA. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NEW IT WOULD MAKE GRINDING NOISE AND THAT THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY EASE UP. IT IS NOW NOVEMBER AND THE ISSUE STILL EXIST. IN JUNE MY PASSENGERS SEAT BELT BEGAN HAVING DIFFICULTY LATCHING CAUSING THE CENSOR TO GO OFF. THIS HAPPENS DAILY. IN OCTOBER MY TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON STATING THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS LOW. I PLACED AIR IN MY TIRES AND THE CENSOR LIGHT NEVER WENT OFF. ON OCTOBER 18, 2018, I WENT TO THE MAZADA DEALERSHIP FOR A SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, INFORMED THE SERVICE ADVISOR OF MY CONCERNS AND THEY STATED EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND THE CENSOR WAS RESET. TODAY IS NOVEMBER 2, 2018 AND MY TIRE CENSOR IS BACK ON. MY BRAKES ARE STILL GRINDING AND NOW THEY SLIDE BEFORE STOPPING AND MY PASSENGER SEAT BELT STILL IS NOT LATCHING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO MYSELF AND PASSENGERS.
Official recalls
321V875000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
Nov 12, 2021
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
19V497000 · Engine; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Jun 27, 2019
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Engine
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Consequence: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Consequence: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
18V426000 · Air Bags:side/window
Jun 25, 2018
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda CX-5 vehicles. In the event of a side impact or rollover crash, the side curtain air bags may not properly unfold during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the air bags do not deploy properly in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2718F.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.