2013 Mazda Cx-5 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System (31) · Power Train (29) · Vehicle Speed Control (22)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Mazda Cx-5 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
141 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (1)
Structure:body:hatchback/Liftgate 2016-09-06 · campaign 16V644000 · 580,455 vehicles
Defect: 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
Risk: If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Service bulletins (824)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Electrical System 2026-09-11 · SA-041-26a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
description if you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, dtc(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal mgss diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical con
Engine 2026-06-19 · SA-041-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this sa supersedes the previously issued sa(s) listed below. the changes are noted in red. sa-061/25 12/17/25 description if you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, dtc(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal mgss diagnosis by ask
Power Train 2026-05-01 · 01-008-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. the changes are noted in red. 01-008/23 06/05/23 some vehicles may exhibit rattling noises from the engine compartment and oil leakage from the drive belt auto tensioner. this may be caused by insufficient sealing at the driv
Unknown Or Other 2026-04-30 · SA-031-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
description some vehicles may require the replacement of a damaged vin plate or vehicle certification label. to obtain a replacement vin plate (bulkhead-mounted and visible through the lower-left area of the windshield), contact dag (dealer assistance group) using vin plate request form available on
Unknown Or Other 2026-04-21 · SA-029-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this service alert supersedes the previously issued sa listed below: the changes are noted in red. sa-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 description mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. mazda recommends dealers follow the sch
Fuel/Propulsion System 2026-04-11 · SA-023-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this service alert supersedes the previously issued m-tip(s) listed below. the changes are noted in red text. mt-003/22 03/02/22 description some customers may complain about a tapping or knocking noise coming from the rear seat after fuel fill. the concern will likely occur if the fuel tank is over
Showing the 6 most recent of 824 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-12-26 · Unknown Or Other“shifter switch has gone out and no longer recognizes the car is in park, causes battery drainage because car cannot fully turn off. car not recognizing gears can cause car accidents and possible loss of life. this issue can be found online as a known defect in mazda cx-5 that has not been recalled. vehicle has been inspected and issue has been veri…”
2025-12-04 · Unknown Or Other“the lower control arm or axel on the front passenger side broke as i was backing out of a parking spot. it is still at the mechanic however that is what is required to put the wheel back on the vehicle. my understanding is that this is the second time i have had this problem with the lower control arm on this vehicle. that could be very dangerous …”
2025-11-05 · Unknown Or Other“the display on my rearview camera is extremely foggy. it appears to have had a breach where water has leaked into the camera itself. i have cleaned the lens but yo no avail. i never had a clear screen, and at times it is so bad that i can’t see anything at all. in fact, i have already backed into the corner of a building in a parking lot due to lac…”
2025-06-17 · Vehicle Speed Control“when in the highway and changing lanes and you try to excelerate it doesnt take off ..instead just acts as if i had over excelerated but not speeding up.. i have almost been ran over because i could not get enough speed to switch lanes. …”
2024-02-03 · Seats“i recently purchased this used vehicle. right away, i noticed that when i used the recline lever, it didn't stop when removing my hand from it. i had to push the lever back to the middle position to stop it. i thought this was annoying, but didn't think much of it. on thursday [xxx] i stopped at a gas station, went inside, and when i came back out …”
2023-08-31 · Unknown Or Other“turn the car off--but it does not turn off. i've had my battery run down so many times. the problem is a sensor in the gear shifter that is not telling the vehicle it’s in park. this is a huge reoccurring safety issue.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.