2016 Mazda CX-5

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Mazda CX-5 has 624 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 7.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is lighting problems (26% of all complaints), specifically: headlight clear lens is melting from inside. clear lens that covers headlight has coating inside and outside. it is the inside coating that is flowing down. looks like it was over-applied during manufacturing process. but in time, it's appearance is becoming more and more visible. both left and righ. ⚠️ 14 fire reports filed.

14 fire reports 30 crash reports 14 injuries

624

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

7.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

LIGHTING

161 complaints

26%

• HEADLIGHT CLEAR LENS IS MELTING FROM INSIDE. CLEAR LENS THAT COVERS HEADLIGHT HAS COATING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. IT IS THE INSIDE COATING THAT IS FLOWING DOWN. LOOKS LIKE IT WAS OVER-APPLIED DURING MANUFACTURING PROCESS. BUT IN TIME, IT'S APPEARANCE IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE VISIBLE. BOTH LEFT AND RIGH
• THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS WITH THE TURN SIGNAL. FIRST AND FOREMOST, ON VEHICLES THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH LED HEADLIGHTS AND LED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, IT IS VERY HARD TO DISTINGUISH THE TURN INDICATOR SINCE IT IS AN INCANDESCENT BULB, IT IS NOT AS BRIGHT AS THE LED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS THAT WHEN THEY
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“HEADLIGHT CLEAR LENS IS MELTING FROM INSIDE. CLEAR LENS THAT COVERS HEADLIGHT HAS COATING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. IT IS THE INSIDE COATING THAT IS FLOWING DOWN. LOOKS LIKE IT WAS OVER-APPLIED DURING MANUFACTURING PROCESS. BUT IN TIME, IT'S APPEARANCE IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE VISIBLE. BOTH LEFT AND RIGH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

70 complaints

11%

• 2016 MAZDA CX-5. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION/ "ROOM FUSE" FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE GPS, RADIO, BLUETOOTH AND OTHER INTERIOR FUNCTIONS FAILED. NO WARNING LIGHTS OTHERWISE APPEARED. AFTER PUTTING GAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. NO WARNING LIGH
• ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM CAN NEVER BE TURNED OFF AND REMAINS ON AT ALL TIMES. THE DEVICES LIKE THE CD PLAYER IF A CD IS INSERTED ALWAYS IS IN OPERATION AND MAY CAUSE UNNECESSARY WARE OF THE DEVICE AND RESULTS IN UNSAFE DISTRACTIONS WHICH THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. MAZDA ONLY HAS OFFERED ONE SOLUTION
• SEAT HEATER NOT WORKING PROPERLY FROM DATE OF PURCHASE 9/25/15. PART ARRIVED FROM JAPAN INSTALLED 11/9/15. 3 HRS LATER CONSOLE PANEL STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, COULD NOT LOAD RADIO STATIONS, BLUE TOOTH, MAINTENANCE SCREEN - JUST ERROR MESSAGE. NEXT MORNING IT WAS WORKING BUT SEAT HEATER S

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“2016 MAZDA CX-5. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION/ "ROOM FUSE" FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE GPS, RADIO, BLUETOOTH AND OTHER INTERIOR FUNCTIONS FAILED. NO WARNING LIGHTS OTHERWISE APPEARED. AFTER PUTTING GAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. NO WARNING LIGH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

68 complaints

11%

• WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH A 2016 MAZDA CX-5 (7000 MILES) ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP AND THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN (UNINTENDED ACCELERATION). THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK! IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF ME I SWERVED TO THE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MAZDA CX-5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP AT 20 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STOPPED AFTER THE BR
• BOUGHT NEW CAR; DRIVEN LESS THAN 400 MILES; THUDDING NOISE NOTICED PRETTY MUCH FROM DAY 1. GOT LOUDER. TOOK IT IN. THE RIGHT REAR HUB, AND BEARING ASSEMBLY WERE FAULTY AND HAD ALSO DAMAGED INNER DISC. THE DEALER FIXED IT BUT ASSURANCE OF "FAULTY PART, DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH MAZDA" NOW DOES NOT RING TRU

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 6 crashes

“WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH A 2016 MAZDA CX-5 (7000 MILES) ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP AND THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN (UNINTENDED ACCELERATION). THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK! IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF ME I SWERVED TO THE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

65 complaints

10%

• THE CAR WAS PARKED OVER THE WEEKEND IN A VERY SECLUDED COUNTY LOCATION (NO OTHER PEOPLE AROUND). I NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD TWO DAYS LATER WHEN I NEXT USED THE CAR. THERE ARE NO VISIBLE CHIPS ON THE GLASS. THE CRACK SPREAD OUTWARD FROM WHERE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS ATTACHED. I B
• CAR WAS PARKED WHILE AT WORK, CAME OUT TO FIND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED, RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. NO ROCK CHIPS ANYWHERE TO BE FOUND. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CONTACTED A MAZDA REP WHO AGREED IT WAS A DEFECT. I WAS RELIEVED TO HEAR THAT, BUT VERY DISSATISFIED THAT THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD IS ON
• AUTOMOBILE WAS ALMOST BRAND NEW, DIDN'T EVEN HAVE LICENSE PLATES ON IT YET, WHEN I PROCEEDED TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. THE VEHICLE BACKED OUT BUT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD IN DRIVE. IT FINALLY LURCHED INTO DRIVE AFTER GIVING IT MORE GAS AND REVVING THE ENGINE. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 5 crashes

“THE CAR WAS PARKED OVER THE WEEKEND IN A VERY SECLUDED COUNTY LOCATION (NO OTHER PEOPLE AROUND). I NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD TWO DAYS LATER WHEN I NEXT USED THE CAR. THERE ARE NO VISIBLE CHIPS ON THE GLASS. THE CRACK SPREAD OUTWARD FROM WHERE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS ATTACHED. I B”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

51 complaints

• STOPPED ON HIGHWAY AT RED LIGHT. WENT TO PULL OUT ON GREEN, CAR HESITATED THEN IT FELT LIKE I WAS BEING HIT FROM BEHIND THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED WITH A BIG THUD BEFORE I COULD GET MOVING. FURTHER ON DOWN THE ROAD IT WOULD WITHOUT WARNING, DOWNSHIFT THEN UPSHIFT, GOING SOMETIMES FROM 6TH GEAR TO 3RD
• AUTOMOBILE WAS ALMOST BRAND NEW, DIDN'T EVEN HAVE LICENSE PLATES ON IT YET, WHEN I PROCEEDED TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. THE VEHICLE BACKED OUT BUT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD IN DRIVE. IT FINALLY LURCHED INTO DRIVE AFTER GIVING IT MORE GAS AND REVVING THE ENGINE. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED
• THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE OR DRIVE TO REVERSE. IT WOULD BE IN DRIVE BUT WOULD REVERSE. THEN IT WOULD LURCH FORWARD AND THE ENGINE WOULD REV AND IT WOULD GO FORWARD. IT HAD A DELAYED REACTION WHEN CHANGING THE GEARS AND ENGINE WOULD REV UP WHEN IT FINALLY WOULD CHANGE. I TOOK

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 5 crashes

“STOPPED ON HIGHWAY AT RED LIGHT. WENT TO PULL OUT ON GREEN, CAR HESITATED THEN IT FELT LIKE I WAS BEING HIT FROM BEHIND THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED WITH A BIG THUD BEFORE I COULD GET MOVING. FURTHER ON DOWN THE ROAD IT WOULD WITHOUT WARNING, DOWNSHIFT THEN UPSHIFT, GOING SOMETIMES FROM 6TH GEAR TO 3RD”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 624 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
LIGHTING: HEADLIGHT CLEAR LENS IS MELTING FROM INSIDE. CLEAR LENS THAT COVERS HEADLIGHT HAS COATING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. IT IS THE INSIDE COATING THAT IS FLOWING DOWN. LOOKS LIKE IT WAS OVER-APPLIED DURING MANUFACTURING PROCESS. BUT IN TIME, IT'S APPEARANCE IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE VISIBLE. BOTH LEFT AND RIGH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: 2016 MAZDA CX-5. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION/ "ROOM FUSE" FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE GPS, RADIO, BLUETOOTH AND OTHER INTERIOR FUNCTIONS FAILED. NO WARNING LIGHTS OTHERWISE APPEARED. AFTER PUTTING GAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. NO WARNING LIGH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH A 2016 MAZDA CX-5 (7000 MILES) ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP AND THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN (UNINTENDED ACCELERATION). THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK! IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF ME I SWERVED TO THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE CAR WAS PARKED OVER THE WEEKEND IN A VERY SECLUDED COUNTY LOCATION (NO OTHER PEOPLE AROUND). I NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD TWO DAYS LATER WHEN I NEXT USED THE CAR. THERE ARE NO VISIBLE CHIPS ON THE GLASS. THE CRACK SPREAD OUTWARD FROM WHERE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS ATTACHED. I B
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)