2019 Mazda CX-5

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2019 Mazda CX-5 has 349 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (36% of all complaints), specifically: i was driving on the freeway about 65 miles per hour and the the car started to run rough and the dash lights went out. it felt like it wanted to stall so i kept my foot on the gas and brake and exited the freeway and drove the side streets home. the problem did not happen again so far.. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 6 crash reports 5 injuries

349

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

4.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

127 complaints

36%

• I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR AND THE THE CAR STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT. IT FELT LIKE IT WANTED TO STALL SO I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND BRAKE AND EXITED THE FREEWAY AND DROVE THE SIDE STREETS HOME. THE PROBLEM DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN SO FAR.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 MAZDA CX5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT ENGINE OIL WAS LEAKING ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHOM ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT
• VEHICLE HAVING SIGNIFICANT DROP IN POWER OUTPUT IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING. ISSUE RESOLVES WHEN FINALLY SHIFTING TO 3RD GEAR, BUT LACK OF PREDICTABLE RESPONSE WHEN MERGING IS UNSETTLING.

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

“I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR AND THE THE CAR STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT. IT FELT LIKE IT WANTED TO STALL SO I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND BRAKE AND EXITED THE FREEWAY AND DROVE THE SIDE STREETS HOME. THE PROBLEM DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN SO FAR.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

50 complaints

14%

• WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH VERY LIGHT SNOW FALLING AND LESS THAN AN INCH OF WET ON THE ROAD, THE "FRONT RADAR BLOCKED" MESSAGE APPEARED! UPON LATER RESEARCH INTO THE MAZDA OWNER'S MANUAL IT INDICATES THE FOLLOWING SYSTEMS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING: MAZDA RADAR CRUISE CONTROL (MRCC) MAZDA RADAR CR
• THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE, BEHIND MY HOUSE OFF OF AN ALLEY IN A PRIVATE PARKING SPACE WHERE IT HAD BEEN UNMOVED FOR THREE DAYS. IT HAD SNOWED OVER THE PAST TWO DAYS. THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE 20'S. THE CAR IS TWO MONTHS OLD (1171 MILES). I RAISED THE REAR HATCH TO RETRIEVE A SNOW BRUSH. REA
• IN JULY 2019 (APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AFTER DELIVERY) MY 2019 MAZDA CX-5 BEGAN TO DRIVE ROUGHLY AT SLOW SPEEDS- SPECIFICALLY SPEEDS 15 MPH OR BELOW. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT COAST (EVEN DOWNHILL) AND WOULD SEEM TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR (THIS VEHICLE HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE VEHI

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

“WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH VERY LIGHT SNOW FALLING AND LESS THAN AN INCH OF WET ON THE ROAD, THE "FRONT RADAR BLOCKED" MESSAGE APPEARED! UPON LATER RESEARCH INTO THE MAZDA OWNER'S MANUAL IT INDICATES THE FOLLOWING SYSTEMS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING: MAZDA RADAR CRUISE CONTROL (MRCC) MAZDA RADAR CR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

45 complaints

13%

• ALL LIGHTS AND GAUGES TURN OFF AND DISABLE, INCLUDING: APPLE CAR PLAY, NAVIGATION, AUDIO, AIR CONDITIONING, BLUETOOTH, SENSORS, AND ALL GAGES IN THE DASH--
• SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE--THE ENTIRE DASH AND MIDDLE SCREEN GOES BLACK, ALL MUSIC STOPS PLAYING, THE APPLE CARE PLAY DOESN'T WORK, ATTACHED IPHONE SOMETIMES GOES BLANK. MUST PULL OVER AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. PREVIOUSLY AT MAZDA OF OREM (UTAH) FOR RECALL AND THIS SAME ISSUE. RETURNED TODAY--9/1 8/19
• SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE--THE ENTIRE MIDDLE SCREEN GOES BLANK, ALL ACCESS TO APPLE CAR PLAY STOPS, INCLUDING NAVIGATION, PHONE, TEXT, ETC. THE PHONE GOES BLANK. MUST PULL OVER AND THE HEAD UNIT WILL RESTART.TWICE AT DEALER FOR SAME ISSUES. THEY HAVE REPLACED PARTS, BUT STILL SAME PROBLEM.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“ALL LIGHTS AND GAUGES TURN OFF AND DISABLE, INCLUDING: APPLE CAR PLAY, NAVIGATION, AUDIO, AIR CONDITIONING, BLUETOOTH, SENSORS, AND ALL GAGES IN THE DASH--”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

29 complaints

• ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2019, AS I WAS APPROACHING MY HOME, I ACTIVATED MY GARAGE DOOR OPENER AND THE GARAGE DOOR OPENED AS I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY. I STOPPED THE CAR, A 2019 MAZDA CX-5, IN THE DRIVEWAY, PLACED IT IN PARK, GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND ENTERED THE GARAGE. WHILE IN THE GARAGE FOR APP
• IN JULY 2019 (APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AFTER DELIVERY) MY 2019 MAZDA CX-5 BEGAN TO DRIVE ROUGHLY AT SLOW SPEEDS- SPECIFICALLY SPEEDS 15 MPH OR BELOW. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT COAST (EVEN DOWNHILL) AND WOULD SEEM TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR (THIS VEHICLE HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE VEHI
• BROUGHT IT IN NOV 2020 REGARDING SMELLS AND ENGINE ISSUES AS WELL AS ALIGNMENT. NEITHER WERE TAKEN CARE OF. THEN MARCH 2021,ENGINE WAS LEAKING FLUID AND SMOKING, AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 20K. DID NOT PROVIDE A RENTAL UNTIL LATER THAT WEEK. AFTER A MONTH, I GOT MY CAR BACK. AFTER LEAVI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2019, AS I WAS APPROACHING MY HOME, I ACTIVATED MY GARAGE DOOR OPENER AND THE GARAGE DOOR OPENED AS I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY. I STOPPED THE CAR, A 2019 MAZDA CX-5, IN THE DRIVEWAY, PLACED IT IN PARK, GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND ENTERED THE GARAGE. WHILE IN THE GARAGE FOR APP”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

21 complaints

• When the system think there might be a collision and initiates a hard braking even when there might be enough space in front of you. Multiple times, the car behind me had to do a hard break as well not to hit me from behind. This also happens when switching lanes. As you are in the middle of switchi
• There was a warning "chime" and then this message appeared on the instrument panel. "Front Radar Malfunction". The car was in the left lane on the PA turnpike going approximately 73 miles per hour. The car immediately began a rapid deceleration after the warning "chime". Automatic braking activate
• There was a warning "chime" and then this message appeared on the instrument panel. "Front Radar Malfunction". The car was in the left lane on the PA turnpike going approximately 73 miles per hour. The car immediately began a rapid deceleration after the warning "chime". Automatic braking activate

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

“When the system think there might be a collision and initiates a hard braking even when there might be enough space in front of you. Multiple times, the car behind me had to do a hard break as well not to hit me from behind. This also happens when switching lanes. As you are in the middle of switchi”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 349 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR AND THE THE CAR STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT. IT FELT LIKE IT WANTED TO STALL SO I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND BRAKE AND EXITED THE FREEWAY AND DROVE THE SIDE STREETS HOME. THE PROBLEM DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN SO FAR.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH VERY LIGHT SNOW FALLING AND LESS THAN AN INCH OF WET ON THE ROAD, THE "FRONT RADAR BLOCKED" MESSAGE APPEARED! UPON LATER RESEARCH INTO THE MAZDA OWNER'S MANUAL IT INDICATES THE FOLLOWING SYSTEMS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING: MAZDA RADAR CRUISE CONTROL (MRCC) MAZDA RADAR CR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: ALL LIGHTS AND GAUGES TURN OFF AND DISABLE, INCLUDING: APPLE CAR PLAY, NAVIGATION, AUDIO, AIR CONDITIONING, BLUETOOTH, SENSORS, AND ALL GAGES IN THE DASH--
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2019, AS I WAS APPROACHING MY HOME, I ACTIVATED MY GARAGE DOOR OPENER AND THE GARAGE DOOR OPENED AS I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY. I STOPPED THE CAR, A 2019 MAZDA CX-5, IN THE DRIVEWAY, PLACED IT IN PARK, GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND ENTERED THE GARAGE. WHILE IN THE GARAGE FOR APP
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)