2023 Mazda CX-5 problems and complaints

Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Mazda CX-5. The most-reported areas: Service Brakes (11), Engine (10), Unknown Or Other (10).

Key takeaways

  • 62 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
  • 8 involve a crash, 0 a fire, 5 reported injuries.
  • Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
Complaints by component
ComponentComplaintsShare
Service Brakes1118%
Engine1016%
Unknown Or Other1016%
Electrical System915%
Exterior Lighting813%
Forward Collision Avoidance610%
Visibility/Wiper58%
Vehicle Speed Control46%
Lane Departure46%
Power Train35%
Visibility35%
Seat Belts23%

One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.

NHTSA 5-Star crash ratings
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
2023 Mazda CX-5 SUV AWD5/55/55/54/5

Latest complaints, as filed

Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.

Vehicle Speed Control,service Brakes,engine - filed 2026-09-04

When my car starts up, engine rpm is around 1500 or above 1000. If I would switch to reverse, the car sudden jerks back stronger and quicker than I expected even though my foot isn’t on the accelerator pedal and have pressed the brake lightly.

Service Brakes,forward Collision Avoidance - filed 2026-09-02

On 09/01/2026 at approximately 55 mph, I was driving with adaptive cruise control engaged. The vehicle ahead decelerated abruptly. My vehicle began braking hard with no input from me for a fraction of a second. A red BRAKE warning appeared in the instrument cluster with an audible alarm. I then applied the brake pedal...

Seat Belts - filed 2026-08-18

We purchased a certified pre-owned Mazda CX-5 from Wellesley Mazda in [XXX] on XXX. As soon as we got home and tried to exit the vehicle, we noticed that the driver's seatbelt was not releasing. Since then, we have noticed that the seat belt has not latched or unlatched properly. Our concern is that a manufacturer-cert...

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More for the 2023 Mazda CX-5

Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.