Your vehicle report
2018 Mazda CX-5
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 352
- Received Feb 2018 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Head gasket leaks coolant into engine75 complaints · 21% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own29 complaints · 8.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring15 complaints · 4.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #21V875000Mazda 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.
- Recall #19V497000Mazda 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Head gasket leaks coolant into engineFirst signal: Jan 2022
- Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its ownFirst signal: May 2023
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 19 crashes, 1 fire, 6 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
- Paint peels off roof and hood
- Glass shatters or cracks without impact
- Frame rusts and corrodes through
1 more problem
Driver assistance
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 34 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 22 |
| 2022 | 51 |
| 2023 | 44 |
| 2024 | 73 |
| 2025 | 55 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 45 |
| Total | 352 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 75 | 21% | 11.2× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jan 2022 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.4% |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 29 | 8.2% | 7.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: May 2023 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.8% |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 15 | 4.3% | 3.6× | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 15 | 4.3% | – | NHTSA recall #19V497000 |
| Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes | 12 | 3.4% | 39.7× | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 11 | 3.1% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 11 | 3.1% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 11 | 3.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 9 | 2.6% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 9 | 2.6% | 4× | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 7 | 2.0% | 2.2× | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 7 | 2.0% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 4 | 1.1% | – | NHTSA recall #18V426000 |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 4 | 1.1% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 4 | 1.1% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 4 | 1.1% | – | NHTSA recall #21V875000 |
| Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration | 4 | 1.1% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 4 | 1.1% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 3 | 0.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #21V875000November 12, 2021121,038 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #19V497000June 27, 2019262,220 vehicles affected
engine; 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.
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.
NHTSA recall #18V426000June 25, 2018682 vehicles affected
air bags: side/window
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."
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2018 Mazda CX-5.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN