2015 Mazda CX-5
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Structure is the leading concern among 133 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 7th highest complaint count among 14 CX-5 model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 11 involved a crash. 7 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Structure, body, hatchback/liftgateSep 6, 2016
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 the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.
If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 16V644000 on NHTSA.gov
SteeringApr 11, 2016
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 2, 2015, 2013-2014 Mazda2 vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to August 8, 2014, 2014-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2, 2015, and 2013-2015 CX-9 vehicles manufactured December 6, 2012, to July 31, 2015. The lower mounting nuts and bolts that attach the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle may loosen, allowing the steering knuckle to separate.
If the steering knuckle separates from the strut assembly, it can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower mounting nuts and bolts that secure the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle. If the bolts are loose, they will be replaced and then correctly tightened, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9316D.
Campaign 16V203000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assembly, filler pipe and capFeb 3, 2016
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Mazda CX-5 vehicles manufactured June 27, 2013, to February 2, 2016. The affected vehicles have a fuel filler pipe that may rupture in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
A rupture of the fuel filler pipe may result in a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will alter the attachment between the fuel filler pipe and the left rear side of the bracket of the fuel filler pipe, free of charge. The recall began on February 25, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 9216B.
Campaign 16V064000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, windshieldJan 19, 2016
Pilkington North America, Inc. (Pilkington) is recalling certain replacement windshields, model FW04026 GTY, manufactured November 23, 2015, to December 16, 2015 for use in Mazda CX-5 vehicles that are equipped with the Smart City Brake Support system. The affected windshields have a bracket mounted on the inside to hold a laser sensor or LIDAR device for the Smart City Brake Support system. These brackets were improperly affixed with only tape instead of tape and urethane and therefore may loosen.
If the bracket loosens or detaches from the windshield, the safety features of the Smart City Brake Support system may be disabled and therefore increase the risk of a crash.
Pilkington will contact the wholesalers and retailers that purchased the windshields to try to identify the affected customers. The affected windshields will be replaced, free of charge. This recall began on February 15, 2016. Owners may contact Pilkington at 1-844-278-7230.
Campaign 16E002000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: service brakes
14 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 17, 2025, crash
I was near a red light and applied the brakes, but the car accelerated and ran into the truck stopped in front of me. This happened around May of 2024. I took the car to the Elk Grove Mazda dealer. They ran diagnostic and road tests but found nothing wrong. The car had the same problem again sometime later inside my garage. The car rammed into the drywall while I tried to stop by pressing the brake pedal. I took the car to the AAA repair shop in August 2024. They spent three days, and they told me they found a problem with the "steering angle sensor." It was 22 degrees off calibration. They reset the sensor, and the car ran better. However, the car acted again after some driving. It tries to accelerate while I apply the brake pedal near a stop. I took the car back to the AAA shop, but they did not find any problems in a whole week. I still drive this(my only) car, but extra careful, keeping a longer distance between cars in front of me and braking ahead few times ahead of any stop.
Service brakes, Other or unspecified, May 10, 2023, crash
I was on my way home going down a windy back road going about 45 mph. there was a jeep in front of me and the mail truck was in front of them. the mail truck went to slow down and take a right onto a different road and as the jeep slowed down i applied my breaks and there was no response. this was not the first time this had happened in this vehicle but this time i panicked and i had to cut my wheel into the persons front yard to the right of us as i was continuously picking my foot up and slamming it down on the break and there was no response my car was just speeding up. i ended up going into the road that the mail truck was taking a right on and i hit the front of his truck and went flying into the woods and the trees were what stopped me. i now live with constant nerve pain everyday from this and suffer with a compressed lower back fracture that limits me daily from many things. before this incident i had issues with the breaks and acceleration twice. i had taken it to mazda and they fixed my “break switch” ? obviously that wasn’t the problem.
Service brakes, Feb 16, 2023
On Feb. 9, 2023, I started my vehicle and lots of warning indicators lit up the dash of my well-maintained vehicle. Check Engine, ABS, TPMS, SBCS to name some of the warning lights. When I took my car to the dealer, they told me the left front wheel speed sensor had mechanical failure and would need to be replaced. Said the car's antilock brakes wouldn't work without it being replaced. My car also has the automatic brakes to prevent collision and stability control systems which are dependent on wheel speed sensors' function. My vehicle mileage was 59307 when I took it to the dealer. Over $600 repair bill.
Service brakes, Mar 15, 2021
AFTER THE REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED THERE WAS A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE WHEN FIRST DRIVING UNTIL THE CAR WARMED UP. IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN FIRST REPLACED IN THE SUMMER BUT WHEN IT GOT COLDER IT GOT WORSE. TURNED OUT TO BE THE SAME CALIPER ISSUE THAT WAS RECALLED IN PREVIOUS MODELS BUT NO RECALL FOR THE CX-5
Service brakes, Engine, May 28, 2019, crash
I WAS TRYING TO PARK MY VEHICLE IN A SOCCER FIELD PARKING LOT. AS I SLOWLY TURNING RIGHT INTO MY SPOT AT ABOUT 3-5MPH, MY FOOT WAS LIGHTLY DEPRESSED ON BRAKE PEDAL AND ABOUT TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY MADE A VERY LOUD ENGINE SOUND (MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL) AS THE ENGINE REV UP FOR ABOUT A SECOND OR TWO THEN ACCELERATED FORWARD JUMPING THE CURB AND HIT A BIG FENCE POLE WHICH STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT SPED UP FROM 3MPH TO 30MPH AND I HAD NO TIME TO REACT. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BADLY DESTROYED AND THE VEHICLE IS TOTALED. THE CAR WAS FIVE YEARS OLD AND ABOUT 75K MILES. IT IS VERY SAFETY CONCERNING AND SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY LOOK INTO. *DT *AS
Power train, Service brakes, Engine, Apr 26, 2019, crash
I WAS PARKING MY MAZDA CX5 IN A SPOT AT A SHOPPING CENTER AND WHEN I TOUCHED THE BRAKE WITH MY RIGHT FOOT AND WENT TO SHIFT CAR INTO PARK, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FULL SPEED, MAKING A VROOM SOUND, JUMPING THE CURB AND SMASHING INTO A BRICK POST (LUCKILY I HIT THE POST AND NOT A PERSON!). I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A TRANSMISSION, BRAKE OR ACCELERATOR ISSUE - BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WRONG. I DID NOT HIT THE ACCELERATOR INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT MUST BE ME, SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY, HITTING THE ACCELERATER BUT I NEVER REALLY BELIEVED THIS. TODAY, APRIL 26, 2019, THE SAME THING HAPPENED! LUCKILY, THIS TIME THE CAR JUMPED THE CURB AND I HIT A TREE, LEAVING A SMALL DENT IN MY HOOD. AGAIN I HEARD THAT VROOM SOUND, AND JUST THOUGHT - OH NO, NOT AGAIN!
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Feb 13, 2018, crash
MY FOOT WAS SOLELY ON THE BRAKE AS MY CAR WAS COMING TO A STOP IN A PARKING SPACE. THEN SUDDENLY WITH NO REASON, THE CAR ACCELERATED, JUMPING THE CEMENT TIRE STOPPER, HIT AGAINST THE CONCRETE PARKING COLUMN, WENT DOWN A SLIGHT HILL AND HIT ANOTHER CONCRETE PARKING COLUMN BEFORE STOPPING. THE WHOLE RIGHT SIDE (PASSENGER SIDE) WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. FORTUNATELY I ONLY HAD BRUISES AND NO OTHER CARS WERE DAMAGED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED.
Service brakes, Feb 4, 2018
THE FRONT BRAKES ON MY CAR WOULD NOT PASS PA STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE OF SEVERE RUST ON THE PISTON SIDE OF BOTH FRONT ROTORS. THE OUTER SURFACES OF THE ROTORS WERE FINE. ALL OF THE PADS WERE AT 50% FOR WEAR. THE VEHICLE IS THREE YEARS OLD, BOUGHT NEW, AND HAS 38,000 MILES OF MIXED DRIVING. THE DEALER CONTACTED THE MAZDA DISTRICT MANAGER AND HE REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND CONSIDERED WHAT I HAD AS NORMAL WEAR. I REPLACED THE ROTORS AND PADS MYSELF AND WAS SURPRISED AT THE IMPROVEMENT IN STOPPING DISTANCE. SINCE THIS WAS HAPPENING OVER TIME, I WAS NOT AWARE OF MY LOSS IN BRAKING. AFTER I REPLACED MY BRAKES AND PERSONALLY CALLED MICHAEL KONZEL, THE MAZDA DISTRICT MANAGER, HE TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS CONSIDERED NORMAL AND NOT A MAZDA ISSUE. I OFFERED TO SEND HIM PICTURES, BUT HE SAID THAT HE DID NOT NEED THEM. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME, BUT DRIVEN DAILY.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Dec 22, 2016
WHILE DRIVING THROUGH STOP AND GO TRAFFIC NEAR A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON A DOWNWARD SLOPE (MAYBE 10-15 DEGREES), I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO COME TO A STOP. WHEN DOING SO, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS BEING APPLIED NORMALLY BUT THE VEHICLE WASN'T SLOWING DOWN LIKE IT NORMALLY DOES. AS A RESULT, I PUSHED DOWN ON THE BRAKES AS HARD AS POSSIBLE AND WHILE THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN MORE THAN IT PREVIOUSLY WAS, IT ATTEMPTED TO LURCH FORWARD MORE AND MORE. I NOTICED THAT THE RPMS WERE SLOWLY GETTING HIGHER WHILE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS POSSIBLE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS COMING INCREASINGLY CLOSE TO MAKING CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING CLOSE TO BEING PHYSICALLY STOPPED ALREADY, I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND THE RPMS FOR THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY CLIMBED ALL THE WAY TO THE RED-LINE (I BELIEVE 6,500 RPMS) AND THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL. THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP (ANOTHER 5-10 MILES), THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED NO NOTICEABLE ISSUES. I CALLED THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF ANY PROBLEMS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION WERE CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT NO RECALLS WERE CURRENTLY OPEN FOR A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR
Service brakes, Feb 9, 2016
I HAVE A BRAKING ISSUE. WHEN I BRAKE MY CAR AT LOW SPEED, I RARELY HAVE ANY ISSUE AND MY BRAKE WORKS WELL. BUT IF I DRIVE AT A HIGHER SPEED (>55MPH) AND BRAKE RELATIVELY FAST, I WILL FEEL LIKE MY FOOT IS PUSHING ON BOTH BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS, AND MY CAR WILL NOT SLOW DOWN AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO. IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT FORCE OF FRICTION BETWEEN THE BRAKE PADS AND DRUMS. THE FEELING OF BRAKING IS NOT SMOOTH EITHER AS IF I WAS PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME. I ALMOST HIT THE CARS BEFORE ME TWICE. THIS ISSUE CAN BE RESOLVED WITH QUICK BRAKE PEDAL RELIEF AND SUBSEQUENT STEPPING ON AGAIN. I MAY NEED TO REPEAT THIS EFFORT SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT WORKS NORMALLY. I BELIEVE THERE IS SOME MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH IT. I DRIVE VERY CAREFULLY ON HIGH WAY NOW.
Service brakes, Feb 2, 2016
BRAKING I WOULD HAVE A BRAKING ISSUE EVERY TIME I DRIVE OVER A LITTLE INDENTATION (A HORIZONTAL LINE THAT IS SLIGHTLY ON THE ROAD USED FOR A WATER PASSAGE). WHEN I DRIVE OVER THE WATER PASSAGE MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND EVEN THOUGHT I STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD, IT WOULD JUST KEEP GOING AND YOU CAN FEEL THE BRAKES JUST SLIPPING OFF THE BRAKE PAD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Apr 10, 2015
LEAVING AN ABOVE-GROUND PARKING GARAGE, THE CITY BRAKE ASSIST FEATURE ENGAGED TWICE, WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAR CAME TO A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE STOP AND THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. THERE WERE NO CARS OR OTHER OBSTACLES IN THE VICINITY THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE CITY BRAKE ASSIST FEATURE TO ENGAGE. WHEN THE FEATURE ENGAGED, THE CAR WAS GOING ABOUT 5 MPH, ON A SLIGHT DOWNHILL (THE DECLINE WAS SIMPLY FROM THE PARKING GARAGE), AND IT OCCURRED DURING A STRAIGHTAWAY SECTION OF THE GARAGE (E.G., NOT WHILE GOING AROUND A BEND). *TR
Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Nov 12, 2014
OUR VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE "SMART CITY BRAKING" FEATURE THAT AUTOMATICALLY PREVENTS COLLISIONS AT LOW SPEED. THIS SYSTEM TRIGGERS THE BRAKES AND BRINGS THE VEHICLE TO A STOP WHEN AN OBJECT IS DETECTED IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN TRIGGERED BY STEAM CLOUDS COMING OUT OF SEWER GRATES AND HAS BROUGHT THE CAR TO A COMPLETE AND VERY UNEXPECTED STOP SEVERAL TIMES. NO REAL "OBJECT" WAS BEHIND THE STEAM CLOUD / YET BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS IMPLEMENTED IT DETECTED AN OBJECT AND ACTIVATED THE BRAKES. THIS UNEXPECTED BRAKING CAN QUICKLY BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS PROPERTY DAMAGE OR INJURY. WE PASS BY AN AREA WITH MULTIPLE SEWAGE GRATES RELEASING STEAM AND THIS SYSTEM IS BECOMING A SAFETY HAZARD. WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH NOT TO HAVE SOMEONE BEHIND US WHEN THE SYSTEM IS TRIGGERED - BUT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE BRAKING TRIGGERS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *TR
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Jul 15, 2014
THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THE SAME ISSUE, BUT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ALL DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED (CHECK ENGINE, TURN SIGNALS, TEMP WARNINGS, ETC) SIMULTANEOUSLY AND THE INFORMATION SCREEN DISPLAYED AN ALERT "ENGINE INSPECTION REQUIRED". THE INCIDENT ALSO RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING/HEAVIER-THAN-NORMAL STEERING EFFORT AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATIONS, ON THE FIRST INSTANCE (JULY 10, 2014), MAZDA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WITH NO FAULT/CAUSE FOUND. ON THE SECOND INSTANCE (JULY 15, 2014), THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN DIRECTLY TO THE DEALERSHIP. TECHNICIANS WERE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE TO A LOOSE GROUND CONNECTION IN THE PASSENGER FRONT FENDER WELL. *TR