2023 MAZDA CX-5 Complaints

Brake pedals do not have enough pedal reserve, it takes some time for it to come to a stop. The brakes don’t feel secure. We feel like the brakes are going to give up. It also makes a very loud scratching sound when reversing and pressing on the brakes.

When adjusting the temperature in the car with the dial, it does not respond correctly. It either jumps up or down by multiple degrees. This causes to take your eyes off the road to try to adjust the temperature. No warning lights came on and pushing lighter or harder on the dial does NOT fix it. Only driver side is currently having this issue.

2023 Mazda cx50 has a leaking panoramic sunroof and was noticed on February 27th, 2026 after a hard rain. Got an appointment with my dealership on March 4th, 2026 I bought my car through, they denied helping me of any kind and diagnosed my car with a cracked sunroof bypass drain plug and the part can’t be replaced, the entire panoramic assembly needs to be replaced. I believe this is a safety issue and Mazda Corporate will not help either. Water should not be coming into my car with electronics at risk!

On October 16, 2025, while slowly pulling into a parking space, my vehicle experienced sudden and unintended acceleration without driver input. I did not depress the accelerator. Despite attempting to stop the vehicle, I was unable to do so. The vehicle mounted the curb, entered the sidewalk area, and struck a community mailbox, a tree, and two legally parked vehicles. My vehicle and the two parked vehicles were declared total losses. At the time of the incident, pedestrians, including toddlers, were present on the sidewalk. This loss of vehicle control created an immediate and severe risk of serious bodily injury or death. Post-incident diagnostics indicated multiple system errors, including but not limited to: •Powertrain Control Module •Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) •Instrument Cluster •Smart Brake Support / Mazda Radar Cruise Control Of particular concern is that Mazda, through its authorized dealer Rosenthal Mazda of Gaithersburg, Maryland, had prior notice of abnormal vehicle behavior. On two separate occasions before the crash, I reported that the vehicle would jolt suddenly, as if struck from behind, and at times felt as though it was attempting to accelerate without input. On each occasion, I was informed that the dealer could not duplicate the issue. No corrective action was taken, and the vehicle was returned to service. This event constitutes a serious safety failure involving unintended acceleration and apparent braking or electronic control system malfunction in this-model vehicle. Given the involvement of advanced driver assistance systems and braking components, this matter warrants immediate and thorough review.

Transmission Malfunction / Erratic Low-Speed Operation I am reporting a safety-related defect involving the transmission system in my vehicle. The issue appears to have originated as a software-related drivability problem but progressed over time into a more serious mechanical failure affecting the transmission. The vehicle exhibited lurching/hesitation at low speeds, particularly during city driving and while idling or creeping forward in traffic. This malfunction creates a potential safety risk because the vehicle does not respond smoothly or predictably to driver input. The erratic behavior is disconcerting and requires increased driver attention, creating a distraction and reducing confidence in the vehicle’s operation. The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by a service technician, who identified a transmission-related problem and recommended repair or replacement. The failure was not consistent with normal wear and occurred prematurely. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized dealership and is covered under the 5 year power-train warranty. Prior to the failure, there were no warning lights or messages indicating a major transmission issue. The problem I believe has been there since day 1- initially presenting as mild hesitation that could be mistaken for normal operation (especially with a turbocharged engine), but became increasingly annoying over time. After researching the issue, found similar reports from other owners describing comparable transmission behavior, suggesting this may be a broader defect.

1) Climate Control System Malfunction I am reporting a safety-related defect involving the climate control system in my vehicle. Specifically, the temperature control knob is malfunctioning and behaves erratically. When adjusting the temperature, the system does not respond consistently and will unpredictably change temperature settings without corresponding input. This was diagnosed at The Autobarn Mazda of Evanston to be a failure within the HVAC control system. I see it is a common issue discussed in online forums. The issue has been diagnosed and confirmed by a service technician. At this time, the vehicle has not been fully repaired and remains available for inspection upon request. This malfunction creates a potential safety risk because it may cause a distraction while driving. The erratic behavior requires repeated adjustments and attention to the climate control system, diverting focus away from the road. The problem has been reproduced and verified by a dealership technician, who confirmed the abnormal operation of the temperature control knob and system. A repair was recommended, with replacement cost $690.24. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized dealership, and I also contacted Mazda to request goodwill repair assistance. However, they declined to cover the repair cost. My car has 55,000 miles, but this is an issue that has been present early on if not since day 1. Prior to the failure, there were no consistent warning lights or system messages indicating a problem. Given that this appears to be a known issue with this type of system, I am concerned that other vehicles may be affected by the same defect.

Sudden acceleration even. Date April 10, 2026, at around 2:30 PM on a clear sunny day. Car make and model Mazda CX5 bought on 7/4/2023 VIN [XXX] , mileage around 10,000, only one owner. While attempting to park at BJ’s Wholesale Club ,when driver started to make a turn to a parking space, vehicle suddenly accelerated, applying the brakes stopped the forward motion, then driver put the car in reverse to try to properly park in a parking space and the car accelerated in reverse, this sudden motion could have killed or seriously injured any person passing in back of the car, when that motion stopped driver put the car in drive to be able to finally park the car and it sped uncontrollably, brakes didn’t stop the vehicle and it crashed against two vehicles parked nearby, damage to the Mazda vehicle was mainly to the left side, the front grill was not damage because driver was not able to control the rapid forward motion. Mazda dealer wanted the body of car repaired before checking the safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The air conditioning compressor clutch suddenly would not engage, leading to reduced visibility out of the windshield during humid weather in Oklahoma springtime and extended times for windshield to defog. Temperatures inside the vehicle also rose to very high levels without air conditioning available, even with windows down while driving. No crash or injuries but this presented an unsafe situation for a vehicle with only 39,000 miles and purchased new from the dealership. There were no indicator lights, messages, or warnings, other than observation that air conditioner vents were no longer blowing cold air when selecting the AC button after problem occurred. Problem was verified by both an independent mechanic and our Mazda dealership. AC system was overcharged from the factory per diagnostic results, leading to internal AC compressor short and early component failure.

My 2023 Mazda CX-5 (48,000 miles) is experiencing a loud mechanical whirring/grinding from the driver-side headlight assembly, a documented manufacturing defect involving foreign matter contamination of the internal LED cooling fan bearings (TSB 09-029/25). Despite the manufacturer acknowledging this factory-installed defect, Mazda has refused to proactively remedy the issue because the vehicle is nominally past its 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper period. I have been explicitly advised by service personnel to continue operating the vehicle until the headlight unit 'entirely fails' before further assistance may be considered. This 'fail-first' directive is a reckless disregard for public safety; the internal cooling fan exists specifically to prevent the high-intensity LED from overheating. A failure of this fan leads directly to the sudden burnout of the main headlamp while the vehicle is in motion. Mazda is essentially requiring me to drive a vehicle with a known, ticking-clock lighting defect and wait for a total loss of visibility at night before they will address a part that was contaminated during their own production process. This is a critical safety hazard that places myself and other drivers at risk of a collision due to sudden headlamp failure.

The contact owns a 2023 Mazda CX-50. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 38 MPH. The contact stated he was approaching an intersection when a vehicle in front of him attempted to make a left turn but slowed down. The contact was unable to depress the brake pedal and turned the steering wheel to the left to avoid the crash, but he crashed into the corner of the passenger side rear bumper of the other vehicle. The contact was not sure of the damage to the other vehicle; his vehicle had damage to the right headlight and the front quarter panel. The contact stated that his vehicle was equipped with a front collision avoidance system, but the system had not engaged. The contact stated that no persons were injured. The contact stated that the police were on scene and wrote a report. The vehicle was driven to a collision center for repair. The contact had not had the vehicle diagnosed. The vehicle had been repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.