MAZDA Complaints

Rear differential failed around 97,000 miles. We were three months past our certified pre-owned warranty. Total cost to repair was around $4400 after a discount on parts and labor through our Costco membership. Contacted Mazda to see if they’d be willing to provide any assistance to cover the repair, they declined. Service advisor told us that it was a catastrophic failure that we did not cause. We purchased this car in 2020 and have always had it serviced at the dealership and at no point did they bring it up as it being an issue. The rear differential should not fail.

2018 Mazda CX-5, 2.5L Naturally Aspirated Engine The vehicle has been diagnosed with a leak from the cylinder head cover, resulting in engine oil dripping directly onto the exhaust manifold. This issue causes noticeable smoke and a strong burning oil odor inside the cabin while the engine is running. This defect presents multiple serious safety concerns: 1) Health hazard due to prolonged exposure to burning oil fumes inside the vehicle. 2) Fire risk from oil contacting hot engine components. 3) Potential engine failure, which could lead to vehicle stalling or loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash and possible loss of life. Mazda issued Technical Service Bulletin TSB #SA-031-21, which introduced a redesigned cylinder head for 2018–2019 CX-5 models. The release of this TSB indicates Mazda’s awareness of the underlying design flaw. There is substantial evidence, including numerous owner reports, that this is a widespread issue affecting these model years. The defect is not related to vehicle mileage or user negligence. Mazda should be held fully accountable and take corrective action by issuing a formal safety recall or offering an extended warranty to affected owners. Immediate attention to this matter is necessary to protect consumer safety and prevent future incidents.

On occasion (several times in a month) I will drive the car listening to the radio. I then park for a short time and turn the car on and drive away when I notice that the radio isn;t on as it was when I parked. I then have to pull over, park the car, shut off the engine then restart. Now the redio comes on. I am concerned that other safety items are also non functioning when this happens. The dealer has been no help.

At 70000 miles the transmission just got stuck into a single gear in manual. I drove it home and the check engine light came on. Before this problem the car would not go into park. Every time I put it into park I was unable to turn off the car because it thought it was still in gear. I had to fiddle the gear stick. The car also made a high pitch click (metallic) when shifting into 1st or Reverse from park. I took it to Capitol Mazada San Jose and they charged me $7000 to fix some transmission problem. I took it home and the clicking noise did not go away. I took it back to the dealer and they redid some work.

The driver side mirror vibrates at speeds above 65 miles per hour especially with windy conditions. Went to the dealer they replaced the mirror assembly with the issue still remaining. Mazda answer is that is common in CX 5 models. It is a safety issue as it really limits visibility for vehicles behind.

The contact owns a 2015 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V393000 (Parking Brake); and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.

After driving a few mile, the following two warnings come up * Smart Brake System Malfunction * Forward Radar Sensor System malfunction. If I turn off the car and then restart, the warnings go away. However, it comes back if I drive for a while again. I have visited dealership a few times for the same issue, they replaced the wheel bearing and brake switch. The warning disappeared for days and came back.

In August 2025, we brought our Mazda CX-5 (non-turbo engine) to a Mazda service center and paid nearly $3,000 for repairs, including replacement of belts and other related service. Despite this, we continued to experience a burning smell from the vehicle. Shortly thereafter, the problem escalated — the burning smell persisted and smoke began to appear. Mazda is now demanding an additional $4,500 to replace a cracked cylinder head. This defect must have been present when the car was serviced in August, and the initial repairs failed to identify or correct it. While there is an NHTSA Technical Service Bulletin for the turbo version of this engine, there are numerous complaints online about the same defect in the non-turbo model, which is what we own. This indicates that the problem is not isolated. Mazda should be held responsible for this safety issue. A cracked cylinder head that leads to burning smells and smoke is a serious hazard that could cause engine failure or even fire. Consumers should not be forced to spend thousands of dollars on repairs for what appears to be a widespread defect and when our vehicle has only $50k miles and it should last for the life of the vehicle.

Can not control steering. Almost ran off the road merging onto the interstate because the steering wheel got stuck.

I purchased this vehicle as a used car from a dealership. On my way home, the infotainment panel began to shout at top volume that this is the volume that navigation would be set at. The volume was so loud that it was startling, and it continued on until I had to pull over. I contacted the dealer, but they offered no assistance. The car continues to control itself at the panel ferning with the use of android auto so that you can't use your phone GPS for directions. The radio will control itself, changing stations, making loud beeps, and turning the volume up. There is no way to stop this feature because you can't turn the system completely off while the car is on. I can find no way to fix this on my own. I have tried resets, but have seen ample information about other people having this problem online. This does not seem to be an unknown problem and I don't know why there has not been issued a recall because it's very dangerous.