2021 Mazda CX-5 problems & reliability
144 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Mazda CX-5. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
5 complaints report injuries (7 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2021 Mazda CX-5 vehicles were involved in 46 fatal crashes with 23 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine → | 77 | 53% |
| Unknown / Other | 17 | 12% |
| Power Train → | 16 | 11% |
| Electrical System → | 12 | 8% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance → | 11 | 8% |
| Service Brakes → | 11 | 8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 6% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 5% |
| Lane Departure | 7 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 22 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Twice while making left turns from a stop into faster cross traffic, the accelerator was pressed but the vehicle barely moved (coasting) for roughly 2 - 3 seconds, then suddenly accelerated normally, creating a near-collision risk as cross traffic quickly approached. No warning lights were observed on the dash.”
Unknown / Other · filed Sep 10, 2026
“My CX-5 has 25,000 miles and recently the a/c failed culminating in a distinct chemical smell in the cabin. The issue was identified as a leaking/failed evaporator which apparently is located behind the dashboard and in turn “dump” the leaking refrigerant into the cabin! The total cost of repair due to the location of…”
Unknown / Other · filed Aug 12, 2026
“My 2021 Mazda CX-5 has developed a persistent rattling/vibration noise from the A-pillar and upper corner of the windshield. The noise appears to originate from the windshield/A-pillar attachment area and may be related to improper adhesion, mounting, weatherstripping, or other components near the top of the…”
Unknown / Other · filed Aug 10, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
498 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Mazda CX-5. The 10 most recent:
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued service alert listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-038/26 06/15/26 DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about any of the following: 1. Infotainment…
SA-038-26a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 4, 2026
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued Service Alerts listed below: The changes are noted in Red. Infotainment Reboot With Navigation Card Installed This Service Information is no longer valid. Refer to the…
SA-054-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2026
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-039/26 06/15/26 Mazda Connect Symptom Troubleshooting DESCRIPTION Customers having MAZDA CONNECT concerns…
SA-039-26a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 19, 2026
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-006/23 01/23/23 DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about the infotainment system and/or the…
SA-053-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 19, 2026
DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about SiriusXM Travel Link, Traffic Plus showing expired even though the customer purchased a paid subscription. SiriusXM audio packages do not include SiriusXM Travel Link…
SA-052-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 18, 2026
This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. 01-012/22 10/06/22 DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may exhibit accumulation of dried coolant (1) around the water…
01-010-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 10, 2026
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SAs listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-017/25 12/16/25, 09/08/25, 07/14/25, 05/15/25 and 03/21/25 DESCRIPTION Mazda Connect Frequently Asked Questions…
SA-042-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 2026
This SA supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. SA-061/25 12/17/25 DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s)…
SA-041-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 19, 2026
This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. 09-012/21 12/13/21, 06/10/21 and 04/27/21 DESCRIPTION Some customers may experience all of following symptoms: The…
09-019-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 18, 2026
This SA supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted below in Red. SA-027/26 04/16/26 DESCRIPTION The Mazda DCA-8000 is required for all warranty battery testing. If the Mazda…
SA-027-26a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2021 Mazda CX-5 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2021 Mazda CX-5?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.