2023 Mazda CX-5 problems & reliability
62 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 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.
4 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2023 Mazda CX-5 vehicles were involved in 9 fatal crashes with 5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes → | 11 | 18% |
| Engine → | 10 | 16% |
| Unknown / Other | 10 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 9 | 15% |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 13% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 6 | 10% |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 8% |
| Lane Departure | 4 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 6% |
| Power Train | 3 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 21 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“When my car starts up, engine rpm is around 1500 or above 1000. If I would switch to reverse, the car sudden jerks back stronger and quicker than I expected even though my foot isn’t on the accelerator pedal and have pressed the brake lightly.”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Sep 4, 2026
“On 09/01/2026 at approximately 55 mph, I was driving with adaptive cruise control engaged. The vehicle ahead decelerated abruptly. My vehicle began braking hard with no input from me for a fraction of a second. A red BRAKE warning appeared in the instrument cluster with an audible alarm. I then applied the brake pedal…”
Forward Collision Avoidance · filed Sep 2, 2026
“We purchased a certified pre-owned Mazda CX-5 from Wellesley Mazda in [XXX] on XXX. As soon as we got home and tried to exit the vehicle, we noticed that the driver's seatbelt was not releasing. Since then, we have noticed that the seat belt has not latched or unlatched properly. Our concern is that a…”
Seat Belts · filed Aug 18, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
282 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2023 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 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 vehicles may exhibit a condition in which a warning buzzer (error sound) is heard, and the power liftgate (PLG) does not open or close automatically. When these symptoms happen, DTCs B144F:11 or…
09-024-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 12, 2026
Some vehicle may exhibit the CHECK ENGINE light on with DTC P0524 (Engine oil pressure control system: Oil pressure decrease) and no abnormal engine noise. This may be caused by a malfunction of the oil pressure control…
SA-048-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 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 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
DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about any of the following: 1. Infotainment Center Display does not provide the Authorization Code (OTP) during the MyMazda App Connected Vehicle enrollment. 2. Remote function(s)…
SA-0-38/26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 16, 2026
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. SA-009/25 08/22/25 and 02/18/25 DESCRIPTION Some customers may experience a Connected Vehicle failure. The MyMazda…
SA-040-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 16, 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 2023 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 2023 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.