2016 Mazda CX-5: owner complaints and recalls

Owners have filed 507 complaints about the 2016 Mazda CX-5 and NHTSA has issued 5 recall campaigns. The most-reported system is exterior lighting, named in 161 of them.

507
Complaints
5
Recalls
31
Crash reports
10
Fire reports
13
Injuries
56.8
Severity index

Severity index 56.8 - Medium. It weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints, so a vehicle attracting serious reports scores above one attracting many trivial ones (how this is calculated).

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 56.8p25 35p75 96cleanestworst
Where the 2016 Mazda CX-5 sits against the quartiles of every vehicle we track.

Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Mazda CX-5 ranks 85 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 39% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.

What actually fails

Exterior LightingExterior Lighting: 161 complaints (31.8%)161 32%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 70 complaints (13.8%)70 14%Service BrakesService Brakes: 68 complaints (13.4%)68 13%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 57 complaints (11.2%)57 11%Power TrainPower Train: 51 complaints (10.1%)51 10%Visibility/WiperVisibility/Wiper: 42 complaints (8.3%)42 8%EngineEngine: 39 complaints (7.7%)39 8%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 19 complaints (3.7%)19 4%
Systems named in complaints. One complaint can name several, so shares overlap.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
EXTERIOR LIGHTING16131.8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7013.8%
SERVICE BRAKES6813.4%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER5711.2%
POWER TRAIN5110.1%
VISIBILITY/WIPER428.3%
ENGINE397.7%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM193.7%

Complaints filed per year

0601202015: 262016: 502017: 502018: 612019: 1192020: 512021: 392022: 222023: 232024: 272025: 222026: 17 (partial year)151617181911920212223242526
Complaints filed per calendar year, not model year. The hatched bar is the current year and is still incomplete.
YearComplaints
201526
201650
201750
201861
2019119
202051
202139
202222
202323
202427
202522
2026 (year to date)17
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
16V64400006/09/2016STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATEMazda 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, 20
16V20300011/04/2016STEERINGMazda 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,
16V06400003/02/2016FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAPMazda 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
16E00200019/01/2016VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELDPilkington 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 h
20V06300006/02/2020EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTSMazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016 CX-5 vehicles. The LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) may fail while driving.
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.