Complaint volume
60 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
60 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2022 Mazda CX-5, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
60 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
The most common categories are exterior lighting, unknown or other, engine. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Enriched records include 5 crash reports, 2 fire reports, 1 injury report, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage is available on 6 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 38,735 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
60 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | ENGINE | Timing chain cover ended up leaking oil everywhere. Was told this was a known issue with Mazda CX-5 and there was even a service bulletin out. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | My 2022 Mazda CX-5 Signature began producing a loud whirring/rattling noise from the driver-side front headlight assembly. After investigation, the noise was identified as coming from the internal cooling fan located inside the LED headlight unit. The cooling fan, which is integrated into the bi-LED headlamp assembly, appears to be failing prematurely due to bearing wear. This is a known widespread defect on 2019–2023 Mazda CX-5 models. Mazda has already issued Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 09-015-23, which acknowledges the noise issue and instructs dealers to replace the entire front combination light assembly under warranty. However, no formal recall has been issued. The root cause appears to be Mazda’s design decision to use the full LED headlight beam as the Daytime Running Light (DRL), which keeps the headlight cooling fans running continuously whenever the vehicle is in operation — even in daylight. This accelerates fan bearing wear far beyond normal expectations. The headlight assembly costs $1,200–$1,700 per side to replace out of warranty. Owners whose warranty has expired are facing repair bills of $2,400–$3,400 for both sides. This constitutes a significant safety risk as headlight failure reduces nighttime visibility. I have scheduled a warranty repair at an authorized Mazda dealer under TSB 09-015-23. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The contact owns a 2022 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving at nighttime at undisclosed speeds, there was an abnormal sound coming from the headlights. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with an unknown headlight fan bearing failure. The vehicle was not repaired because the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 37,000 |
| Apr 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Sunroof explosion while driving on the interstate and glass shards shot down on us. Sounded like a gunshot by head and it exploded. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Both LED headlights died within two months of each other on this relatively new vehicle. Outside the three year warranty, but only 27,000 miles (well within the 36,000 warranty period). As it's outside of the three years, the warranty already expired regardless of mileage. One headlight was grinding (fan) while the other's low beam simply died. Each headlight cost $2800 to replace. You can't simply replace a burned out bulb with this headlight design. The entire unit must be replaced at a cost of almost $3000 depending on your dealer. This is a major safety issue when headlights die while driving at night. This is not a user maintenance issue. It is not normal wear and tear. Almost $6000 dollars to replace poorly designed headlights within two months of each other on a new-ish vehicle while being a safety concern constitutes reason enough to issue a recall, and to reimburse owners for previous replacements. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | RH LED headlight cooling fan failure. Diagnosed by Mazda dealer and quoted $2450 cost. Vehicle is just outside warranty coverage by 2900 miles. This is a very well known and documented problem that Mazda is not standing behind. Owners are removing the relay for their daytime running lights, rendering them inoperable in order to save wear and tear on the headlight cooling fans. This is a safety hazard. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Headlight cooling fan is faulty and causing headlight outage prematurely. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | My driver side front headlight fan is malfunctioning. It stays on and makes a loud noise when the car is parked and off and the lights are still on. This is a known defect and my dealership is asking for 2k to pay for it. I am concerned the light will go out causing safety concerns. (TSB) SA01323 and 09-015/23. This should be recalled as is it not a general wear and tear issue, it is a manufacturing issue. My car is out of warranty but this should still be covered. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | I have a failed leveling motor on my led headlight assembly causing a constant noise as it is attempting to level. This is apparently a known problem and has had a TSA technical service bulletin of 09-015/23. My car is past the 3 yr warranty but under the 36,000 mile warranty period with only 33,000 miles. Mazda refuses to cover it since it has not had a recall yet even though it is a common and known problem. They are quoting a 1200 repair cost. Can you please help in any way and address this? Thank you | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Both front headlights are making an abnormal loud whining noise which started intermittently about 6 months ago and became continuous January 2026. Took vehicle to dealership where the dealership reported that the noise may be due to contamination by a foreign matter during the manufacturing process getting inside the adaptive headlight system causing the fan motor bearings inside the headlight to wear out. MAZDA dealership in Bridgeport WV stated the fix is to replace both front headlights at a significant cost to the owner if the vehicle is outside the warranty. The only indication that there is a problem is the loud noise coming from the headlights, there has been no warning messages. MAZDA is not willing to fix the issue unless the vehicle is within warranty. My vehicle is not within the known Vins listed below having this issue and is outside of the warranty. I reached out to Mazda Corp with case # [XXX] and MAZDA Corp denied financial assistance, but stated I could work with the dealership to trade my vehicle instead of fixing the issue. MAZDA knows the issue is on these vehicles per the TSB report given to me when I took my vehicle to the dealership. Previous TSBs per the report (SA-013/23 & 09-015/23) 2020-2025 CX 30 (Mexico built) Vins lower 3MV DM **** ** 794028 (Produced before Dec., 2020) 2022-2025 CX-5 Vins lower than JM3 KF **** ** 57088 (Produced before Sep., 2024) 2025 CX-70 Vins lower than JM3 KJ**** ** 118240 (Produced before Sep., 2024) 2024-2025 CX-90 Vins lower than JM3 KK**** ** 204555 (Produced before Sep., 2024) 2022-2024 MX-30 Vins lower than JM1 DR**** ** 200939 (Produced before Apr., 2024) 2016-2024 MX-5 Vins lower than JM1 ND**** ** 610111 (Produced before Oct., 2024) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Over the past several weeks, we began hearing a pronounced noise coming from the front of the vehicle, which the dealership diagnosed as a failing motor within the driver-side headlight unit. Given that this is a critical safety component, and part of the upgraded package purchased when the vehicle was new — we were surprised to encounter this issue on a vehicle of 4 years and 41,540 miles. Mazda Customer Care told me to pound salt | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The right headlight is very noisy. Like it is going to fail very soon. People say it's the problem with the cooling fan inside. A lot people have the same issues, Mazda should recall it ASAP | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The LED Headline Assembly in the 2022+ CX-5 frequently malfunctions by itself causing the headlight to burn out and fail on a frequent basis. This is an unacceptable issue that is causing new car owners in lost time and money to get this poor headlight design repaired on a frequent basis. This is a known issue for this vehicle and has been frequently reported online that it really needs a recall for Mazda to change the headlight design to ensure the entire lighting system does not fail on a frequent basis. This has happened to both headlights. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Headlight motor created a loud noise while it's on distracting driving and indicating an impending failure .This happened when the vehicle just got out of warranty (38000 miles approximately). Mazda refused to replace the headlight assembly for free. They charged for replacing it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Drivers side LED headlight cooling fan is making a loud buzzing noise 100% of the time when the headlight is turned on which indicates that the fan is failing. If fan fails, it will lead to overheating and failure of the headlight. Vehicle was inspected by Mazda to confirm the issue. Mazda issues Service Alert SA-013/23 and Technical Service Bulletin 09-015/23 have been issued for this problem. TSB states: Some customers may notice an abnormal noise (i.e. whine, groan, rattle or squeak) coming from the front combination lights when turning them on, or a few minutes after turning them off. The noise may be due to contamination by foreign matter during the manufacturing process. The fan motor bearing may become worn out during use. To eliminate the noise, the production process at the supplier and the material has been modified. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | SERVICE BRAKES | Brake rotors on all four wheels measured below minimum thickness specification at only 17,000 miles, requiring complete replacement of all rotors and pads. Rotors replaced at Koch Mazda (Easton, PA) on January 7, 2026 and no longer available for inspection. SAFETY RISK: Rotors below minimum spec have reduced structural integrity and heat dissipation capacity, creating risk of warping, cracking, or failure during emergency braking or sustained braking. Under-spec rotors can cause brake fade, increased stopping distances, and potential catastrophic failure. At 17,000 miles, this represents premature failure of a critical safety system. DEALER CONFIRMATION: Koch Mazda initially charged $89.99 for diagnostics claiming "nothing wrong" despite customer providing TSB 04-003/24 documentation. After formal complaint, dealership measured rotors below minimum spec and replaced all four rotors and pads as "non-warranty goodwill repair" (value $1,184.97). Calling it "goodwill" rather than warranty avoids documenting as defect claim. Dealership stated Mazda corporate approved the goodwill repair, indicating manufacturer awareness of widespread defect being managed case-by-case rather than through recall. WARNING SYMPTOMS: Popping/clicking noise when first moving forward or reverse after sitting idle. This symptom is specifically described in Mazda TSB 04-003/24 as caused by deteriorated grease between brake pads and shims. SYSTEMIC PATTERN: Research reveals hundreds of similar complaints across 2013-2025 CX-5 model years involving premature rotor/pad failure at 11,000-35,000 miles. TSB 04-003/24 addresses this exact pattern across multiple model years, confirming manufacturer awareness. Normal rotor life is 50,000-70,000 miles; failure at 17,000 miles suggests manufacturing defect, improper heat treatment, or design flaw affecting entire CX-5 brake system across 12+ model years. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Headlamps Cooling Fan Motors Mazda CX-5 2022 make loud noise during driving and for few minutes even after the car is turned off. Car is at about 29,000miles. Unfortunately, it's past 3yrs old and hence JimClick Mazda dealer is asking for more than $3000 to replace the lights with motor assembly. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Headlight humming / headlight unit failure. Known issue with Mazda but they refuse to repair unless I pay $2k for a new headlight. Vehicle has less than 50k miles and this is a know issue for 2019-2023 CX5s. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | TIRES | The four 225/55 R19 tires’, purchased 05/02/25 and available for inspection upon request, asymmetrical tread design has 5 treads & 4 troughs across its width. The center tread and the adjacent one to its outside both have varied design water dispersal slots. When the tires are properly mounted with the word “outside” viewable on the outside of all 4 wheels and the vehicle is rolling forward, the 2 above referenced treads’ slots of the right side tires will force water away from the treads and into the adjacent troughs, but these same tread slots on the left side tires, now spun 180 degrees when mounted on the left side, will force water toward the center of the two above referenced treads, actually building up water upon the referenced treads’ surfaces, not dispersing it like on the right side tires. On wet roads, this will dangerously set up the likelihood of hydroplaning on the referenced left side treads, as well as a surface grabbing imbalance between the right and left side tires which sets things up for a spin out. When viewing the mounted tires, the above safety concerns are easy to envision. They appear to pose a risk for an accident, but Pirelli states that their tires are “engineered with advanced tread patterns that balance performance, safety, and comfort” and the tires are properly mounted as described. I have no data indicating that actual issues have been confirmed with my concerns, but I feel they are valid and that this asymmetrical tire should have also been designed and marketed as a directional tire, with left and right mirrored tread designs, which it has not been. I just noticed this tread discrepancy concern. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2022 Mazda CX-5. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after purchasing the vehicle. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 26,400. The contact stated that the dealer harassed her to buy the extended warranty. The contact stopped by the dealer and requested that they stop with the harassment. The contact stated that at the time of purchase, the dealer connected the service to the infotainment system. The contact noticed that the vehicle was being tracked and the gauges on the instrument panel were tampered with. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that two days later, it was discovered that the mileage was approximately 46,000. The contact suspected that the vehicle was hacked. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission failure, currently reproducible but car is at dealer to be evaluated/repaired. I was safe as I was still in my driveway, however if I was in traffic I would be at risk of an accident, by the time you realize you are not moving you have already let off the brake and could be rolling, fear is that if it happens at a traffic light other drivers woudl assume I am going to accelerate but I'm not. First time this happened dealer reproduced issue, contacted Mazda, and a replacement valve body was installed. Now that it has happened again within the first 33K miles it creates a trust issue. There were no warning sign either time the transmission failed. I also do not drive aggressively, wife says I drive like a grandpa. about 10-15 seconds after failure the alarms and warning lights go off. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Several times and most recently today 8/18/2025 at 5:30 PM my 2022 Mazda CX-5 accelerated while I had my foot on the brake and only the brake. Hard pressure on the brake kept the SUV from lurching forward. This has happened before but I did not think it would occur again. But it has and I find that this could easily cause an accident. The SUV in question has only 23,000 miles on it. An investigation and recall to fix the problem should be initiated. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | A grating/moaning noise started coming from the passenger-side headlight. After googling, it seems that it is a common issue that others have had which requires replacement of the headlight assembly. I took this to the dealership, and the tech told me this is common. They didn’t even have to take it back into the shop to make a diagnosis. He said that dirt gets into the bearings on the fan meant to cool the lamp DURING MANUFACTURING. This causes the fan to fail and the light to overheat if the headlight assembly is not replaced. This problem seems to be so common that the dealership already had the part in stock that they would need. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | The timing chain cover gasket failed and is leaking oil at 66,000 miles. It is currently being addressed at Borgman Mazda in Grand Rapids. No crash or safety risk. There were no warning lamps, it was found by an separate inspection not from the dealership. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | While driving down highway the car suddenly will stop accelerating. Once this occurs the check engine light will turn on and shortly after the battery light will turn on. The car will not move and the AC will then stop working. The first time the car was brought to dealership (under warranty). They had to replace battery, fuel pump and fuel level indicator. They stated the fuel pump was broken as was the fuel level indicator. They were able to reproduce the problem prior to fixing it the first time. Less than a month after the car was repaired the exact same issue happened. This is a significant safety concern as I was driving on the highway with a [XXX] child in the back seat when the car stopped driving the second time. I was barely able to get over a lane and off the road before the car stopped driving. The AC then stopped working on a day where the feels like temperature was over 100. I had to lay wet cloths over my infant to prevent her from overheating while we waited for AAA and a family member to reach us. The inability to accelerate/sudden stopping of the car while driving on a highway with a speed limit of 70mph posed a significant safety risk to my life, my child’s life and potentially other cars if they weren’t able to stop. I had to wave frantically at the car in the lane next to me so that they wouldn’t hit me. No warning lights came on until after the issue (stopped accelerating) occurred. The dealership (Mazda) now has the car again and will be inspecting it. I have files from the first incident however they are in the car. Once I get my car back I can send over the reports of what they replaced/work completed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |