2018 Mazda 5: What to check before buying
Owners have filed 423 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the engine, electrical, and transmission. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2018- Owner complaints
- 423
- Recalls
- 8
- Crashes reported
- 24
- 10 injuries
Your inspection sheet
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2018 Mazda 5: inspection sheet
Paperwork and questions
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Walk-around and cabin
Engine off, key in hand0/1
Cold start, engine bay, and underside
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1
Test drive
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/4
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Check the odometer against these mileages
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Rear brake caliper and pad wear
13,200–40,000 miles
Cracked cylinder head oil leak
31,000–75,000 miles
Fuel pump failure and stalling
51,000–78,000 miles
Why these checks: what owners reported
NHTSA complaints for the 2018 Mazda 5, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Engine1211 crash
Cracked cylinder heads account for most of these reports. Oil, and sometimes coolant, leaks from the head onto the exhaust area. That causes a burning smell in the cabin and smoke from under the hood. Most owners say no warning light came on first. Failures range from about 31,000 to 75,000 miles, often just after the warranty ran out. Dealers usually replace the whole head, and owners report bills of almost $6,000. Several owners call the leaking oil a fire risk. A few also report rough idle and near-stalling at stops.
Electrical541 crash
Phantom touches on the touchscreen are the main complaint. The screen changes inputs by itself, sometimes jumps the volume to maximum, and can change safety settings. Some screens also crack from the inside. The backup camera flickers or goes black, and several owners say a recall repair is stuck waiting on parts. One owner hit a curb when the camera image failed. One fire is reported: a car burst into flames on the highway, cause unknown. Others report collision and lane warning lights that come on at random and dropped Bluetooth connections.
Transmission411 crash
Cracked cylinder heads show up here too. Owners report a burning oil smell in the cabin, white smoke and oil puddles, mostly between about 52,000 and 62,500 miles, with no dash warning. Others describe stalling and loss of power while driving, including a high-pressure fuel pump failure. Some report bursts of warning lights with lurching and limp mode on the freeway. New cars with only a few hundred to a few thousand miles drew complaints of a dragging feel and loud engine noise. One crash followed the car stopping while driving.
Fuel system22No crashes
Most of these filings are about a recall repair that couldn't be done for months because dealers had no parts. Owners who did have failures describe stalling, losing power and failing to restart. Others report hesitation and jerking at low speeds or after cold starts, and rough idle with the check engine light on. Dealers diagnosed fuel pump failures at about 51,000 and 78,000 miles. One owner found a crack in the top of the fuel pump after smelling fuel inside and outside the car after refueling.
Brakes214 crashes
Rear calipers stick or seize. That overheats the rotors, wears out pads early, and sometimes causes loud grinding. Owners report badly worn or corroded rear brakes between about 13,200 and 40,000 miles while the fronts still look fine. The electric parking brake draws complaints that it doesn't hold, that it works on only one side, or that warning lights stay on. Four crashes are reported. They include false automatic hard braking in traffic that led to a rear-end collision, and claims that the car sped up while the driver was braking.
Wipers and visibility151 crash
Wipers stop working without warning in rain or snow, on any setting, while the washer fluid may still spray. Some owners say the wipers quit after a swipe or two on the interval setting. One wiper failure led to a crash with three people hurt. Dealers fixed some cars by replacing the body control module, and one owner was quoted $1500 or more. Other complaints cover windshields and a sunroof cracking without impact, a cloudy film on the glass, windows freezing shut, and corroded backup camera wiring.
Acceleration and cruise control113 crashes
The car speeds up suddenly at parking speeds while the driver is braking. Three crashes resulted, some with front camera sensor malfunction warnings on the dash, and dealers found no fault. Other owners report stalling and losing power at highway speed, even after a software update. Some cars go into limp mode and slow to a crawl, or hesitate when accelerating. Some cars refuse to accelerate in cruise control or slow down on hills while it's on. Others hold speed after the driver lifts off the accelerator.
Airbags94 crashes
A passenger-side airbag or seatbelt fault warning comes on and goes off, and scan tools point to a faulty sensor or restraint module. One owner reports it at about 54,000 miles, and owners say it often shows up after the warranty runs out. There are also reports of unexpected deployments. In one, the side airbags deployed but the front airbag did not, injuring the driver's neck and chest. In another, a seat airbag went off on its own while the seat sat on a shop floor. Several crash reports filed here describe sudden acceleration rather than an airbag fault.
In owners' own words
Excerpts from complaints 5 owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
There is a known issue with 2018 Mazda CX 5 related to a cracked cylinder head. I have just under 60,000 miles and I noticed smoke coming from under the hood near the exhaust manifold and a strong odor of burning oil. Dolan Mazda in Reno, NV has confirmed I have a cracked cylinder head and it is the cause of the burning oil. I am concerned that oil leaking from the cracked cylinder head onto the exhaust is a fire hazard. I feel a recall should be issued.
Filed with NHTSA, February 2025
We own a 2018 Mazda CX-5 which developed a cracked cylinder head after slightly over 53,000 miles. We had oil leaking in our driveway and our dealership advised us not to drive it as this would be an extreme safety issue. I was advised to contact you as this seems to be an ongoing issue with Mazda CX-5's from 2018-2021. There is a safety bulletin TSB #SA-031-21. I am hoping this will help with resolving this with Mazda costumer service.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2024
There is a known issue with the infotainment system referred to as ghost tough. This causes the system to randomly change stations/songs, etc while the car is in motion. There is also a delamination issue. Mazda issued a recall for 2014-2016 vehicles, however a quick internet search shows that this issue continues to be a problem. This issue can be extremely distracting as the driver attempts to stop the system from changing.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2024
Mazda issued a recall for backup camera failures on specific vehicles over 1 year ago on July 14 2023 (Mazda Recall 6023G, NHTSA #23V-487). According to Mazda dealerships I contacted, parts are still not available. Drivers impacted have been waiting for repair components related to this safety recall for over a year. Simply submitting this as a complaint about an ongoing recall resolution.
Filed with NHTSA, August 2024
Vehicle was brought to dealership for a fuel pump safety recall. I was advised that the belt tightener was leaking and was in urgent need of replacement. Failure of the belt tightener would result in drive train belts loosening with an impact on operation of the vehicle. The car is 4 years old and has less than 12,000 miles on it. Belt tighteners are normally designed to last 75,000+ miles, suggesting a possible defect in this case.
Filed with NHTSA, August 2022
Smelled smoke (burnt oil) for over a year. Dealer could not address. Finally found that the cylinder heads had cracked and required replacement at $7500. Car was only 51K miles.
Filed with NHTSA, February 2025
How the 2018 compares with other 5 years
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2018 has the most owner complaints of the 8 5 years we cover, about 3.3 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
- Engine12125
- Electrical5418
- Transmission4114
- Fuel system220
- Brakes217
- Wipers and visibility152
Recalls to confirm (8)
Recall repairs are free at any Mazda dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
24V695000AirbagsSep 2024
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2023 MX-5 Miata vehicles. A software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection.".
Risk: An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the Sophisticated Air Bag Sensor (SAS) control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 6924I.
23V487000Backup cameraJul 2023
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Mazda3 and 2016-2021 CX-3 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display properly by showing a flickering or distorted image.
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display properly can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera, as necessary. In addition, dealers will install a wiring harness fastening seal. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 13, 2023. Final owner letters for affected models and model years in the states of CT, MA, MD, NJ, NY, PA and VA were mailed August 14, 2024. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated on or before May 1, 2025. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 6023G.
21V875000Fuel systemNov 2021
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
19V497000EngineJun 2019
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Risk: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
19V272000Wipers and visibilityApr 2019
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Mazda3 vehicles. A defective windshield wiper relay may cause the windshield wipers to become inoperative, reducing the driver's visibility.
Risk: Reduced visibility while driving can increase the risk of crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front body control module with a new module which uses an improved wiper relay design, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3219D.
19V072000TransmissionFeb 2019
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2019 MX-5 (Miata) vehicles with automatic transmissions. Due to incorrect programming of the Transmission Control Module (TCM), certain conditions may cause the vehicle to unexpectedly downshift and abruptly decelerate.
Risk: If the vehicle abruptly downshifts, the driver may lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the TCM with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3019A.
18V426000AirbagsJun 2018
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda CX-5 vehicles. In the event of a side impact or rollover crash, the side curtain air bags may not properly unfold during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation.".
Risk: If the air bags do not deploy properly in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2718F.
17V745000EngineNov 2017
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3 vehicles, equipped with an incorrect exhaust valve spring. The incorrect exhaust valve spring may fail while driving, potentially causing an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engines and replace any incorrect exhaust valve springs, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 20, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1717K.
Also looking at these instead of a 5?
Cars shoppers compare with the Mazda 5, with their own 2018 checklists.
2018 owner complaints, side by side
- Mazda 39
- Volkswagen Beetle16
- Volkswagen Jetta27
- Toyota Prius51
- Subaru Impreza148
- BMW 2 Series264
- 2018 Mazda 5423
