2023 Mazda 5: What to check before buying

The most common report is automatic emergency braking that slams on with nothing ahead. It happens at highway speed and in stop-and-go traffic, and sometimes it stalls the engine. Other reports describe brake fluid leaking near the front calipers with no warning light, a pedal that needs heavy force to stop the car, rear pads and rotors worn out unusually early, and a loud pop when releasing the brake to pull away. One crash report describes sudden acceleration into a wall with no braking assist or collision warning.

Most reports involve the manual transmission. Gears refuse to engage, grind, or need heavy force, especially going from 2nd to 3rd, and one report names synchronizer failure. Trouble starts within the first few thousand miles. Some cars have had the transmission replaced, and one faces a second replacement. There are no warning lights, so drivers get stuck at stops or lose drive at speed. Other complaints describe slipping with racing rpm and little forward movement, jerky 1-2 shifts at low speed, and a knocking noise from the rear at low speeds.

The most serious report is a fire at highway speed. A loud bang came first, then electrical and engine malfunction warnings, then flames that spread over the front right side. A separate crash report describes emergency braking stopping the car on the highway, which led to a rear-end collision. Other problems include repeated dead batteries and lockouts that dealers could not trace, liquid in the console destroying the command switch, and genuine trailer wiring that makes trailer lamps flash erratically. One owner says towing is limited without a brake controller.

Turning left, the wheel sticks between roughly the 9 and 11 o'clock positions. It is worse in cold weather and at low speeds. Two reports describe a loose or wobbling steering wheel, and one was traced to a loosened steering wheel bolt at higher mileage. On ice, lane keeping can mistake light steering input for hands off the wheel and jerk the wheel sideways. One crash with an injury describes violent shaking at highway speed and a sharp pull left into the median.

Front lower ball joints and control arms fail. In the worst cases the joint pulls out of the control arm, the axle separates, and the car can no longer move. One failure at 2077 miles caused a loss-of-control crash. In another case a replacement control arm was backordered for nearly two months with no loaner car provided. Other reports describe loud clunks at 5 to 25 mph that dealers cannot trace, and strut bearing crunching during low-speed braking and turning, which a dealer blamed on dirt.

All four reports come from crashes, and three involve injuries. One airbag burst through the dash vent and filled the cabin with smoke. In another case the airbag did not deploy in a deer strike at 55-60 mph, and the seat belt failed to hold the occupant. The other two reports describe severe crashes, including a fatal rollover that ended in fire. Those reports do not identify an airbag fault, so the pattern stays unclear.

The system brakes hard with open road ahead, both at freeway speed and when pulling away from a light. Some of these events happen near semi trucks or after a forward camera dirty warning in snow. The system also shuts itself off in rain, fog, light moisture, or cold, which dealers blame on dirt or fog. It turns back on every time the car starts. One crash report describes the opposite failure: no warning and no braking before a rear-end collision.

The rear liftgate opens by itself while driving, with no button pressed. The hood visibly wobbles at all speeds, and a clanging metal noise comes from the front. Keyless entry sometimes takes two or three tries to unlock, and auto-lock may not engage when the driver walks away. Fabric lining or insulation also works loose from the seam between the dash and the pillars on both sides.