2023 Mazda CX-5: What to check before buying

Automatic emergency braking that kicks in with nothing ahead is the most common complaint. Some cars drop sharply from highway speed and nearly get rear-ended, and one stalled the engine in stop-and-go traffic. A second group says the car surges or lurches forward while the brake is pressed, so the pedal has to be stomped. One of those reports involves a crash into a wall. Other filings describe Smart Brake System and radar warnings that keep coming back, brake fluid leaking at the front calipers, and rear pads that wore out early.

Several warnings appear at once, covering the radar sensor, Smart Brake Support, ABS and stability control, followed by lost braking. One such report includes a crash with an injury. Other filings describe the car creeping or lurching forward after the driver lifts off the gas. Further reports cover dead batteries and lockouts that dealers could not trace, a power liftgate that stops halfway and beeps, and a console switch that fails after spills. Trailer wiring that flashes erratically is also reported, mostly on the CX-50.

Sticking when the wheel is turned left, roughly between the 9 and 11 o'clock positions, comes up repeatedly. It is worse in cold weather and at low speed. Other reports describe very heavy steering at highway speed that tires the driver, made heavier when lane keeping engages. One crash report describes the dash lighting up with errors as the steering and brakes locked, and the car hit a guardrail. Two CX-50 reports describe a loose, wobbling steering wheel, and one was traced to a loose bolt.

Front lower ball joint and control arm failures are the most serious complaints. In some cases the front wheel nearly separates from the car. One failure at about 2,077 miles caused a loss of control and a crash. Other reports describe loud clunks over city streets at low speed, crunching from worn strut bearings when turning, and vibration above 60 mph that repeated dealer visits did not fix. Most of these filings name the CX-50, and one describes waiting nearly two months for a replacement control arm.

Unintended acceleration while parking is the main complaint. Drivers describe moving from the gas to the brake and having the car surge over curbs or into a building. One of these crashes happened at 150 miles and caused an injury. Other reports describe a rocking shake when moving from the brake to the gas below 20 mph, which new engine mounts did not cure. Further filings mention knocking from the rear at walking speed and a Vehicle System Malfunction warning tied to a broken grille shutter.

Oil disappears between changes, setting off low-oil warnings and needing about a quart every 3,000 to 4,000 miles. Dealers often find no leak and simply ask owners to come back later. More serious reports describe sudden power loss in traffic, which one dealer blamed on a fuel injector, and an engine that failed on a nearly new car. On Turbo models, the hydraulic serpentine belt tensioner leaks, and the leak returns soon after cleaning.

The safety system fails in both directions. It brakes hard on open highway with nothing ahead, sometimes several times in a row, often next to semi trucks or after driving through snow. It also shuts itself off in rain, fog or cold, damp weather, and dealers blame dirt or moisture on the sensors. One crash report says the system gave no warning and did not brake before a rear-end collision. Blind spot monitoring is also reported to drop out in clear conditions.

Both reports involve crashes and injuries. In one, the airbag did not deploy when the car hit a deer at highway speed, the seat belt did not hold the driver, and the driver lost vision in one eye. The car was a total loss. In the other, an air vent broke off as the airbag burst, filling the cabin with smoke. Neither filing points to a common cause, and one involves a CX-50.