USED VEHICLE RESEARCH

2021 Mazda CX-5

Research the 2021 Mazda CX-5 using available NHTSA owner complaints, safety recalls, manufacturer communications, defect investigations, and CarIQ data-coverage analysis.

DATA CONFIDENCE: Limited

Owner complaints

146NHTSA records

Recall campaigns

UnavailableYear, make and model lookup

Manufacturer communications

0Matched NHTSA records

Investigations

0Matched NHTSA records

SUBJECTIVE OWNER FEEDBACK

OWNER EXPERIENCE

What it is like to live with the vehicle—kept clearly separate from official NHTSA evidence.

BUILDING THE COMMUNITY

THE FIRST USEFUL PERSPECTIVE COULD BE YOURS

No approved owner experiences yet.

Contributions are collected carefully and only appear here after moderation. No placeholders, sample testimonials, or invented sentiment.

OWNED THIS CAR?

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Share what you liked, what could be better, and whether you would choose it again. Every contribution is moderated before publication.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE 2021 Mazda CX-5
INDEPENDENT EVIDENCE TYPES

NHTSA owner complaint records remain part of Official Vehicle Data. Subjective review contributions remain in Owner Experience. One does not validate or prove the other. Read the methodology.

EVIDENCE, NOT A SCORE

WHAT THIS DATA CAN TELL YOU ABOUT RELIABILITY

Official records can provide useful research context, but each source has a different meaning. Complaint counts are not failure rates; recalls are formal safety campaigns; manufacturer communications are technical or service documentation; and investigations reflect formal NHTSA activity. Data Confidence measures evidence availability, not vehicle quality. CarIQ does not publish a composite Reliability Score.

Available evidence summary: 146 NHTSA owner complaint records; safety recall campaigns are currently unavailable; 0 manufacturer communications; 0 applicable NHTSA defect investigations.

EVIDENCE AVAILABILITY — NOT VEHICLE RELIABILITY

DATA CONFIDENCE

Limited

Data Confidence measures how much usable evidence CarIQ has for this vehicle. It does not measure how reliable the vehicle is.

Why this rating?
Owner complaint data
Available
Manufacturer communications
Available
Recall data
Unavailable
Investigation data
Available
Production denominator
Unavailable
Complaint component completeness
100%
Mileage completeness
0%
Incident-date completeness
100%

DESCRIPTIVE ANALYTICS

DATA INSIGHTS

Derived from official NHTSA source records. These statistics are descriptive and are not a reliability score.

Complaint records analyzed
146
NHTSA complaints
Most reported component
Engine
54% of categorized complaint records
Top-three component concentration
68%
Records mentioning at least one top-three component
Median reported incident mileage
Not available from current source
0 valid mileage observations
Recall campaigns
Unavailable
NHTSA recalls
Most recent recall report
Not available
NHTSA recalls
Manufacturer communications
0
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Most documented component
Not available
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Top-three communication concentration
Not available
Share of categorized manufacturer communications

SOURCE COMPLETENESS

DATA QUALITY

Complaint records analyzed
146
Component classification available
100%
Incident date available
100%
Mileage available
0%
Structured outcome fields available
100%

Completeness describes fields present in the retrieved complaint records. It is not a data-quality grade or a vehicle assessment.

Learn about CarIQ methodology

PRODUCTION-ADJUSTED DESCRIPTIVE METRIC

NORMALIZED COMPLAINT CONTEXT

Production-normalized complaint data is not currently available for this vehicle.

This metric compares the number of NHTSA owner complaint records retrieved by CarIQ with NHTSA-reported production volume for the corresponding vehicle population.

It is not a vehicle failure rate. Complaint reporting behavior, vehicle age, time on the road, production definitions, and other factors can affect the result.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Early Warning Reporting, Light Vehicle Production Data. Read the methodology.

OFFICIAL NHTSA OWNER COMPLAINT DATA

PROBLEMS REPORTED IN NHTSA RECORDS

CarIQ groups available NHTSA owner complaint records for the 2021 Mazda CX-5 by vehicle system to make recurring documentation easier to research. Most represented complaint categories describe the retrieved records—not failure frequency.

TOTAL COMPLAINTS146

MOST REPRESENTED COMPLAINT CATEGORIES

Engine79 complaints
54%of categorized complaint records
Power Train17 complaints
12%of categorized complaint records
Unknown or Other17 complaints
12%of categorized complaint records
Electrical System12 complaints
8%of categorized complaint records
Forward Collision Avoidance11 complaints
8%of categorized complaint records
Service Brakes11 complaints
8%of categorized complaint records
Vehicle Speed Control8 complaints
5%of categorized complaint records
Fuel/propulsion System7 complaints
5%of categorized complaint records
Lane Departure7 complaints
5%of categorized complaint records
Air Bags4 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Visibility/wiper4 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Tires3 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Visibility3 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Back Over Prevention2 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Engine and Engine Cooling2 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Steering2 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Structure2 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Suspension2 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Buckle1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Chest Clip1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Exterior Lighting1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Fuel System1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Gasoline1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Harness1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records
Latches/locks/linkages1 complaint
1%of categorized complaint records

A complaint may list more than one component and therefore contribute to multiple categories. Percentages show the share of categorized complaint records that mention each component—not the percentage of vehicles affected. Category percentages may overlap.

INCIDENT REPORTS BY YEAR

2020
1
2021
25
2022
45
2023
19
2024
20
2025
21
2026
15

Grouped from complaint records with a valid incident date.

RECENT OWNER COMPLAINTS

Suspension · Power Train · Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11766438
Read complaint narrative

Differential went and generated a cascading chain reaction destroying the coupler and breather and axles. Car is undrivable. This. Defect has a TSB

Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11765445
Read complaint narrative

2021 Mazda CX-5 2.5L non-turbo. While driving at approximately 8 mph, I removed my foot from the accelerator, but the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated on its own. I did not press the accelerator pedal. I had to apply the brake to slow the vehicle down. This issue has occurred three separate times, on August 25, September 4, and September 18, 2026, at approximately 70,060 miles. The same unintended acceleration behavior occurred during all three incidents.

Unknown or Other

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11763398
Read complaint narrative

Twice while making left turns from a stop into faster cross traffic, the accelerator was pressed but the vehicle barely moved (coasting) for roughly 2 - 3 seconds, then suddenly accelerated normally, creating a near-collision risk as cross traffic quickly approached. No warning lights were observed on the dash.

Unknown or Other

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11756577
Read complaint narrative

My CX-5 has 25,000 miles and recently the a/c failed culminating in a distinct chemical smell in the cabin. The issue was identified as a leaking/failed evaporator which apparently is located behind the dashboard and in turn “dump” the leaking refrigerant into the cabin! The total cost of repair due to the location of the evaporator is between 3000-4500 in my area, seems a high cost to be poisoned by a vehicle that only has 25,000 miles on the clock!

Air Bags · Unknown or Other

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11755858
Read complaint narrative

My 2021 Mazda CX-5 has developed a persistent rattling/vibration noise from the A-pillar and upper corner of the windshield. The noise appears to originate from the windshield/A-pillar attachment area and may be related to improper adhesion, mounting, weatherstripping, or other components near the top of the windshield. I have found numerous similar owner reports involving Mazda CX-5 and other fourth-generation Mazda models describing rattling, clicking, or vibration from the same windshield/A-pillar area. Because this issue appears to affect a significant number of vehicles, I believe NHTSA should investigate whether there is a common manufacturing or assembly defect and determine whether a manufacturer repair campaign or recall is warranted.

Lane Departure

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11755082
Crash reported
Read complaint narrative

While driving in the Interstate, a truck swerved towards my lane; I swerved into the next lane to avoid the truck hitting me and when I began to swerve my Lane Departure warning malfunctioned and caused my car to completely shut down. I immediately put my hazard lights on to hopefully avoid being hit; but, a car behind plowed right into my rear end. The police were onsite at the accident. My vehicle has been inspected by an independent service center and my insurance representative.

Forward Collision Avoidance

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11753806
Read complaint narrative

I was sitting at a traffic light with my foot on the brake waiting to turn left onto Lee Highway from Fairfax County Parkway. Car jerked forward TWO times in a row, both times hitting the car in front of me. Our lane was at a dead stop waiting for the left hand arrow. The cars to the right of us had the green and were moving forward. I felt like I had no control over the car during this time.

Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11753162
Read complaint narrative

The vehicle developed an engine oil leak from the timing cover due to what appears to be premature seal failure. Engine oil was leaking externally and could drip onto hot engine components, creating a potential fire hazard while the vehicle is in operation. The leak also increases the risk of low engine oil levels, which could lead to engine damage or sudden engine failure if not detected in time. This issue required an expensive repair despite the vehicle being properly maintained. I have since learned that many other Mazda owners have reported similar timing cover oil leaks on this engine, suggesting this may be a widespread defect rather than normal wear and tear. I am submitting this complaint so NHTSA can evaluate whether this represents a safety-related defect that warrants further investigation.

NHTSA complaints are reports submitted by vehicle owners and other consumers. Complaint counts do not represent the percentage of vehicles affected and do not by themselves establish that a safety defect exists.

A higher complaint count can partly reflect how many vehicles were sold, vehicle age, and other factors. CarIQ does not yet normalize complaint counts by vehicles sold.

Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This site is not endorsed by NHTSA.

OFFICIAL NHTSA SAFETY RECALL DATA

SAFETY RECALLS

Recall data is temporarily unavailable. Please check again later or verify directly with NHTSA.

Recall results shown here are based on year, make, and model. A specific vehicle may or may not be affected. Check the vehicle's VIN with NHTSA to confirm open recalls before purchasing. Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

OFFICIAL NHTSA MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION DATA

MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATIONS

TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS0

No NHTSA manufacturer communication records were returned for this year, make, and model.

Manufacturer communications include service bulletins and other technical information submitted by manufacturers to NHTSA. The existence or number of communications does not establish how often a condition occurs or whether an individual vehicle will experience it.

Some manufacturers may issue more detailed service documentation than others, so communication counts should not be used alone to compare vehicle reliability.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration manufacturer communications

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS

TOTAL INVESTIGATION RECORDS0

No applicable NHTSA defect investigation records were returned for this year, make, and model.

NHTSA investigations evaluate potential motor-vehicle safety defects. The existence of an investigation does not by itself establish that a safety defect exists, and the absence of an investigation does not establish that a vehicle is problem-free.

Open and closed describe NHTSA's process status, not a CarIQ reliability judgment.

View official NHTSA investigation data ↗

DESCRIPTIVE SOURCE OVERLAP

CROSS-SOURCE VEHICLE DATA

CarIQ compares categories appearing across independent NHTSA datasets. Overlap can help identify areas with more available documentation, but it does not establish defect frequency or prove that an individual vehicle will experience a problem.

ComponentOwner complaintsManufacturer communicationsRecall campaignsNHTSA investigationsOfficial sources containing records
Engine790001 of 4
Power Train170001 of 4
Unknown or Other170001 of 4
Electrical System120001 of 4
Forward Collision Avoidance110001 of 4
Service Brakes110001 of 4
Vehicle Speed Control80001 of 4
Fuel/propulsion System70001 of 4
Lane Departure70001 of 4
Air Bags40001 of 4

Displayed first by the number of source categories containing the component, then by owner complaint count, then alphabetically. This is a presentation rule, not a vehicle ranking. Complaint reports, manufacturer communications, recalls, and investigations describe different events and are never added into a combined total.

complaint
Available
communication
Available
recall
Unavailable
investigation
Available
production
Unavailable

COMMON RESEARCH QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 2021 MAZDA CX-5

Is the 2021 Mazda CX-5 reliable?

CarIQ does not currently assign a reliability score to the 2021 Mazda CX-5. Available evidence is shown as separate official-source records with a Data Confidence classification of Limited.

What problems are reported for the 2021 Mazda CX-5?

146 NHTSA owner complaint records. When complaint data is available, the page groups records by the NHTSA component categories they identify without treating those categories as verified failure rates.

Are there recalls for the 2021 Mazda CX-5?

safety recall campaigns are currently unavailable. Year, make, and model results do not confirm whether a specific VIN is affected or whether a remedy has been completed.

USED-CAR CANDIDATE RESEARCH

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