USED VEHICLE RESEARCH

2021 Mazda CX-5

Is This A Good Car? organizes available NHTSA-derived research for the 2021 Mazda CX-5. This page includes owner complaint records, safety recall campaigns, manufacturer communications, defect investigations, and information about the completeness of the available evidence.

DATA CONFIDENCE: Limited

Owner complaints

141NHTSA records

Recall campaigns

UnavailableYear, make and model lookup

Manufacturer communications

0Matched NHTSA records

Investigations

0Matched NHTSA records

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
141
NHTSA complaints
Most reported component
Engine
55% of categorized complaint records
Top-three component concentration
67%
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
141
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

OWNER-REPORTED COMPLAINTS

TOTAL COMPLAINTS141

COMPONENT CATEGORIES

Engine77 complaints
55%of categorized complaint records
Power Train16 complaints
11%of categorized complaint records
Unknown or Other14 complaints
10%of categorized complaint records
Electrical System12 complaints
9%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
6%of categorized complaint records
Fuel/propulsion System7 complaints
5%of categorized complaint records
Lane Departure7 complaints
5%of categorized complaint records
Visibility/wiper4 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Air Bags3 complaints
2%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
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
Suspension1 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
10

Grouped from complaint records with a valid incident date.

RECENT OWNER COMPLAINTS

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.

Electrical System · Forward Collision Avoidance

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11750866
Read complaint narrative

The vehicle's Connectivity Master Unit (CMU) suffers from a severe, persistent electronic hardware malfunction that causes the central information display and dashboard telemetry to blink, cycle, and drop signals erratically. This specific hardware architecture failure threatens to corrupt data transmission lines directly connected to the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), creating an imminent safety risk of unintended automatic emergency braking or false sensor deployment during highway transit. The vehicle utilizes the exact same defective CMU hardware component that the manufacturer has acknowledged and recalled on other model cohorts; however, the manufacturer has explicitly excluded this specific VIN from safety recall eligibility. Diagnostic attempts by the authorized dealer network relied solely on forcing digital software updates that completely failed to correct the core hardware signaling instability, leaving the vehicle un-repaired and presenting an active, unmitigated electrical and safety hazard on public roads.

Lane Departure

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11745846
Read complaint narrative

The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH on the interstate and changing lanes, the blind spot warning light was inoperable. The contact stated that the blind spot indicator then became operable. An independent mechanic was notified of the failure and stated that the repair was not covered. The local dealer was contacted, where a prior unknown diagnostic test was completed; however, the blind spot failure had not been addressed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Engine · Fuel/propulsion System

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11740997
Read complaint narrative

2021 Mazda CX‑5 (VIN: [XXX] ). First low‑oil warning at 17,800 miles. ([XXX]) Mazda dealership in La Crosse, WI performed an oil change and fully refilled the oil. Second low‑oil warning at 18,700 miles — only 900 miles later. ([XXX]) This indicates rapid, abnormal oil loss consistent with the known valve‑stem‑seal defect for this model year. Sudden low‑oil conditions pose a safety risk due to potential engine damage or failure. Requesting NHTSA document this issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11737194
Read complaint narrative

My 2021 Mazda CX‑5 is experiencing excessive oil consumption. The vehicle is burning oil between regular oil changes, and the oil level drops noticeably before the recommended service interval. I have noticed a burning smell and/or signs of oil loss without visible leaks. This raises concerns about potential engine damage, stalling, or fire risk while driving. The issue has occurred repeatedly and does not seem normal for a vehicle of this age and mileage. I am filing this complaint because this may indicate a defect affecting engine safety and reliability.

Vehicle Speed Control · Service Brakes · Forward Collision Avoidance

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11735370
Read complaint narrative

2021 Mazda CX5 AWD- Non Turbo Engine. Sunny Day, Dry. My Car was clean. No Precipitation. Some shadows of the interstate light poles across the road 200-300 feet in front of me, but they were thin shadows. Sun Was to my Left. I was driving South on May 01 2026 about 10am on the Interstate going Highway Speeds, with adaptive cruise control "on", in the 2nd lane of a 4 lane interstate. Thankfully no other traffic ahead or behind me. Car slammed on the brakes suddenly, pretty hard. I counteracted and added more gas pedal to keep in going. I turned off the Cruise Control. After a while I re-engaged the Cruise Control and had no issues. This could have been a huge accident in busier traffic. Will get the car checked out at Mazda Dealership Service this week.

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 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
Engine770001 of 4
Power Train160001 of 4
Unknown or Other140001 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
Visibility/wiper40001 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

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).

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