AutoUtility currently tracks 143 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2021 Mazda CX-5. Engine & Cooling issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 74 complaints (51.7% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 9 filings cite a crash, 5 report one or more injuries.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
74 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
21 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
16 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
12 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
13 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"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..."
"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..."
"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..."
"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..."
"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..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Mazda CX-5 | 133 | 11 | 4 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Mazda CX-5 | 510 | 31 | 5 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Mazda CX-5 | 148 | 5 | 1 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Mazda CX-5 | 117 | 1 | 3 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Mazda CX-5 | 266 | 7 | 2 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Mazda CX-5 | 106 | 9 | 0 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Mazda CX-5 Current Page | 143 | 9 | 0 | Current |
| 2022 Mazda CX-5 | 62 | 5 | 0 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Mazda CX-5 | 60 | 8 | 0 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Mazda CX-5 | 41 | 4 | 0 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Mazda CX-5 | 27 | 4 | 0 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Mazda CX-5 | 13 | 0 | 0 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 43 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 57 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane Departure Warning NHTSA category: LANE DEPARTURE | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention / Camera NHTSA category: BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CHEST CLIP, BUCKLE, HARNESS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Doors, Latches & Locks NHTSA category: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Mazda CX-5
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2021 Mazda CX-5 is Engine & Cooling, appearing in 74 records (51.7% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (21) and Powertrain & Transmission (16).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 143 consumer defect complaints and 0 safety recall campaigns for the 2021 Mazda CX-5.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Mazda CX-5, 9 filings cite a crash, 0 cite smoke or fire, and 5 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.