2013 Mazda CX-5 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
194 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
39,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 141 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 58 of 194 complaints (29.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 45 | 23.2% |
| Braking behavior | 41 | 21.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 23 | 11.9% |
| Engine operation | 10 | 5.2% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 2.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 58 |
| Engine | 42 |
| Power Train | 36 |
| Unknown Or Other | 28 |
| Service Brakes | 24 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 15 |
| Seats | 13 |
Electrical System: 58; Engine: 42; Power Train: 36; Unknown Or Other: 28; Service Brakes: 24; Vehicle Speed Control: 22; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 15; Seats: 13
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 47 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 34 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 15 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 24 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 19 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 47; 25,000 to 49,999: 34; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 24; 100,000 to 149,999: 19; 150,000 and above: 2
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (47). 53 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 18 |
| 2014 | 29 |
| 2015 | 12 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 31 |
| 2018 | 27 |
| 2019 | 19 |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2021 | 11 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 8 |
2012: 8; 2013: 18; 2014: 29; 2015: 12; 2016: 10; 2017: 31; 2018: 27; 2019: 19; 2020: 11; 2021: 11; 2022: 5; 2023: 4; 2024: 1; 2025: 8
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 45 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 41 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 23 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10494438 · 2013-01-23 (January 23, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA CX-5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE INTERIOR CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE ELECTRICAL FUSE PANEL THAT WAS UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THE FIRE MELTED THE DASHBOARD AS THE INTERIOR BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED TO THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT A REGIONAL MANAGER WOULD BE SENT TO …
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10494438 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10548627 · 2013-10-20 (October 20, 2013)
I TRIED TO TURN ON MY CAR BUT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD FOR NO REASON (DID NOT LEAVE THE CAR OR STEREO ON). AFTER I JUMPED THE BATTERY AND GOT THE CAR RUNNING THE ENGINE SOUNDED DIFFERENT AND THE ENGINE WOULD BARELY MOVE THE CAR. I LET THE BATTERY CHARGE FOR A WHILE AND TRIED TO DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN AND IT WILL HAD NO POWER COMING FROM THE ENGINE, IT WOULD ONLY GO MAYBE 20 MPH. I DROVE HOME TAKING BACK ROADS BECAUSE I COULD NOT MAINTAIN ENOUGH SPEED TO TAKE A MAIN ROAD. I PLAN ON CONTACTING MAZDA TOMORROW TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT TO FIX THIS…
Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10548627 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10477224 · 2012-09-26 (September 26, 2012)
THE PROXIMITY OF THE PEDALS SEEM TO BE TOO CLOSE. SOME FOOTWEAR MAY SNAG WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE HAVE NOTICED TWICE SINCE PURCHASING CAR ON 9/22. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 235 miles reported. Look up ODI 10477224 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10480805 · 2012-10-17 (October 17, 2012)
PULLING IN TO PARKING SPACE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND COULDN'T TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND JUMP CURB AND RAN INTO SIDE OF BUILDING. BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARD TO PRESS AND EVEN TRIED PUMPING BRAKE, BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. ENGINE SPEED DID NOT CHANGE WHEN PUMPING BRAKE. VEHICLE WAS ONLY THREE WEEKS OLD AND HAD A MAJOR MALFUNTION WITH BRAKING AND STEERING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 873 miles reported. Look up ODI 10480805 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10474373 · 2012-09-09 (September 9, 2012)
I WAS DRIVING AT THE LISTED SPEED ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE. WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE WENT FROM SIXTH GEAR TO FOURTH, RAPIDLY LOSING SPEED IN THE FAR LEFT LANE. THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON FLASHING, AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON SOLID YELLOW. I PULLED THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER TO CHECK THE TIRES, PER THE INDICATOR, AND NOTICED NONE OF THE TIRES WAS DEFLATED. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE TIRE PRESSURE AND TRACTION LIGHTS WERE SOLID YELLOW, ALONG WITH THE ENGINE AND "AT" TRANSMISSION LIGHT. WHILE THERE WAS NO …
Owner-reported narrative. 6,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10474373 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10488066 · 2012-12-12 (December 12, 2012)
THIS EVENING I WAS RUNNING 2 ERRANDS LESS THAN 3 MILES FROM HOUSE. AS I DROVE FROM THE FIRST ERRAND AND ARRIVED AT THE SECOND, THE MALFUNCTION INDICATORS ILLUMINATED: HTTP://1.BP.BLOGSPOT.COM/-0A4BJZANA9E/UMF10EMOZJI/AAAAAAAAAHK/AKLXHAHWFSW/S1600/2012-12-11_CX-5.JPG I PARKED AT MY SECOND ERRAND, TURNED THE CAR OFF, AND DECIDED TO LET IT SIT. WHEN I CAME BACK AND STARTED IT, ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. WITH THE VEHICLE FULL OF PURCHASES, TEMPERATURE NEAR 30 DEGREES, I OPTED TO TRY AND MAKE IT THE 2.3 MILES HOME. I GOT 2 TRAFFIC LIG…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,996 miles reported. Look up ODI 10488066 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10552061 · 2013-11-13 (November 13, 2013)
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE VERY SUDDENLY DECELERATED (FROM ABOUT 55 TO 40), ALMOST AS IF IT SLIPPED BACK A COUPLE OF GEARS- IT WAS A JARRING AND IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER, AND I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE STRAIN AS IF IT WAS FORCED INTO A LOWER GEAR. THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM AND TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. I LOST ABILITY TO ACCELERATE ABOVE MAYBE 1K OR 1.5K RPMS. WHEN I SLOWED THE CAR DOWN AND DROVE TO A PLACE I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER, THE CAR WAS SPUTTERING AND TREMBL…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10552061 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10583570 · 2014-04-18 (April 18, 2014)
CAR FAILS TO START X 2 BUT THEN STARTS. BRIEFLY, ACCELERATE CAR AS I MERGE ON THE FWY. CAR BEGINS DECELERATING, LURCHING SO I STRUGGLE TO STEER TO THE SIDE OF THE FWY. MANY WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING, NO BRAKES, NO STEERING ABILITY. TURN OF CAR. TRY BUT UNABLE TO TURN ON CAR. CALL TOWED. MECHANICS SAY CAR STARTS RIGHT UP AND NOTHING WRONG. FUNKY OTHER LITTLE THINGS LIKE, I OPEN REAR HATCH TO PUT ITEM IN CAR (KEYS ARE IN HOUSE). ATTEMPT TO CLOSE HATCH BUT IT WON'T LATCH. OBTAIN REMOTE AND TRY TO USE IT TO ENGAGE LATCH. NO LUCK. LAST MONTH, CA…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10583570 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11062544 · 2018-01-13 (January 13, 2018)
[XXX] THE ENGINE DOES NOT IDLE. WHEN I WOULD SLOW TO STOP FOR A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, TH ENGINE WOULD QUIT AND REQUIRE RESTARTING THE ENGINE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY, AND, THE RED BATTERY LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE. A SERVICE STATION DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS EITHER AN OLD BATTERY, AND/OR, AN ALTERNATOR. OURISMAN MAZDA, 801 ROCKVILLE PIKE, ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20852 [[phone removed]] ADVISED ME THIS MORNING, SATURDAY, 01/13/2018, THAT: 1.)THE PROBLEM IS THE MASS AIR FLOW FILTER THAT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. 2…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11062544 at NHTSA ↗