2008 Mazda MAZDA5: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
67 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
38,750 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 60 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 36 of 67 complaints (53.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 34 | 50.7% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 10.4% |
| Braking behavior | 5 | 7.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 6.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 1.5% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Steering | 36 |
| Suspension | 6 |
| Tires | 5 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Engine | 3 |
| Structure:Body | 3 |
| Suspension:Rear | 3 |
| Visibility | 3 |
Steering: 36; Suspension: 6; Tires: 5; Electrical System: 3; Engine: 3; Structure:Body: 3; Suspension:Rear: 3; Visibility: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 24 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 15 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 9 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 24; 25,000 to 49,999: 15; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 3
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (24). 7 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 |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | 31 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2008: 2; 2009: 8; 2010: 31; 2011: 4; 2012: 3; 2013: 2; 2014: 2; 2015: 3; 2016: 2; 2017: 3; 2018: 2; 2019: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 34 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 7 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 5 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10243922 · 2008-09-29 (September 29, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA 5. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SUNROOF SUDDENLY EXPLODED. THE SUNROOF WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT SOMEONE IN THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 4,100.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243922 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10245449 · 2008-10-14 (October 14, 2008)
WE BOUGHT A 2008 MAZDA5 AND HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR LOOSE BOLTS ON THE REAR RIGHT SUSPENSION. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 2000 MILES ON IT. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE CAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10245449 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10253630 · 2009-01-02 (January 2, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA 5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE LOOSE BOLTS ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SUSPENSION. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD LOUD POPPING NOISES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ONCE AND THEY PLANNED ON REPLACING THE BUSHING AND TIGHTENING THE BOLTS ON THE SUSPENSION. THE INNER WALLS OF THE TIRES WERE WEARING OFF DUE TO THE LOOSE BOLTS, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE SUSPENSION TO SLOWLY DETACH. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT SEVERAL OTHER CONSUMERS WERE…
Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10253630 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10263798 · 2009-03-31 (March 31, 2009)
VAN HAS 15,000 MILES AND IS APPROX 14 MONTHS OLD. VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR IN THE FRONT AND TIRE CUPPING IN THE REAR, CREATING EXCESSIVE ROAD/TIRE NOISE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE CABIN. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10263798 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10264758 · 2009-04-08 (April 8, 2009)
DRIVERS FLOOR MAT RETAINING CLIP BEGINS TO SEPARATE FROM NORMAL USAGE. SEPARATION ALLOWS MAT TO MOVE FORWARD ENOUGH THAT EDGE OF MAT IS CAUGHT BY CLUTCH PEDAL DURING GEAR CHANGES. MAT LIFTS OVER CLUTCH PEDAL AND BECOMES ENTANGLED WITH CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDAL WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT GEARS. MAT INTERFERENCE CAUSES ACCIDENTAL AND AGGRESSIVE BRAKE APPLICATION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS. MAT HAS BEEN REPLACED BY DEALER PREVIOUSLY BUT PROBLEM RETURNS AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF USAGE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 24,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10264758 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10272691 · 2009-06-02 (June 2, 2009)
DRIVING FOR 2 HOURS OF A 4 HOUR DRIVE, POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON VEHICLE. I WAS STOPPED AT A GAS STATION AND WENT TO PULL OUT WHEN IT HAPPENED. IT HAD NOT HAPPENED BEFORE AND 24 HOURS LATER IT WAS WORKING AGAIN. MAZDA HAS TAKEN MY CAR FOR REPAIR AND HAS GIVEN ME A RENTAL CAR. HOWEVER DUE TO THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO THE MAZDA 5 THE PARTS (PUMP AND PIPE) ARE ON BACK ORDER AND MY CAR WILL NOT BE REPAIRED AND RETURNED FOR 15 WEEKS. IF I WERE TO TAKE POSSESSION OF MY CAR I WOULD HAVE TO SIGN A WAIVER THAT MAZDA IS NO…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10272691 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10273527 · 2009-06-11 (June 11, 2009)
POWER STEERING GOES OUT SPORADICALLY. THERE HAVE BEEN THREE OCCASIONS SO FAR IN THE PAST YEAR THAT THE POWER STEERING HAS WENT OUT ON MY MAZDA 5. TWICE I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WAIT TEN SECONDS AND RESTART THE CAR AND IT RESET. ONCE IT TOOK TWO HOURS OF SITTING OFF BEFORE IT RESET ITSELF. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 31,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10273527 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10278691 · 2009-07-29 (July 29, 2009)
PREMATURE TIRE WEAR IS A HUGE PROBLEM. HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT 2 FACTORY TOYO TIRES AT 8,777 MILES (SEP 2008) DUE TO EVEN WEAR THAT PLACED THE TIRES IN THE "RED". REPLACED THE SAME TWO FRONT TIRES (WHICH WERE FALKEN) AT 24,437 MILES (JULY 2009) BECAUSE OF EVEN TIRE WEAR THAT PLACED THE TIRES IN THE "RED". I AM NOW ON MY THIRD SET OF TIRES AT ONLY 24,500 MILES. BOTH TIMES THAT TIRE REPLACEMENT OCCURRED, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP FOR ALIGNMENT CHECK AND TO VERIFY WHAT THE CAUSE OF THE ABNORMAL, PREMATURE WEAR IS. BOTH TIMES THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,777 miles reported. Look up ODI 10278691 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
10V374000 · Steering:Electric Power Assist System
Reported: 2010-08-12 (August 12, 2010)
MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 MAZDA3 AND MAZDA5 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 2, 2007 THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2008. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE.
Consequence: POWER STEERING ASSIST IS SUDDENLY LOST REDUCING THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE AS TYPICALLY EXPECTED, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: MAZDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND LINES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-222-5500.
NHTSA campaign record ↗