Second generation (KF)
2018 Mazda CX-5
The most reported problem on the 2018 Mazda CX-5 is misfire, with 130 complaints, usually around 57,000 miles.
- 350owner complaints
- 3recalls
- 19involved a crash
- 38,000median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 25, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your CX-5 doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2018 model year.
Is the 2018 Mazda CX-5 reliable?
The 2018 Mazda CX-5 has 350 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, close to the median of 331 for 2018 SUVs on this site. Of the 13 CX-5 model years since 2014, it has the 2nd most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2017 and 2019
- At 39 complaints for each year on the road, the 2018 runs 2.6 times the 2017 (15) and above the 2019 (34).
- Top problem
- One problem takes up much of the file: misfire, named in 130 of the 350 complaints (37%). A quarter of the 65 owners who gave a mileage for misfire saw it by about 43,000 miles, and half by about 57,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 22 of the 350 complaints (6%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, about the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 19 reports mention a crash, 1 mentions a fire and 6 people were hurt. The most crash reports, 8 of 19, fall under brake wear.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- Misfire and oil leak share a recall on the same system (19V-497). Infotainment has none. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2024 at 73 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 55. So far in 2026, 43 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: check engine light or misfire, 130 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
350 complaints is 1.3 times the median 2018 model on this site and about the median for a 2018 SUV. Among the 9 CX-5 model years here it ranks 2nd for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2018 Mazda CX-5
Mazda filed 633 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2018 Mazda CX-5. 104 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car, 5 of those a warranty extension. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Check engine light or misfire 38 bulletins · 130 complaints
Subject: TSB 01-001/26 Warranty and Parts Kit Update INCLUDES: Warranty Extension Program - Special Service Program (SSP) D8 Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00, 2018-2025 CX-5, 2019-2023 Mazda3, 2019-2022 CX-3, 2018-2021 Mazda6, 2020-2023 CX-30 Dear ...
Some customers may experience a check engine light ON with DTC P0126:00 (Thermostat stuck open) and one or more of the following symptoms: Engine takes longer to warm up. Engine temperature gauge fluctuates.
36 more on this problem
Some vehicles may display some (or all) of the following symptoms: • Check engine light on with DTC P061B • Light increase in engine rpms during acceleration • Transmission will not shift past 4th gear • Various U codes (U0401 ABS, U0401, U0415 FSC, U0301, ...
SSPD8 - Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00 - WARRANTY EXTENSION For certain 2018-2025MY CX-5, 2019-2023MY Mazda3, 2019-2022MY CX-3, 2018-2021MY Mazda6, 2020-2023MY CX-30 that are equipped with the suspected coolant control valve, the warranty coverage ...
SSPD8 - SPECIAL SERVICE PROGRAM WARRANTY EXTENSION MULTI-MODEL - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WITH DTC P0126:00.Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a Special Service Program (SSP) to extend the warranty coverage for a specific repair of the fail-safe thermostat in the coolant control valve on certain ...
Some vehicles may experience an engine no start/no crank with either of the following DTC's stored: P0615:12 - Starter relay circuit malfunction B112A:12 - IG2 relay circuit malfunction This may be caused by water contamination/corrosion at electrical ...
On certain subject vehicles, the check engine light is illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0126, due to the fail-safe thermostat being stuck open. Additionally, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms: -Engine takes longer to warm up.
Some vehicles may have the check engine light on with DTC P0524:00 or P055F:00 stored in memory. Contamination in the engine oil may cause the engine oil solenoid valve to become stuck, resulting in improper operation of the oil pump and improper oil pressure.
Some customers may experience the check engine light ON with DTC P0126:00 (Thermostat stuck open) and one or more of the following symptoms: The engine takes longer to warm up The engine temperature gauge fluctuates The low coolant temperature indicator ...
Some vehicles may experience a lack of power and the check engine light on with DTC P061B:00 stored in PCM memory under one of the following conditions (A or B). - DTC P061B:00 - [PCM] Internal control module torque calculation performance problem.
Some customers may experience a check engine light illumination with DTCs P24C6:00, P24C7:00, P24AE:00, P24B1:00 and/or P24AF:00 stored in PCM memory.
Some customers may experience the CHECK ENGINE light ON at idle with DTC P22FB:00 [DCU] and P1640:00 [PCM] stored in memory.
Plus 26 older ones not listed here.
Engine leaks oil 5 bulletins · 63 complaints
Some customer's might state that they notice fluid or oil leaking/dripping on the ground when the vehicle is parked. For this concern, inspect the vehicle for any trace of a fluid or oil leak and use the following examples as a guide to determine if it is ...
Some vehicles may exhibit oil leakage or seepage from the mating surface between the engine and the transmission. Upon removing the transmission for inspection, engine oil is found to be seeping/leaking from the blind plug on the rear side of the engine ...
3 more on this problem
Some vehicles may exhibit oil seepage or oil leak onto the engine front cover, which becomes more apparent with dust adhesion.
Some vehicles may exhibit oil leakage from the drive belt auto tensioner and rattling noises from the engine compartment.
GUIDE LINES AND PHOTOS TO DETERMINE IF FLUID/OIL SEEPAGE OR LEAK IS SEVERE ENOUGH TO REQUIRE WARRANTY REPAIR OR TO CLEAN AND MONITOR. Some customer's might state that they notice fluid or oil leaking/dripping on the ground when the vehicle is parked. For this concern, inspect the vehicle for any trace of a fluid or oil leak and use the following examples as a guide to determine if it is ...
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 41 bulletins · 46 complaints
Some vehicles may have one of the following DTCs stored in memory along with a system status notice on the Multi-information display OR display a system status notice with no DTC: C1001:92 - Forward sensing camera (FSC) poor field of view [Gen 6 vehicles] ...
Some customers may complain about any of the following: 1. Infotainment Center Display does not provide the Authorization Code (OTP) during the MyMazda App Connected Vehicle enrollment. 2. Remote function(s) inoperative.
39 more on this problem
Some vehicles may exhibit a partially missing image (shown in the circles below) from the Active Driving Display (ADD) on the front window and/or display.
Some customers may complain that the ambient temperature on the instrument cluster is displayed more than 50 °F (10 °C) lower than the actual temperature, resulting in insufficient performance of the air conditioning.
Some customers may complain about infotainment center display. Peeling, spider cracks and white dots.
Some customers may experience any of the following: Engine no start due to battery discharge Ignition cannot be turned OFF Infotainment remains ON after the ignition is turned OFF Infotainment display is blank Commander switch is inoperative Remote ...
Some customers may complain about infotainment center display: - Ghost Touch - DTC B108E:04 may be stored (Touch screen operates by itself) - Surface Peeling - DTC B108E:04 may be stored - Spider Cracks - White dots IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT replace the ...
Some vehicles may experience the symptoms mentioned below, which can be fixed with the latest software update (Version 74.00.324 or later). The system performance has been improved as follows: Ver.
Some vehicles may exhibit the following malfunctions: - The film on the center display is peeling off, as shown in the illustration below. This may be caused by cleaning the center display surface.
Some vehicles may exhibit either or both of the following symptoms. 1. The SCBS warning light is illuminated with DTC U045A:68 [FORWARD SENSING CAMERA (FSC)]. U045A:68 Error signal received from parking assist unit 2.
Some customers may complain about the following message displayed in the Multi-Information Display: In the following cases, the MRCC with Stop & Go function system is canceled when the vehicle is traveling at 19 mph (30 km/h) or less: * The Forward Sensing ...
Some customers may complain about infotainment center display ghost touch (touch screen operates by itself), surface peeling or spider cracks. Repair kits are available to replace just the screen.
Plus 29 older ones not listed here.
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 7 bulletins · 33 complaints
Some vehicles exhibit brake related concerns such as brake noise, brake judder or brake dragging. If you encounter a customer complaint for any one of these symptoms, refer to the following information to understand why symptoms may occur, and to better ...
Front Brake Noise Symptom 1: Some vehicles may exhibit a click noise when first moving forward or reverse from a stop OR when first applying the brakes while moving forward at slow speeds.
5 more on this problem
Some vehicles may exhibit a squeak noise from the rear brakes while braking lightly and occurs more frequently when driving at slow speeds. The noise is caused by poor contact between the guide plate and the mounting support.
Some vehicles may exhibit a squeak noise from the rear brakes while braking lightly. The squeak noise may occur more frequently when driving at slow speeds. The noise is caused by poor contact between the guide plate and the mounting support.
Some vehicles equipped with electric parking brake (EPB) may exhibit a grinding noise from the rear brakes when braking. This may be caused by the rear brake pads not having the capability to remove the rust from the rear brake discs.
Some vehicles may exhibit grooves (1) in rear brake disc plate(s), as shown below. This concern is mostly found on new or low mileage vehicles, when the brakes are new.
Some customers may report a slight clunk/bang/buzz noise or jolt from the front of the vehicle. This concern will most likely occur during the vehicles first forward movement after starting the engine.
Burns oil or oil level rises 2 bulletins · 30 complaints
Some customers may complain about high engine oil consumption. Before attempting any repairs, verify the complaint by using the guideline below to determine if an engine repair is necessary: Engine Oil Consumption Inspection Guideline 1.
If a vehicle is driven on extremely short trips most of the time (where the engine never reaches normal operating temperature), the engine oil may become diluted with fuel and the engine oil level will increase.
Engine stalls or loses power while driving 1 bulletin · 29 complaints
Some customers may complain about a tapping or knocking noise coming from the rear seat after fuel fill. The concern will likely occur if the fuel tank is overfilled (more fuel is added after the fuel pump nozzle shuts off automatically) or filled up normally ...
Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 3 bulletins · 20 complaints
A valve tapping or knocking noise may be heard from the top end after the engine cools down (the vehicle is parked overnight) or after it has been idling for an extended time.
On some vehicles, a tapping or knocking noise may be heard from the top end after the engine cools down (vehicle is parked overnight) or after it has been idling for an extended time.
1 more on this problem
On some vehicles, a tapping or knocking noise may be heard from the top end after the engine cools down (vehicle is parked overnight) or it has been idling for an extended time.
Engine overheats or leaks coolant 7 bulletins · 19 complaints
This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. 01-012/22 10/06/22 DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may exhibit accumulation of dried coolant (1) around the water pipe (2).
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA(s) and TSB(s) listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-035/24 05/31/24 DESCRIPTION There is a concern that some water pumps are being replaced that are not faulty, due to signs of a very small ...
5 more on this problem
Instances of coolant leakage have been observed from the EGR bypass hose during maintenance. These issues are typically caused by improper assembly rather than defects in the parts themselves. The pipe includes a brazed R-section (see photo on bottom right).
Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a Special Service Program (SSP) to extend the warranty coverage for a specific repair of the fail-safe thermostat installed inside of the suspected coolant control valve on certain 2018-2025 CX-5, 2019-2023 ...
There is a concern that some water pumps are being replaced that are not faulty, due to signs of a very small coolant leak from the bleed hole.
Some vehicles equipped with a coolant control valve may exhibit difficulties when refilling the coolant because the control valve is closed and air in the engine cannot escape during ignition ON.
Some vehicles may exhibit accumulation of dried coolant (1) around the water pipe (2). This is caused by a gap between the housing and pipe due to a press fitting during the manufacturing process.
Complaints filed by year
73 complaints came in 2024. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
Recalls that include the 2018 Mazda CX-5
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda CX-5 vehicles. In the event of a side impact or rollover crash, the side curtain air bags may not properly unfold during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2718F.
All 3 recalls on the 2018 Mazda CX-5, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide Buying one used? How to research one car’s history before you pay
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2018 Mazda CX-5?
Misfire, with 130 of the 350 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 57,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2018 Mazda CX-5 problems start?
Of the 146 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 11,000 miles and half by about 38,000.
Is the 2018 Mazda CX-5 better or worse than the 2017 and 2019?
Counted per year on the road, the 2018 has more complaints than both the 2017 and the 2019: 39 a year against 15 and 34.
How many 2018 Mazda CX-5 complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
22 of them (6%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for misfire on the 2018 Mazda CX-5?
Yes, NHTSA lists a recall on the same system: 19V-497. Its summary says which failure it covers, and that isn't always the one owners describe.