Mazda · CX-5 · 2018
2018 Mazda CX-5: problems & reliability
NHTSA has logged 122 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls for the 2018 Mazda CX-5. The most-reported problem area is the engine (81% of complaints), followed by transmission & powertrain and engine & cooling. Make sure every open recall has been fixed by a dealer before you buy.
Common 2018 Mazda CX-5 problems
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Engine problems
99 owner complaints to NHTSA (81% of all complaints for this model year) involve the engine. One owner reported: “My 2018 Mazda CX-5 Touring (2.5L non-turbo engine with cylinder deactivation) developed a burning oil smell that steadily worsened over several days. On XXX, at about 61,300 miles, I saw smoke coming from the engine compartment after…”
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Transmission & powertrain problems
18 owner complaints to NHTSA (15% of all complaints for this model year) involve the transmission & powertrain. One owner reported: “There has been numerous report of the Mazda CX 5 having failure rear differential. I just purchased a 2018 Mazda CX five for my daughter in September 2026 I now am experiencing this issue on the rear diff. The dealer will not cover the…”
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Engine & cooling problems
3 owner complaints to NHTSA (2% of all complaints for this model year) involve the engine & cooling. One owner reported: “The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from under the hood. No warning light was illuminated. The contact's wife pulled over and discovered…”
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Forward collision avoidance problems
3 owner complaints to NHTSA (2% of all complaints for this model year) involve the forward collision avoidance. One owner reported: “Multiple instances of phantom braking, which resulted in two instances where we were just inches from being rear-ended. The circumstances of the phantom braking are similar, and has occured many times. CIRCUMSTANCES OF PHANTOM BRAKING are…”
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Electrical system problems
2 owner complaints to NHTSA (2% of all complaints for this model year) involve the electrical system. One owner reported: “Touch Screen and/or infotainment center causing ghost touch. Available for inspection. Ghost touch (known Mazda issue) with touch screen has been changing radio stations, increasing volume to max. Will go into user settings and change…”
Owner complaints by area
| Area | Complaints | Share | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 99 | 81% | |
| Transmission & powertrain | 18 | 15% | |
| Engine & cooling | 3 | 2% | |
| Forward collision avoidance | 3 | 2% | |
| Electrical system | 2 | 2% | |
| Fuel system | 2 | 2% | |
| Backup camera & sensors | 1 | 1% | |
| Brakes | 1 | 1% |
122 complaints filed with NHTSA in total, reporting 1 crash, 1 injury. A complaint can involve more than one area.
2018 Mazda CX-5 recalls
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Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Full recall summary
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.
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Engine
Risk: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
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.
Full recall summary
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.
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Air bags › Side/window
Risk: If the air bags do not deploy properly in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
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.
Full recall summary
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."
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. To check whether a specific car’s recalls have been repaired, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
2018 Mazda CX-5 crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2018 Mazda CX-5 SUV AWD Later Release. Ratings can differ between body styles and drivetrains (4 versions tested or listed).
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Specifications
- Drivetrains
- AWD, FWD
- Body styles
- SUV
Other Mazda CX-5 years
About this data
Problems, complaint counts, recalls and crash-test ratings come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public databases, last checked 2026-11-03. Complaints are reports from owners and have not all been verified by NHTSA.
How we score reliability: every model year starts at 100. Points come off for the number of owner complaints (on a log scale, up to 40 points), for each safety recall (2 points each, up to 15) and for complaints involving crashes, fires, injuries or deaths (up to 15). Popular vehicles get more complaints simply because more are on the road, so compare scores between similar vehicles. More about our method.
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