2018 Mazda CX-5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other CX-5 years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4–5 out of 5 stars (varies by version)
Owners have filed 351 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Mazda CX-5. That ranks 3rd out of 15 CX-5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (179 complaints, 51%), typically at around 20,900 miles. Complaints mention 19 crashes, 1 fire, 6 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 351owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 19complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Mazda CX-5 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 179 | 51% | 20,900 | “cylinder head” (54%) | $5,850 |
| Unknown or Other | 58 | 17% | 6,750 | — | — |
| Power Train | 42 | 12% | 2,173 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 32 | 9% | 2,722 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 29 | 8% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 20 | 6% | 5,100 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 19 | 5% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 13 | 4% | 15,154 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 | 4% | 9,563 | — | — |
| Structure | 12 | 3% | 2,899 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 3% | 22,245 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 1% | 20,837 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 5 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 1% | 14,625 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 1% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 1% | 22,245 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 1% | 22,100 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 1% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 1% | 1,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 9,113 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 0% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Mazda CX-5 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: 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: Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm); engine
Problem: 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: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:side/window
Problem: 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: If the air bags do not deploy properly in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Cracked cylinder head- factory defect, causing oil to leak onto exhaust manifold. Smoke fills engine bay and cab through air vents, very high concern of engine bay fire. 2018 Mazda cx5 non turbo 2.5 sky active engine. Mazda knows of this defect and will not proved remedy.
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 repair since itâs as is purchase Mazda should take this as a…
2018 Mazda CX-5 2.5L NA Engine Cracked cylinder head and blown head gasket with leaking oil onto exhaust manifold resulting in white smoke & burning oil smell. No engine light. Issue confirmed by dealer and independent shop. Commonly reported issue amongst 2018-2021 Mazda CX-5 owners either…
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was leaking engine oil, and there was white smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact stated that upon further inspection, there was a puddle of engine oil on the ground while the…
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 that there was oil leaking onto the ground. The vehicle was…
Other Mazda CX-5 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 CX-5 | 16 | 0 |
| 2025 CX-5 | 28 | 0 |
| 2024 CX-5 | 45 | 0 |
| 2023 CX-5 | 64 | 0 |
| 2022 CX-5 | 65 | 0 |
| 2021 CX-5 | 148 | 0 |
| 2020 CX-5 | 107 | 0 |
| 2019 CX-5 | 270 | 2 |
| 2018 | 351 | 3 |
| 2017 CX-5 | 150 | 1 |
| 2016 CX-5 | 510 | 4 |
| 2015 CX-5 | 133 | 3 |
| 2014 CX-5 | 377 | 3 |
| 2013 CX-5 | 194 | 1 |
| 2012 CX-5 | 1 | 0 |
See all Mazda CX-5 problems by year, every Mazda model, or the Mazda VIN decoder.
Similar Mazda models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Mazda CX-5?
Owners most often report engine, unknown or other, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 179 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Mazda CX-5?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Mazda CX-5 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other CX-5 model years, the 2018 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4–5 out of 5 stars (varies by version) overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.