Mazda CX-5 Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 459 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Mazda CX-5 across 14 model years. The 2014 model year has the most (132). The words owners use most often: “turn off” (24% of reports).
- 459electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 14mention a crash
- 10mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,050typical repair cost reported by owners
- 41%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Turn off: mentioned in 112 of 459 complaints (24%)
- Ghost touch: mentioned in 36 of 459 complaints (8%)
- Put park: mentioned in 33 of 459 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the Mazda CX-5 at $1,050, and half of them between $480 and $1,050.
Based on 13 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2018–2024), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 217 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 459 complaints, 14 mention a crash, 10 a fire, 10 an injury.
Mazda CX-5 electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 CX-5 | 5 | 31% | 930 |
| 2025 CX-5 | 6 | 21% | 4,200 |
| 2024 CX-5 | 3 | 7% | 17,655 |
| 2023 CX-5 | 9 | 14% | 4,000 |
| 2022 CX-5 | 6 | 9% | 46,000 |
| 2021 CX-5 | 12 | 8% | 3,015 |
| 2020 CX-5 | 30 | 28% | 2,741 |
| 2019 CX-5 | 46 | 17% | 2,750 |
| 2018 CX-5 | 29 | 8% | 3,000 |
| 2017 CX-5 | 44 | 29% | 4,150 |
| 2016 CX-5 | 71 | 14% | 34,900 |
| 2015 CX-5 | 8 | 6% | 46,000 |
| 2014 CX-5 | 132 | 35% | 63,500 |
| 2013 CX-5 | 58 | 30% | 75,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Trailer hitches; electrical system:wiring
Model years: 2017
Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2017 CX-5 vehicles equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness. This harness may be routed such that there is insufficient clearance between the harness and the exhaust muffler, allowing the wiring harness to contact the muffler.
Risk: Contact with the muffler may damage the trailer wiring harness, potentially resulting in the trailer lighting being inoperative, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reroute the trailer hitch harness away from the muffler, replacing the harness if it is damaged, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 20, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1617K.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
2025 Mazda CX-5. The vehicle experienced a severe, dynamic charging system failure that creates an active safety hazard on public roads. A dealership service department attempted a software update, which turned off the active dashboard layout indicator but completely failed to resolve the root…
The contact owns a 2024 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that the radio was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who discovered that rodents had chewed through the soy-based wiring and created a nest inside the vehicle. The dealer replaced the headliner, wiring harness, both front air…
The contact owns a 2016 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the electric parking brake module warning light was illuminated and the "Brake failure. Vehicle unsafe to drive," message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken back to the residence…
The vehicle's Connectivity Master Unit (CMU) suffers from a severe, persistent electronic hardware malfunction that causes the central information display and dashboard telemetry to blink, cycle, and drop signals erratically. This specific hardware architecture failure threatens to corrupt data…
The radio is uncontrollable by driver. The radio the self dial from Bluetooth. Even if not connected, the radio surprises this driver by playing the radio unexpectedly at the highest rate. Due to the buttons not working, driver cannot turn down the radio causing safety concerns for being scared and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Mazda CX-5s have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 459 owner complaints about electrical system for the Mazda CX-5. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Mazda CX-5 electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the Mazda CX-5?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,050 (half paid between $480 and $1,050), from 13 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the Mazda CX-5?
The most frequent phrase is “turn off”, in 112 of 459 complaints, followed by “ghost touch” (36).
Other Mazda CX-5 problems
- Engine problems (594)
- Power Train problems (283)
- Service Brakes problems (236)
- Exterior Lighting problems (224)
- Visibility/wiper problems (165)
- Structure problems (141)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (119)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (110)
See all Mazda CX-5 problems.