NHTSA has received 117 owner complaints about the 2018 Mazda CX-5, or 13.5 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.32, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 73 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #20 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Mazda models its rate is 12% higher; against other Compact SUVs it is 78% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2023-04-25 and 2026-08-19. Median delay from incident to filing: 12 days.
117Complaints
13.5Complaints per year on the road
0.32Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
3Recalls
0.9%Share involving a crash or fire
51Last 12 months
Analysis
The following model year (2019) drew 34.8 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2018 model collected 0 complaints, 100% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (83.8% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (8.5%) and Interior & equipment (3.4%). Engine complaints are 3.8 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Engine reports, owners most often mention “cylinder head”, “cracked cylinder”, “oil”, “smoke” and “smell”. 1 reports (0.9%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 1 injury and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 85 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (98% of incidents). In the last 12 months 51 new complaints were filed, versus 30 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for this model year. 85% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses.
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.32
vs. other Mazda models1.12
vs. other 2018 models0.27
vs. other Compact SUVs0.22
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (0)0.0
Unintended acceleration incident. I entered the parking lot of a business where the Salvation Army is located to drop off a donation. The parking spaces were on the left side.
Brakes · 2026-05-12 · ODI 11737223 · Crash
Defect front doors the opening handle has a( trim metal plastic) section separates and the metal part is very sharp and my wife got hurt with the metal portion like I said it's very sharp. I need to cover the handle to prevent that.
Interior & equipment · 2026-04-26 · ODI 11733874
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.
Engine · 2026-08-19 · ODI 11758021
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.
Engine · 2026-07-23 · ODI 11752421
Check engine light on when read it comes back with P0171 code
Fuel system · 2026-07-14 · ODI 11750286
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
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.
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.
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.
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.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW Campaign 18V426000 · 2018-06-25
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."
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.
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2018 Mazda CX-5?
117 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Mazda CX-5, or about 13.5 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2018 Mazda CX-5?
The most common category is Engine, accounting for 83.8% of complaints.
Does the 2018 Mazda CX-5 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 safety recall(s) for this model year.
Is the 2018 Mazda CX-5 still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 51 new complaints were filed, versus 30 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
How does the 2018 Mazda CX-5 compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 117 owner complaints about the 2018 Mazda CX-5, or 13.5 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.32, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 73 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #20 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Mazda models its rate is 12% higher; against other Compact SUVs it is 78% lower.