NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 194 owner complaints for the 2013 Mazda CX-5.
Recalled components: body structure. Most-described problem: the check engine light coming on (25 complaints, 13%), then stalling or shutting off (18). Most-reported area: electrical system (58 complaints, 30%; median mileage when it happened: 75,000).
More complaints than a typical CX-5 year
The 2013 drew 67 owner complaints in its first three years, against 62 for a typical CX-5 year.
Years to avoid: 2014 and 2016; best years: 2017 and 2022. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.
Risk: If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Mazda dealers will replace the both lift gate supports, free of charge, however parts are not currently available. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9916H.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015.
NHTSA listing: CX-5. Mazda campaign 9916H.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2013 Mazda CX-5.
What owners report
Owners have filed 194 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 CX-5. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Check engine light25 · 13%
Median 24,400 miles at failure, from 23 reports with mileage
Stalling or shutting off18 · 9%
Median 67,100 miles at failure, from 15 reports with mileage
Loss of power or limp mode18 · 9%
Median 44,100 miles at failure, from 18 reports with mileage
Median 75,000 miles at failure, from 46 reports with mileage
Engine42 · 22%
Median 48,500 miles at failure, from 39 reports with mileage
Powertrain38 · 20%
Median 34,000 miles at failure, from 34 reports with mileage
Brakes26 · 13%
Median 29,400 miles at failure, from 22 reports with mileage
Speed control22 · 11%
Median 20,000 miles at failure, from 21 reports with mileage
Body structure15 · 8%
Most named: body (13)
Stability control15 · 8%
Unknown or other28 · 14%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Mazda CX-5 recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2013 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2016 CX-5 drew the most (187) and the 2013 drew 67.
Owner complaints
2013: 194 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Mazda CX-5
Model year
Complaints
2013
194
2014
377
2015
133
2016
510
2017
148
2018
350
2019
270
2020
107
2021
147
2022
63
2023
63
2024
44
2025
27
2026
14
Safety recalls
2013: 1 recallTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Mazda CX-5
Model year
Recalls
2013
1
2014
3
2015
3
2016
4
2017
1
2018
3
2019
2
2020
0
2021
0
2022
0
2023
0
2024
0
2025
0
2026
0
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 194 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Mazda CX-5, the problems described most are the check engine light coming on (25), stalling or shutting off (18), and loss of power or limp mode (18). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2013 Mazda CX-5 safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2013 Mazda CX-5 earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2013 Mazda CX-5?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2013 Mazda CX-5.
How do I check if my CX-5 has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Mazda dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Oct 2, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: CX-5.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.