NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 510 owner complaints for the 2016 Mazda CX-5.
4Safety recalls
510Owner complaints
31Complaints citing a crash
10Complaints citing a fire
Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Recalled components: exterior lighting, body structure, steering, and fuel system. Most-reported area: exterior lighting (161 complaints, 32%; median mileage when it happened: 40,000).
4 safety recalls for the 2016 Mazda CX-5
Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.
The LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) may fail while driving.
Risk: If the DRL fails, the vehicle's visibility may be reduced to other drivers on the road, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlights, and replace the sealing gasket or headlight assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 20, 2020. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4320A.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016 CX-5 vehicles.
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.
The lower mounting nuts and bolts that attach the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle may loosen, allowing the steering knuckle to separate.
Risk: If the steering knuckle separates from the strut assembly, it can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower mounting nuts and bolts that secure the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle. If the bolts are loose, they will be replaced and then correctly tightened, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9316D.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 2, 2015, 2013-2014 Mazda2 vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to August 8, 2014, 2014-2016CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2, 2015, and 2013-2015CX-9 vehicles manufactured December 6, 2012, to July 31, 2015.
NHTSA listing: CX-5. Mazda campaign 9316D.
Fuel system
Feb 3, 2016
storage · tank assembly · filler pipe and cap
Fails federal standard 301 (fuel system integrity)
The affected vehicles have a fuel filler pipe that may rupture in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
Risk: A rupture of the fuel filler pipe may result in a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will alter the attachment between the fuel filler pipe and the left rear side of the bracket of the fuel filler pipe, free of charge. The recall began on February 25, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 9216B.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Mazda CX-5 vehicles manufactured June 27, 2013, to February 2, 2016.
NHTSA listing: CX-5. Mazda campaign 9216B.
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 also lists 1 equipment recall for parts sold for this vehicle, not the vehicle itself: Visibility: windshield (PILKINGTON NORTH AMERICA, INC., 16E-002).
What owners report
The areas named in the 510 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 CX-5. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Exterior lighting161 · 32%
Most named: headlights (3) · Median 40,000 miles at failure (120 reports)
Electrical system71 · 14%
Median 34,900 miles at failure (35 reports)
Brakes69 · 14%
Median 27,200 miles at failure (52 reports)
Powertrain51 · 10%
Median 5,400 miles at failure (41 reports)
Visibility/wiper42 · 8%
Median 6,000 miles at failure (29 reports)
Engine39 · 8%
Median 28,200 miles at failure (16 reports)
Air bags19 · 4%
Median 44,100 miles at failure (16 reports)
Unknown or other57 · 11%
Median 13,000 miles at failure (35 reports)
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 2016 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).
Owner complaints
2016: 510 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Mazda CX-5
Model year
Complaints
2016
510
2017
148
2018
349
2019
270
2020
106
2021
146
2022
63
2023
62
2024
44
2025
27
2026
14
Safety recalls
2016: 4 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Mazda CX-5
Model year
Recalls
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.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Mazda CX-5 SUV AWD
Rollover risk 16.9%
Mazda CX-5 SUV FWD
Rollover risk 17.4%
Questions
What are the most common 2016 CX-5 problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: exterior lighting (161), electrical system (71), brakes (69). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2016 Mazda CX-5 safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2016 Mazda CX-5 earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
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 Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
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.