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.
The fix and full notice
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.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2017 CX-5 vehicles equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness.
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.
What owners report
The areas named in the 148 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 CX-5. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Electrical system44 · 30%
Engine15 · 10%
Brakes14 · 9%
Fuel and propulsion system13 · 9%
Body structure12 · 8%
Most named: body (11)
Visibility/wiper12 · 8%
Powertrain11 · 7%
Unknown or other35 · 24%
Median 10,300 miles at failure (15 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 2017 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 2017 drew 31.
Owner complaints
2017: 148 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
2017: 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
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 2017 CX-5 problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: electrical system (44), engine (15), brakes (14). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2017 Mazda CX-5 safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2017 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.