2021 Mazda CX-5 Recalls and Problems

NHTSA lists 0 safety recalls and 150 owner complaints for the 2021 Mazda CX-5.

Most-described problem: excessive oil consumption (35 complaints, 23%). Most-reported area: engine (81 complaints, 54%).

More complaints than a typical CX-5 year

The 2021 drew 87 owner complaints in its first three years, against 62 for a typical CX-5 year (42 for a typical year since 2016).

Years to avoid: 2014 and 2016; best years: 2017 and 2022. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.

Every CX-5 year ranked

0Safety recalls

150Owner complaints

10Complaints citing a crash

0Complaints citing a fire

Check your CX-5 for open recalls

Opens NHTSA's lookup in a new tab; your VIN goes to NHTSA, not to us. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard, the door jamb and your registration. Safety recall repairs are free at Mazda dealers.

How to check a car for recalls, step by step

Get a vehicle history report from EpicVIN (opens in a new tab): a paid report with the car's title, odometer and salvage records, from an approved NMVTIS data provider. Affiliate link: we earn a commission if you buy. If you typed a full VIN above, the link sends it to EpicVIN and opens its checkout page for that VIN. Check the price before you pay: EpicVIN's $1 trial lasts 3 days, then becomes a monthly subscription until you cancel ($49.99 to $99.99 a month on its pages as of Oct 2, 2026). Disclosure

Data: NHTSA recall, complaint and investigation filesUpdated Nov 12, 2026

0 safety recalls for the 2021 Mazda CX-5

NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2021 Mazda CX-5 in its recall file dated Nov 12, 2026. Recalls can still be issued later, so check your VIN from time to time.

NHTSA investigations

NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2021 Mazda CX-5.

What owners report

Owners have filed 150 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 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

Excessive oil consumption35 · 23%
Oil leaks13 · 9%
Check engine light10 · 7%
Unintended acceleration or surging8 · 5%
Smoke or a burning smell5 · 3%
Shaking, shuddering or vibration5 · 3%
Stalling or shutting off4 · 3%
Jerking, lurching or harsh shifting4 · 3%

Counted from the complaint text: a complaint counts once for each problem it describes (how we match them). Some complaints describe none of these. Compare other models in the problem owners report most for every model year.

Areas named in complaints

Engine81 · 54%
Powertrain17 · 11%
Electrical system14 · 9%
Brakes12 · 8%
Forward collision avoidance12 · 8%

Most named: automatic emergency braking (9); warnings (5)
Speed control8 · 5%
Fuel and propulsion system7 · 5%
Unknown or other17 · 11%

A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.

Mazda CX-5 recalls and complaints by model year

The highlighted bars are the 2021 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 2021 drew 87.

Owner complaints

2021: 150 complaints

Show as a table

Owner complaints by model year, Mazda CX-5
Model year	Complaints
2013	194
2014	377
2015	133
2016	512
2017	150
2018	356
2019	273
2020	110
2021	150
2022	65
2023	67
2024	47
2025	29
2026	19

Safety recalls

2021: 0 recalls

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.

Tested version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
Mazda CX-5 SUV AWD Rollover risk 16.9%
Mazda CX-5 SUV FWD Rollover risk 17.4%

2021 CX-5 MPG

EPA rates the 2021 Mazda CX-5 up to 28 mpg combined.Every version and fuel cost

Questions

What are the most common 2021 CX-5 problems?

In the 150 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Mazda CX-5, the problems described most are excessive oil consumption (35), oil leaks (13), and the check engine light coming on (10). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.

Is the 2021 Mazda CX-5 safe?

In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2021 Mazda CX-5 earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.

Is NHTSA investigating the 2021 Mazda CX-5?

No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2021 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 Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 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.