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2014 Mazda CX-5

Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist — a shareable PDF

377 owner complaints · 4 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Cautionwillitcar.com

Why caution?

4 recall campaigns (3 safety-critical) — confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.

Electrical system problems dominate (35% of complaints, typically reported near 50k miles).

Complaint reports have faded — early issues appear resolved or aged out.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)74
Severity (30%)84
Recall load (20%)66
Trend (10%)100

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20132025

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2014 Mazda CX-5, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miElectrical system~50k mi · 132 reportsVisibility & wipers~4k mi · 80 reportsTransmission & drivetrain~50k mi · 50 reportsBody & structure~2k mi · 32 reportsBrakes~34k mi · 23 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Engine (39)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint — a rough guide, not a schedule.

Electrical system

35%

132 complaints · typically near 50k mi · 2 in the last 2 years

Auxiliary power will not turn off when vehicle is turned off. Radio , lights interior power , etc….. car turns off when button is pressed but interior power does not .

Visibility & wipers

21%

80 complaints · typically near 4k mi

There is a pressure crack that goes almost all the way across my front windshield, there are no chips or dings in the glass. Second you can smell gas fumes near the ba…

Transmission & drivetrain

13%

50 complaints · typically near 50k mi

The contact owns a 2014 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while attempting to turn off the vehicle, the vehicle failed to immediately turn off. After several attempts, th…

Engine

10%

39 complaints

The contact owns a 2014 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, w…

Recalls (4)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Structure · 16V644000

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 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. 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.

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.

Steering · 16V203000

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, 2014-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2, 2015, and 2013-2015 CX-9 vehicles manufactured December 6, 2012, to July 31, 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.

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.

Fuel System, Gasoline · 16V064000

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Mazda CX-5 vehicles manufactured June 27, 2013, to February 2, 2016. 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.

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.

Visibility · 16E002000

Pilkington North America, Inc. (Pilkington) is recalling certain replacement windshields, model FW04026 GTY, manufactured November 23, 2015, to December 16, 2015 for use in Mazda CX-5 vehicles that are equipped with the Smart City Brake Support system. The affected windshields have a bracket mounted on the inside to hold a laser sensor or LIDAR device for the Smart City Brake Support system. These brackets were improperly affixed with only tape instead of tape and urethane and therefore may loosen.

Risk: If the bracket loosens or detaches from the windshield, the safety features of the Smart City Brake Support system may be disabled and therefore increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Pilkington will contact the wholesalers and retailers that purchased the windshields to try to identify the affected customers. The affected windshields will be replaced, free of charge. This recall began on February 15, 2016. Owners may contact Pilkington at 1-844-278-7230.

Before you hand over money

Verify the recall work was done

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

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What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score — if they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2014 Mazda CX-5 as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only — always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.