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2018 Mazda Cx-50
Solid pick — the complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
113 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Complaints are still coming in strong late in this car's life — a chronic-problem pattern, not early teething.
Engine problems dominate (82% of complaints, typically reported near 53k miles).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor — almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2018 Mazda Cx-50, plotted where owners report it happening.
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint — a rough guide, not a schedule.
Engine
82%93 complaints · typically near 53k mi · 67 in the last 2 years
“I took my car to the dealership because it was leaking oil and coolant. Upon verification, I was informed that my vehicle had a cracked cylinder head. They told me tha…”
Transmission & drivetrain
15%17 complaints · typically near 56k mi · 11 in the last 2 years
“Cylinder head suddenly cracked, causing heavy oil leakage onto hot exhaust manifold. Car started to smoke heavily. Vehicle turned off before potential engine fire.”
Driver assistance
3%3 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“The infotainment system consistently changes stations and volume on its own. Knob will not allow you to make adjustments . Contacted dealer and infotainment Is not cov…”
Engine & cooling
2%2 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle he could smell a burning odor, and added that he noticed a puddle of oil on his d…”
Recalls (3)
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.
Fuel System, Gasoline · 21V875000
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
Engine · 19V497000
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Risk: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
Air Bags · 18V426000
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda CX-5 vehicles. In the event of a side impact or rollover crash, the side curtain air bags may not properly unfold during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Risk: If the air bags do not deploy properly in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2718F.
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
A $150–$250 independent inspection of this exact 2018 Mazda CX-50 beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2018? See how every Cx-50 model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Mazda Cx-50 against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score — if they disagree, that’s worth knowing.