Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 29,895 complaints for MAZDA
Incident date: Jul 26, 2022
I have just about 8800 miles on my Mazda CX-30 Turbo after a year and 5 months. Suddenly had my low oil engine light come on. I pulled over and the oil is barely on the tip of the oil stick. My last oil change, which was also my first, was completed at 4937 miles from the Mazda dealership.
Incident date: May 1, 2022
Car won’t turn off when you push the start/stop button. Have to turn it on and off several times shifting gears to get it to turn off. Then it drains your battery thus causing other issues.
Incident date: Jul 16, 2022
Purchased the vehicle 5/20/22, mileage today is 1050 on 7 30 22, and the Goodyear reliance drivers side tire has a large dimple on sidewall, noticed it about 10 days ago and have had no response from dealer. Stopped driving it due to excessive heat wave and just common sense. Can easily notice it. And no, did not hit anything with tire, ever. I do not have any repair bill yet. I can’t send a p... Read more
Incident date: Jul 19, 2022
Part associated with recall 1017E has failed due to improper installation.
Incident date: May 9, 2022
I own a 2016 Mazda CX-5 Touring with AWD. I purchased it brand new from a dealer--no miles on it. It's been a great car until this Sudden Unintended Acceleration problem (about 60K miles now). It's happened 5 or 6 times--twice when in a drive thru. It seems that if I am idling (not pressing on gas or brake) the car will sometimes suddenly accelerate. I have used suggestions to brake, then pl... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2022
I own a 2016 Mazda CX-5 Touring with AWD. I purchased it brand new from a dealer--no miles on it. It's been a great car until this Sudden Unintended Acceleration problem (about 60K miles now). It's happened 5 or 6 times--twice when in a drive thru. It seems that if I am idling (not pressing on gas or brake) the car will sometimes suddenly accelerate. I have used suggestions to brake, then pl... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2022
I own a 2016 Mazda CX-5 Touring with AWD. I purchased it brand new from a dealer--no miles on it. It's been a great car until this Sudden Unintended Acceleration problem (about 60K miles now). It's happened 5 or 6 times--twice when in a drive thru. It seems that if I am idling (not pressing on gas or brake) the car will sometimes suddenly accelerate. I have used suggestions to brake, then pl... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2022
Excessive oil consumption. I bought this vehicle new from a Mazda dealership, with factory warranty. The check engine oil light came on at approximately 6800 miles, 3750 miles after the first oil change. An additional quart of oil was added. I brought it back to Mazda to confirm no oil leaks, which they confirmed. They were made aware of the Mazda service bulletin for excessive oil consumptio... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal squealing sound coming from the front of the vehicle while turning, also while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who discovered corrosion and a hole on the front passenger’s side suspension cross member. The vehicle was ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal squealing sound coming from the front of the vehicle while turning, also while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who discovered corrosion and a hole on the front passenger’s side suspension cross member. The vehicle was ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 22, 2022
On July 22, my sister and I were traveling on I-95 going south. We stopped at the Maryland House near Aberdeen, MD. I was looking for a parking place and was driving very slowly. I slowed further to turn into a place on the right, near the south end of the parking lot and was attempting to put the car in park when the car accelerated abruptly, lurched forward, crossed over the concrete curb at t... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 22, 2022
On July 22, my sister and I were traveling on I-95 going south. We stopped at the Maryland House near Aberdeen, MD. I was looking for a parking place and was driving very slowly. I slowed further to turn into a place on the right, near the south end of the parking lot and was attempting to put the car in park when the car accelerated abruptly, lurched forward, crossed over the concrete curb at t... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 22, 2022
On July 22, my sister and I were traveling on I-95 going south. We stopped at the Maryland House near Aberdeen, MD. I was looking for a parking place and was driving very slowly. I slowed further to turn into a place on the right, near the south end of the parking lot and was attempting to put the car in park when the car accelerated abruptly, lurched forward, crossed over the concrete curb at t... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 17, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V875000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distributio... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2022
Excessive oil consumption NEW 2021 MAZDA CX-5 CARBON ADDITION TURBO - At approximately 7000 miles the low oil light came on, I added oil and got an oil change 2/11/22. At 11000 miles got low engine oil light had to add a full quart on 7/20/22. There are no oil leaks or obvious damage anywhere. I contacted the dealer who stated that they recommend oil changes at 5000 miles though the manual stat... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2022
The automatic braking engaged without warning and without cause. There was nothing directly in front of the car that was a possible collision threat. I suffered a neck injury as a result of the force in which the car stopped. Fortunately the driver behind me was able to stop. The car was taken to the original Mazda dealer and I was told this is a problem with my car but that they had no perman... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2022
The automatic braking engaged without warning and without cause. There was nothing directly in front of the car that was a possible collision threat. I suffered a neck injury as a result of the force in which the car stopped. Fortunately the driver behind me was able to stop. The car was taken to the original Mazda dealer and I was told this is a problem with my car but that they had no perman... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2022
While beginning to turn into an interstate exit lane, all dashboard lights lit up, the engine died, and the car stopped. Power brakes & steering were inactivated. My husband was able to coast the car to the shoulder. My Mazda app said nothing wrong with car. Waited 3 hours for tow as we were out of state. The Mazda dealership found the high pressure fuel pump to have a malfunction. Two different ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2022
While beginning to turn into an interstate exit lane, all dashboard lights lit up, the engine died, and the car stopped. Power brakes & steering were inactivated. My husband was able to coast the car to the shoulder. My Mazda app said nothing wrong with car. Waited 3 hours for tow as we were out of state. The Mazda dealership found the high pressure fuel pump to have a malfunction. Two different ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2022
While beginning to turn into an interstate exit lane, all dashboard lights lit up, the engine died, and the car stopped. Power brakes & steering were inactivated. My husband was able to coast the car to the shoulder. My Mazda app said nothing wrong with car. Waited 3 hours for tow as we were out of state. The Mazda dealership found the high pressure fuel pump to have a malfunction. Two different ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2022
The parking break is getting stuck and we are unable to release it. We have gone to various mazda showrooms and service centers but no one have been able to find the issue. We are scared that on the highways the car can malfunction. The parking break warning sign comes on on its own even when the vehicle is moving which is a big concern for us while driving. When I searched for this issue online, ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2022
The parking break is getting stuck and we are unable to release it. We have gone to various mazda showrooms and service centers but no one have been able to find the issue. We are scared that on the highways the car can malfunction. The parking break warning sign comes on on its own even when the vehicle is moving which is a big concern for us while driving. When I searched for this issue online, ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 22, 2022
Drivers side lower control arm failed at the lower ball joint mounting hole, allowing the ball joint to separate from the arm. All vehicle steering and control was lost due to the failure. This failure: 1. Has extreme danger for traffic fatalities. 2. Suggests substandard materials, design, or manufacturing. Control arm manufacturer: DLZ Sold by: partsgoing Vendor: Amazon.com
Incident date: Jul 23, 2022
I have a 2017 Mazda 6 that has an extremely loud engine. I have taken it in and I’m told the car is fine but I can feel the engine knocking through the pedal as I drive. The sound has gotten louder over time and it’s not getting any better. I’ve had some belts change and keep up my regular maintenance and Mazda can’t seem to figure out what the issue is. I have friends with the same model ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2022
MAGNA MOTORS IN EVANSVILLE, INDIANA IS REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE FUEL PUMP RECALL ON MY 2018 MAZDA CX-5. THEY CLAIM THERE ARE NO PARTS TO FIX IT SO THEY CANT HELP ME. MY VEHICLE DOESNT START HALF THE TIME AND THEY REFUSE TO PROVIDE A LOANER UNTIL MINE IS FIXED. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THEY CAN DO.
Incident date: Jul 21, 2022
MAGNA MOTORS IN EVANSVILLE, INDIANA IS REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE FUEL PUMP RECALL ON MY 2018 MAZDA CX-5. THEY CLAIM THERE ARE NO PARTS TO FIX IT SO THEY CANT HELP ME. MY VEHICLE DOESNT START HALF THE TIME AND THEY REFUSE TO PROVIDE A LOANER UNTIL MINE IS FIXED. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THEY CAN DO.
Incident date: Jul 21, 2022
Yesterday I heard a very light ting sound. I did not think much of it. When I stopped I checked for any windshield damage, I could not locate any. After having the car parked for several hours, to my utter shock I had about a 1' long crack in my windshield. After looking for some time, I located the microscopic chip that caused the issue. I believe the windshield is defective! It is eithe... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2020
"Spider Cracks" in both the left and right top corners that continue to spread, creating larger blind spots while in reverse. This is an issue that Mazda is aware of and impacts many models from 2014 until 2019. Even though this may not be considered a "safety feature" in it's traditional form, it has become common practice to rely on this feature while reversing the vehicle. Much like additional ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2020
"Spider Cracks" in both the left and right top corners that continue to spread, creating larger blind spots while in reverse. This is an issue that Mazda is aware of and impacts many models from 2014 until 2019. Even though this may not be considered a "safety feature" in it's traditional form, it has become common practice to rely on this feature while reversing the vehicle. Much like additional ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2022
THE TCM FAILED ON THE CAR AND IT IS A VERY COMMON THING. THE DESIGN SET THE MODULE IN A LOCATION THAT OVERHEATS AND MALFUNCTIONS WHEN CONNECTION IS LOST WITH MECHANISMS THAT WARP UNDER HEAT, THE COST TO REPAIR AT THE DEALERSHIP WAS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE
Incident date: Jun 22, 2022
THE TCM FAILED ON THE CAR AND IT IS A VERY COMMON THING. THE DESIGN SET THE MODULE IN A LOCATION THAT OVERHEATS AND MALFUNCTIONS WHEN CONNECTION IS LOST WITH MECHANISMS THAT WARP UNDER HEAT, THE COST TO REPAIR AT THE DEALERSHIP WAS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE
Incident date: Jun 22, 2022
THE TCM FAILED ON THE CAR AND IT IS A VERY COMMON THING. THE DESIGN SET THE MODULE IN A LOCATION THAT OVERHEATS AND MALFUNCTIONS WHEN CONNECTION IS LOST WITH MECHANISMS THAT WARP UNDER HEAT, THE COST TO REPAIR AT THE DEALERSHIP WAS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE
Incident date: Jul 20, 2022
low oil indicator keeps coming on at 3k miles and 8k miles. some times the oil is slightly low. The manual says to sop driving immediately, but that is not always possible.
Incident date: Jul 20, 2022
The vehicle sometimes doesn't start. Usually it needs to sit about 30 minutes after being turned off before it starts again, but there is no guarantee that it will start again after that. I had this taken to the Mazda dealer twice to be repaired; neither time have the repairs worked. More recently, the car still refused to start after two and a half hours of being turned off in the parking lot. I ... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2022
Low oil light came on twice in first 6,000K. Had to use a quart of oil (total) to refill. Oil dipstick showed low oil both times. Engine is consuming oil with no obvious leaks noticeable on exterior components.
Incident date: Jul 18, 2022
Fuel pump. The mechanics at the Mazda dealership brushed me off when I brought up the open recall on my vehicle. However, according to them it is a "preliminary recall," the mechanic said it wasn't an "open recall." This is my first vehicle and I stupidly put my trust into the mechanic and believed his words. I am not well-versed in vehicles but after extensive research, asking a friend, and refer... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2022
While driving at freeway speed in Oregon, with 85 degrees ambient temperature and A/C inside set to 74 degrees, our CX-9 sunroof exploded outward. The sound was close to a very loud pop, and not the sound of rock/debris impact. At the time of explosion, there were no vehicles nearby and no overpasses from which an object could have dropped. The vehicle had been washed the day before and there... Read more
Incident date: Jul 18, 2022
The low engine oil light is coming on every 3500 miles. When checking oil level it indeed is low and requires a quart of oil. There is an active TSB out as this is a known issue but no recall issued yet.
MAZDA
MX-5 MIATA
(1990) - AIR BAGS
Jul 18, 2022
Incident date: Jul 18, 2022
car has had multiple airbag lights come on I have fixed them all I cannot buy parts to fix my airbag new so I have to go and find used parts that just keep breaking I know many people with this problem almost every owner of one of these cars has this exact problem
Incident date: Jul 17, 2022
Excessive oil consumption. Recently purchased new vehicle with 0 miles. Oil low level warning light on at 3500 miles. Manually checked oil level. Added one quart. Online research indicates problem is created by faulty valve guide seals which allows oil into the engine combustion chamber and exhaust. Vehicle will be taken to dealership for inspection.
Incident date: Apr 12, 2022
I purchased this vehicle with 19K miles on July 31, 2020. I noticed on April 12, 2022, that there was a knocking noise coming from the left front suspension after leaving a Mazda dealership for an oil change. I called Mazda service and was told they only did an oil change. I have put 4 brand new tires and have replaced the front/back brakes, rotors and still hear noise going over uneven pavement. ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2022
Pulled up to gas pump, put parking brake on (manual transmission), got out of car and heard a beeping noise from inside. The car then began to drift backwards into traffic. Have DashCam video that can share.
Incident date: Jun 25, 2022
My Mazda has a feature called SBS (Smart Brake Support). It is touted as a safety feature, as it will brake the car when it approaches an object without driver braking. It can be disabled by the driver via the navigation panel; however, it automatically engages again upon engine start up. On a few occasions, when approaching a vehicle, I have braked and release, upon seeing the vehicle ahead be... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2022
My Mazda has a feature called SBS (Smart Brake Support). It is touted as a safety feature, as it will brake the car when it approaches an object without driver braking. It can be disabled by the driver via the navigation panel; however, it automatically engages again upon engine start up. On a few occasions, when approaching a vehicle, I have braked and release, upon seeing the vehicle ahead be... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2022
On 04/21/22, I took my car to the dealer after noticing antifreeze on our garage floor and a burning smell. NO check engine lights had illuminated. They proceeded to tell me that there was a coolant leak from head/block and cavity leak (something about channel pressure). They also stated this was a casting flaw during manufacturing of the engine. They told me I needed a whole new engine for $8,479... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2022
On 04/21/22, I took my car to the dealer after noticing antifreeze on our garage floor and a burning smell. NO check engine lights had illuminated. They proceeded to tell me that there was a coolant leak from head/block and cavity leak (something about channel pressure). They also stated this was a casting flaw during manufacturing of the engine. They told me I needed a whole new engine for $8,479... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2022
Our head gasket is needing to be replaced and sounds like this is an apparent Mazda problem how wide spread it is. The cost is over $5,000 for this single repair, possibly over $6,000 if head is cracked. I only have a parts list showing $1,700 in parts. Service manager said about 18 hours at $189hr totalling $3,402.
Incident date: Jul 13, 2022
Car began shuddering/shaking and check engine light went on. Booked appointment at Mazda dealer. Upon inspection they found a significant amount of coolant had leaked into engine and timing was jumping. Was advised it should not be driven as the engine could freeze at any moment without warning. The technician provided a video inspection of car showing large amount of coolant inside car's engi... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2021
The contact owns a 2019 Mazda CX-5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V875000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms... Read more