The contact owns a 2025 . The contact was in a parking lot of a shopping center, put the car in gear and the steering wheel became inoperable , vehicle would not stop while depressing the brakes. Four additional vehicles were damaged from the impact with one vehicle deemed a total loss. The right front end was impacted including the hood and the right wheel. No additional property damage. The vehicle came to a stop in the parking lot from impacting the vehicles. Both front driver and passenger side air bags deployed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The vehicle was deemed as a total loss by the insurance company. The contact sustained injuries left broken clavicle, left arm, left and right knees received lacerations and lacerations and 3 broken ribs on the left side and hematoma and received medical treatment at the emergency room intensive care. A woman in the back seat of one of the parked vehicles sustained minor injuries and received medical treatment. The dealer nor manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,837
NHTSA complaint #11739385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
We purchased this vehicle used from Mazda of Orange in July 2025 with 52,399 miles on it. After 6 months of ownership and approximately 3,000 miles there was a burning smell. We took it to our local mechanic and the following repairs were required: Replacement of cracked belts, Replacement of cracked axle boots, Replacement of an excessively loose front axle, Replacement of valve cover gasket. Cost was $3,000 and the dealer refused to reimburse us. Now the car is leaking oil and needs a new head gasket and cylinder head surface machined. Quote was approximately $3,500. We have requested Mazda perform this repair. Will you please look into these vehicles? These are significant defects on a car with such low miles. We also believe that some of these defects were know to the dealer but are unable to prove it. We believe our vehicle is part of a batch that has signficant mechanical defects. Current mileage of the vehicle is 56,865.
NHTSA complaint #11738202 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was slowly turning left into an alley when I heard a loud noise, the front of my car dropped, and the car immediately stopped and was immovable. Upon getting out of the car, it appears some joint separated from the wheel.
NHTSA complaint #11736286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving on February 12, 2026, the steering system failed, resulting in the steering wheel locking and becoming impossible to turn. While making a right-hand turn, the steering wheel suddenly locked. I had to forcefully jerk the wheel to regain control and avoid colliding with a concrete barrier on the right shoulder. After several seconds, the steering function returned to normal. This failure occurred without warning and created an immediate safety hazard due to loss of steering control. The vehicle has been inspected by a dealership, but the issue could not be replicated and no repairs were performed. This condition presents a serious safety risk as it can occur during normal driving maneuvers and may lead to loss of control and collision.
NHTSA complaint #11732161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Incident Description: On multiple occasions in January and February 2026, while operating a 2024 Mazda CX-5 in reverse on low-friction surfaces (snow/ice) with a slight incline, the vehicle suffered a total systemic failure. System Failures: While reversing at low speeds, the engine spontaneously shut off without warning. This resulted in an immediate loss of power braking and power steering. Simultaneously, the electronic gear selector (shifter) became non-functional, preventing the vehicle from being placed into 'Park' to stop the uncontrolled rearward slide. Safety Risk: The vehicle became a "runaway" object on several occasions. In one instance, the vehicle narrowly avoided crushing a pedestrian against another parked car, stopping only when the tires reached a different surface texture. In a separate incident, the vehicle slid uncontrolled down a residential hill, striking snowbanks. There is a grave concern regarding whether the Supplemental Restraint System (airbags) remains functional during these engine-stall events, as the dealer could not confirm occupant protection status during a total power loss. Inspection & Reproduction: The vehicle was presented to an authorized Mazda dealer on March 3, 2026. The service department attempted to replicate the issue by reversing over soapy water on a gravel surface. However, due to the high friction of the gravel, they were unable to induce the specific tire-slip/low-traction conditions required to trigger the malfunction. No error codes were found during an informal scan, and no warning lamps or messages appeared prior to or during the failures. Component for Inspection: The vehicle is available for inspection. I believe the failure is rooted in the traction control or engine management software, which appears to improperly shut down the powertrain when it detects specific wheel-spin patterns in reverse, subsequently disabling critical safety systems including brakes and transmission locks.
NHTSA complaint #11726252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The steering column in this car has a known defect in the steering column nut resulting in knocking/rattling/clunking. Mazda is aware of this issue and has redesigned the steering column and issued multiple TSBs for specific models, years, and even VINs. Mazda is not classifying this a a safety issue to avoid recall but if the part is to fail it can result in loss of vehicle control and a crash. The steering column is main component necessary to have control over the car and the direction it travels. I've called my dealership and Mazda corporate who both refuse to fix the issue even though my car is under an extended warranty. TSB 06-001/24 previous TSB 06-004/23.
NHTSA complaint #11724703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that the Front Brake System Malfunction, Forward Brake Malfunction, and Check Engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started jerking and hesitating as if the wheels would lock up. The steering wheel vibrated while turning to the left or the right. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was able to retrieve a diagnostic code; however, the DTC number was unknown. The dealer was unable to identify the exact cause of the code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.
NHTSA complaint #11696729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at a slow speed and attempting to parallel park, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine before the steering wheel seized. No warning light was illuminated. The contact's husband exited the vehicle to inspect the vehicle, and another person stopped to assist and became aware that the ball joint had detached. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering knuckle had separated from the strut assembly, causing the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V203000 (STEERING); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
NHTSA complaint #11662815 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Extremely heavy steering causing excessive driver fatigue making it difficult to maintain control of the vehicle at highway speeds (up to 70mph). Dealers unable to reproduce, likely due to it being cold outside when I had time to go. The hotter and dryer the roads gets, the better grip the tires have and the worse the heavy steering gets. It is significantly heavier than my old car at higher speeds and that car has no power steering. My arms are very sore after 30min - 1 hour. Mazda refuses to admit this is a significant safety issue. It gets worse when the LKAS activates at least once (too heavy I am veering around in my lane)
NHTSA complaint #11654342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Car engine shut down and slowly came to a full stop on the highway on 1/4/25, putting myself and my daughter of being rear ended at full speed on a highway where the speed limit is 65mph. The steering wheel locked and I was unable to move the car to any shoulder. I put the car in park and pressed the start ignition button to start the car and was able to drive again. An appointment is scheduled for 1/17/25 for diagnostics at a Mazda dealership. There were no warning messages prior to this event.. My battery was replaced 2 weeks prior to this incident.
NHTSA complaint #11634704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The steering and braking systems on my vehicle malfunctioned after jumping my vehicle when the battery drained too far to start, or even power my cars baseline electrical systems. After jumping my car, I started backing out of my parking spot and when I turned the wheel it very violently jerked in a manner that could have hurt me if I'd been holding onto the wheel tighter. Around this same time I believe I recall the brakes automatically applying and halting the vehicle. I was too far out of my parking spot when this began occurring and had to try to maneuver into a different one, during this attempt both of the conditions described above reoccured several times. I eventually noticed that it only seemed to trigger when the wheel was at more extreme steering angles, by keeping the steering angle lower I was eventually able to maneuver into another spot without triggering the issues. After parking and letting the car run for a bit to recharge the battery I no longer experienced these issues. There were several warning lights related to roll stability control, lane departure monitoring before pulling out. The following warnings were present, but I'm unable to recall whether they displayed before I first hit the issues: Smart Braking Malfunction, Power Steering Malfunction, Transmission Malfunction, Check Engine Light. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by anyone, however I was able to find evidence of other people complaining about what sounds to be the same issue going back several years online. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11625779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Was driving up [XXX] when simultaneously my dash board lit up with errors and malfunctions, my interior lights started flickering and my steering wheel and brakes locked. Unable to control the vehicle I gripped the wheel for dear life praying as it veered left. The 2023 CX 5 with only 18K struck the guard rail and went black on the inside and out. Only then was I able to counter the ricochet of the impact by redirecting the vehicle back on the grass to avoid getting smacked by 2 tractor trailers. SMH, I really almost died and now have to fight with my insurance to prove to them this is a real issue with these vehicle malfunctioning. I hope this helps someone and possibly save a life(s) - toyota_would_never, Greensboro, US INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11609317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I bought this car brand new with 51 miles on it on 7/24 and have taken it to the dealership mechanics twice for the same problem. Within 3 seconds of “letting go” of the steering wheel, the car veers and pulls directly into the right berm. The car requires continuous redirection of the steering wheel to get it to drive straight on. The dealership where I purchased this has not reported this defect to the manufacturer despite me requesting it. The car was inspected prior to me purchasing it, and upon me noticing that it veers off the road, I took it back to the dealership garage (on 7/31) and the mechanics reported that they had rebalanced and realigned the tires.The mechanics also told me they had realigned the front and rear axles and said that they had probably been affected by being strapped down tightly on the delivery truck (?). I picked up the car the same day (7/31) after they said they fixed it, and within 10 miles of leaving the dealership, I noticed that the car continued to pull me off the road to the right. I turned around and returned to the mechanics’ and requested they report this to the manufacturer. The car has remained at the dealership mechanic’s since 7/31. No warning lights or messages have ever shown on the car. I consider this a major safety hazard as the car is constantly and consistently veering either off the road into the berm, or into the right lane if attempting to pass.
NHTSA complaint #11606613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
As I was driving home one day in February 2024, my car felt like a strong gust of wind was getting up underneath the hood of my car, causing it to pull left and right slightly. When checking the weather, wind gusts were at 5 MPH and you could barely see trees/leaf movement. I pulled off the side of the road, checked underneath the car to see if anything was dragging/missing and all was fine. As I started driving again, I then noticed my RPM's vs MPH was very strange. When accelerating, the car randomly increased up to 4,500 RPM when trying to go 45 MPH, then shifted down to 2,000 RPM's once I reached 45 MPH. But, no matter if I left my foot on the gas pedal, lifted my foot off of the gas pedal or hit the breaks, the car would not move off of 2,000 RPM's until I pressed my foot on the break all the way down to the floorboard. No lights came on at all. I took it to the dealership that I purchased it from, expressing the scary feeling of the driving the car and showing video proof of what the car was doing in RPM's vs MPH. After further conclusion, they determined that a "sensor" had gone bad. The thought that a plastic, electronic sensor going back caused my car to feel that way and put my life at risk while driving is a scary thought. Fast-forward to April of 2024, similar symptoms have come back again. Wind feeling like it's getting under my hood, causing the car to pull left and right, RPM's not matching up and now a hot engine with no warning light coming on, is questioning if it's this particular sensor again. Not to mention, I had it inspected by the dealership two weeks ago and had an oil change done to it and the dealership said "everything looks great". You should have zero thought or worry when operating your personal vehicle, but in the past three months, I have taken my car to the dealership and or a mechanic 7 times with thoughts/worries about my car. This car has now turned into a "lemon" as one would call it and I'm terrified to even start the car.
NHTSA complaint #11583156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2022 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving from a stationary position, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact indicated that the vehicle would not immediately respond and would drive very slowly before accelerating. Additionally, while driving around corners the steering wheel was very difficult to maneuver, making the vehicle difficult to control. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to identify a cause for the failure of the vehicle. The failure mileage was 100.
NHTSA complaint #11505349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Car was inspected in April of 2021. The front of car started making knocking or clunking sounds on the right side. 2 weeks later, while making a U-turn instead of getting on the interstate, there was a loud crunch/crash sound. It sounded like a garbage can went under the vehicle. Upon further investigation, realized that the right ball joint somehow dropped out of the knuckle. This forced the axle to pop out and further damaged the rest of the suspension components. Thank god this didn’t happen on the highway with my wife and 2 toddlers in the car- that would have been horrific.
NHTSA complaint #11501752 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving over a speed bump the front-end of the vehicle collapsed to the ground. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the front strut assembly was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic and the front strut assembly was replaced again. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not under warranty. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 146,000.
NHTSA complaint #11498389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TSB issue with suspension steering gear assembly needs to be removed and have spacer kit installed. Issue caused the front lower ball joint to wear more than usual and crack. Due to TSB a joint kit needs to be installed and control arms replaced.
NHTSA complaint #11497047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.