2019 Mazda 5 Reliability Report

Windshields chip and crack easily. Some develop long stress cracks with no visible impact, and some owners have replaced the glass more than once. Auto-folding side mirrors sometimes fail to open fully, which blocks the driver's view for lane changes, and owners say repairs outside warranty are often declined. Other reports include a glass sunroof shattering at highway speed, wind whistling around the windshield, a rearview mirror falling off, and wiper arms installed on the wrong sides. A few of these complaints come from Mazda3 owners.

Glass sunroofs shatter with a loud bang while the car is moving. One driver was cut near the eye by falling glass. Soul Red paint chips heavily on the hood and front end, sometimes down to the primer within months. At highway speeds, owners hear wind whistling or squeaking from the front doors and mirrors, and the driver's mirror can vibrate. Mazda3 owners report doors that rub against each other in hot weather. Isolated complaints cover returning rust and a spare tire well that fills with water in the rain.

An airbag malfunction warning comes on intermittently, often when a passenger is seated, and sometimes returns after a dealer repair. Owners link several of these cases to seat wiring, and one describes a faulty driver airbag. A passenger airbag status light can stay on with the seat empty. One report describes all four curtain airbags deploying while the vehicle was parked, and one crash report says the airbag did not deploy. Some owners were charged for diagnosis and told no recall applied.

Automatic emergency braking kicks in with nothing ahead. The car stops hard on open roads or after a light turns green, and following drivers nearly rear-end it. Some owners see Smart Brake System and Front Radar Sensor malfunction messages while the car shakes and slows on its own. One crash report describes the car lurching forward while the brakes were applied. A stuck brake fluid level sensor that triggered brake and i-ACTIVESENSE warnings also appears. Dealers often cannot reproduce the false braking.

Power steering assist cuts out while driving, sometimes after a clunk and a malfunction warning. In some cases it comes back after a restart. One owner says the wheel jerked violently after a jump start while the brakes applied on their own. ABS and brake warning lights traced to the steering angle sensor kept returning after the part was replaced. One crash report describes sudden acceleration and a swerve at very low speed. With only 8 complaints, these failures are scattered rather than one clear pattern.

The collision system brakes hard with no obstacle ahead, including at highway speed on cruise control. A Front Radar Malfunction message can appear while the car slows quickly and will not respond to the accelerator. Owners say braking stays too aggressive even at the lowest setting and must be switched off at every drive. Following drivers have to brake hard to avoid a rear-end crash. One crash report says the car was rear-ended when it did not accelerate after brake assist engaged. Several of these complaints come from Mazda3 owners.

A front headrest tore out of the seat during a rear-end collision and left the driver's head and neck unsupported. That crash report lists 2 injuries. In another complaint, a rear seatback behind the driver rattles and does not lock firmly when someone is seated. A third owner says the heated seat shuts off randomly while driving. With only 3 complaints, no repeated failure pattern shows up, but the headrest report is a safety concern worth checking on any car you look at.