Mazda CX-50 Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability

I was attempting to mount my bike rack. To get the clips to properly fit I needed to partially open the liftgate. Upon triggering the door release the power liftgate and began opening the door. The anti pinch system did not detect the pinch and it crumpled the roof and liftgate at the seam. I tried to stop it but there was too much pressure and by the time it stopped lifting under my body weight significant damage had occurred. If a finger had been there it would have been chopped off.

The contact owns a 2023 Mazda CX-50. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 38 MPH. The contact stated he was approaching an intersection when a vehicle in front of him attempted to make a left turn but slowed down. The contact was unable to depress the brake pedal and turned the steering wheel to the left to avoid the crash, but he crashed into the corner of the passenger side rear bumper of the other vehicle. The contact was not sure of the damage to the other vehicle; his vehicle had damage to the right headlight and the front quarter panel. The contact stated that his vehicle was equipped with a front collision avoidance system, but the system had not engaged. The contact stated that no persons were injured. The contact stated that the police were on scene and wrote a report. The vehicle was driven to a collision center for repair. The contact had not had the vehicle diagnosed. The vehicle had been repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

Vehicle was dormant overnight and caught fire. Battery disintegrated and fire tore across the entire engine compartment and front end. Fire department conducted investigation and determined mechanical failure. Showed no signs of issue before hand was driven shortly the night before to move parking spots.

Burns and scarring on my thigh from the heated seats

I was pulling into a parking spot and the emergency braking system applied the brakes very forcefully as if a collision was imminent. I backed up and saw nothing in the parking spot and then proceeded to pull back into the same spot with no issue. There was a loud and rhythmic thumping sound that I perceived as the abs system engaging. This is a rental car so I am returning it to the company, National rental car, and swapping out for a new vehicle. I contacted Mazda about this and was given a case # 00434431.

I am reporting a potential safety-related defect in my 2025 Mazda CX-50 Preferred, which is approximately four months old. On one occasion, the vehicle moved backward while in Drive mode. This occurred twice on the same day under similar conditions on a slight incline. After starting the vehicle, I shifted into Drive and applied acceleration; however, the vehicle moved backward instead of forward. The rearward motion continued despite active acceleration input. This behavior is not consistent with normal rollback on an incline. The continued backward movement under acceleration indicates a possible issue with transmission engagement, gear recognition, or electronic control systems. I reported the issue to an authorized Mazda dealer. I was informed that shifting the gear too quickly may cause a delay in system response, resulting in the vehicle behaving as though still in Reverse. I consider this explanation unacceptable for a modern automatic vehicle and indicative of a potential defect. This condition presents a safety risk. Unintended rearward movement while in Drive could lead to collisions, especially in situations involving other vehicles, pedestrians, or objects behind the vehicle. Although the issue has not reoccurred since that day, the intermittent nature raises concern about reliability and the potential for recurrence without warning. I request that this issue be investigated as a potential safety defect.

I am reporting a potential airbag system/emergency brake failure in my 2023 Mazda CX-50. I was involved in a rear-end motor vehicle accident at approximately 60 mph while my vehicle was completely stopped. I then hit the person in front of me. At the time of the impact, the airbags did not deploy, and I received a dashboard message indicating an airbag system malfunction. Since then, the emergency brake turns on and off on it's own at any time. Due to the severity of the crash, I am concerned that the airbags should have deployed, and their failure raises a serious safety concern. I sustained injuries (multiple fractures) as a result of the collision. I am requesting a formal investigation into possible defect or malfunction in the airbag system and emergency brake system.

After about six months of ownership, a knocking noise started happening from the front of the vehicle when turning the wheel all of the way to the right. A month or so later I brought it to a Mazda dealership in Green Brook, NJ. I was told by the service advisor that she had the same vehicle and was advised that this was normal. She explained everything exactly as I had experienced it. She told me I could wait in the dealership for 3/4 hours, but the technicians would most likely just tell me the same. Over time, the suspension deteriorated. Bumps felt more and more noticeable and a lot of noise inside the cabin. Specifically, a lot of vibrating on the right side of the vehicle: windows, front passenger seat, and the trunk window. Looking over the internet, it seems like this problem is apparent in multiple vehicle years, but never properly addressed via a recall: [XXX] . The vehicle is currently in Sansone Mazda in [XXX] . They replaced the right CV and the problem did not go away. I was told they would have to contact Mazda corporate. They did and I was then advised that they would need to replace the left CV axel, as well. Not surprisingly based on the frequency of this issue, that part was unavailable and on back order. I don't know how long I'll be without my car at this point. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

There is a recall for earlier models regarding "break clunk." The parking break, when sitting overnight in cold or wet environments, makes a loud bang noise when going into motion for the first time. The parking break seems to be sticking to something.

On 02/27/2026, a 2024 Mazda CX-50 (20700 miles) exhibited a severe burning smell following a 3-hour highway drive and a subsequent steep, 2-mile mountain climb to a restaurant in Jasper, TN. The smell was strongly observed by multiple occupants upon exiting the vehicle. On 03/02/2026, a technician at Mazda of Knoxville confirmed via video a 'flat grease ring' slung onto the undercarriage, indicative of a centrifugal lubricant leak from the driveshaft/CV assembly. The proximity of this flammable grease to the hot exhaust system during high-torque operation (mountain climbing) presents a critical fire hazard. Despite visual confirmation of the slinging grease, the dealership issued a blank service invoice, omitting the defect from the official record and returning the vehicle in an unsafe condition. This represents a documented safety defect being suppressed by the manufacturer, posing an unreasonable risk of vehicle fire or catastrophic driveline failure.

The tire on the front driver's side was bad. I had it assessed at Ogeen K auto and he said they put a used tire on the vehicle. The other three were brand new. The noise I was hearing was coming from the tire. And was causing the vehicle to pull. My safety was put at risk because Iwouldd need a longer stopping distance. Sliding, the vehicle pulling to one side, and the spare tire was missing. They covered the hole with a piece of cardboard. I spoke to the employee at Hertz and told him the day he gave me the vehicle. There were no lights or warning lamps on.

Driver side and passenger side axle-area, making loud clicking and popping sounds on turns indicating major damage to CV joint, at around 10,000 miles. Primarily heard on sharply turned wheel acceleration. Two dealerships said they "couldn't reproduce the issue" even though I showed them the issue on recorded video. I demand that this be taken seriously as a recall.