Collision Avoidance complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I purchased the card week ago, and by Sunday (09/04) it had only about 100 miles on it. I had just pulled out of my parking spot and came to a stop. I cannot say with certainty whether my foot was still on the brake at that exact moment, but I do know the vehicle was stopped. I was trying to adjust the A/C. The Mazda salesperson had previously told me that the climate controls on the screen could be a little finicky. I pressed a button marked with a "+," believing it was related to the A/C. Immediately afterward, the vehicle suddenly began moving forward very quickly from a stopped position. The acceleration felt extremely fast-faster than I had ever experienced in the vehicle before. I remember seeing something green appear on the display in front of me, but because everything happened so quickly, I cannot accurately recall what my foot was doing at that moment. …
The contact owns a 2026 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the infotainment system failed to operate as intended, and unknown sensors were illuminated. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 300.
The automatic emergency braking system prematurely and overly-aggressively takes over when I have full control of the situation. When it takes control it locks up all four wheels, each time almost causing a rear-end collision. It has done this on a total of 4 occasions under normal congested traffic situations. On or about 6/14/26 I was driving westbound on the Massachusetts Turnpike. There was a sudden traffic stop. I had sufficient distance to stop before colliding with the car in front of me and further had the passing side breakdown lane to divert into if necessary. The emergency braking software took over and locked up the wheels causing the person behind me to have a rear-end collision with my car. There was little-to-no damage and no injuries. The dangerous turnpike traffic conditions discouraged making a police report. …
Life-threatening, unoccupied rollaway vehicle with personal injury. Possible and/or suspected issues: "Not-P" switch circuit malfunction; "false park"; lack of cross-module redundancy; lack of BCM and PCM redundancy; Diagnostic Blind Spot; lack of Occupancy-Brake interlock; systematic safety failure culminating in unintended, driverless, runaway Zombie vehicle with personal injury. Background Info: * Low mileage, mainly in-town errands driving. * Not previously reported quirks, possible latent defects: liftgate opening that was hit-or-miss requiring multiple unlock trunk-unlock doors + get out of the car manual attempts; intermittent off-shutdown double-tap issue to power off car; ill-timed "rear seat alert". * Reported "engine won't start" resulting in three key FOB battery replacements and a locked key FOB. Day of Incident: * Auto-lock and the EBS were not used. …
The most recent incident: Driving 35 MPH on a 4 lane divided boulevard, vehicle 5-6 car lengths in front of me indicates intention to turn right. No traffic in lane to my left should I need to change lanes. I continue to coast. At approximately 2-3 car lengths, the vehicle in front has nearly completed the right turn - there is no risk of collision - but my car BRAKES HARD. This is the 4th time my car has activated emegency braking in a situation it is not warranted. I have been dirving for 36 years with no accident. I do not need nor want this technology as it is more prone to causing accidents than preventing them. Additionally, the car throttle response is slow to recover in these situations, so while I mashed the acclerator to the floor to avoid being rear-ended - the car did not accelerate for 1-2 seconds (RPM went up, but the engine did not engage for several seconds). …
On 06/18/2026, the vehicle displayed multiple safety warnings, including ABS malfunction, dynamic stability control/traction control malfunction, Smart Brake Support and Forward Obstruction Warning disabled, possible forward sensing camera malfunction, and airbag/seat belt pre-tensioner malfunction. These warnings involve braking, stability control, collision avoidance, airbag, and seat belt safety systems. This was not the first occurrence. On 04/24/2025, the vehicle displayed similar warnings, including critical brake system/Electronic Brake Force Distribution malfunction, ABS malfunction, Smart Brake Support and Forward Obstruction Warning disabled, possible forward sensing camera malfunction, and keyless entry malfunction. The vehicle was towed at that time. The vehicle was inspected by an authorized Mazda dealer in June 2026. …
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - Smart Brake Support (SBS) & Forward Obstruction Warning system malfunctioned. Front radar sensor malfunctioned. Parking brake malfunctioned. I-activesense system malfunctioned. Emergency lane keep disabled. Dynamic stability control malfunctioned. Traction control system not operating correctly. Anti-lock brake system (ABS) malfunctioned. Brake system not responding. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? In total 10 malfunctions led to brake not responding and could not stop the car and resulted into a car accident. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? NO Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? …
The driver-side power door mirror on my 2023 Mazda CX-5 vibrates excessively at highway speeds above 75 mph, especially on windy days. The vibration is so severe that it causes a blurred and distorted view, making it difficult to clearly see vehicles in adjacent lanes. This poses a significant safety risk, as it impairs my ability to make safe lane changes and monitor surrounding traffic. I brought the issue to the attention of my Mazda dealership during a scheduled service appointment, but they dismissed it as "normal" and quoted approximately $700 to replace the mirror - despite the fact that this appears to be a known issue with Mazda vehicles. Numerous owners of recent Mazda models have reported similar problems online, yet Mazda has not issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) for the 2023 CX-5. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Mazda CX-5 years have collision avoidance problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2018 (19), 2019 (18), 2020 (18), 2021 (18) and 2023 (11) model years. Collision Avoidance complaints make up 5% of all complaints for the 2018.
Is there a recall for Mazda CX-5 collision avoidance problems?
No. NHTSA lists no driver assistance recall for any Mazda CX-5 model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Mazda CX-5 collision avoidance problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 52,000 miles; 50% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic emergency braking (59 mentions), followed by the warnings (41).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.