NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 11 complaints against the 2025 Mazda CX-5. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2025 Mazda CX-5 complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2025 Mazda CX-5 has generated 37 NHTSA complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If your 2025 Mazda CX-5 has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Mazda pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Powertrain and transmission defects directly impair the vehicle’s core function and are generally considered substantial defects under California lemon law. Owners of the 2025 Mazda CX-5 have reported harsh shifting, shuddering, slipping, and transmission warning lights. 7 NHTSA complaints have been submitted for this defect category. Owner reports include: “Driver side and passenger side axle-area damage, making loud clicking and popping sounds on turns indicating major damage to CV joint, at around 5000 …”
The 2025 Mazda CX-5 has generated 3 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “I was driving from Rock Hill, SC on October 17, 2025 on Route 77 South when I heard an explosion while talking to my daughter at approximately 8:40 am. I stopped the car twice to check the tires. On the second stop, I lifted the hatch but did not see anything. I got back into the car and decided to open the sunroof slide just a bit. I opened it slowly and saw shards of glass and put my hand up through the hole. I closed the slider carefully. I continued to drive to the Florida Welcome Center where I found a maintenance man to put duck tape over it. This did not hold. I was only driving about 60 mph as I was afraid that glass would fly out and harm the vehicle behind me. I decided to stop at my son’s as it was closer than my home. The next morning we purchased vinyl and duck tape to cover the hole better. I called my Mazda dealership while in SC. They said to bring it in for them to look at it on Monday. I called again at the Welcome Center to see if I should cover it. They said that was best. It is now Monday morning, October 20, 2025 and am at the dealership. Mileage is approximate.” (NHTSA Complaint #11694482)
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2025 Mazda CX-5 has 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “The system that failed was the acceleration. This how it happened the first time, because after that it has happened at least two more in one year. I was leaving my office parking area, and I was waiting for the cars in front of me to continue moving. Then I was ready to start moving and put my foot on the accelerator and just went to a high acceleration. Which I immediately slammed the brakes because otherwise I would have smashed the rear part of the vehicle in front of me. My safety was in jeopardy because if I would have hit the car in front of me and my airbags would have deployed. And the speed of the acceleration was so, that the driver in front of me would have definitely felt it in his neck and God forbids what else!!! Yes, I reported to my dealer, and they said that nothing showed in their computer system, and mentioned something of a throttler not been wrong, (which I don’t know what that is). There were no warning lamps or messages in the dashboard prior to the failure. This happened to me again in random occasions where I was just getting my car out of my parking in my condominium, also lucky, it was early in the morning and no cars around. AND the other instance also in my condominium parking area, but this time arriving, and also, lucky no cars near!!!! Your website describes a similar complaint for the same make and model of my car, thus implying that there is a problem with the system.” (NHTSA Complaint #11718027)
Suspension problems affect vehicle handling and ride quality. For the 2025 Mazda CX-5, reported issues include clunking noises, premature wear, and handling instability. With 2 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect has a documented pattern. Owner reports include: “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…”
The 2025 Mazda CX-5 has generated 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “On December 3, 2025, the front seat of our 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid caught fire while the vehicle was being used under normal conditions. The fire orig…”
As of the date of this review, no active recalls have been issued specifically for the 2025 Mazda CX-5. Recall status can change at any time. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls for the most current information. The absence of a recall does not mean your vehicle is defect-free — many lemon law claims proceed without a recall on file.
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2025 Mazda CX-5:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Mazda to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Mazda must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2025 Mazda CX-5 qualifies as a lemon under California law, Mazda may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Mazda a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Mazda dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Mazda pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Mazda a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Mazda is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2025 Mazda Cx 5 has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
Get a free case evaluation. Mazda pays our fees if you win — you pay nothing upfront.
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