There are 12 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2013 Mazda CX-5in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
When in the highway and changing lanes and you try to excelerate it doesnt take off ..instead just acts as if i had over excelerated but not speeding up.. i have almost been ran over because i could not get enough speed to switch lanes.
WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE THE CAR LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. ALL OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON AND I HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT BUT I CANNOT TAKE THE VEHICLE OVER 30 MPH NOW WITHOUT IT SHUTTERING AND HAVING ACCELERATION ISSUES. THIS IS A SERIOUS AND LIFE THREATENING ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED FREE OF CHARGE. I HAVE FOUND OTHER REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING BUT I SEE NO RECALL INFORMATION. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED BEFORE MAZDA HAS LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST THEM. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ERROR AND NOT A USAGE ERROR. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS.
I WAS DRIVING MY MAZDA 2013 CX-5 ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN IT SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I PRESSED THE THE ACCELERATED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE LIGHT, LOW TIRE, AND TRACTION SYMBOLS ALL WERE LID UP ON THE DASHBOARD. I DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME AT 20 MPH AS THIS IS THE MAXIMUM TOP SPEED THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. I WILL CHECK TO SEE IF THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE THAT CAN BE LIFE THREATENING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA CX-5. WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE FENDER ON THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.
5 SECONDS AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE IT SUDDENLY WENT INTO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION FROM 5MPH TO ABOUT 40 MPH. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. I THEN SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WHICH DID NOTHING, THEN SHIFTED INTO PARK, WHICH DID NOTHING. STILL APPLYING THE BRAKES I TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO SHUT (PUSH BOTTON) IGNITION OFF BUT THAT WAS UNRESPONSIVE. I HIT A STREET SIGN WHICH SLOWED ME DOWN AND THE CAR FINALLY CAME TO A STOP BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL REVING LOUDLY FOR ANOTHER SOLID MINUTE. I AGAIN WAS PUSHING THE IGNITION BUTTON AND THE CAR THEN SUDDENLY TURNED OFF.
TRAVELING RESIDENTIAL STREET APPROX 40MPH. PREPARED TO SLOW FOR UPCOMING LIGHT AND TRAFFIC APPLIED LIGHT PRESSURE TO BRAKE VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW FELT WHAT THOUGHT WAS A DOWNSHIFT EXCEPT ACCELERATOR WENT TO FLOOR AND CAR ACCELERATED BRAKE FIGHTING ACCELERATION VEHICLE NOT SLOWING THOUGHT TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL ENGINE RACED WILDLY, VEHICLE CAME TO STOP MOTOR RACING, HIT OFF BUTTON AND MOTOR FINALLY STOPPED. RESTARTED AND VEHICLE BACK TO NORMAL CALLED DEALER TOOK FOR CHECK NEXT DAY MAZDA AND INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR SUPPOSEDLY INSPECTED FOUND NO PROBLEM CHECKED THEIR BLACK BOX NO SUPPORTING DATA. CONCLUDED I WAS USING 2 FEET TO DRIVE I HAVE DRIVEN FOR OVER 50 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER USED 2 FEET TO DRIVE I TAUGHT MY CHILDREN AND HELPED TEACH MY GRANDCHILDREN AND NEVER ALLOWED 2 FEET TO BE USED IN DRIVING. MAZDAS SOLUTION WAS TO INSTALL A NEW DATA BOX TO COLLECT MORE DATA IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN WITH NO CONCERN FOR MY FAMILY AND THEIR SAFETY OR THAT OF OTHERS ON THE ROADS PLUS MY INSURANCE WOULD BE PUT AT RISK ALONG WITH POTENTIAL LAWSUITS AGAINST ME PERSONALLY AS I KNOW MAZDA DID NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO FIGURE WHAT PARTS MIGHT CAUSE THIS PROBLEM A GOOD COMPANY WOULD TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM ASSESS WHICH PARTS COULD CAUSE THE PROBLEM REPLACE THE MOST LOGICAL PARTS AND TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. MAZDA JUST WANTS TO PUT THE PROBLEM BACK ON THE ROAD WITH NO TROUBLESHOOTING ATTEMPTS OR SKILLS. I KNOW ONE OTHER PERSON WHO'S TEENAGE DAUGHTER HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN TWICE AND THEY SAY THEY CAN FIND NO PROBLEM ONE OF HERS RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. MY CASE # [XXX] WITH MAZDA TODAY I TRADED IN THIS VEHICLE. MAZDA SAYS THE VEHICLE IS SAFE ALTHOUGH THEY DECLINED TO SEND ME AN EMAIL CONFIRMING THIS SORRY TO SAY IT WILL PROBABLY BE SOLD TO SOME OTHER UNSUSPECTING PERSON. HOPE NO ONE GETS HURT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WAS DRIVING NORMALLY WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND OTHER LIGHTS IN THE CLUSTER CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT. COULD NOT PASS 20 MPH. HAD TO STOP THE CAR AND TURN IT OFF, LATER TURN IT ON AND JUST THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS LIT. AFTER GETTING HOME AND LETTING THE CAR COOL DOWN THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. *TR
WAS PASSING A SEMI-TRUCK FULL THROTTLE ON A HILLY 2 LANE ROADWAY.....ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND MULTIPLE DASH WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON....WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A SAFE STOP AND TURNED OFF IGNITION AND RESTARTED VEHICLE. VERY SCARY!! TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. *TR
WHILE ON A VERY BUSY ROAD, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ACCELERATOR STOPPED WORKING AND MY SPEED BEGAN TO DROP RAPIDLY. AT THE SAME TIME, THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT AND TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. IT WAS AS IF THE CAR HAD COMPLETELY LOST POWER. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN THE CAR COMPLETELY OFF. I GOT OUT AND CHECKED ALL OF THE TIRES AND THEY WERE FINE. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON, THE WARNING LIGHTS DID NOT COME BACK ON AND THE CAR RAN NORMALLY. *TR
WHILE CHANGING LANES ON HIGHWAY FROM A STOP, IT FELT AS THOUGH THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL INSTEAD OF DRIVE. THE RPM INCREASED BUT THE CAR DID NOT MOVE. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED UPON SUDDEN ACCELERATION FROM AROUND 30 THAT I GET A SIMILAR RESPONSE. MAZDA STATES VEHICLE PERFORMING AS BY DESIGN. CAR DOES NOT SEEM TO DOWN SHIFT QUICK ENOUGH ON ACCELERATION. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON THE LEFT LANE OF A BUSY LOS ANGELES HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ACCELERATOR STOPPED RESPONDING AND MY SPEED DROPPED RAPIDLY. AT THE SAME TIME, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND TIRE PRESSURE LIGHTS TURNED ON. IMMEDIATELY, I TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND PULLED INTO THE RIGHT LANE. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS IN A TUNNEL WITH NO SHOULDER. WHEN THE VEHICLE'S FORWARD MOMENTUM RAN OUT, I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER CRUISING FOR APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET. AFTER MY VEHICLE STOPPED, I WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE AGAIN AND PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, CHECKED ALL TIRES (ALL LOOKED NORMAL), AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ALL OFF AT THIS POINT, AND THE VEHICLE RESPONDED NORMALLY. THIS WAS A DISTURBING AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WILL DESCRIBE IT AT MY 10,000-MILE SERVICE, BUT IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SOLICIT AN ADEQUATE RESPONSE FROM MAZDA. *TR
WHILE THE BRAKE IS HELD DOWN WITH THE LEFT FOOT AND A SLIGHT PRESSURE IS PUT ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY SURGE FORWARD. IT CAN MOVE ABOUT TWO FEET BEFORE I GET THE BRAKE ON HARD ENOUGH TO STOP THE CAR. IT FEELS AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK HARD FROM BEHIND. THE DEALER HAS LOOKED AT IT TWICE AND SUGGESTED THAT THE BOG FOR "BREAK OVER GAS" LOGIC SYSTEM IS BEING FOOLED BY THE COMBINED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE AND GAS AT THE SAME TIME, I.E., IF, WHILE BOTH PEDALS ARE PRESSED, IF THE BRAKE PRESSURE IS SLIGHTLY RELEASED WHILE THE GAS PEDAL IS STILL SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED THE COMPUTER THINKS THE IT HAS TO "CATCH-UP WITH THE GAS PEDAL AND IT SURGES FORWARD. IT HAS HAPPENED FIVE TIMES. IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED WITHOUT BOTH THE BRAKE AND GAS BEING SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLIED. IT BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN IT HAPPENS AT A BUSY STOP SIGNED INTERSECTION WHILE WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC, I.E., A PEDESTRIAN COULD BE STRUCK. I TRY TO AVOID THIS USING THIS TECHNIQUE BUT IT IS A HABIT THAT I'M SURE MANY DRIVERS HAVE. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026