This SA supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. SA-061/25 12/17/25 DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. Examples: 1. Devices connected to the DLC-2 (battery discharge/DTC stored) 2. Devices plugged into the 12V outlet 3. GPS tracking device (engine no start/battery discharge) 4. Dash cam (DTC stored)
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Mazda CX-5 electrical problems
moderate Owners of the 2013 Mazda CX-5 have filed 48 NHTSA complaints about the electrical, typically surfacing around 80,000 miles at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
48
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 CX-5 (this page) | 48 |
| 2014 CX-5 | 114 |
| 2015 CX-5 | 7 |
| 2016 CX-5 | 66 |
| 2017 CX-5 | 44 |
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 48 electrical complaints filed for the 2013 Mazda CX-5, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 48 electrical complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 12 model years of Mazda CX-5 in our records for electrical problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SAs and bulletin(s) listed below: The changes are noted below in red. SA-010/23 02/09/23 DESCRIPTION Some customers may experience one or more electrical malfunctions after a vehicle body repair. A newly painted fender stay (2) may be causing a poor front harness (1) ground connection. The front fender stay (2) newly painted surface at ground point (3), where attachment bolt (4) is seated, may create a poor front harness ground connection. NOTE: DO NOT paint ground point (3) attachment bolt (4) is seated. NEWLY INSTALLED FRONT FENDER STAY NOTE: CAUTION: If the bolt (4) contact area (3) is painted when the front fender stay (2) is newly repl
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗For improvement of electrical diagnosis, the SKYACTIV® Wiring Terminal Test Kits has been delivered all the dealers. The terminal test kit enables you: To check pin fit drag of all PCM terminals used in SKYACTIV® vehicles and compare suspect terminal drag with a known good terminal. To measure the voltage/resistance avoiding any terminal damage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗For improvement of electrical diagnosis, the SKYACTIV® Wiring Terminal Test Kits has been delivered all the dealers. The terminal test kit enables you: To check pin fit drag of all PCM terminals used in SKYACTIV® vehicles and compare suspect terminal drag with a known good terminal. To measure the voltage/resistance avoiding any terminal damage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The electrical complaints split into two main buckets: routine annoyance and life-threatening hazard. The routine one is the park position sensor—when you put the car in Park and press the ignition button, the engine shuts down but the radio, lights, and dashboard stay live. Owners report having to restart the engine, shift gears, and try again—sometimes 5 to 10 times—before everything actually powers down. The battery drains if you walk away from it. Multiple owners note they found the exact part number online (KDY0-46-040) and discovered it's a rubber component that deteriorates; the fix is a plastic replacement worth roughly $400 at a dealer. Mazda acknowledges this is a known problem but has not recalled it.
The serious one is sudden power loss while driving, usually at highway speed. Multiple owners report losing all power to the engine and steering without warning, with warning lights flooding the dash. Brakes become unresponsive or fail completely. The vehicle either stalls or limps along, forcing drivers to coast to the shoulder. One owner with teenagers in the car was 20 miles from a dealership when it happened. Restarting sometimes restores power temporarily, but mechanics cannot reproduce the failure to diagnose it—no codes, no root cause. One owner's vehicle had the brake switch and a 7.5-amp fuse replaced under warranty, but most shops throw their hands up. A single owner also reported an electrical fire starting in the fuse panel at low speed that torched the interior and melted the dashboard. Other electrical hiccups include dashboard displays going blank, door locks failing repeatedly, and the heating/AC venting cutting out. Owners have researched online forums extensively and uniformly report that Mazda says it has never heard of these issues despite hundreds of complaints.
Same Mazda CX-5 electrical reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Park Position Sensor / Shifter Position Switch Failure
The transmission position sensor (park safety switch) in the gearshift lever fails to recognize when the vehicle is in Park, preventing the electrical system from shutting down completely. Engine stops but radio, lights, dashboard, and accessories remain powered. Requires multiple attempts—often 5-10 times—of restarting, shifting gears, and pressing the ignition button to fully power down. Affects battery drain and vehicle security.
When: Occurs when stationary in Park; happens randomly and intermittently, sometimes multiple times daily; reported across wide mileage range (low mileage to 100k+); some owners report worsening over time
Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts off but radio, lights, dash indicators, and accessories remain on; Push-to-start button shows orange indicator light instead of full shutdown; Vehicle will not lock/arm security system when left in this state; Battery drains when vehicle left unattended; Multiple restart/shift attempts needed to achieve full shutdown; Beeping sounds persist as if vehicle is in use
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report part KDY0-46-040 (park position/shifter sensor) is the culprit; contains rubber component that deteriorates over time, replaceable with plastic version. Dealers charge $80–$120 for diagnosis; repair costs approximately $400 for parts and labor. Temporary workaround: jiggle shifter forcefully or cycle through gears.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mazda acknowledges this is a known problem but has not issued a recall; dealerships initially claim unfamiliarity despite multiple complaints across years; owners report Mazda aware but unwilling to address under warranty
Sudden Power Loss and Stall While Driving
Vehicle experiences sudden loss of engine power and electrical system shutdown while underway at highway speeds. Warning lights (check engine, traction control, tire pressure, ABS) illuminate. Power steering and braking become unresponsive or severely compromised. Vehicle either fully stalls or enters limp mode, forcing driver to coast to safety. Restarting restores function temporarily; problem recurs intermittently and cannot be reliably reproduced for diagnosis.
When: Occurs while driving at 15–65 mph, primarily on highways; multiple incidents documented; failure mileage ranges from under 25,000 to 96,000+ miles; some owners report first incident within 3 months of purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of engine power while driving at speed; Multiple warning lights flash (check engine, traction control, tire pressure, ABS); Loss or severe reduction of brake responsiveness; Loss of power steering control; Automatic transmission display goes blank or stops reporting gear position; Speedometer/tachometer/odometer stop responding or read zero; Vehicle may lurched or decelerate abruptly; Push-to-start button flashes yellow before shutdown
Codes mentioned: P0571, P02507, P0302
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers often unable to reproduce or identify root cause; repairs attempted include brake switch replacement, fuse replacement (part BN7N-66-490, Mini LP 7.5 fuse), oxygen sensor replacement, and mass air flow sensor replacement. One documented repair: brake switch and fuse replacement under warranty. Some owners report repeated shop visits with no lasting resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One incident repaired under warranty (vehicle <3 years/25k miles) with brake switch and fuse replacement; no recall issued; dealers install data recorders to investigate Skyactive transmission issues; warranty coverage varies by age/mileage
Electrical System Intermittent Shutdown / Battery Drain
During driving, all electrical components shut down and reboot within seconds, causing dashboard and instrument cluster to lose signal. Vehicle makes beeping sounds as though being restarted. Occurs at low city speeds and leaves driver unable to slow vehicle until it comes to a complete stop, then acceleration becomes sluggish. Misdiagnosed as battery issue; replacing battery provides temporary relief (weeks to month) before recurring.
When: Occurs intermittently during city driving at 15–45 mph; reported as ongoing for 5+ months; happens sporadically then disappears, then recurs; battery replacement only temporarily masks problem
Symptoms owners cite: All electrical components shut down and reboot mid-drive; Instrument cluster goes dark (speedometer, tachometer, odometer read zero); Vehicle unable to slow or brake during shutdown event; Beeping sounds on reboot (mimicking startup sequence); Sluggish acceleration after event at traffic stops; Dashboard lights extinguish then restore
Repairs/costs cited: Misattributed to incorrect battery installation; shop claims wrong battery in system; owner purchased stronger battery per recommendation but problem recurs after 1 month; repeated battery replacements provide only temporary relief; root cause undiagnosed
Electrical Fire in Fuse Panel
Vehicle experiences sudden engine stall at low speed with smoke filling interior cabin. Flames emerge from electrical fuse panel under dashboard, melting dashboard plastic and engulfing vehicle interior. Fire department extinguished fire; vehicle declared total loss. Single documented incident but represents extreme hazard.
When: At approximately 10,000 miles; during low-speed driving (5 mph)
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stall at low speed; Smoke in cabin; Flames visible from fuse panel under dashboard; Dashboard melting from fire heat; Interior engulfed in flames
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired; fire report filed with fire department; regional manager inspection ordered but vehicle remained unrepaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mazda regional manager notified for inspection; no details provided on findings or corrective action
Brake Switch / Ignition Circuit Corrosion
Brake switch fails or wires corrode on right side of vehicle, preventing proper start signal to ignition system. Vehicle fails to start; dealership confirms corrosion on wires and defective brake switch as known issues but no recalls issued. Corrosion occurs prematurely for vehicle age.
When: Reported in 2016 on 2013 model (3 years old); failure to start when vehicle is stationary
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle failure to start; Corroded wires on right side of vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership replaced brake switch and corroded wires; owner reports warranty did not cover corroded wires
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership confirmed these are known issues but no recall issued
Dashboard Display Failure
Electronic dashboard stops displaying odometer and mileage information. Only outside temperature gauge functions; speedometer, tachometer, and odometer all fail to display.
When: Reported at approximately 48,541 miles; also reported with instrument cluster showing all zeros during power-loss events
Symptoms owners cite: Odometer not displaying; Speedometer not displaying; Tachometer not displaying; Temperature gauge only function working; Instrument cluster going dark or displaying zeros
Door Lock and Hatch Actuator Failures
Driver-side and passenger-side door locks fail; rear hatch latch and control module fail repeatedly. Lock arm misalignment occurs. Rear control board requires replacement. Without mechanical key slot on hatch, access impossible without FOB.
When: Passenger-side door lock failed twice; rear hatch failed four times within one month; vehicle parked outdoors in Florida
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger-side door lock arm misalignment; Door lock actuation failure; Rear hatch latch failure; Rear hatch unable to open without FOB; Repeated failures of same components
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced door lock, battery, and rear control board multiple times for same issues
Engine Stall and Warning Light Cascade During Driving
Vehicle experiences jerking and stalling with cascading warning lights (check engine, traction control, tire pressure monitor) illuminating at various speeds. Steering becomes difficult or impossible, brakes unresponsive. Vehicle enters a state where normal operation ceases and must be restarted. Mechanic cannot duplicate failure; no diagnostic codes found. Pattern suggests electrical malfunction.
When: Reported at low mileage (2,000 miles documented); occurs at various speeds; event may resolve on restart and not recur for extended periods
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle jerking while driving; Engine stall; Check engine light, traction control light, tire pressure monitor light illuminated simultaneously; Steering difficulty or loss; Brake responsiveness loss; Warning lights may clear after restart
Repairs/costs cited: Mechanic unable to duplicate; no diagnostic codes retrieved; vehicle not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer referred contact to local dealer; no further resolution documented
Check Engine Light with Heating/AC Vent Malfunction
Service engine warning indicator illuminates and heating/air conditioning vent functions fail simultaneously. Likely heater core failure with faulty coolant system.
When: At approximately 48,541 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination; AC vent malfunction; Heating vent malfunction
Repairs/costs cited: Updated notes reference heater core failure and faulty coolant
Synthesized from 48 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
This evening I was running 2 errands less than 3 miles from house. As I drove from the first errand and arrived at the second, the malfunction indicators illuminated: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0a4bjzana9e/umf10emozji/aaaaaaaaahk/aklxhahwfsw/s1600/2012-12-11_cx-5.jpg I parked at my second errand, turned the car off, and decided to let it sit. When I came back and started it, only the check…
When parking and putting the car in 'park', the car doesn't recognize that it's in the park position, and although the car shuts off, the electrical system stays on. This allows the battery to run down with stereo, lights, and fans all running, and even worse, would allow someone to steal the car if they were to get into it. I've done research and found hundreds of complaints about this issue…
Several months now, I'm having to turn my car back on to turn the radio off and completely shut the car down. This has been going on since the summer of this year. I have to crank it up, put it out of park into drive, and put it back in drive. After that, it turns off. I have push to start and had the car for four years pre-owned. Yesterday, my sister and I were stranded because my car didn't…
Had electrical trouble with your 2013 Mazda CX-5?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2013 Mazda CX-5?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 48 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Across the 36 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 60,500 and 103,000 miles, with the median around 80,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 60,500; a quarter make it past 103,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Mazda/CX-5.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.