RoadVitals

2014 Mazda CX-5 Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Mar 30, 2021
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 377 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2014 Mazda CX-5 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngineExterior lighting
Filed Mar 30, 2021

THE STARTER IGNITION BUTTON WILL TURN OFF THE ENGINE BUT FAIL TO TURN OFF THE RADIO AND THE LIGHTS. THE ONLY WAY TO TURN IT OFF IS TO REPEATEDLY TURN ON THE IGNITION BUTTON, UNTIL IT TURNS OFF.

NHTSA ID
11405494
Incident
Mar 29, 2021
Mileage
40,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 10, 2019

THE ENGINE OF MY MAZDA CX-5 2014 TURNED OFF WHEN I GOT HOME BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT ALL THE ACCESSORIES STAYED ON. AS A RESULT, THE CAR DIDN'T START THE NEXT DAY AND IT RAN OUT OF BATTERY. TURNING IT COMPLETELY OFF WAS NOT AN EASY TASK. I HAD TO RESEARCH ONLINE TO FIGURE OUT THE TRICK MOVING THE SHIFT LEVER AND REALIZED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND A THREAD THAT IS INCLUDED AT THE END OF THIS MESSAGE. MAZDA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND GET THE CARS FIXED WITH A RECALL BUT IT SEEMS THAT THEY ARE JUST DENYING THE SITUATION. EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T REPRESENT A SAFETY ISSUE WHILE DRIVING A CAR, IT DOES REPRESENT A HUGE INCONVENIENCE TO OWNERS, AS WELL AS TIME AND MONEY. THE KNOWN FAULTY PART THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IS THE KDY0-46-040 SWITCH. ONLINE THREAD WITH MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE: HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T49115_DS799849

NHTSA ID
11279305
Incident
Nov 10, 2019
Mileage
60,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 20, 2018

VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO DRIVE & IT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD 03/20/2018 AND IT ROLLED BACKWARDS. ALSO UNABLE TO SHUT VEHICLE OFF ONCE IT IS PARKED. CONTINUOUS ISSUES TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF ONCE IT IS PARKED. LIGHTS STAYS ON THE DASHBOARD & RADIO CONTINUE TO PLAY MUSIC. I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES FOR TWO YEARS NOW TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND MAZDA IS NOW TELLING ME THAT IT IS BECAUSE OF MY PHONE CHARGER IS WRAPPED AROUND THE GEAR STICK WHY IT WILL NOT GO INTO PARK AND THE ISSUE IS THE VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY HAVING ISSUES TO TURNING OFF.. I HAVE A VIDEO RECORDING OF THE CHARGER WRAPPED AROUND THE GEAR STICK AND THE VEHICLE PUT INTO PARK WITH NO ISSUES. I ALSO BOUGHT THE PHONE CHARGER LONG AFTER THIS ISSUE STARTED. THEY CHANGED THE SHIFTER 03/2018 BECAUSE IT WAS NO GOOD AND THEY CHARGED ME FOR AN ITEM THEY ARE AWARE OF HAS ISSUES. I HAD TO GOOGLE HOW TO TURN MY VEHICLE OFF 11/27/2018.

NHTSA ID
11162853
Incident
Nov 27, 2018
Mileage
45,762 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jun 20, 2018

A FEW WEEKS AGO MY KEYLESS SYSTEM BEGAN MALFUNCTIONING. WHEN I PUSH THE CAR OFF BUTTON AND GO TO GET OUT OF CAR A WARNING BEEP GETS MY ATTENTION THAT THE DASH IS STILL ON. THE ONLY WAY I HAVE FOUND TO GET EVERYTHING TO SHUT OFF COMPLETELY IS TO RESTART THE CAR AND PUT IT IN REVERSE OR DRIVE AND I MAY HAVE TO DO THIS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE EVERYTHING SHUTS DOWN.

NHTSA ID
11102880
Incident
May 6, 2018
Mileage
80,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lightingSteering
Filed Sep 15, 2017

WHEN I START THE CAR ALL THE DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON AS I DROVE THE CAR. WHEN I TURNED ON THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS FLASHED RAPIDLY THE NAVIGATION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN AND THE CAR STARTED TO DIE. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS LIT THE WARNING ABOUT A POWER STEERING FAILURE, BRAKE FAILURE AND KEYLESS ENTRY PROBLEM, ABS, SPEED MONITORING TIRE PRESSURE ALL COMES UP IN THE WARNING AREA. THE POWER STEERING DOES FAIL MAKING IT HARD TO TURN. IN DOING RESEARCH ON THE ISSUE IT COMES FROM A FAULTY GROUND CABLE ISSUE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. I HAVE HAD THIS OCCUR 3 DIFFERENT TIMES NOW ON THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID
11023630
Incident
Sep 14, 2017
Mileage
73,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 31, 2016

THE LOW BEAMS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE INEFFECTIVE ON DARK COUNTRY ROADS. ALSO, THEY ARE POINTED SO LOW THAT THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE A STOP SIGN - THEY HIT JUST BELOW THE SIGN ITSELF. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET THEM ADJUSTED, BUT THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED, AND THE HEIGHT IS NORMAL. WHILE DRIVING ON DARK ROADS, IF MY HIGH BEAMS ARE NOT ON THEN I NEED TO DRIVE REALLY SLOW SINCE I HAVE SUCH LIMITED VISIBILITY WITH MY LOW BEAMS.

NHTSA ID
10852710
Incident
May 1, 2013
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 8, 2016

HEADLIGHTS, LOW BEAM. I'VE HAD MY CX-5 TOURING SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW IN JULY 2013. I ALWAYS NOTICED HOW THE HEADLIGHTS, WHEN TURNED ON, ARE VERY BRIGHT FOR A SPLIT SECOND, THEN INSTANTLY DIMS DOWN LOWER. THIS HAPPENED ALL THE TIME THE FIRST 2 YEARS DRIVING IT. I KNEW IT HAD THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY FOR ROAD ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS. SO I THOUGHT IT WAS THE WAY IT SHOULD WORK. ABOUT 2-3 MONTHS AGO, THEY STARTED TO COME ON, AND STAY BRIGHT CONSTANTLY, UNTIL I TURNED THEM OFF THEN ON AGAIN. NOW, THEY WOULD STAY BRIGHT FOR HOURS IF I DON'T TOUCH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THEN WHEN I DO SWITCH THEM TO ANOTHER SETTING; THEY WOULD GO DIMMER AND STAY THERE. AFTER A FEW TIMES DOING THIS, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO BE CHECKED OUT. AFTER A THOROUGH INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THESE (FACTORY) HEADLAMPS ARE SUPPOSED TO TURN ON HIGH THEN LOW IN A SPLIT SECOND. THIS DOES NOT SOUND LOGICAL TO ME, ESPECIALLY SINCE I SPENT 15 YEARS WORKING IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY (FOR OEM SUPPLIERS, AND I ALSO WORKED DIRECTLY WITH FORD, CHRYSLER, MAZDA, OTHERS) FOR A FEW DIFFERENT MAJOR ELECTROMECHANICAL VEHICLE OEM COMPONENTS. UNLESS THERE IS SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THESE HEADLIGHTS, WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS SPLIT SECOND BRIGHT THEN DIM FOR THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS, AND SUDDENLY START STAYING BRIGHT FROM THE TIME I START THE CAR? THEY NOW (ERRATICALLY) STAY BRIGHT AS LONG AS I DON'T TOUCH THE SWITCH ARM. WHEN I DO, THEY COME ON BRIGHT FOR A SPLIT SECOND, THEN DIM DOWN. THIS CONDITION IS ERRATIC, PARKED, IN MOTION, IDLING ETC., I HAVE NOTICED ON POORLY LIT BACK ROADS, THAT THE HEADLIGHTS (WHEN "LOW" WERE NOT ADEQUATE TO SEE THE ROAD, AND IS A SERIOUS ROAD HAZARD. I OFTEN TURN ON THE HIGH BEAMS TO COMPENSATE FOR THE DIM HEADLIGHTS. I CAN SEND THE DEALER INSPECTION REPORT UPON REQUEST. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10824878
Incident
Dec 15, 2015
Mileage
40,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 3, 2015

THE HEADLIGHTS OF THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT AT LOW BEAM ARE VERY DANGEROUS. AT LOW BEAM, A DARK "CURTAIN" APPEARS THAT COVERS APPROXIMATELY THE TOP HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD AT ABOUT EYE LEVEL. THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE THE ROAD BUT WITH THE CUT OFF AS DESCRIBED. IT IS VERY AWKWARD AND DISTRACTING. TO COUNTERACT, I HAVE TO DUCK MY HEAD DOWN TO TRY TO GET SOME FIELD OF VIEW IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WITH SOME PERSPECTIVE. I HAVE NEVER DRIVEN A CAR THAT HAS EXHIBITED ANYTHING LIKE THIS, AND THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY DEFECT. WHEN APPROACHED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT NIGHT, THE "CURTAIN" DISAPPEARS BUT THIS IS ITSELF DISTRACTING AND OF CONCERN. MY WIFE TOOK OUR NEW CX-5 TO THE DEALER FOR THE FIRST SERVICE INTERVAL AND TOLD THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS WAS A BIG SAFETY PROBLEM, AND THAT IT WAS WAITING ON A RESOLUTION. FRANKLY, MAZDA AND THE REGULATORS NEED TO GET THIS FIXED ASAP. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SOMEONE OR MANY PERSONS ARE GOING TO BE KILLED. THAT "CURTAIN" APPARENTLY IS NOT A MERE ADJUSTMENT ISSUE SINCE THE VERY GOOD LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP CANNOT FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10669863
Incident
Jun 1, 2014
Mileage
500 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .