2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance325.0%
- Engine216.7%
- Powertrain (other)216.7%
- Brakes216.7%
- Electrical18.3%
- Body & structure18.3%
- Other / unspecified18.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
When using adaptive cruise control, during SOME cornering, SOMETIMES the car brakes unexpectedly, very aggressively, without warning. Very dangerous, especially when another car is behind you.
1) Driving on an expressway and the red warning light goes on - two red bars with a sterring wheel in the middle. Car sounded an alarm that indicated we were going to crash. No cars in front of us. 2) Driving on the expressway with the cruise control on. Driving 75 miles an hour and the vehicle goes to 30 miles an hour and I have to accelerate. Thank the Lord no one was behind me. This has happened 3 times. I took it into Mazda and tool them the issue but they just did their regular maintenance on my car. There is a major issue with this vehicle and nobody wants to admit Need your help
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
First issue: Rough idle at start. The interior cabin vibrates enough to question the vehicle quality. The rough idle lasts about 40 seconds then engine switches to smooth vibration. It's actually unnerving. Second issue: it's well known in 2025 Mazda installed the Toyota RAV4 hybrid engine and transmission into the CX-50. The current ICE engine model had to be modified. As a result there are some structural issues that may become problematic. The front passenger door scrapes against the interior fender. During manufacturing to cover up the defect Mazda purposely offset the passenger side fender mask the defect. This should seriously can into question the structural integrity of the vehicle. The primary concern is by offsetting the fender have the impacted the ability of the crumble zones in this area? Additionally, the front passenger door may become stuck since there is no uniformity in the panel alignment. This should raise caution since the modifications necessary to accommodate the hybrid system my have impacted overall vehicle integrity.
Check engine light came on at 600 miles. Took it to the dealer and the code was a p3400 code, cylinder deactivation fault. The dealership replaced both solenoids, part #PYFA-12-360A, found metal in OCV valves. When we got the car back I changed the oil, cut the oil filter open and found large metal shavings. At about 1300 miles the same check engine light came on. Back to the dealership with the same code. Now Mazda says to replace the head.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
On three separate occasions, while in reverse backing out of my driveway, the car failed to engage the transmission when shifting into drive, acting like it was in neutral. There were no warning lights or messages on the dashboard. The only way that I found to engage the transmission was to turn off the vehicle, turn back on, and move selector to drive. This is a safety issue as I've had cars approaching in both directions with the CX-50 behing immobilized and not able to move out of the roadway.
I bought the car new from Mazda in December, 2024, and I am the original owner of the car. I backed out of a parking space. I shifted my gear to D, but the car kept sliding backward. I quickly shifted the gear back to P, pressed the parking brake, and turned off my engine. I had to restart my engine several times before the car will drive forward in D. This incident happened twice already.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
When using adaptive cruise control, during SOME cornering, SOMETIMES the car brakes unexpectedly, very aggressively, without warning. Very dangerous, especially when another car is behind you.
Brake pads loose / moving inside the shims of overall Brake system for the vehicle . Making audio noise while driving and parking and stopping vehicle. Safety risk of brake Failure Minor Odor of fire/fumes
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
We have had this 2025 Mazda CX-50 hybrid for a couple of months. On January 21, 2025, my wife tried to start it after shopping at a Dollar store. All the warnings lights came on, blinking, and the car was unresponsive to drive. After repeated attempts to start the car, the warning lights, finally, did go off, but a message of "hybrid system malfunction have vehicle inspected" came on. It finally started and allowed her to drive home. The alert about the hybrid system went off. So far, it has not happened again. I called the service department, and all they said was to bring it in if it does it again. No one has looked at it. Really wasn't any risk to her since she was in town. But had it happened somewhere where she didn't have phone service, it could have put her at risk. I don't really know what happened, but the biggest thing is the worry that it will do it again.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
First issue: Rough idle at start. The interior cabin vibrates enough to question the vehicle quality. The rough idle lasts about 40 seconds then engine switches to smooth vibration. It's actually unnerving. Second issue: it's well known in 2025 Mazda installed the Toyota RAV4 hybrid engine and transmission into the CX-50. The current ICE engine model had to be modified. As a result there are some structural issues that may become problematic. The front passenger door scrapes against the interior fender. During manufacturing to cover up the defect Mazda purposely offset the passenger side fender mask the defect. This should seriously can into question the structural integrity of the vehicle. The primary concern is by offsetting the fender have the impacted the ability of the crumble zones in this area? Additionally, the front passenger door may become stuck since there is no uniformity in the panel alignment. This should raise caution since the modifications necessary to accommodate the hybrid system my have impacted overall vehicle integrity.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
Brake pads loose / moving inside the shims of overall Brake system for the vehicle . Making audio noise while driving and parking and stopping vehicle. Safety risk of brake Failure Minor Odor of fire/fumes
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .