YearToAvoid

2015 Mazda CX-5 Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 19 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2015 Mazda CX-5, 14% of its 133 total complaints for the year. Owners report sudden power loss, delayed or hard shifts, and rear differential or AWD coupling failures, with a median failure mileage of 60,074. No related recalls are listed.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
19
14% of 133
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
60,074 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden loss of acceleration or power while driving at highway speed, sometimes requiring the car to be pulled over and restarted.
  • Some describe a delay of a couple seconds after shifting from reverse to drive, followed by a violent forward jerk once the gear engages.
  • Several complaints describe the transmission failing outright, with the vehicle stuttering to a stop and refusing to shift into gear.
  • Owners of AWD models report a metallic clunking noise from the rear axle, later diagnosed as a failed rear differential or worn viscous coupling.
  • One owner reported the vehicle would not fully shut off after parking, tied to a faulty shifter assembly.

When 2015 Mazda CX-5 transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 21, 2015, latest Feb 20, 2024.

2015 Mazda CX-5 transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month1Feb 2015Dec 2016Mar 2019Jan 2020Dec 2020Feb 2022Feb 2024
19 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2015 to Feb 2024; peak Feb 2015 (1).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2015 Mazda CX-5

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by CX-5 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20120 (0%)
  2. 201338 (20%)
  3. 201450 (13%)
  4. 201519 (14%)
  5. 201651 (10%)
  6. 201711 (7%)
  7. 201841 (12%)
  8. 201932 (12%)
  9. 20208 (8%)
  10. 202117 (12%)
  11. 20225 (8%)
  12. 20233 (5%)
  13. 20243 (7%)
  14. 20253 (11%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2015 Mazda CX-5 have?
NHTSA lists 19 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2015 CX-5, which is 14% of the 133 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2015 Mazda CX-5?
No. NHTSA's data shows no related recalls listed for this problem area on the 2015 CX-5.
At what mileage do 2015 CX-5 transmission problems usually happen?
The median mileage at failure among these complaints is 60,074 miles.
What kind of transmission failures do owners report?
Owners describe sudden loss of power while driving, delayed or jerky shifts from reverse to drive, complete transmission failure, and rear differential or AWD coupling issues.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.