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2016 Mazda CX-5

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

77 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 4

Complaints31 crash · 10 fire · 13 injured reported 511

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 4★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 29 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2016 Mazda CX-5 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the CX-5 2WD, is EPA-rated at 29 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 511 complaints, most often about the exterior lighting. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Mazda CX-5 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Mazda CX-5 · Photo: Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
CX-5 2WD	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl	26	34	29	$2,300
CX-5 2WD	Gas	FWD	2.5L 4-cyl	26	33	29	$2,300
CX-5 4WD	Gas	4WD	2.5L 4-cyl	24	29	26	$2,600

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 35988, 35989, 35993.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
CX-5 2WD	5–6 / 10	Bin 5 / LEV-II ULEV125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
CX-5 4WD	5–6 / 10	Bin 5 / LEV-II ULEV125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1A: 3,000 lb or less (1,360 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2.5 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Drivetrain

4x2

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Grand Touring/GT, Sport/GX, Touring/GS). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	179.1 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.4 in
Height	65.7 in
Wheelbase	106.3 in
Track, front	62.2 in
Track, rear	62.2 in
Curb weight	3,283–3,591 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	56/44

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 4 configurations: Gs 4-door SUV FWD, Gs/Gt 4-door SUV AWD, Gx 4-door SUV AWD, Gx 4-door SUV FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database

●moderate

Exterior Lighting

4320A

36,761 vehicles 64% reported repaired built Nov 3, 2014 – Dec 7, 2015

Problem Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016 CX-5 vehicles. The LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) may fail while driving. Risk If the DRL fails, the vehicle's visibility may be reduced to other drivers on the road, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlights, and replace the sealing gasket or headlight assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 20, 2020. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4320A.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 20V063000 reported Feb 6, 2020 Mazda North American Operations the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

●moderate

Structure

9916H

580,455 vehicles 65% reported repaired built Dec 15, 2011 – Dec 26, 2015

Problem Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly. Risk If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury. Fix Mazda dealers will replace the both lift gate supports, free of charge, however parts are not currently available. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9916H.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V644000 reported Sep 6, 2016 Mazda North American Operations the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Steering

9316D

578 vehicles 79% reported repaired built Jan 19, 2013 – Dec 2, 2015

Problem Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 2, 2015, 2013-2014 Mazda2 vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to August 8, 2014, 2014-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2, 2015, and 2013-2015 CX-9 vehicles manufactured December 6, 2012, to July 31, 2015. The lower mounting nuts and bolts that attach the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle may loosen, allowing the steering knuckle to separate. Risk If the steering knuckle separates from the strut assembly, it can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower mounting nuts and bolts that secure the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle. If the bolts are loose, they will be replaced and then correctly tightened, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9316D.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V203000 reported Apr 11, 2016 Mazda North American Operations the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

9216B

268,799 vehicles 82% reported repaired built Jun 27, 2013 – Feb 2, 2016

Problem Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Mazda CX-5 vehicles manufactured June 27, 2013, to February 2, 2016. The affected vehicles have a fuel filler pipe that may rupture in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity." Risk A rupture of the fuel filler pipe may result in a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire. Fix Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will alter the attachment between the fuel filler pipe and the left rear side of the bracket of the fuel filler pipe, free of charge. The recall began on February 25, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 9216B.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V064000 reported Feb 3, 2016 Mazda North American Operations the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific CX-5

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Mazda publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Mazda’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2016 Mazda CX-5, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

511complaints filed

31 involved a crash · 10 a fire · 13 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2015: 26 · 2016: 50 · 2017: 50 · 2018: 61 · 2019: 119 · 2020: 51 · 2021: 39 · 2022: 22 · 2023: 23 · 2024: 27 · 2025: 22 · 2026: 21

Most-cited components

Exterior Lighting → 161

Electrical System → 71

Service Brakes → 69

Unspecified 57

Power Train → 51

Visibility/Wiper 47

In depth: exterior lighting problems → · electrical problems → · brake problems → · transmission and drivetrain problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

On 2 january 2016, while travelling northbound on interstate 880, at approximately 3 PM, approaching the hegenberger exit. I heard a a "crack sound", followed by another "crack sound", at which time the crack became visible.

Visibility/Wiper at 5,000 miles Jan 2, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10817420

The contact owns a 2016 Mazda Cx-5. The contact stated that while attempting to stop at 20 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. The contact stated that while the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle accelerated continuously. The vehicle was able to be stopped after the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard.

Service Brakes at 1,797 miles Dec 23, 2015 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10811984

The transmission needed to be replaced after 1,525 miles. Today, after 1,600 miles the driver's window automatic up/down function stopped working

Electrical System Dec 19, 2015 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10811262

I have a 2016 Mazda Cx-5 grand touring automatic transmission. I bought it 9/28/15. Yesterday (12/9/15) with only 4500 miles on it, I started having problems with the transmission. Reverse was ok, but it was having difficulty engaging in drive. It felt like it was in neutral and wouldn't move.

Power Train at 4,500 miles Dec 10, 2015 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10809561

Hello, the head restraints on our new Cx-5 are far to forward for proper posture. If we sit upright, the backs of our heads actually touch the head restraint forcing our chins to our neck. I understand the need for good head restraints, but at the cost of proper posture?

Seats Nov 13, 2015 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10790295

Headlight clear lens is melting from inside. Clear lens that covers headlight has coating inside and outside. It is the inside coating that is flowing down. Looks like it was over-applied during manufacturing process. But in time, it's appearance is becoming more and more visible. Both left and right.

Exterior Lighting Sep 29, 2015 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10778543

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Mazda itself: 50 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 50 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every CX-5 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 31k

miles, typically

Half the 331 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 12,000 and 47,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 78

10k–20k 36

20k–30k 42

30k–40k 57

40k–50k 45

50k–60k 27

60k–70k 19

70k–80k 12

80k–90k 4

90k–100k 4

100k–150k 7

150k + 0

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Exterior Lighting	119	40,000	0.91×
Service Brakes	51	28,350	0.71×
Power Train	41	5,411	0.1×
Unspecified	34	14,000	—
Electrical System	34	35,000	0.78×
Visibility/Wiper	32	6,873	0.19×
Engine	17	28,350	0.46×
Air Bags	16	44,129	1.05×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2016-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: power train (0.1×), visibility/wiper (0.19×), engine (0.46×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%
SUV FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Mazda warranty extension CSP13Mazda connect infotainment system limited warranty extension.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Mazda warranty extension (9) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 705

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-11

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 690 service bulletins, 9 warranty extensions, 3 others

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Power Train, Structure.

SA-041-26a Service bulletin
2026-09-11 · Electrical System
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. Example
SA-041-26 Service bulletin
2026-06-19 · Engine
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 elec
01-008-26 Service bulletin
2026-05-01 · Power Train
This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. 01-008/23 06/05/23 Some vehicles may exhibit rattling noises from the engine compartment and oil leakage from the drive belt auto tensioner. This may be caused by insufficient sealing at the drive belt auto tensioner damper when the auto tensioner fully operates under both high ambient temperat
SA-031-26 Service bulletin
2026-04-30 · Unknown Or Other
DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may require the replacement of a damaged VIN plate or vehicle certification label. To obtain a replacement VIN plate (bulkhead-mounted and visible through the lower-left area of the windshield), contact DAG (Dealer Assistance Group) using VIN Plate Request Form available on One Mazda. To obtain a replacement vehicle certification label (located on the B􀀀pillar or front do
SA-029-26 Service bulletin
2026-04-21 · Engine
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Servic
SA-026-26 Service bulletin
2026-04-16 · Engine
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued M-Tip(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. MT-002/19 09/30/19 and 12/19/19 DESCRIPTION If an engine assembly is replaced after a catastrophic internal mechanical failure, clean the intake manifold internally before installing a replacement engine assembly. If the intake manifold is not cleaned properly, the replacement engine may f
SA-023-26 Service bulletin
2026-04-11 · Fuel/Propulsion System
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued M-Tip(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. MT-003/22 03/02/22 DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about a tapping or knocking noise coming from the rear seat after fuel fill. The concern will likely occur if the fuel tank is overfilled (more fuel is added after the fuel pump nozzle shuts off automatically) or filled up normally
SA-021-26 Service bulletin
2026-04-04 · Structure — Body
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 poi

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0780 P0780 on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	15 bulletins
P0842 P0842 on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	15 bulletins
P0847 P0847 on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	15 bulletins
P0872 P0872 on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	15 bulletins
P0877 P0877 on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	15 bulletins
P0015 P0015 on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	13 bulletins
P0301 P0301 on Mazda →	Cylinder 1 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	13 bulletins
P0302 P0302 on Mazda →	Cylinder 2 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	13 bulletins
P0524 P0524 on Mazda →	Engine oil pressure has been measured below the safe limit.	Engine	13 bulletins
C1001 C1001 on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	12 bulletins
P0300 P0300 on Mazda →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	11 bulletins
P011A P011A on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	7 bulletins · 2 owner reports

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 2.4%

failed emissions

7,217 initial inspections of 7,035 vehicles.

Measure	The 2016 CX-5	Every 2016 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	2.4%	4.2%	7,199
Failed the safety inspection	3.7%	2.2%	7,217
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.24%	0.27%	7,217
Miles driven a year	10,355	10,028	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	106,422	103,109	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

CX-5 by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 0 16 26 mpg 2025 A 0 28 28 mpg 2024 A 0 45 28 mpg 2023 A 0 66 26 mpg 2022 A 0 65 26 mpg 2021 A 0 148 28 mpg 2020 A 0 107 28 mpg 2019 B 2 272 29 mpg 2018 C 3 351 29 mpg 2017 A 1 150 27 mpg 2016 this page C 4 511 29 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 CX-5

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Mazda CX-5 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 Mazda CX-5. The most serious on file is 16V203000, covering Steering. 1 of them was filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 Mazda CX-5?

NHTSA gave the 2016 Mazda CX-5 4 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (77/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Mazda CX-5?

Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Mazda CX-5, the best EPA combined figure is 29 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Mazda CX-5?

Transport Canada measured it at 179.1 in long, 72.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 65.7 in tall, on a 106.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,283–3,591 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Mazda CX-5?

Owners have filed 511 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Mazda CX-5, most often about exterior lighting, electrical system, service brakes. Of those, 31 involved a crash, 10 a fire, 13 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2016 Mazda CX-5?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Mazda CX-5 runs 5 to 6 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Bin 5, LEV-II ULEV125 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Mazda CX-5?

The manufacturer has filed 705 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Mazda CX-5, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-09-11. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2016 Mazda CX-5 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Mazda CX-5 failed the emissions check on 2.4% of first inspections — lower than the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 3.7% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	3 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	3 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	4	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	511	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	705	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	8 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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