Reliable Auto DB

2012 Mazda Mazda5 reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2012 Mazda Mazda5 has 37 complaints with NHTSA after 15 years, or 4 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 4 Mazda5 years on this site. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Liftgate.

2012 Mazda Mazda5
Photo by SsmIntrigue, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

37

Per year

4

Recalls

1

Years on the road

15

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Fuel and propulsion system (8 of 37), then Structure (7) and Tires (7). Those filings include 4 that report a crash and 4 that report an injury.

Next to 2013

The 2013 Mazda5 has 24 complaints, 2 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 Mazda Mazda5. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall structure, body, liftgate 2016-09-06 · NHTSA campaign 16V644000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.

Complaints by component (37 total)

Fuel and propulsion system
8
Structure
7
Tires
7
Air bags
4
Hydraulic brakes
4
Steering
4
Powertrain
3
Service brakes
3
Seats
2
Visibility
2
Electrical system
1
Engine
1
Suspension
1
Wheels
1
Show 6 more Show less
Crash-flagged

4

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

4

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

42012420133201442015220165201752018120191202032021220221202422026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "While accelerating from a complete stop at a traffic light on a multi-lane roadway, the vehicle suddenly lost all engine power without prior warning. The engine RPM dropped immediately to 0, causing the vehicle to stall…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-08-04
  • "The contact owned a 2012 Mazda Mazda5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, a deer wandered into the middle of the road, and the contact depressed the brake pedal and the wheels locked up, causing…"
    Hydraulic brakes, Air bags · filed 2026-06-29
  • "Sentury Touring (Discount Tire) 205/55/R16. Both front tires have inner wear to the point of shredding in the same location on *both* front tires. Both tires went out at the same time and could have caused a serious…"
    Tires · filed 2024-09-25
  • "The contact owns a 2012 Mazda MZ5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was…"
    Hydraulic brakes · filed 2022-10-11
  • "This vehicle ejects a significant amount of fuel from its fuel filler port during every refueling. The volume of fuel and the distance the gasoline travels in a hazardous environment poses an avoidable risk that can…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2022-08-10

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2012 Mazda Mazda5 SW FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Specs and fitment

2nd generation (CW), 2012–2015
Body styles Minivan
Oil 0W-20 (5W-20 or 5W-30 if 0W-20 unavailable) , 5.3 qt capacity
Tire size 205/55R16, 205/50R17 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 16V-644 covers certain 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles among other Mazda models: both liftgate supports may fail, allowing the liftgate to fall. Dealers replace both liftgate supports. The campaign also lists Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 years, so published unit counts are shared across those nameplates. Separate CX-3/Mazda3 rear-camera campaign wording that also mentions Mazda5 years should be read on NHTSA's campaign page before treating it as Mazda5-specific.

Compare

Next year 2013 Mazda Mazda5 See every Mazda Mazda5 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Mazda Mazda5 reliable?

The 2012 Mazda Mazda5 has 37 complaints with NHTSA after 15 years, or 4 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 4 Mazda5 years on this site. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Liftgate.

What are common problems with a 2012 Mazda Mazda5?

The complaints owners file most often name Fuel and propulsion system (8 of 37), then Structure (7) and Tires (7). Those filings include 4 that report a crash and 4 that report an injury.

Is the 2012 Mazda Mazda5 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Mazda5 has 24 complaints, 2 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 Mazda Mazda5 been recalled?

The 2012 Mazda Mazda5 has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Mazda Mazda5?

Owners have filed 37 complaints about the 2012 Mazda Mazda5 with NHTSA.

What engine oil does a US Mazda Mazda5 use?

0W-20 (5W-20 or 5W-30 if 0W-20 unavailable) With filter, about 5.3 qt is commonly listed for this generation—confirm in the owner manual.

What tire sizes fit a US Mazda Mazda5?

Published US specs commonly list front 205/55R16, 205/50R17 (trim-dependent) and rear 205/55R16, 205/50R17 (trim-dependent); confirm on the door jamb placard for your trim.

What NHTSA recalls affect the US Mazda Mazda5?

Recall 16V-644 covers certain 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles among other Mazda models: both liftgate supports may fail, allowing the liftgate to fall. Dealers replace both liftgate supports. The campaign also lists Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 years, so published unit counts are shared across those nameplates. Separate CX-3/Mazda3 rear-camera campaign wording that also mentions Mazda5 years should be read on NHTSA's campaign page before treating it as Mazda5-specific.