Bought a 2025 CX-50 (2.5 Turbo Premium AWD) back in February. Under 5k miles on it and just had to have the rear differential / u-joint replaced. Looking around online, mine is not the only one. Posting here for others in case it helps.
The issues started off a few months after getting the vehicle with a high-pitched electronic-type sound at high speeds (over 60 mph) that the technicians swore was normal road noise. It was not normal road noise. At the same time, when backing, occasionally it would feel like I had run over a large stick or a brick - very momentary feeling that went away. I would hop out of the car and there would be nothing there. They couldn't duplicate that one after keeping it for a few days, which is understandable as it was very inconsistently happening, but concerning nonetheless.
Fast forward a month and I was getting the same clunk feeling and sound when turning left at low speeds. Took it in a second time, they said they couldn't duplicate it after keeping it for a few days. Fast forward another month and the clunk and bump was every time I drove the car cold from 13 - 45 mph AND would happen occasionally at highway speeds where I'd be going 70-80 mph, the electronic noise would get much louder and BAM it would hard bump once while driving and the noise would stop for a while. That was actually terrifying. Also tested in all modes and in offroad it felt like I was driving on a pothole filled farm road even in a flat paved parking lot. I took it back in - the dealership is an hour away, so when I arrived the car was hot. I told them I thought it was the rear gearbox or differential fluid levels. The advisor drove it right away and said nothing was wrong with it but that they'd keep it and drive it a few times. One of their techs finally piped up that he'd seen something before and wanted to drive it, but it took him a few days to get to it, so he drove it cold and immediately knew what the issue was. Ordered a new u-joint and installed with proper levels of differential fluid (they did report it to Mazda as well).
Mazda says it's not a known issue, but I'm calling BS on that. If you go online, you can CLEARLY see other 2025 CX-50 owners having the SAME damn issue. Some accountability would be nice. At any rate, this is likely the last Mazda I will buy after 3 - each with their own issues (1991 Miata with a failing CV joint that caused a mystery electronic sound no one else could hear but me - had to wait for that one to fail fully to ID it and get it fixed; 2016 CX-9 with where the rear fasteners on the wheel well trim became detached on BOTH sides soon together - Mazda swore it wasn't a known issue even though it was all over the internet for those models; and now this 2025 CX-50 - this one is definitely the fastest one to fail / have an issue). I love how Mazda's drive when they're working right, but this is too much.
The issues started off a few months after getting the vehicle with a high-pitched electronic-type sound at high speeds (over 60 mph) that the technicians swore was normal road noise. It was not normal road noise. At the same time, when backing, occasionally it would feel like I had run over a large stick or a brick - very momentary feeling that went away. I would hop out of the car and there would be nothing there. They couldn't duplicate that one after keeping it for a few days, which is understandable as it was very inconsistently happening, but concerning nonetheless.
Fast forward a month and I was getting the same clunk feeling and sound when turning left at low speeds. Took it in a second time, they said they couldn't duplicate it after keeping it for a few days. Fast forward another month and the clunk and bump was every time I drove the car cold from 13 - 45 mph AND would happen occasionally at highway speeds where I'd be going 70-80 mph, the electronic noise would get much louder and BAM it would hard bump once while driving and the noise would stop for a while. That was actually terrifying. Also tested in all modes and in offroad it felt like I was driving on a pothole filled farm road even in a flat paved parking lot. I took it back in - the dealership is an hour away, so when I arrived the car was hot. I told them I thought it was the rear gearbox or differential fluid levels. The advisor drove it right away and said nothing was wrong with it but that they'd keep it and drive it a few times. One of their techs finally piped up that he'd seen something before and wanted to drive it, but it took him a few days to get to it, so he drove it cold and immediately knew what the issue was. Ordered a new u-joint and installed with proper levels of differential fluid (they did report it to Mazda as well).
Mazda says it's not a known issue, but I'm calling BS on that. If you go online, you can CLEARLY see other 2025 CX-50 owners having the SAME damn issue. Some accountability would be nice. At any rate, this is likely the last Mazda I will buy after 3 - each with their own issues (1991 Miata with a failing CV joint that caused a mystery electronic sound no one else could hear but me - had to wait for that one to fail fully to ID it and get it fixed; 2016 CX-9 with where the rear fasteners on the wheel well trim became detached on BOTH sides soon together - Mazda swore it wasn't a known issue even though it was all over the internet for those models; and now this 2025 CX-50 - this one is definitely the fastest one to fail / have an issue). I love how Mazda's drive when they're working right, but this is too much.
