2013-2015 Mazda CX-5 Brake Job Guide: Symptoms, Costs and the Right Parts

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

A brake job on a 2013-2015 Mazda CX-5 means new pads and, in most cases, new rotors on one or both axles. The fronts do most of the stopping and usually wear out first; the rears use disc brakes with a cable parking brake built into the caliper, so their pistons have to be wound back in rather than pushed. Plan on pads, rotors, fresh hardware and a brake fluid check, and the job is well within reach of a careful home mechanic.

How the Brakes Work on a 2013-2015 CX-5

The first-generation CX-5 uses disc brakes at all four corners. Up front, a sliding caliper squeezes a vented rotor. At the rear, a smaller caliper and rotor handle a lighter share of the braking load, and the caliper also doubles as the parking brake: pulling the center-console lever tightens a cable that mechanically drives the rear caliper piston against the pads.

That detail matters when you shop and when you service the car. Mazda updated the CX-5 for 2016 and added an electric parking brake, which uses a motor on the rear caliper instead of a cable. A Mazda service bulletin for early 2016 CX-5s even covers rear brake drag caused by that electric parking brake not releasing fully. None of that applies to a 2013-2015 model. If you are buying rear calipers or following a repair video, make sure it is for the cable-type rear brake, not the 2016-and-later electric unit.

Symptoms That Your CX-5 Is Due for Brakes

• High-pitched screech when braking or driving slowly. Mazda builds wear indicators into the pads. When the pads get thin, the indicator touches the rotor and makes a screeching noise on purpose. Mazda's owner's manual warns that driving on worn pads is dangerous and to have them replaced right away.
• Grinding or metal-on-metal noise. The friction material is gone and the backing plate is cutting into the rotor. At this point the rotors are almost always scrap.
• Pulsation in the pedal or steering wheel. Usually uneven rotor thickness or pad deposits on the rotor face. Felt in the steering wheel points to the fronts; felt mostly through the seat and pedal often points to the rears.
• Pulling to one side. A sticking caliper slide pin or a seized piston on one side. Look for one wheel that is noticeably hotter or dustier than the other.
• Parking brake lever pulls up higher than it used to. On a cable system this can mean worn rear pads, a stretched cable, or a rear caliper mechanism that is not self-adjusting properly.
• Soft or low pedal. Not a pad problem by itself. Check the fluid level and look for leaks at the calipers and hoses before driving further.

Front Brake Job: What Gets Replaced

The front brakes carry most of the load, so they are the axle most owners service first. A proper front job includes:

• Pads. A quality ceramic pad is the usual choice for a daily-driven CX-5: low dust, quiet, and easy on rotors. Browse ceramic brake pads or the full brake pad selection.
• Rotors. Measure them against the minimum thickness stamped on the rotor and check runout. Wagner's service checklist calls for checking runout, parallelism and minimum thickness against the manufacturer's specification. On a CX-5 that is due for pads, the rotors are often worn close enough that new brake rotors are better value than machining.
• Hardware. Abutment clips and slide pin boots are inexpensive and cause a lot of squeaks and uneven wear when tired. A brake hardware kit is worth adding.
• Caliper slide pins. Clean and re-lubricate with a high-temperature brake grease. A seized pin or torn boot is a reason to replace the caliper or its bracket.

Rear Brake Job: The Wind-Back Step

The rear pads and rotors come off the same way as the fronts, with one important difference: the piston. Because the parking brake mechanism is threaded inside the piston, a C-clamp or pad spreader will not push it back. You need a caliper wind-back tool that turns the piston while pressing it in. Forcing it straight back can damage the internal parking brake mechanism and ruin the caliper.

Before you start, release the parking brake. When the piston is retracted, line up its notches with the locating pin on the back of the inner pad so the pad seats flat. After the job, pump the pedal several times to bring the pads out to the rotors, then work the parking brake lever a few times and confirm it holds and releases cleanly.

If a rear caliper is dragging, leaking, or the piston will not wind back at all, replace it rather than fighting it. Choose a unit made for the cable parking brake version from our brake calipers collection, and replace rear calipers in pairs across the axle.

What to Replace Together

• Pads and rotors on the same axle, both sides. Never do one wheel. Wagner notes that new pads on worn rotors lose stopping power and wear out early.
• Hardware with every pad change. Old clips lose tension and cause rattles and uneven wear.
• Brake fluid if it is dark or has not been changed in years. Brake fluid absorbs moisture, which lowers its boiling point. Use the fluid type printed on your reservoir cap. Mazda's own genuine fluid is a DOT 3 that conforms to FMVSS 116.
• Hoses if cracked or swollen. Rubber brake hoses on a vehicle this age can be weather-checked, especially in salt states.

How Hard Is the Job, and What Drives the Cost

Front pads and rotors on a CX-5 are a straightforward bolt-off, bolt-on job with basic hand tools, a torque wrench, jack stands and brake cleaner. The rears add the wind-back tool and a little more patience, but there is no electronic service mode to deal with on these model years. Torque caliper bracket bolts, caliper bolts and lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual; do not guess.

Cost comes down to a few choices:

• Pads only versus pads and rotors. Rotors add more parts cost than pads, but skipping them on worn rotors often means noise, pulsation and a second job soon after.
• One axle versus both. Most CX-5s need fronts before rears. Inspect both, but only replace what is actually worn.
• Parts grade. Economy, OE-equivalent and premium pads differ in noise, dust and service life.
• Labor. Doing it yourself removes labor entirely. Shop labor runs higher for the rears because of the wind-back step and any seized hardware.
• Extras found during the job. A seized caliper, torn boot or leaking hose adds parts and time.

After installation, bed the new pads in. Wagner recommends about 20 moderate stops from 30 mph, or 20 slow-downs from 50 to 20 mph, with cool-down time between them. It also recommends washing rotors, including new ones, with soap and hot water to remove oil and fine particles. For everything else in one place, see our brake parts catalog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 2013-2015 CX-5 have an electric parking brake?

No. These years use a cable parking brake operated by a hand lever, with the mechanism built into the rear calipers. The electric parking brake arrived with the 2016 update, so parts and procedures for 2016 and later do not match.

Why will my rear caliper piston not push back in?

The piston is threaded to the parking brake mechanism. It has to be rotated while pressed in with a wind-back tool. A C-clamp will not retract it and can damage the caliper.

Which wear out first on a CX-5, front or rear brakes?

The fronts usually wear first because they do most of the stopping. Still inspect the rears at every service, since a sticking rear caliper can wear its pads quickly.

Do I need new rotors every time I replace pads?

Not always, but usually. If the rotors are below the minimum thickness stamped on them, have runout, or are grooved or heat-spotted, replace them. Worn rotors shorten new pad life and cause noise and pulsation.

What does the screeching noise from my CX-5 brakes mean?

It is most likely the built-in wear indicator touching the rotor. Mazda designed it as a warning that the pads need replacing, so have them replaced promptly.

What brake fluid does a first-generation CX-5 use?

Use the type printed on the brake fluid reservoir cap and in your owner's manual. Mazda's genuine brake fluid is DOT 3 conforming to FMVSS 116. Do not mix in DOT 5 silicone fluid.

Sources

1. Mazda CX-5 Owner's Manual - Brake Pad Wear Indicator - built-in wear indicators screech when pads are worn; replace promptly
2. Kelley Blue Book - 2016 Mazda CX-5 refresh - electronic parking brake added with the 2016 update
3. Mazda Service Bulletin 04-005/16 (NHTSA) - 2016 CX-5 electric parking brake rear drag, a later-model issue
4. The Drive - How to Use a Brake Caliper Wind-Back Tool - integral parking brake pistons must be wound back, not clamped
5. Wagner Brake - Disc Brake Service Inspection Checklist - rotor checks, hardware, lubrication, rotor washing and bedding procedure
6. Mazda Genuine Brake Fluid DOT 3 - Mazda fluid conforms to FMVSS 116, DOT 3