Quick answer: Starter on a 2013–2016 Mazda CX-5 is rated Advanced and takes about 1.5–2.5 hours. You'll need 10 tools for this job, and parts cost about $110. This guide walks you through the full job step by step, including the mistakes to avoid.
| Part Name |
Part Number |
Price |
Buy |
| Starter motor |
— |
$110.00 |
|
About prices: shown prices are typical retail averages and change frequently; cheaper alternatives may be available. Confirm the current price before buying.
💡 Pro tip: Order all parts at once to save on shipping
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps carefully
1
Confirm the diagnosis, then disconnect the battery
Then switch the ignition fully off, open the hood, and disconnect the negative battery cable, tucking it aside so it can't spring back onto the terminal.
🔧 Mechanic's note — Tom Becker
Load-test the battery first, every time — I'd guess a third of the “bad starters” that come through my bay are just tired batteries. Ten minutes with a tester saves you a starter swap you didn't need.
2
Raise the CX-5 and drop the front under cover
Raise the front of the CX-5 with a floor jack and lower it onto jack stands at the front support points. The starter on the 2.5L SkyActiv-G sits low at the rear of the engine where it meets the automatic transaxle's bell housing, and Mazda's procedure reaches it from underneath — so remove the front under cover No.2 (its clips and bolts) to open up access from below. Keep the fasteners together for reassembly.
3
Find the starter at the bell housing
From below, locate the starter motor bolted to the bell housing at the back of the 2.5L engine. Note how the wiring is routed so you can restore it exactly.
4
Disconnect the starter's wiring, terminal B first
With the negative battery cable already disconnected, remove the nut holding the main cable on terminal B and ease the cable aside — keep this cable away from the body and your tools, since touching it to ground with power connected throws dangerous sparks.
5
Unbolt and lift out the starter
Remove the starter mounting bolts. Support the starter's weight as the last bolt comes out; it's heavier than it looks and dropping it can crack the housing or damage the pinion.
6
Install the new starter and reconnect the wiring
Seat the new starter fully and squarely into the bell housing. On automatic-transaxle models, Mazda warns not to let the starter overlap the end plate — if it sits crooked, the drive-plate nut can contact the end plate and produce abnormal noise, so verify it sits flush. Reinstall the mounting bolts and torque them to the vehicle spec. Reconnect the terminal S connector, then the terminal B cable with its nut, confirming both are tight and the wiring follows its original routing.
🔧 Mechanic's note — Ray Delgado
I've learned: that end-plate warning from Mazda is there for a reason — a starter sitting crooked by a millimeter gives you a grinding noise that sounds exactly like a bad starter, on a brand-new starter. Seat it flush, then check it again.
7
Reassemble and reconnect
Reinstall the front under cover No.2 with all its clips and bolts, lower the CX-5 off the stands, and reconnect the negative battery cable last.
All Done!
Test your repair before closing everything up. If something doesn't work right, double-check your steps.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- • Touching the starter's terminal B cable to the vehicle body before the battery is disconnected — it is always hot and will throw sparks.
- • Seating the starter crooked against the bell housing so it overlaps the end plate, which causes abnormal noise from the drive-plate hardware.
- • Replacing the starter when the real problem is a weak battery — load-test the battery first, since a slow crank with dimming lights usually points there.
