2020 Mazda CX-5 Complaint Log

I am reporting an ongoing defect with the infotainment system in my 2020 Mazda CX-5, involving ghost-touch inputs, system freezing, and random reboots. These issues began around the second year of ownership and have progressively worsened. The system constantly registers inputs that are not being made (ghost-touch), changes settings on its own; and occasionally- reboots while operating the vehicle. This makes it difficult or impossible to reliably use essential vehicle functions such as navigation, communication, and audio controls. The issue is particularly concerning because it creates a driver distraction and potential safety risk, as the system behaves unpredictably and requires attention while driving to manage or disable unintended inputs. I reported these issues multiple times to an authorized Mazda dealership while the vehicle was still under warranty. However, I was told no issue could be found or that software updates would resolve the problem. These updates did not fix the issue. On August 9, 2025, another system update was performed under the Mazda Connect Class Action Settlement, but the problem persists. The dealership is now requiring a paid diagnostic fee before proceeding further, despite the known nature of this defect. Based on my research and widespread owner reports, this issue is commonly associated with infotainment system defects, including screen delamination and/or failure of the Connectivity Master Unit (CMU). I am submitting this complaint to document the defect and request further review, as it affects safe operation and driver attention.

Air bag light is flashing in the dashboard. It says passenger air bag off. Driver seatbelt doesn't always click when trying to fastent seatbelt. I have to try multiple times until it clicks.

The steering column in this car has a known defect in the steering column nut resulting in knocking/rattling/clunking. Mazda is aware of this issue and has redesigned the steering column and issued multiple TSBs for specific models, years, and even VINs. Mazda is not classifying this a a safety issue to avoid recall but if the part is to fail it can result in loss of vehicle control and a crash. The steering column is main component necessary to have control over the car and the direction it travels. I've called my dealership and Mazda corporate who both refuse to fix the issue even though my car is under an extended warranty. TSB 06-001/24 previous TSB 06-004/23.

Started smelling burning oil in 2020 Mazda CX-5 non turbo with 34,000 miles. Auto shop states it is a cracked cylinder that will cost over $7,000 to repair. A Google search shows it is a known issue but Mazda has not extended the warranty for non-turbo models.

The Smart Brake Support system malfunctioned while driving. The vehicle began shaking and lost power, requiring excessive throttle to move. The car hesitates and may not accelerate normally, creating a dangerous situation in traffic. Warning lights appeared on the dashboard and the vehicle became unsafe to operate. The issue occurred shortly after purchase and was reproduced multiple times. The dealer inspected the vehicle but refused to provide a written diagnosis or repair timeline. The vehicle is unreliable and poses a risk of sudden loss of control or rear-end collision.

While driving on the highway in traffic, I was applying the brakes (slowly and smoothly) and moving with the flow of traffic when the SBS system activated the brakes harshly and slammed me to a stop without reason. In addition to throwing me forward against my seatbelt, it also resulted in the car behind me rear-ending me. I did not hit the car ahead of me, since I was far enough behind them BEFORE the smart brake support engaged, but the feature caused an accident that could have been avoided.

The contact owned a 2020 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving under 45 MPH, the TCM received a false data sensor warning, causing the vehicle to enter LIMP Mode. The contact stated that during the failure, the smart brake feature, Adaptive Cruise Control, and other unknown ADS features and warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure with the ADS system prompted the vehicle to come to a complete stop while driving 45 MPH. The contact parked and turned off the vehicle to troubleshoot the ECU after the failure had occurred. The contact restarted the vehicle, and the adaptive cruise control warning light, smart brake feature, and ADS radar features returned. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified about the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

SUNROOF EXPLODING - 2020 Cx5 I've seen other reports on mazda forums happending on cx the sunroofs RANDOM normal temp in chicago IL on Halloween night

THE SUNROOF EXPLODED NORMAL TEMPS in CHICAGO IL Halloween Hight 60 desgres on while driving on HWY

Vehicle suffering from Mazda TSB 05-005/23 Chirping noise from Transaxle on 3rd to 4th gear upshift. Vehicle diagnosed by dealership as needing new Transaxle on 17OCT25. Diagnosis stated issue started ~32k miles.

Driving about 20 to 35 mph accelerating I would get a distinctive one time chirp noise with a little bit of a stutter It happens every time I go about that speed accelerating. Thankfully my car was under pre-owned warranty but I have to get now. Three transmission flushes I have to pay $400 for and they have to replace a torque converter. I just got the car 10 days ago and only has 61,000 mi on it. Over the long term this could damage the transmission cause more and more issues

The contact owns a 2020 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while the cruise control was activated and driving 65 MPH in the middle lane of a busy six-lane highway, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle was suddenly stalled and coasted to a complete stop in the middle of the highway. The contact was able to restart the vehicle to continue driving. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure and was unable to confirm that the failure had occurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 32,000.

The issue is iron is depositing in the transmission due to a bad torque converter, this is a known issue with mazda and it doesn't seem to be something they are willing to cover and many people are experiencing this especially with the cx5 models. It causes jerking and chirping noise, plus will eventually ruin the transmission and will cause serious safety issues. Just look into the reddit threads

While driving my vehicle the systems sensors are affected by nearby drivers which cause the car to stall in the middle of traffic going between 40 and 75 miles per hour.

While traveling on an Interstate highway, my passenger side curtain airbag suddenly deployed without any warning while I was driving. There was no collision or impact, there was no debris on the road, or any significant bumps in the road. There was a very loud explosive sound and then my entire passenger side was covered in blue. The sound was so loud that it left my ears ringing and left me badly shaken up. I lost all visibility out of my passenger side as all of my side windows and mirrors were obscured, and I knew there was traffic in that lane along side of me. It felt very dangerous and I had to rely on my lane change sensors to safely pull to the side to assess any damage. There was no evident sign of any impact to my car. All of the glass was intact, there were no scratches, dents or missing paint. The airbag fully deployed for no apparent reason and I was extremely lucky that I was not injured and that my reaction did not cause an accident when this happened. The car was taken to a Mazda dealership to assess, and they did not find any damage either, but said there was no mechanical error on the part of the car, so it is still unexplained. I had it evaluated by an autobody/collision shop, again no damage was determined, their scan showed a diagnostic code that there was a "circuit short to ground".

Display screen (Infotainment system) will randomly change the settings of my vehicle and call people or change display features or volume control or directions that is distracting and dangerous to me as I drive.

The infotainment screen in the vehicle suffers from Phantom/Ghost touching, rending a safety hazard as while following navigation it can act on it's own, becoming a large distraction.

I noticed an oil leak. I had it diagnosed and its a crack in the cylinder head, right above the exhaust manifold. This is known issue for Mazda's online. There is oil spilling everywhere. The oil burns off as it is driving. Smoke fills my car.

I own a 2020 Mazda CX-5 equipped with the Mazda Connect infotainment system. The touchscreen display malfunctions regularly by randomly selecting menu items, jumping between screens, zooming in and out, and activating functions without any input from me. These “phantom touch” events occur even when the vehicle is in Drive, which means the touchscreen should be disabled — yet the system behaves as if it’s receiving constant false touch input. When this happens, I cannot back out of screens or use the physical control knob or buttons, making it extremely distracting and unsafe while driving. The dealer initially diagnosed it as a screen laminate issue, which they said isn’t covered under warranty. However, this appears to be a known defect in the CMU (Connectivity Master Unit) that Mazda has not properly addressed in many cases, even though there is an ongoing class action settlement about it. The CMU passed their diagnostic test, but the issue persists — and others have reported receiving full replacements despite passing those same tests. Mazda refuses to escalate or repair unless the screen kit fails first. I believe this is a defect affecting driver safety, especially since it continues while the vehicle is moving.

The contact owns a 2020 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked abnormally while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The manufacturer was notified by the dealer about the failure, and the manufacturer agreed to partially cover the cost of the repair. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

The vehicle reboots the screen/infotainment system while driving. The dealership has updated the software and replaced the screen (Screen was at my cost). They reset the codes and it comes back. This is a safety hazard as it could cause non compliance with the FMVSS in regards to rear-view cameras being required. There is currently a settlement in place under a class action.

Engine developed multiple oil leaks from oil seal and timing cover. The leaks could result in engine failure and endanger driver and/or passengers. No warning lights activated, was found at routine oil change. Defect was reported to manufacturer, but warranty had expired, and they refused accept responsibility. Research revealed this vehicle is known to have this defect.

Forward Smart city brake support malfunction Camera Sensors Screen Ghost

The display screen in my CX-5 has been regularly glitching for several years now. This "ghost touch" presses random buttons, makes random phone calls, turns volume up and down, exits applications, etc. This persists (both driving and parked) until I unplug my device, restart the screen, or restart the vehicle. This happens year round regardless of outside temperature. I am unable to use certain aspects of the screen, such as navigation, when this is going on. It is extremely distracting and unsafe. My eyes are drawn to the screen instead of the road, which puts my safety and the safety of my passengers at risk. When I first reported this issue to the dealer, they explained that I was outside the "limited warranty" for the display unit and that it would cost me around $1000 to replace. I declined. About a month ago, I received a class action lawsuit notice in the mail. This notice described my exact issues. I immediately made an appointment with the dealer to get my vehicle inspected and the issue resolved under the settlement. Upon taking my vehicle to the dealer, they explained that the settlement only covers the issue if the CMU needs to be replaced- not if the problem lies with the display screen itself. They inspected my vehicle and said that my CMU does not have issues and that my screen is causing the glitches. They refused to cover the replacement of the screen, even though the Mazda Connect Infotainment Settlement describes my EXACT issues. Why isn't the settlement covering replacement of the screen if that's where 99% of consumer issues lie (according to the dealer)? I was instructed by the dealer to contact Mazda Corporate directly, who read me a scripted disclaimer saying Mazda is not providing assistance while the settlement is ongoing.

Car “died” while idling at a traffic light. It started but would not start several hours later and car was towed to mechanic. Diagnostics “determined “after several days that car needed an ECM. ECM was ordered and replaced, along with the battery. This took several weeks, in the meantime, I had to rent a vehicle. Vehicle picked up on May 29th and driven 250 miles and car sputtered, hesitated, slowing down in heavy traffic at high speeds on highway, putting other drivers and myself in a very unsafe situation. Several days later this happened again while traveling back home, again, at highway speed putting other drivers and myself in high risk situation. (This happened several times during both trips.) As I was focused on the road, I did not see if any messages were displayed. After returning home, the mechanic was informed via voice mail and again via telephone. The following morning (June 2), the car sputtered, hesitated to accelerate at low speeds and died while driving to repair shop (battery indicator illuminated as I was pulling over). Car has been towed again to repair shop.

-Passenger side air bags deployed for no reason on May 19, 2025 at 1945h. -Driver safety compromised due to shock, momentary loss of hearing, disorientation while driving. -Other drivers safety compromised due to driver having to react, re-orient themselves and drive to safety. -Culver City Mazda dealership ran diagnostic. Conclusion: air bags deployed due to pressure. NO OTHER conclusions regarding system error, software error, ignitor, sensors or vehicle impact. -Police inspected vehicle at time of incident. No damage was observed or reported. -NO warning lamps or messages appeared prior to passenger air bag deployment.

My car has started braking when objects arnt there almost causing a crash Mazda denies this

I purchased this vehicle as a used car from a dealership. On my way home, the infotainment panel began to shout at top volume that this is the volume that navigation would be set at. The volume was so loud that it was startling, and it continued on until I had to pull over. I contacted the dealer, but they offered no assistance. The car continues to control itself at the panel ferning with the use of android auto so that you can't use your phone GPS for directions. The radio will control itself, changing stations, making loud beeps, and turning the volume up. There is no way to stop this feature because you can't turn the system completely off while the car is on. I can find no way to fix this on my own. I have tried resets, but have seen ample information about other people having this problem online. This does not seem to be an unknown problem and I don't know why there has not been issued a recall because it's very dangerous.

I bought this 2020 Mazda CX-5 Sport 2.5L all wheel drive from a big dealership on July 31, 2023. I started having issues with EPB (electronic parking brakes) in February 2024. When I put the e-brakes on, the yellow parking brake light and the red brake light would come on. Seems like they would engage and disengage just fine except those 2 lights would stay on no matter how many times I tried turning the e-brakes off. I put a new battery in because of some research I did to no avail. Tried putting it in service mode then taking it off service mode......which did work for a couple of months. Then the problem reappeared and the two lights came back on. Sometimes you hear the e-brakes retracting on the rear right side only. And you can smell the brakes from heating up. On 2/26/2025 after getting out of work, I got in my car, turned it on and boom the brake lights are on again. I tried to drive and noticed the e-brakes were engaged. I didn't do it because I don't use the e-brakes at all for fear it would get stuck on and leave me stranded. I have been dealing with this for months and I am so frustrated. This car is only 5 years old. It shouldn't be having e-brakes issues. I've been doing a lot of research and found out that a lot of Mazda owners are having this very same problem. Mazda is very aware of this issue and has known about it for some time, but refuses to do a recall. I’m afraid to drive the car for fear that the e-brakes would engage while I'm driving in the highway and cause me to have an accident. This is a safety issue that needs to be addressed. I don't know what else to do. One thing I do know...... if Mazda doesn't fix this issue, I will never buy a Mazda again and make sure my kids never buy a Mazda either.

During snowfall, the front camera becomes obstructed, leading to a malfunction in the smart brake system. When this occurs, an alert appears indicating a “Smart Brake Failure,” accompanied by an audible warning and the illumination of the check engine light. The vehicle then exhibits unpredictable behavior, including unintended braking and sudden acceleration, creating a hazardous driving situation. The only temporary resolution is to restart the vehicle; however, the check engine light remains on for several days before eventually turning off. This issue occurred while I was driving on the highway on February 19, 2025, posing a significant safety risk. This is not the first time the car has done this.

Forward Braking Safety Sensor Was on transmission after braking check engine light . Was driving car from work it lost all power . And those warning ️ light indicators where on . Car wouldn't go over 15mph . Took vehicle to mazda and dropped it off as my husband requested information do so . Mazda called say diagnostic saying it needed plugs ,coil packs serpentine belt and adjuster pulleys replacement. I called my husband he's a mechanical engineer he said no way it needs a tune up that early. He requested information go get the car as he flew home from working outta town. We took it to scooter's place certified mechanic in Indian Head md . Scooter's place diagnostic scan said completely the opposite. Say it was the cars brain aka cpu send false signals causing misfire to all components of vehicle . He change one spark plug and car ran normal. He told us it wasn't a fix it was cpu and no matter tune up or not . The computer was the issue. I went back to passport mazda in Suitland Maryland to give them second opinion issues the GM wouldn't give my money back for false diagnostic readings and refused to listen or hear what I had to say I was to upset to continue and decided to leave . He kept saying he wasn't a technician so he doesn't know but was explaining technician issues that were incorrect i have both diagnostic detail paperwork which i will attach with report

The contact owns a 2020 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and lost automotive power and failed to exceed 15 MPH. The vehicle failed to return to normal operation. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that the infotainment system was inoperative. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the ignition coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the CPU system needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

My infotainment display has a prevalent ghost touch issue that causes majors distractions while I'm driving, and no warnings on when it'll happen. The ghost touch will end my navigation, end my calls or put them on hold, call random people in my contacts, turns on/off the music, changes the volume, changes various settings (sometimes safety settings), switching back/forth to different things, etc. It used to only happen when the car was not moving or I'm parked (as the touchscreen is only supposed to be available then), but now it's happening even when I'm driving on the freeway. I used to try correcting/fixing whatever by using the knob control, but the problem can become so severe that even when I use the physical knob I can't gain control over it. I can't turn off the infotainment display because the ghost touch just turns it back on! I brought it into my local Mazda dealership for regular servicing and decided to ask about it, but they're quoting me over $800 to fix it. They said it's a common issue they get all the time and it's something to do with a faulty screen?? Not too sure what exactly, but a friend of mine said he had the same issue and the issue was too sporadic he decided to disconnect the touch screen altogether. It's too much of a distraction to deal with while driving, even for quick trips to the store, etc. It causes cognitive, visual, and manual distractions...these faulty screens are putting us all at a higher risk of being involved in an accident by taking our attention away from driving, even for just a split second.

I was in the drive thru at a restaurant and had my foot on the brake. After a couple of minutes of sitting with my foot on the brake, I gently pressed the accelerator to slowly move forward. All of a sudden the car sped up on its own like I had floored it. The speed of acceleration threw my head back and the car whipped around the front of the building as that's where I was steering. I braked and it thankfully stopped, but if a car had been in front of me I would have slammed into it. I could have hit a pedestrian. This was very scary and its an obvious safety concern. Mazda needs to look into this issue as I see there are other reports on this website and on the internet by numerous people for the same issue of sudden acceleration by the vehicle on its own.

"ghost touch" issue on my cars touch screen operates by itself or doesn't respond. I was driving down a dark road when it went black, the screen had adjusted its brightness down to zero! The radio will change stations then freeze and the manual controls won't even work.

Display went dark and did not display. This is not the only time it happens. It acts like someone’s touching the screen even when in motion. It prevents the reverse camera from displaying.

The vehicle accelerated on its own, while I was parking. My foot was on the brake when the vehicle just took off. It continued to accelerate until a building stopped it. I continued to brake but the vehicle did not stop. Once the vehicle collided with building, saw on the digital read out the "Brake System Malfunction" and then Camera Malfunction. The vehicle was towed from the site and the insurance adjuster has sent me word that the vehicle is a total loss.

Low oil light came on at 52,764 miles, 300 miles before the next oil change on the manufacturer-recommended 7500 mile schedule. I've switched to a 5000 mile oil change schedule and will be monitoring oil level going forward for excessive oil consumption. I have always done oil changes every 7500 miles and have followed all other maintenance prescribed in the manual.

The infotainment screen kept moving on its own disconnecting my map while driving. I took it to Mazda and they updated the software but the infotainment continued to malfunction . The same issue happened with Mazda CX vehicles in 2016 and 2017 and they issued a recall for those cars. My 2020 CX-5 is experiencing the same “Ghost Touch Screen” but Mazda had not issued a recall. I ended up having to replace the infotainment screen, paid $ 912.67 for a manufacturer issue that was not created by the wear and tear of the car. Maybe other consumers are having the same issue.

The rear windshield wiper stops working while driving in a rainstorm. This has happened twice. The wiper works for 30-60 minutes and then stops. Was inoperable for the remaining 4 hours of the trip. When we took the car in for troubleshooting the 1st time, they could not reproduce the problem. After the second time the dealer was able to reproduce the problem. It appears to be related to the operating time and not the rain. Searching online discovered numerous Mazda CX5 owners reported the same issue. Our safety was at risk since we could not see out the rear windshield. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms that warned us the wiper had stopped working. We noticed it had stopped by looking out the rear view mirror.

The infotainment system has a known "ghost touch" issue. This issue caused a recall in prior models but that recall was not extended to current models. This is an extremely dangerous issue. The screen will turn on loud blasting music, randomly call people, turn off GPS, etc. at any given time. This has happened while I am driving at high speeds on the highway and has nearly gotten me into accidents. This is very concerning. I have reached out to Mazda and they acknowledge it is a known issue but claim it is not a safety issue. I have read multiple forums about this issue and the dangers it poses as it is well documented that distracted driving is incredibly dangerous. This has put multiple people at risk. Imagine accidentally calling your boss when you are driving, realizing the car is doing that when you are driving on an unknown route at high speeds. It is incredibly distracting and dangerous in the moment. Likewise, I have been on a call and the call is repeatedly put on hold or the screen has changed and it is incredibly distracting. Mazda claims this is not a safety issue however, the research is clear that distracted driving is a danger to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. Please conduct an inquiry into this issue. I am happy to provide my car for inspection or to share further information. The issue has been diagnosed and it is known, however the company refuses to issue a recall or pay for repairs.

Ghost touch issue with touchscreen. It causes calls to go on hold, navigation to stop in unknown areas, sometimes in areas without service, and other distracting issues such as skipping songs. I’m fixing it, but it appears to be a common problem and it costs over $600 to fix.

Defective transmission causes metal fragments to break off and over time damage transmission

When driving the infotainment system will switch to sound settings by itself and play the navigation volume to full capacity and says something like "navigation will play at this volume". If I try to stop it or turn it down, it just turns the volume back up again & says the same message. This is dangerous while driving due to the fact it startles you and causes a major distraction. I have not had it looked at by the dealership yet. I have seen online where this seems to be a common problem among Mazda infotainment systems with a touch screen.

The front seats, both electric and manual powered are rocking back and forth. Upon acceleration both seats will slightly rock backwards and then upon applying the brakes they will rock forward. It's almost like whatever is holding the seats still has a defected part or a defect somewhere else. This concerns me as a safety issue, if something were to happen and if I got into an accident, aren't the seats supposed to be secured and not have any slack or rocking in them? This has happened before on my driver side seat when I had a mazda service technician look at it he confirmed it needed to be repaired. For a whole replacement seat was estimated around $4,000.00. I was fortunate at the time to where my bumper to bumper warranty helped cover some of the cost, Mazda agreed to pay for the "parts" to fix the issue and I paid for the labor, only because I was slightly over the 36,000 mile warranty that comes with Mazda. Since the repair I was told it wasnt going to be 100% and I would still have some rocking but it wasnt as bad, that occurred around the year 2022. Now, when I have a passenger the same thing occurs. Unfortunately, I'm no longer in my bumper to bumper warranty and quite frankly this seems like a safety risk that Mazda is aware of.

Low oil level indicator came on at roughly 55,000 miles only about 3000 miles after last oil change. Car was immediately stopped and towed to the nearest Mazda dealer. Dealership confirmed oil level was low. Car appears to me consuming excess oil. Oil consumption test pending.

Emergency braking brought car to a complete stop while traveling around at approx. 35 MPH with no car or anything else in front of the car on a wide and clear town street. Car would then not go into park and only after a couple of mins did it go into park and car was able to be driven.

While backing the vehicle the rear camera sometimes goes off because the screen in the car keeps switching itself to night mode, radio channel, Bluetooth, clock setting and sometimes the screen freezes which is very dangerous while reversing. The car is a CX5 Mazda Touring 2020. I called Mazda dealer today he told me it will cost me $300 to $400. There are no sign of malfunction on the dashboard so far but the radio screen keeps malfunctioning all the time especially when driving and reversing, it been happening for the last 5 days.

*This is not part of the class action lawsuit* Per attorneys for the complaint, this issue is not part or covered by that lawsuit* This is concerning the infotainment system and what is known by Mazda as “ghosting”. Mazda for safety disables touch screen while car is out of park or driving. The ghosting issue ( which simulates touching of the screen) has overridden the safety lock out feature. While driving or in gear, the ghosting issue will increase radio volume to max, start beeping, changing different features, place calls etc. This sudden unexpected “ghosting” startled me and distracted me from safe driving. This can lead to accidents. Mazda is aware of this issue as they issued a warranty extension due to a previous complaint with the NHTSA in 2019. However, Mazda did not change the defective part/s in their vehicles and the issue continues on 2020 models. In my 2020 Mazda CX-5 this issue has been happening for approximately 2 years getting progressively worse.

The car's screen/touch screen has a "ghost touch" issue. It automatically changes car settings while I am in the middle of driving which is causing driving safety issues. It will change radio stations, mess with navigation, screen brightness, clock, etc.