Electrical System Problems of Mazda CX-5 - part 2

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.

See all problems of the 2020 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

Small amount of weight such as keys or phone is triggering the occupant sensor in the front passenger seat. This issue just started and I am finding a lot of complaints regarding this.

See all problems of the 2023 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

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.

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 have a sensitive key fob that releases my hatch without my knowledge or intention. Twice my hatch opened causing damage to my hatch inside my garage. I’ve have read many complaints about the same issue, dating back years and some having their hatch open while parked outside. I have contacted the dealership and the corporation all saying there was a nothing that can be done. This is a major concern since the key fob is so sensitive and can activate in only a second to touch.

See all problems of the 2024 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

The touchscreen digitizer on the Mazda connect infotainment system has developed a known defect causing constant phantom/ghost touch inputs. The screen registers random touches without any physical contact, causing the system to navigate through menus, change vehicle settings (including safety-related settings such as blind spot monitoring and heads-up display), exit navigation mid-route, change radio stations, and initiate phone calls to contacts without driver input while connected to apple carplay. This is a significant driver distraction and safety hazard. When the system begins making random inputs, the driver must divert attention from the road to attempt to regain control of the infotainment system or end unintended phone calls. The issue occurs most frequently when the vehicle is stopped or at low speeds but also affects the system while driving. This is a well-documented hardware defect affecting 2017-2020 Cx-5 models, acknowledged by Mazda under TSB 09-003/22. The cause is a failing touchscreen digitizer, not a software issue. Mazda has not issued a formal recall despite widespread reports. The component is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealer for this specific issue. No warning lamps or messages preceded the failure — the phantom touch inputs developed gradually and have worsened to the point that the infotainment system is nearly unusable. Current mileage is approximately 60,000-80,000 miles.

See all problems of the 2019 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

The engine light constantly appears along with the "schedule maintenance soon" light. Taken to dealership many times within my 3 month warranty and no definite reason was given. The vehicle rides very bumpy though sway bar was inspected and supposedly repaired by dealership during my 3 month warranty.

See all problems of the 2016 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

The cylinder head on my 2018 Mazda Cx-5 developed cracks on the exhaust side, leading to significant oil leakage onto the exhaust manifold. This has caused engine damage and safety concerns. The vehicle is currently at a Mazda dealership, where the issue has been inspected and documented. The component is available for further inspection upon request. The oil leaking onto the exhaust manifold creates a serious fire hazard due to the high heat generated in this area. Additionally, the vehicle experienced burning smells and visible smoke coming through the air vents, which could impair visibility or cause distraction while driving. These conditions place the safety of myself, my passengers, and others on the road at risk. The issue has been confirmed by a Mazda dealership. They provided a video showing oil actively dripping from the cracked cylinder head and stated that the engine requires a full replacement. Mazda dealership video: [xxx] this video contains the engine inspection findings conducted at the dealership during my recent visit. It clearly shows the damage and highlights the issues identified. The vehicle has been inspected by the Mazda dealership service team, who identified the cracks in the cylinder head and documented the oil leakage and related engine damage. There were no warning lamps or messages on the dashboard prior to the failure. The symptoms began with a noticeable burning smell inside the cabin, followed by a slight mist coming out of the air vents and smoke from under the hood. Oil leakage was later observed on the ground, and the coolant level appeared empty. I’ve received a video inspection of my vehicle from the service center on March 7, 2024 with no concerns at that time, which you can view here: [xxx] . This link leads to truvideo, a platform that many dealerships use to share service videos with customers. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2018 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

The steering and braking systems on my vehicle malfunctioned after jumping my vehicle when the battery drained too far to start, or even power my cars baseline electrical systems. After jumping my car, I started backing out of my parking spot and when I turned the wheel it very violently jerked in a manner that could have hurt me if I'd been holding onto the wheel tighter. Around this same time I believe I recall the brakes automatically applying and halting the vehicle. I was too far out of my parking spot when this began occurring and had to try to maneuver into a different one, during this attempt both of the conditions described above reoccured several times. I eventually noticed that it only seemed to trigger when the wheel was at more extreme steering angles, by keeping the steering angle lower I was eventually able to maneuver into another spot without triggering the issues. After parking and letting the car run for a bit to recharge the battery I no longer experienced these issues. There were several warning lights related to roll stability control, lane departure monitoring before pulling out. The following warnings were present, but I'm unable to recall whether they displayed before I first hit the issues: Smart braking malfunction, power steering malfunction, transmission malfunction, check engine light. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by anyone, however I was able to find evidence of other people complaining about what sounds to be the same issue going back several years online. [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

With a heavy downpour of rain the bsm flashes off, then after sitting for a few hours the car battery dies and the key fob is not recognized in the vehicle. Took it to a dealership and it stopped doing it. Code that are thrown have to do with some computer communication failing. I have had the car die on me 4 times in the last year that I’ve had it.

See all problems of the 2015 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

"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.

Twice now, my 2017 Mazda Cx-5 stalled on the highway with a check engine light popping up--both times was driving around 60-70mph for a couple of hours and had about a quarter tank of gas left. The first time, no code was found, but the second time, after a deeper diagnostic, the dealership found a p0192 code. After reading here and many other places online, based on the code and the car's behavior, it really sounds like the denso low-pressure fuel pump is to blame; that's the source of the recall for 2018 and 2019 Mazda Cx-5s experiencing this same issue [xxx] ). If the 2017 model also uses that fuel pump, why isn't it included in the recall? if this dangerous and erratic car behavior is due to a faulty part, it really should be covered by the recall. Shame on you, Mazda. Lives are at risk. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2017 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

Infotainment screen malfunctions, pressing buttons by itself.

Just got a oil change. Told my battery is almost dead. Upon looking up information I found a letter for recall for 2021 Mazda cx5 for dealer rework 41 telematics communication unit concern. I called the dealership and they are refusing to fix the problem. Looks like its just a software update is needed. My car only has 24,666 miles and according to the letter should be fixed. [xxx] I bought the car used in April and did a search for recalls prior to buying the car. There is non on Mazda website or VIN search. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2021 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

Car failed while on highway driving 60 mph with the engine and power steering turning off instantly. A day prior the dash was blinking warnings. Mazda of lodi replaced the entire transmission plus other parts. Just made it under warrantee. Would have cost 5k once expired. Was told half the fleet of 2019 were recalled but not the second half of production for some reason even though they both experience the same failure. . Also had 22,000 miles at end of the. Something smells in denmark.

There is a known issue of "ghost touching" on the infotainment system on 2017-2020 Mazda's. The ghost touching causes the infotainment center to randomly self-select options on the screen, which is highly distracting. The following are experiences I've had while driving (sometimes going 70mph on the interstate), where my infotainment center begins to make selections on it's own: unpausing paused music making random phone calls opening text messages and selecting the reply button flipping between screens continuously ending phone calls this is extremely distracting and dangerous. Mazda is aware of this issue. I had my screen replaced in 2020, and replaced with another faulty screen that I now have to get replaced again.

This car has an issue with 'ghost touches' on the infotainment screen. We had it replaced under warranty in January 2020, and the same issue is happening again. Searches online show this is a widespread problem and Mazda wants to charge $1,000 to fix it this time. It is a distraction, turns music on/off volume up/down and can cause dangerous unexpected distractions.

On [xxx], I was the operator of a 2019 Mazda Cx-5 in los angeles, California. I parked the vehicle on an incline on or around [xxx] in los angeles, California, and then exited the vehicle. The vehicle remained stationary for some time, until it suddenly began rolling backwards at a speed that pushed me to the ground while I was getting my things from the passenger side door, causing me serious injuries. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving through town the braking system malfunctioned and the car came to a stop in the middle of the road with messages on dash saying the Smart city braking support was malfunctioning as well as brake assist. Engine light came on as well as traction control light right after the car coming to a sudden hard braking stop. Drove straight to shop to check engine code which was p0882. I am so afraid of this happening on the highway with my daughter in the car. There is a recall for this system but my car isn’t under the recall so I'm sure there are others that are having the issue but aren’t covered under the recall either.

Mazda infotainment system experiences ghost touching. It would operate on its own and exit applications like navigation on its own. Mazda is aware of the issue but won’t issue a recall. This can be a safety hazard when the system exits out of navigation in the middle of nowhere. The system would also make calls on its own which would cause a panic to the driver who is distracted trying to end a call they never placed.

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 infotainment center glitches and starts clicking things on its own, often changing the volume to all the way loud suddenly orchanging radio station constantly, startling me while I am driving and causing major distraction which can easily lead to an accident. Settings, including safety setting start to get changed on their own while driving as well. The edges of the screen on the infotainment center are also crackling on their own inside the screen somehow, and I am not sure if heat has caused this, and been making this issue worse because it is only ever wiped with a microfiber cloth.

My screen begins to change the display without me touching it. It has interrupted my gps directions, causing me to get lost. It has gotten worse over time, now causing my back up camera to either not display at all or become partially blocked by another application randomly starting on the screen. My emergency brake lights flash on my dash, and auto technicians tell me it is a malfunction with the electrical system, not something in my brake system that needs to be replaced. We have tried that. These problems I have been told are not the responsibility of the manufacturer. I don’t understand why. It is distracting, alarming, and because it is getting more frequent with more systems being affected, it puts the driver in danger. This is not due to wear and tear - it is due to a faulty electrical program.

Vehicle infotainment center - the touch screen will automatically select options and click options while driving, causing a distraction and most recently attempting to enable a child lock. It will do it while the car is both driving and while stopped. It will randomly do it on both the radio screen and the navigation screen.

Ghost touch screen on multimedia. Causing detracting issues while driving.

Auxiliary power will not turn off when vehicle is turned off. Radio , lights interior power , etc…. . Car turns off when button is pressed but interior power does not .

See all problems of the 2014 Mazda CX-5 🔎.

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.

Car fails to shut off completely. The motor stops, but the electronics (dash, radio, etc. ) and things like the a/c still are on. Searching forums shows it is a faulty gear shift sensor that detects that the car is in park.

Just as the recall issued for the 2014-2016 the Mazda connect touch screen continues to be an issue for most owners with this infosystem. Mine for two years since I bought it will do the “ghost touch” on its own, literally operating on its own. My settings change on their own, doing such things as the volume on its own going from a normal tone to blasting, causing such alarm that I’ve nearly gone off the road. My back up screen brightness changes on its own, causing a real safety concern of running into something or someone. This is just two examples…all of the functions go “haywire” and just change at any unexpected time. This issue can be seen over and over online by Mazda owners. And I’ve reached out to Mazda themselves who state they are not aware of any issue, yet the dealerships are well aware of this dangerous issue and quickly know exactly what the issue is when you explain what the car is doing and let you know that for $1200 they can replace the info system. I just don’t see how they can have this issue since at least 2014 and continue to sell cars with the same issue a recall was issued for. It’s so dangerous.

The radio changes stations by itself, speakers/music goes in and out. The screen freezes and cannot change stations. And also the car lags on taking off sometimes. Often smells like fuel when you turn on the car, assuming a fuel pump issue, not sure. I spoke to the salesman who sold me the car (adam) within less than 30 days of having the vehicle and told me the electrical issue with radio would be covered. Then when I called to have the issue fixed I was told it wasnt going to fixed on their behalf. This car was sold to me with a few issue that I was not aware at the time of purchase.

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 video display board does not work properly. It randomly changes settings while driving and is very distracting and does not allow the gps to work properly. It changes radio and display settings and any setting prev set. It cycles through them and randomly changes them the dealer (kings Mazda in cincinnati ohio) stated that this is happening frequently in Mazdas and will cost over $400 for an after market fix and over $1000 for a Mazda fix. It is very distracting while driving.

I love this car, but it has a bad habit, the vehicle accelerates on its own. If you take your foot off the gas, the car will intermittently lurch, almost jump forward. I’ve learned to deal with this by simply keeping a strong push on the break, but it is definitely is an issue. Another issue I’m having is the back lift gate. I’ve been told that the sensors are on each side of the gate and perhaps when drying the vehicle, I touch them?? they run along each side of the liftgate fully visible. I have 17,000 miles on my car right now and when the lift gate opens closes it stops halfway and it beeps. I then have to push it down to close. I took it to the dealer and they say it will cost me if they have to check the sensors. This is extremely annoying to have an automatic lift gate, and I have to push it down myself.

The used 2016 Mazda cx5 I just bought apparently has the "ghost touch screen" where the infotainment system will randomly pick controls, place phone calls, change navigation. How can this not be a safety recall? I'm afraid to drive this car and not have full control of the navigation system or controls. This is dangerous to have this happen when driving!! Mazda should be held accountable for this clear safety problem.