2016 Mazda CX-5

LED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT ON PASSENGER-SIDE HEADLIGHT FLICKERS AND IS VERY DIM. ON A FEW OCCASIONS, THE DRIVER OF VEHICLE IN FRONT STATED THAT IT LOOKED AS IF MY HEADLIGHT WAS OUT AS WELL. VEHICLE IS ONLY 3-YEARS OLD. MILEAGE SHOULD NOT AFFECT ELECTIRAL LED COMPONENTS. DRL'S OR HEADLIGHTS ARE REQUIRED DURING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS OR WHEN OPERATING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS.

THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON MY 2016 CX-5 HAVE FAILED AFTER TWO YEARS AND 38900 MILES. YOU CANNOT REPLACE THE "BULB" FOR A FEW DOLLARS. YOU MUST REPLACE THE ENTIRE LIGHT UNIT THAT INCLUDES LOW BEAM, HIGH BEAM, TURN SIGNAL, AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRL). THIS UNIT COSTS MINIMUM OF $400.00 AND UP TO $1200.00 WHEN INSTALLED BY DEALER. THIS IS AN EXORBITANT PRICE TO PAY FOR A SIMPLE LED BULB THAT SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN TWO YEARS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DO NOT FUNCTION WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION OR STATIONARY. PROBLEM IS REPRODUCED DURING EVERY TRIP OR BY TURNING ON THE PARKING LIGHTS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED. WHEN PURCHASED, I WAS TOLD I WOULD NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE NEW LED LIGHTS AND THAT THEY WOULDN'T BURN OUT LIKE OLD-STYLE LAMPS. THEY HAVE STOPPED FUNCTIONING LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AFTER MY 3-YEAR/36,000-MILE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I HAVE DRIVEN LESS THAN 22,500 MILES AND THE DEALERSHIP IS QUOTING ME $1,500 TO REPAIR WHAT SHOULD BE <$100 (CONSERVATIVELY) FOR LEDS. LOOKING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT FROM OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE, AND APPARENTLY MAZDA HAS REVISED THE REPLACEMENT PART NUMEROUS TIMES BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS AND COSTS TO CONSUMERS ARE INCREASING FOR THIS SAFETY FEATURE.

LED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS BEGIN TO FLICKER AND THEN FAIL WITHIN JUST 2-3 YEARS OF REGULAR USE. THE DRL LIGHTS CANNOT BE EASILY REPLACED WITH A LIGHT BULB/REPLACEMENT LED DUE TO THE LED CHIPS BEING SOLDERED TO THE CIRCUIT BOARD WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. FULL HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED. WHEN DRL ARE OFF IT CAN POTENTIALLY CREATE SAFETY HAZARDS FOR DRIVERS OF VEHICLE AND OTHER VEHICLES AROUND.

WHILE ON A RECENT HIGHWAY ROAD TRIP, MY 2016 MAZDA CX-5'S DRIVER SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LED LIGHTS, WHICH COME EQUIPPED WITH THE TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE, STOPPED ILLUMINATING PROPERLY. THE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMP LED LIGHTS IN QUESTION WILL FLICKER OR NOT ILLUMINATE AT ALL. I FOUND THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE EQUIPPED ON VEHICLES TO ENHANCE VISIBILITY AND SAFETY. A FLICKERING DAYTIME RUNNING LAMP CAN CAUSE SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS RESULTING IN DISTRACTED DRIVING RELATED COLLISIONS. MAZDA ADVERTISED THESE SPECIFIC HEADLAMPS AS BEING A LONG LASTING AND PROVIDING ENHANCED SAFETY AS THEY ADAPT TO CHANGING ROADWAY CONDITIONS. UPON CONDUCTING INDEPENDENT RESEARCH INTO THE DRL (DAYTIME RUNNING LAMP), IT WAS LEARNED THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2016 MAZDA CX-5, WITH THE TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE / LED HEADLAMPS, HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE ALMOST AS SOON AS THE BASIC FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRES. IT WAS THEN LEARNED THE AVERAGE COST TO GET THIS SITUATION REMEDIED WOULD RESULT IN HAVING TO PAY ALMOST $1500 - $2000 TO GET THE WHOLE HEADLAMP UNIT REPLACED. RESEARCH ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE REVEALED A FAULTY GASKET AT THE BASE OF THE HEADLAMP UNIT WHICH CAUSED MOISTURE/GAS TO DEVELOP ON THE INTERIOR OF THE HEADLAMP LENS, THIS IS ALSO PRESENT ON THIS VEHICLE. I FEEL THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE CAUSING THE HEADLAMP DRL TO MALFUNCTION DUE TO A MOISTURE BUILD UP, OR THE UNIT IS ALL TOGETHER DEFECTIVE FOR A CERTAIN GROUPING OF CX-5'S WITH THIS HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY I FEEL A RECALL INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE MALFUNCTION. I FEEL THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE AS IT WAS LEARNED THERE WAS A RECENT NATIONAL BACK ORDER FOR THESE HEADLAMPS, I FIND THAT SUSPICIOUS IF THEY WERE TO BE IN PROPER WORKING ORDER.

PASSANGER SIDE DAY TIME RUNNING HEADLIGHTS BEGAN FLICKERING FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND THEN SIMPLY WENT OUT. THIS CAR IS BRAND NEW WITHIN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF AND IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE THE FULL HEADLAMP UNIT AS IT IS LED AND MAZDA KNOWINGLY INSTALLED THESE FAULTY HEADLAMPS. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF OTHER DOCUMENTED CASES OF THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET.