2017 Mazda CX-5

Mazda has termed the issue Ghost Touch in their CX-3 models, which the NTSB issued a Technical Service Bulletin. It is dangerous as the infotainment system begins to switch between functions on its own, without driver or passenger input, and while the cars is in motion; changing radio stations, dialing phone numbers, turning the system display to Night Mode making it impossible to read while using the vehicle navigation system, exiting navigation maps altogether. The part number given to me by Mazda is K123611J0C. The dealer diagnosed and confirmed this issue in April 2022. They stated it is a common problem but it is not covered under warranty. Replacement costs quoted was over $1400, plus $180 to diagnose the problem.

The car battery does not get fully charged even after long trips and continuous use of the vehicle. It has been so ever since the vehicle was purchased brand new and maintained meticulously with all service performed on-time at the dealership. Even after long trips exceeding 350 miles, the battery would charge only up to 50% (12.2 volts) and never to 100% (12.7 volts). Thereafter it would quickly discharge to Low (<11.9 volts) if a few shorter trips were made. Upon bringing this to the dealer’s attention while the car was still under warranty, they ran a battery and alternator test and quickly dismissed the issue saying that both the battery and alternator were working fine. Nevertheless, in just two years the OEM battery failed from constantly being in a state of low charge, despite using the vehicle regularly for long trips. Because the dealer refused to honor the warranty, I had to replace with a new battery at my own cost. Now the new battery doesn’t charge beyond 50% (12.2v) either, and I have to routinely charge it every few days to full (12.7v) with an external battery charger just so the battery doesn’t die and either gets me stranded on the road (safety issue for myself and others) or damages computers/other electrical components (reliability and repair issue).

THE CAR STALLED WHILE IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY WITH 56 MILES LEFT IN THE GAS TANK. THIS CAUSED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION DUE TO THE FACT THAT I COULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL, AS THE TRAFFIC WAS SPEEDING PAST. I HAD TO COAST THROUGH TRAFFIC TO THE SAFETY OF THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. ONCE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP, IT WOULDN'T RESTART AND IT SEEMED AS IF IT NEVER ACTUALLY STOPPED TRYING TO RESTART. I NOTICED A FEW THINGS DURING THIS SITUATION. 1. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 2. ALL THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS APPEARED TO COME ON 3. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND HOLD BUTTON FOR CITY PARKING BRAKE WERE FLASHING AT THE CENTER COUNSEL 4. THE DASHBOARD WARNINGS ROTATED BETWEEN, CITY PARKING BRAKE, PARKING BRAKE, CRUISE SYSTEM DISABLED 5. THE BATTERY FINALLY DIED AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF THIS HAPPENING MY FAMILY AND I WERE BROUGHT TO SAFETY BY A STATE TROOPER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A GAS STATION. WE FILLED THE GAS TANK, JUMPED THE CAR AND IT HAS NOT HAD THE ISSUE SINCE. UNFORTUNATELY THE REAR LIFT GATE HAS ONLY WORKED ONE TIME AFTER THE EVENT BUT I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS GOING ON THERE. I HAD THIS SAME ISSUE HAPPEN ONCE IN 2019, AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. I TOOK IT TO A MAZDA DEALER AND THEY SAID IT MAY HAVE BEEN BAD GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE ISSUE SEEMS TO MATCH A SIMILAR ISSUE MENTIONED IN RECALL 3719F.

THE INFOTAINMENT DISPLAY WILL REBOOT CONTINUOUSLY, IN WEATHER BELOW 60 DEGREES, AND WILL NOT STABILIZE UNTIL THE CAR IS WARMED. DURING THIS TIME YOU ARE UNABLE TO ACCESS ANY OF THE FEATURES. THIS CAN TAKE 20 MINUTES OR MORE. IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH NO RESOLUTION OR EXPLANATION.

KNOWN GHOSTING ISSUE CAUSED BY MANUFACTURING AND DIAGNOSED BY MAZDA. THE LIGHTS INSIDE FLICKER, THE RADIO/NAVIGATION/TELEPHONE (BLUETOOTH) STARTS, STOPS, AND MOVES AS IT WANTS TO. THIS CAUSES DISTRACTIONS AND IS UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING. THERE ARE RECALLS ON OTHER MODEL CARS FOR THIS, HOWEVER, MAZDA WON'T FIX MY CAR EVEN THOUGH THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM.

CODES APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD SHOWING BRAKE DYSFUNCTION, SMART BRAKE SYSTEM DISABLED, MASTER ERRORS, AND MULTIPLE OTHER ERROR MESSAGES. NAVIGATION TURNS ON BY ITSELF AND FLASHES AND MOVES OR CHANGES LOCATIONS. THE VEHICLE WILL BRAKE BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN NOTHING ELSE IS AROUND NEAR ME (AT THE TIME) AND WILL DRIVE TO THE SIDE AT LIGHTS WHEN OTHER CARS ARE THERE.

THE BACK UP CAMERA FAILS TO OPERATE AT TIMES FOR A DAY OR HALF A DAY. SOMETIMES IT APPEARS BLACK AND OTHER IT JUST SHOWS THE VOLUME WITH AN X OVER IT, BUT NO PICTURE OF THE REAR. I HAVE CHECKED EACH TIME AND THERE IS NOTHING BLOCKING THE CAMERA IN THE REAR. THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED THERE WAS JUST A FEW THOUSAND MILES, THEN AGAIN ABOUT 5,000 AND THEN AGAIN AT 9465 MILES. I WAS IN PARK WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND IN REVERSE. NO IMAGE APPEARED AND THEN WHEN BACKING UP IN MOTION IT DID NOT WORK EITHER. IT HAS HAPPENED OVER 3 TIMES IN THE FIRST 10 MONTHS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE AND THE DEALER WILL NOT FIX IT BECAUSE THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE IT. IT IS INTERMITTENT. THE CAR HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT CAMERA WHICH WAS FINALLY REPLACED AFTER 7 MONTHS AFTER MY MANY TRIPS TO DEALERS. IT WAS REPORTED TO YOU ALSO.