2015 Mazda MAZDA3

I STARTED NOTICING A SQUEAL FROM MY REAR BRAKES THAT WOULD OCCUR AT THE BEGINNING OF DRIVING (NOT WHILE BRAKING) THEN GO AWAY AFTER 1 OR 2 STOPS. ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF LATER, THE DAY I USED MY HANDBRAKE TO PARK, AFTER MY 25 MINUTE COMMUTE HOME I NOTICED A HOT METAL SMELL. I PUT MY HAND UP TO MY DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL AND FELT INTENSE HEAT FROM THE BRAKES. SAW THE ROTORS WERE DUG IN. I BOUGHT REAR BRAKES AND ROTORS AND CHANGED THEM OUT MYSELF. THE PARKING BRAKE ACTUATOR SHAFT WAS STUCK, BINDING THE BRAKES ON BOTH REAR CALIPERS. THE METAL AROUND THE BOOT OF BOTH SHAFTS ON THE CALIPER LOOK WET. THE PISTON OF THE CALIPER WAS EASILY ROTATED BACK IN AFTER UNBINDING THE PARKING BRAKE ACTUATOR SHAFT. PARKING BRAKE NOW IS UNHOOKED DUE TO IT BEING UNSAFE. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH PARKING BRAKE ACTUATOR SHAFTS ON THE REAR CALIPERS AFTER ONLY 24,900 MILES.

LIKE MANY OTHER MAZDA 3 OWNERS, I HAVE HAD WATER ENTER MY CALIPERS AND BIND, LEAVING BRAKES ACTIVATED ON THE ROTORS WEARING DOWN THE BRAKES FASTER THAN NORMAL. APPROX 65,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND I AM CURRENTLY GETTING MY THIRD SET OF BRAKES AND ROTORS INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE, WITH NEW CALIPERS THAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. AFTER CONTACTING MAZDA, MY VIN SPECIFIC DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THIS RECALL. THIS ISSUE IS KNOWN FROM MAZDA AND SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL MODELS.

MAZDA INFOTAINMENT DISPLAY PROBLEM: THE TOUCH PANEL ON MY 2015 MAZDA3 OPERATES BY ITSELF AND DOES NOT ACCEPT TOUCH COMMANDS PROPERLY. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MY CAR, BUT A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH FOR "MAZDA 3 INFOTAINMENT GOING CRAZY" RETURNED SEVERAL THOUSAND ARTICLES AND VIDEOS FROM FRUSTRATED MAZDA CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM. THESE DEFECTIVE DISPLAYS CREATE HAZARDOUS DRIVING ENVIRONMENTS FOR ME AND OTHERS WHO LIVE IN STATES WITH 'HANDS-FREE' LAWS.

THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM HAS A GHOST FEATURE: IT STARTS TO DIAL NUMBERS AUTOMATICALLY, CHANGE STATIONS WITHOUT ANY USER INPUT AND MANY OTHER DISRUPTIONS AS IF THERE IS A CLOUD MONKEY INSTALLED IN THE SYSTEM. ISSUE EXISTS AFTER RESETTING THE SYSTEM. THERE IS NO WAY TO TURN OFF THE SYSTEM AND I AM JUST DRIVING AROUND WITH THE SYSTEM BEEPING ALL THE WAY. IT IS EXTREMELY DISTRACTING AND IS AFFECTING THE DRIVING. MAZDA DEALER CHARGED $150 TO SAY THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND ONLY WAY TO RESOLVE IS TO REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM: COST $1500. I REACHED OUT TO MAZDA USING THEIR OWNER'S PORTAL AND GOT NO RESPONSE. ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME SOMEONE GETS INTO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS HIDDEN FEATURE OF MAZDA.

THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS WHILE THE CAR IS BEING OPERATED, CREATING A SERIOUS DISTRACTION FOR THE DRIVER. FOR EXAMPLE, THE SYSTEM CAN BE TUNED TO THE RADIO AND THEN IT WILL RANDOMLY SWITCH TO THE PHONE FUNCTION AND DIAL A NUMBER AGAIN AT RANDOM FROM MY CONTACTS LIST.TRYING TO DISENGAGE THE CALL DOESN'T WORK AS IT KEEPS DIALING OR WILL REDIAL. THIS HAPPENS REPEATEDLY. IT WILL ALSO AT TIMES CHOOSE A RADIO STATION WHICH IS NOT THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN SELECTED. WHILE THESE MAY SOUND MINOR THEY CREATE A HAZARD BECAUSE THE DRIVER IS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE COMMUNICATIONS FEATURES WHEN THEY TAKE ON A LIFE OF THEIR OWN.