2020 MAZDA CX-5 Electrical System Problems

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.

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 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.

*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.

My car is experiencing extreme ghost screen. Also when this happens I get a lot of warning lights when nothing is truly experiencing fault. My screen will jump, change settings, reset settings,become dark on it own, not turn on at all, flip through the system causing major distractions. For instance I was driving in my car with quiet no noise then my screen jump and without warning blasted am and scared the living heck out of me while on the highway. It has called people and hung up on its own. Lights flicker and one side of my top lights don't work. My plugin have no electricity coming to them.There are times I have trouble connecting to Bluetooth.

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.

The contact owns a 2020 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated the infotainment Connect Center was unintendedly switching to different functions, with the volume increasing independently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

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.

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.

Mileage: 80,000

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.

"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 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 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.

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.

My Mazda 2020 CX-5 has the “ghost touch” issue with the screen, buttons on screen are automatically being pressed constantly, super laggy, buttons not functioning properly, making random phone calls etc. There are also incidences that the screen became totally black.

Sporatically and randomly, the user instrument panel will make changes and adjustments automatically. For instance, it will switch to nativgation at full volume and state that "the navigation will be at this volume" (at max volume) when previously muted. It's alarming. It will also randomly call the last person dialed over the car speakers. It switches settings on its own and beeps during that process for each change, which when it's not driver initiated, catches the driver by surprise. An employee confirmed that "ghosting" is an issue that they are seeing quite a bit. On a new vehicle, this is an unfortunate extra $200.00 out of pocket as warranty deductible that seems more of a recallable factory defect.

The display screen just starts adjusting the navigation volume on it’s on while I’m driving. Or it will change the radio station, change to the Bluetooth on my phone or change to a different screen all by itself.This started not long after purchasing the vehicle. August 2021.

1st issue - System monitor restarts without warning. Just driving along with only one iPhone plugged in the monitor shows a spinning "wheel" saying restarting while driving, 2nd issue - with two iPhones plugged in it starts having more issues. Stops charging second iPhone connects then reconnects constantly. Then stops (see picture) 3rd issue - With only one iPhone plugged in and running navigation from iPhone, the system disconnects from iPhone but no voice unless we disconnect, 4th issue - While driving in adaptive cruise control and braking for people stopping the cruise control will not re-start. It shows on- keep pressing resume - but will not engage (above 40 mph) then after a few minutes it does respond to the resume command

The contact owns a 2020 Mazda CX-5. The contact noticed that while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the passenger blind spot monitoring light and sound failed to operate. The contact mentioned that the vehicle failed to let her know when a vehicle was nearby her. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they reset the monitor however, the failure recurred days later. The contact mentioned that the failure recurred several times. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.

Mileage: 10,000

I HAVE BEEN WARNED BY OTHER DRIVERS AT NIGHT THAT MY TAIL LIGHTS WERE OUT. MY CLOCK AND RADIO BOTH ARE MALFUNCTIONING. I JUST TOOK THE CAR FOR THE YEARLY INSPECTION AND THERE IS A MAJOR OIL LEAK FROM A GASKET. THE CAR ONLY HAS 16,000 MILES ON IT!

MY 2020 MAZDA CX-5 WAS 2 DAYS OLD AND THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DRAINED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. I PICKED IT UP AND THEY DID NOTHING TO THE BATTERY. THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THEY REPLACED THE KEY FOB BATTERY. TWO MORE DAYS AFTER THAT I PARKED IT IN MY GARAGE AND PUSHED THE BUTTON TO TURN IT OFF. APPARENTLY IT DID NOT TURN OFF AND COME MORNING, I HAD SIGNIFICANT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AND WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR 4 NIGHTS. MY CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN AND THE ODD THING WAS THAT THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED AGAIN AND THERE WAS STILL GAS IN IT. MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALER REFUSES TO HELP ME AND I AM TRYING TO CONTACT MAZDA'S MAIN NUMBER.

Mileage: 35

DASHBOARD LIGHTS HAVE GONE OFF THEN BACK ON WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY & LOCAL ROADS SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO CONCERNED AS TO WHAT ELSE THIS ISSUE AFFECTS & NOT SURE IF DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS ARE ON OR OFF AT THIS TIME OR OTHER ELECTRICAL ELEMENTS. NOT SURE THE CAUSE OF THIS POSSIBLE SHORT IN THE SYSTEM IN ADDITION TO A BATTERY REPLACEMENT (ORIG. BATTERY & THEN 2 OTHERS SINCE 7/4/20)

Mileage: 2,900

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 MAZDA CX-5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY OF HER RESIDENCE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT CONTACTED AN INDEPENDENT MECHAINC WHO ARRIVED AT THE RESIDENCE AND JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MAXON MAZDA (2329 RTE 22 W, UNION, NJ 07083) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEFECTIVE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES BETWEEN JULY 2020 AND OCT 2020. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,741.

Mileage: 2,741

PURCHASED BRAND NEW 2020 MAZDA CX-5 ON SEPT 25, 2020. ON SEPT. 29, 2020 WITH < 500MI: WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON COUNTY ROAD, PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL AND THE PEDAL DID NOT MOVE. SEVERAL MALFUNCTION LIGHTS FLASHED INCLUDING "POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION", "SMART CITY BRAKE SUPPORT MALFUNCTION". REPEATEDLY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT DID NOT MOVE AT ALL. TRIED TO SWERVE TO AVOID A VEHICLE BUT THE STEERING WAS UNRESPONSIVE. IMPACTED A VEHICLE AT A RED LIGHT. MAZDA SERVICE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE BRAKE WAS ENGAGED BEFORE THE IMPACT EXCEPT FOR A "HARD BRAKE EVENT" WHICH BASED ON THE CDR DATA WAS PROBABLY THE IMPACT AVOIDANCE SYSTEM BRAKING THE VEHICLE. AS AN ENGINEER FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM BUT NOT THIS PARTICULAR SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY, I SUSPECTED A LOW VOLTAGE EVENT THAT KNOCKED OUT THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND POWER STEERING. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED FROM THE REPAIR SHOP TODAY OCT 28, 2020. HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO FLICKER, AGAIN AN INDICATION OF LOW VOLTAGE OR FAULTY WIRING. I HAVE TAKEN VIDEO OF THE FLICKERING, I HAVE OBTAINED THE CDR REPORT MAZDA REFUSED TO PROVIDE ALTHOUGH I REQUESTED TO SEE IT, AND THE SERVICE REPORT INDICATING MASS AIRFLOW & VACUUM CODES, BOTH CAUSED BY LOW VOLTAGE EVENT.

Mileage: 412

THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITHOUT A SOLUTION FROM MAZDA ' 2020 CX-5 HAS INTERMITTENT BATTERY DRAIN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO POWER OFF OR NOT START. HAPPENED TO ME 2X WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND RUNNING.

Mileage: 600