2018 Mazda CX-5 driver assistance problems

Filed Apr 9, 2026 · Driver assistance, Engine · MO

I am reporting a safety issue involving engine failure and fumes entering the vehicle cabin as well as unintended braking post major engine repair at 75,000 miles on my 2018 Mazda CX5. My vehicle developed engine problems consistent with a cylinder head/coolant defect and began allowing fumes/smoke to enter the cabin while driving. This created a health and safety concern for occupants. I reported this to the dealership and was told the vehicle was safe to drive despite the presence of fumes in the cabin. A major engine repair was later performed. A few days following the repair, additional warning lights and system malfunctions appeared, including brake system warnings, and the vehicle later braked unexpectedly while driving nearly causing me to be rear-ended. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership, but the root cause of the fumes and subsequent safety issues has not been clearly explained. This situation created a safety risk due to exposure to fumes inside the cabin and unexpected vehicle behavior while driving. Smoke/fumes video and any additional documentation can be provided upon request. Attaching the costly invoice as well.

Filed Jan 5, 2026 · Driver assistance, Engine · TX

The infotainment system consistently changes stations and volume on its own. Knob will not allow you to make adjustments . Contacted dealer and infotainment Is not covered under warranty , or extended warranty. Now the collision notification is not working. Warnings from system that it has failed and causes system to not Register any movement . This has been going on recently. Now have to drive it as it doesn’t have the system. And have to use my Apple play for radio as infotainment keeps failing to include radio and navigation Told by dealer that the infotainment system is not Mounted into the dash and sticks up , so the heat from sun and summer has fried th system. Has been ongoing for over a year just found site to report it . Will not buy another vehicle with infotainment system sticking up out of dashboard

Filed Sep 4, 2025 · Driver assistance · WA

Back up cameras fail infotainment system reboots and maps on the system inadvertently counts stops plus changes volume at loudspeaker telling me “this is the level “ and is on highest volume. Which you can’t turn down. All are dangerously interfering with driving. Please put pressure on Mazda to fix and not just update software when the problem has been fixed called CMU

Filed Oct 2, 2024 · Driver assistance · HI

The infotainment system on the Mazda consistently glitches causing vehicle settings to be changed while the vehicle is in motion or stopped. The volume changes, navigation settings change, maintenance settings change including door settings and any setting that can be controlled by the touch screen. If a phone is connected to the system it will make calls and stop volume on system. Additionally, when reversing and the back up camera is enabled/used the screen glitches and you can no longer see a large portion of the rear view - making it a very large safety hazard. There are thousands of people who report this and little has been done for years other than people being charged for an entire replacement and the issue just comes back. Please see duffy v. Mazda, filed this year. There has also been another Mazda model where the infotainment was identified by the federal safety agency to be faulty - the repair period was extended 7 years but has been expired for years now - it has not covered any of the CX models. Dealers are very aware of this.

Filed Sep 11, 2024 · Driver assistance · CA

The center display on it own ( ghosting) changes setting randomly this impacts safety information displayed including rear camera, and distracts the driver. The cause is a defectinve digitizer on the LCD screen panel. The 2016 model year of the same car Mazda CX-5 has a simalar problem and was recalled There is no warning prior to these occurances

Filed Sep 2, 2024 · Brakes, Driver assistance · MD

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.

Filed Jul 30, 2024 · Driver assistance, Electrical · FL

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.

Filed Jul 15, 2024 · Driver assistance · FL

The info-tainment system (Android Auto/Apple Car Play) is unstable and will come on at any time and change/delete settings and make calls, texts, etc. without any input. It is distracting as the screen shows what it it doing and the driver will need to make it stop. It could cause an accident. It has at times: Changed radio stations Deleted presets and other settings Deleted contacts from my phone Made phone calls and sent texts Deleted and reset the navigation to a destination not selected by the user. I understand this is called ghost touch and requires the touch screen to be fixed although I have never used the touch screen. I understand they recalled and fixed the 2016 to 2017 cars, but I have to pay to get the 2018 fixed out of pocket. This has been happening and getting worse for the past 6-8 months. Also, the forward collision has alarmed when there was nothing in front of me.

Filed Jun 30, 2024 · Driver assistance · FL

Mazda vehicles currently have an infotainment system that that is touch screen when the vehicle is stopped or below 10 MPH. Above 10 MPH, the touch screen disables and can only be used with the control console. Mazda infotainment systems have a "ghost touch" issue where when stopped, will behave abnormally and select random menus, options etc. Today while stopped at a red light, this ghost touch issued caused the infotainment system to TURN OFF blind spot monitoring and smart city brake support (automatic braking.) Due to the ghost touch, the control console wheel does not over ride the ghost touch issue. I could not turn these safety features back on until I started moving the car (accelerating ABOVE 10 mph) while driving at which point the touch screen "disables" and only allows the input of the manual control wheel. Mazda is aware this is an issues and refused to recall/fix these defective units outside of warranty without charging $500 - $1000 per customer.

Filed Apr 20, 2024 · Driver assistance · FL

Multiple instances of phantom braking, which resulted in two instances where we were just inches from being rear-ended. The circumstances of the phantom braking are similar, and has occured many times. CIRCUMSTANCES OF PHANTOM BRAKING are as follows: vehicle in front in lane makes right hand turn from lane (with or without turn signal or braking). The vehicle in front typically has exited the lane, and the Mazda emergency brakes hard! Variable vehicle acceleration/deceleration dynamics factors: the Mazda could be coasting, decelerating with brake litely applied, accelerating in lane (because vehicle has fully exited lane), accelerating and exiting lane (go around turning vehicle). Variable turning vehicle rear lights (signals, brake lights) factors: the turning vehicles can be braking or not, turning with or without signaling- it does not matter. The Mazda will brake hard regardless. This may be an extension of the same: when traveling on an Interstate Highway, nominally at the posted speed. When a faster vehicle safely accelerates into the Mazda’s lane, the Mazda will brake hard. The Mazda does not recognize that the vehicle entering the Mazda lane is accelerating, nor does the Mazda seem to understand (anthropomorphism) the context (dynamics) of the situation (accelerating merging traffic). Hard braking in these circumstances has resulted in several near misses being rear-ended. The request for DATE below should be “NA”, because the phantom braking has happened many times.