MAZDA Complaints

Instrument cluster will reboot during braking at random times. All warning lights turn on, gauges go to zero and front wipers are set off. This happens for 1-3 seconds. Mazda replaced instrument cluster but only made issue worsen they said it’s safe to drive but very distracting especially when turning onto busy roads. Currently being experienced by multiple other vehicles, so not isolated. Bought in February 2026 and started in early March 2026, currently still an issue as of June 2026.

The infotainment display screen on my 2020 Mazda CX-5 has suffered a severe hardware failure resulting in un-commanded inputs, commonly known as "ghost touching." While driving at highway speeds, the touchscreen constantly registers phantom touches. It actively hijacks the vehicle's computer system and cuts out my Apple CarPlay connection during trips. This morning, the ghost touching randomly turned the Apple Maps navigation volume up to the absolute maximum level without warning. This intense, sudden noise causes driver shock and distraction while in motion, creating an immediate risk of a wreck. The vehicle currently has fewer than 29,000 miles.

The vehicle’s radiator has gone out with a hole in it next to where the hoses connect and the vehicle only has 45,000 miles on the odometer.

On May 11th I was driving my 2019 Mazda CX-5 with approximately 35,000 miles when my cabin filled with the smell of gasoline. The smell became overwhelming within minutes, causing concern for my safety and the safety of other drivers. I immediately drove to the closest auto repair/body shop for an emergency inspection. Upon inspection, the technicians discovered there was a "crack at rear cylinder head and leaking oil excessively. Oil is leaking on to hot exhaust manifold....car is not safe to drive since oil leak is excessive". I was advised that this must be a manufacturer defect as you should not see this issue at such low mileage. The vehicle was then towed to the nearest Mazda dealership/service center, where a cracked rear cylinder head was diagnosed and confirmed. I was informed that continued operation of the vehicle could have resulted in catastrophic engine failure, engine seizure, fire risk from leaking oil contacting hot engine components, or sudden loss of power while driving, creating an extremely dangerous driving situation. Prior to the failure, there were no major warning indicators other than the sudden strong fuel/oil smell. The issue occurred unexpectedly despite the vehicle being properly maintained and having low mileage for a major engine failure. I have been the sole owner. The vehicle is currently available for inspection upon request.

Sticky Steering wheel issue. Would not let vehicle turn and would hold. Safety issue as almost hit the curb and others serval times. Need to pull hard out of it

The contact was driving a 2026 Mazda Motor. The contact stated while driving at approximately 20 MPH, the contact discovered that while the front passenger seat was not occupied, when the passenger did not weigh enough the front passenger side air bag was inoperative; the contact stated that while the front passenger seat was not occupied the "fasten passenger seatbelt" message was displayed on the instrument panel and the fasten seat belt alarm went off. A dealer was contacted however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,133.

The contact owns a 2024 Mazda CX-90. The contact stated that while the front passenger seat was occupied by her [XXX] daughter, weighing [XXX], on several occasions, the front passenger's side airbag warning light remained illuminated, indicating the system failed to detect the occupant. Additionally, after the passenger exited the vehicle, the seat belt warning chime consistently sounded. The vehicle was taken to three different dealers, where the failure could not be replicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Cylinder block cracked on back side of engine. This crack leaks oil onto the exhaust manifold. Condition Confirmed by Mazda dealer. Oil burns on the exhaust filling the cabin with smoke impairing the driver. Also a high risk of combustion in the engine compartment Inspection report and pictures available. No sign or warning of issue. Crack happened on a daily drive to work. No engine lights noise or smell until head suddenly cracked causing a large oil leak. Mazda has an internal TSB 01-002/23 admitting that these cars in this year range have a manufacturer defect in the block

My passenger heated seats malfunction while I was driving. As I was driving on the highway I smelled something burning. I didn't know where the smell was coming from it was strong . Then while I'm driving on the highway my seat started to smoke a lot I got scared and pulled on side of the road. I realized my seat was the issue turned off the heated seats on the control. Step out the vehicle on side the highway I was nervous and scared standing outside my vehicle. The smoke eventually died down and cleared out. I never turned it back on and put a small piece of tape over the hole it burned through my seat.

The infotainment screen is malfunctioning through (i) screen cracking/webbing from the inside and (ii) ghosting, i.e., random system reboots and control changes (including volume increases). The ghosting malfunctions occur when driving and can be incredibly distracting and jarring because they are unexpected and randomly occur. The screen cracking is spreading to nearly half the screen to a point where it is not visible in certain lights. This appears to be a well-known issue for Mazda and the cost to address and repair is in the thousands. Mazda does not seem to be taking any corrective action to address this issue.