Mazda class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: Four plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit against Mazda Motor of America Inc., which does business as Mazda North American Operations.
- Why: Certain Mazda infotainment systems allegedly have a defect causing them to malfunction, posing a distraction to drivers.
- Where: The Mazda class action lawsuit was filed in Kentucky federal court.
A new class action lawsuit claims that certain Mazda infotainment systems malfunction and can cause drivers to become distracted.
Plaintiffs Catherine Duffy, Matthew Edlin, Lawrence Mulcahy and Paula Hall filed the Mazda class action lawsuit June 28 in Kentucky federal court on behalf of current and former owners and lessees of certain Mazda vehicles.
They claim the following vehicles are equipped with a defective Mazda infotainment system:
- 2016-2022 Mazda2
- 2014-2018 Mazda3
- 2016-2021 Mazda6
- 2016-2021 CX-3
- 2016-2020 CX-5
- 2016-2020 CX-9
- 2016-2023 MX-5
The class vehicles are reportedly equipped with a Mazda Connect infotainment system, a multimedia and video interface, located in their center consoles. The system includes a number of features, including a visual for the backup camera, radio and audio controls, the navigation system and cell phone connectivity.
Mazda touts the Connect infotainment system as a way to โstay connected without taking your hands off the wheel.โ The automaker claims the system provides โseamless connectivity between your car and your smart phone,โ according to the lawsuit.
However, the plaintiffs say the Mazda infotainment system is plagued by glitches that cause it to reboot, freeze, become non-responsive or otherwise malfunction. The alleged Mazda infotainment defect can even cause safety-related systems, such as the backup camera, to malfunction.
Mazda class action says automaker concealed defect from consumers
Each of the plaintiffs says their Mazda infotainment systems were affected by cycles of rebooting and freezing every few minutes while driving. They say they may not have purchased their Mazda vehicles, or would not have paid as much for them, had they known about the distracting Mazda infotainment system defect.
The automaker has long known about the Mazda infotainment defect based on warranty and repair records, pre-release testing and complaints collected by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and posted on consumer message boards, the plaintiffs claim. Despite this knowledge, Mazda has never adequately remedied the defect and has instead chosen to conceal it, the lawsuit alleges.
The Mazda class action asserts claims for breach of express warranty, breach of the implied warranty of merchantability, violation of Californiaโs Consumers Legal Remedies Act, Unfair Competition Law, the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act, fraudulent concealment and unjust enrichment.
Mazda recently reached a class action settlement over an alleged valve stem defect. Eligible class members have until Oct. 19, 2024, to submit a claim.
Do you have a vehicle affected by the alleged Mazda infotainment system defect? Tell us about your experience in the comments.
The plaintiffs are represented by Randall S. Strause of Strause Law Group, Benjamin F. Johns and Samantha E. Holbrook of Shub & Johns LLC, Andrew W. Ferich and Robert Ahdoot of Ahdoot & Wolfson PC, Keith T. Vernon and Andrew w. Knox of Timoney Knox LLP, and Troy M. Frederick and Beth A. Frederick of Frederick Law Group PLLC.
The Mazda infotainment class action lawsuit is Catherine Duffy, et al. v. Mazda Motor of America Inc. d/b/a Mazda North American Operations, Case No. 3:24-cv-00388-BJB, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.
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46 thoughts onMazda class action claims some vehicles have defective infotainment systems
I have a 2021 Mazda 6 where the brightness on the screen just changes randomly and sometimes I get in the car and I canโt see anything that I need to use from that screen because the brightness is going down. Everything cuz it forgets my phone I canโt find it. Itโs a general p i t a
We have a 2021 Mazda CX5 GT Reserve. The info system reboots at least once a week when driving. System will darken suddenly and then reset itself. Iโve had the entire info system to go blank, unable to use backup camera, communications, and only play last entertainment which had been selected. We havenโt been notified by Mazda of any issues or recalls.
I have the same issues with my 2022 CX-9. How can we join the settlement?
My 2018 CX-5 has a bad info system and I canโt afford to pay the almost 700.00 to have it fixed. It affects my navigation and radio and more.
Also had an issue where my screen just stopped working entirely. I had to purchase a new unit at a substantial cost only 2 years into owning my mazda3
I bought a new 2020 CX-5. Love it except the screen freezes, reboots, and presses things on its own (when it turns the volume up the the highest setting is SUPER dangerous while driving!) I have an appointment for Mazda to look at it and was quoted $189 just for them to determine the problem. Does anyone know how much this will cost? Should I wait and hope the class action causes them to make a recall?
Purchased a 2016 CX-5 GT. This one had the Bose sound system I had a known defect where the speakers are getting moisture all the time and falling apart. To replace these speakers itโs over $700 each which I didnโt do because thatโs a ridiculous price for crappy speakers. Now the tweeters on the dash or sounding like crap and the infotainment system crashes all the time. Had to purchase second hand parts to get it working again because it would freeze up all the time. I also joined the Mazda group on Reddit so I could get an update to the system because the one it was on was crashing continuously leaving us without any controls of the vehicle as well as the radio functions. Because I didnโt know that this was something I needed upgrade and wasnโt told when I purchased the vehicle it was too late to do it on the warranty days.
I purchased a brand new CX-5 in 2020(in NC) and Iโm glad this is finally coming to light publicly!!! Iโve had issues with my infotainment system and it drives me crazy. The screen will change randomly, it will darken suddenly while Iโm using navigation, and itโs as if someone is pushing buttons off and on. It freezes up, sometimes I canโt change the station or adjust the volume, even while pushing the buttons on the steering wheel to change it back. Would like to know the next steps to get this and the engine defect addressed.
My information system started to switch between different settings starting with navigation very soon after purchasing it in 2021. It continued until the whole system was unusable.
Bought used, the warranty I paid for did not include it. Having been strapped for a while I just had to live with it.
Meanwhile I was unable to have my scheduled maintenance recorded or checked. Music was only available on a limited basis. If you wanted to change stations you would have to wade through at least 5 or 6 ghost reboots to get to the right screen to change stations.
After about a year I was finally able to get dealership to look at it (spring of 2024). They quoted an astronomical price ti replace system. Once I explained that I was helpless at changing the clock & time, could not keep up with maintenance issues they requested a hardship grant from headquarters.
I had been searching for forums such as this but never saw your site till today.
I ended up paying $136 & they the balance, even providing me with a car to drive for the 2 weeks in shop.
Dealership wise, I could not ever asked for any better professional customer service, going way above & beyond anything that you would normally expect! Extremly pleased. The top notch service is just beyond any words I can express!
My only question now, after seeing this forum is, why did I have to pay a portion of the new system? Even though it was a small amount in consideration of total amount, It still makes me question things?
You are responsible for the hour of diag to the technician that was not covered under warranty. We dont work for free
I purchased an MX-5 GT new from the dealer in 2016. The infotainment center has been an issue since purchase, and the Platinum Warranty didnโt cover it, so I have just dealt with the inconvenience of a frozen screen, multiple reboots while driving, being unable to make adjustments from the screen while parked, and my personal favorite: LOSING NAVIGATION while driving. YouTube has several videos for the CX models showing owners how to reboot and reset, otherwise removal would be a necessity for safety. This is quite possibly the last Mazda I will purchase in my lifetime, and I have had several. Please, Mazda-san, fix this.
Will my 2020 CX3 be recalled over the infotainment defects? Sometimes it resets when driving but rarely. Same with the heads up display, itโs obviously on then in the middle of the drive it pops back down and pops back up. If anything the heads up display defect bothers me more.
2017 mx-5, screen spidered on the top left corner. Known issue with the adhesive on the screen itself. Will randomly press buttons on its own occasionally. One major issue which is the infotainment system rebooting, caused by SD cards (Specifically Mazda branded Maps chips) is causing this endless reset loop. The fix is to remove the chip, and lose your factory nav that you paid for. That should be a stipulation for part of the suit as well if itโs not already included.
So because an sd card failed from probably not being used enough *ahem* miata driver* ahem.. Your gonna demand a class action instead of just buying a new sd card of amazon or something for your 2017 way out of warranty car.. Should mazda start warrantying the radios from first gen miatas too if they fail..
2021 MX5 MIATA GT, if the temperature is too high in the cabinafter sitting in thecsun my infotainment system will not boot or will show a messagregarding excess temps. Iโve owned MX5s for 20 years,this is the first one to do this.