NHTSA Complaint #10824413 — 2013 MAZDA CX-5

THE CX-5 COMES EQUIPPED WITH A POWERED DRIVER SEAT ADJUSTMENT CONTROLS. AT 20,000 MILES, THE CAR STARTED SPONTANEOUSLY RECLINING, AFTER YOU TURN OFF THE ENGINE, STEP OUTSIDE, AND CLOSE THE DRIVER DOOR. WARNING: IT IS VERY POWERFUL MOTOR IN TERMS OF TORQUE, AND A HUMAN CANNOT PREVENT ITS DESCENT BY PUSHING BACK ON IT. THE SEAT CONTINUES TO RECLINE, AS THOUGH THE BUTTON IS DEPRESSED -- EVEN WHEN IT MAKES CONTACT WITH A SOLID OBJECT -- OR A PERSON. SMALL CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE DOOR WERE BRUISED AND TERRIFIED FOR DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT (HAPPENED 2-3 TIMES BEFORE WE STOPPED USING IT). IT HAPPENS AFTER YOU TURN OFF ENGINE AND LEAVE THE CAR. NORMALLY, BUT NOT ALWAYS, QUICKLY JUMPING BACK INTO DRIVER SEAT AND PUSHING THE BUTTON TO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, WILL REVERSE THE SITUATION. HOWEVER, ON ONE OCCASION, THIS WOULD NOT WORK, AND UPON RETURNING TO THE CAR TO FIND THE SEAT IN THE FULLY RECLINED POSITION, I HAD TO DRIVE HOME THIS WAY. AGAIN, IT DOES NOT STOP RECLINING UPON SENSING THAT IT HAS MADE CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT (AS AN ELEVATOR MAY DO). THE EVENT HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, IN PARK, WITH THE ENGINE TURNED OFF, AND THE DOOR IS CLOSED. THERE ARE NO OBJECTS LODGED IN THE VICINITY OF THE CONTROLS, THAT MAY BE INADVERTENTLY DEPRESSING ON THEM. THE SHOCK OF THE DOOR BEING CLOSED, APPEARS TO BE TRIGGERING IT. NOTE, THERE IS NO SEAT MEMORY ON THIS MODEL, SO IT IS ALSO NOT A CASE OF THE SEAT PRESETS BEING ADJUSTED FOR A DIFFERENT DRIVER. WE DO NOT HAVE VIDEO OF THE EVENT, AS EACH TIME IT HAPPENED, WE WERE FOCUSED ON SAVING THE CHILDREN INSTEAD. A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SEAT IN FULLY RECLINED POSITION CAN BE PROVIDED, BUT DOES NOT DOCUMENT OR PROVE HOW THE SEAT ARRIVED INTO THIS POSITION, UNFORTUNATELY.