NHTSA Complaint #11595313 — 2018 MAZDA CX-5

Mazda has a safety problem with the infotainment system in their CX-5 models 2014 - 2020 and refuses to recall or do anything about it. The infotainment system has a ghost in the machine that changes settings while driving and literally screams at you through the stereo system. The ghost turns the volume all the way up and shouts, "navigation will be at this volume" over and over again (10+ times in a row). I try turning down the volume, but the ghost continually changes the volume back to max and continues shouting. Most often, this occurs when facing the sun. The ghost also changes all sorts of system settings, some relating to safety features such as lane departure, and blind spot warnings. When this occurs, it is incredibly distracting, and many times I have had to pull off the side of the road, until the issue subsides, just to get back on the road and have the issue continue to persist. This safety issue surfaced shortly after my warranty expired. In having the vehicle serviced, I was told it was either the control knob or infotainment screen. In 2023, I opted to have the control knob replaced out of pocket as that was the less expensive option ($600+). The screen replacement was quoted at $1200+. Since that time, the issue has persisted and worsened. In doing my own research online, thousands of Mazda customers have this exact same issue in models spanning from 2014 - 2020. The ghost is attributed to the touch screen function and a faulty wire mechanism. Many consumers have taken apart their dashboards (a huge undertaking) to disconnect the touchscreen wire and resolved the ghost problem, leaving the touchscreen non-functional. I have tried contacting Mazda corporate to explain this is a major safety concern and that I am a person who has auditory/sensory sensitivities. They refuse to make this right and I refuse to spend more money to fix a known issue that spans over 7 years.