Mazda Connect Defect Lawsuit Says Infotainment System Plagued by Technical Glitches

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges the Mazda Connect infotainment system in several 2014-2023 vehicle models is plagued by myriad technical glitches that can cause safety-related systems to fail and drivers to become dangerously distracted. 

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The 47-page Mazda lawsuit says that although the touchscreen Connect infotainment system is touted as allowing drivers to “stay connected without taking your hands off the wheel,” an apparent defect can cause the critical feature to continuously reboot, freeze, become unresponsive, get stuck in a bootloop process, or otherwise malfunction. 

In other instances, the suit says, the Mazda Connect infotainment system will drop calls, disconnect from GPS and Bluetooth, and lose backup camera functionality. The case adds that the Mazda Connect defect can also cause a vehicle’s head unit to fail to power on or lag when the car’s engine is initially started, as well as while the vehicle is in motion.

Concerningly, the alleged Mazda Connect flaw can cause a vehicle’s navigation system to be unable to refresh fast enough to keep up with navigational prompts and creates “completely illogical routes” due to losing the exact GPS location of a vehicle, the lawsuit alleges. 

The audio and video problems pose a safety hazard in that they can cause a driver to become distracted, the Mazda class action says. Even when the touchscreen appears to be working properly, the alleged defect can cause a “digital skipping” between different screen interfaces and radio stations without user involvement, the complaint says. 

The vehicle models allegedly equipped with defective Mazda Connect systems include: 

• Mazda2 model years 2016-2022; 
• Mazda3 model years 2014-2018; 
• Mazda6 model years 2016-2021; 
• CX-3 model years 2016-2021; 
• CX-5 model years 2016-2020;
• CX-9 model years 2016-2020; and
• MX-5 model years 2016-2023.

The complaint alleges Mazda has known of the Connect problems since at least late 2016 and has released several technical service bulletins concerning various touchscreen issues. 

Despite its alleged knowledge of the issue, Mazda has not recalled affected vehicle models or made owners and lessees of the cars whole, the case says.

“Instead, Mazda failed to disclose, and actively concealed, the Defect from the public, and continues to manufacture, advertise, distribute, and sell and re-sell the Vehicles without disclosing this information,” the lawsuit alleges. 

According to the suit, the navigation problems with the Mazda Connect systems are due to a “faulty navigation SD card,” which Mazda has reportedly acknowledged in technical service bulletins. Other malfunctions—head unit inoperability, freezing, rebooting, backup camera freezing and/or glitching, and skipping between screens—are the result of “insufficient software that cannot support the infotainment system,” the lawsuit alleges. 

The suit adds that Mazda drivers in search of a repair for the Connect defect are told that no fix exists and forced to pay out of pocket to address the problem. 

The lawsuit looks to cover all United States residents who bought or leased any of the Mazda vehicle models listed on this page equipped with a Mazda Connect infotainment system.

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