13 complaints reported

2020 Mazda CX-5 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
13
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Sep 2025

The ongoing “ghost touch” defect in Mazda infotainment systems is a serious safety hazard that should have triggered a recall. This issue affects vehicles from model years 2016 through 2023 and stems from a design flaw present from the beginning. While driving, the system can suddenly take control of the screen—changing settings, switching stations, adjusting navigation, and even blasting the volume to maximum without driver input. On multiple occasions, I have been driving at freeway speeds when the system suddenly raised the volume to its highest level, jolting me and creating a dangerous distraction that nearly caused an accident. Mazda previously settled a lawsuit regarding this defect but only offered a free software update as a remedy. When I visited a dealership, I was told I already had the latest update—and that it does not resolve the ghost touch problem. The dealership acknowledged that it is a known design flaw, yet Mazda is charging customers around $800 to replace the defective component. This defect is widespread across multiple model years, worsens with time, and compromises the safe operation of the vehicle. Despite owning my Mazda outright and having only 40,000 miles on it, I may be forced to sell it because the vehicle has become unsafe to drive. I have a video of some of the things it does but it won’t let me upload it below.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Oct 2021
Aug 2025

Display screen (Infotainment system) will randomly change the settings of my vehicle and call people or change display features or volume control or directions that is distracting and dangerous to me as I drive.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Feb 2025
Jul 2025

Mazda has a known issue with their infotainment system and ghost touch. There was a recent lawsuit but ghost touch is not covered under the class action lawsuit. The screen will call people, change setting, and just click a bunch of things. This is extremely distracting when driving if I’m constantly having to fight to stay on my navigation screen and make sure it is not calling people. It’s a very well known issue that Mazda will not fix it and quotes around $500-700 to fix with a part that will eventually have the same issue. I have tried pleasing with Mazda and basically been told too bad. I just want my screen to work and not have to fight it constantly

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Jan 2021
Jan 2025

THE SUNROOF EXPLODED NORMAL TEMPS in CHICAGO IL Halloween Hight 60 desgres on while driving on HWY

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Oct 2025
Jan 2025

The display screen in my CX-5 has been regularly glitching for several years now. This "ghost touch" presses random buttons, makes random phone calls, turns volume up and down, exits applications, etc. This persists (both driving and parked) until I unplug my device, restart the screen, or restart the vehicle. This happens year round regardless of outside temperature. I am unable to use certain aspects of the screen, such as navigation, when this is going on. It is extremely distracting and unsafe. My eyes are drawn to the screen instead of the road, which puts my safety and the safety of my passengers at risk. When I first reported this issue to the dealer, they explained that I was outside the "limited warranty" for the display unit and that it would cost me around $1000 to replace. I declined. About a month ago, I received a class action lawsuit notice in the mail. This notice described my exact issues. I immediately made an appointment with the dealer to get my vehicle inspected and the issue resolved under the settlement. Upon taking my vehicle to the dealer, they explained that the settlement only covers the issue if the CMU needs to be replaced- not if the problem lies with the display screen itself. They inspected my vehicle and said that my CMU does not have issues and that my screen is causing the glitches. They refused to cover the replacement of the screen, even though the Mazda Connect Infotainment Settlement describes my EXACT issues. Why isn't the settlement covering replacement of the screen if that's where 99% of consumer issues lie (according to the dealer)? I was instructed by the dealer to contact Mazda Corporate directly, who read me a scripted disclaimer saying Mazda is not providing assistance while the settlement is ongoing.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: May 2025
Aug 2024

The infotainment screen is malfunctioning and making selections on it's own without me, the driver, pushing any buttons or the screen. This is troublesome while driving as I then have to end calls or turn things down, etc. out of nowhere. This also means I am unable to take any calls while driving, which is also a driving hazard and not safe if an urgent call comes through to my phone. It is not usable at this point due to this malfunction. This has been an issue in previous years' models as well, and there have been recalls on this same issue. Not sure why or how this has not been resolved for future models, and is still being sold with this huge malfunction. This is a new vehicle with just under 30,000 miles and should not have this big of a malfunction this early on. There are tons of other owners that report this issue all over online as well. It is a known issue, but yet nothing has been done about it.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Aug 2023
Jul 2024

The radio change by itself like there is a ghost changing the channel

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Jul 2023
May 2024

The car's screen/touch screen has a "ghost touch" issue. It automatically changes car settings while I am in the middle of driving which is causing driving safety issues. It will change radio stations, mess with navigation, screen brightness, clock, etc.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Jan 2024
Feb 2024

While backing the vehicle the rear camera sometimes goes off because the screen in the car keeps switching itself to night mode, radio channel, Bluetooth, clock setting and sometimes the screen freezes which is very dangerous while reversing. The car is a CX5 Mazda Touring 2020. I called Mazda dealer today he told me it will cost me $300 to $400. There are no sign of malfunction on the dashboard so far but the radio screen keeps malfunctioning all the time especially when driving and reversing, it been happening for the last 5 days.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Nov 2024
Jan 2024

Ghost touch issue with touchscreen. It causes calls to go on hold, navigation to stop in unknown areas, sometimes in areas without service, and other distracting issues such as skipping songs. I’m fixing it, but it appears to be a common problem and it costs over $600 to fix.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Jan 2024
Dec 2023

When I would stop my car while driving (at a light, a stop sign, traffic, temporary stops for yielding, etc.), the infotainment system would start randomly selecting things on the screen. This would include adjusting volume settings, randomly dialing people from my contacts, canceling navigation systems, etc. This created distractions while trying to drive my vehicle after stopping, including noise issues and inability to navigate places safely. This issue was ongoing for nearly a full year after purchasing my car. Once I finally had the change to take it to the dealership, they reproduced the issue and confirmed it is a common problem. After telling us it was not covered by warranty and my wife applying pressure on them, they replaced it saying they would submit a warranty appeal to Mazda. There were no warning lights or messages, it just began happening not too long after buying the vehicle. The contact stated in August of 2019, NHTSA announced Mazda was conducting a Special Service Program to fix the same issue happening as the contact reported in the 2014-2016 Mazda3. Hopefully this will add to the need for a recall or requiring Mazda to do a similar type of program for 2017-2020 CX-5s.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Jan 2023
Feb 2021

MY 2020 MAZDA CX-5 SUNROOF GLASS SUDDENLY EXPLODED FOR NO KNOWN REASON AS I WAS DRIVING 45 MPH ON HIGHWAY 97 IN OREGON. THE SUNROOF WAS CLOSED AND IT JUST SUDDENLY BURST. ALL THE GLASS BROKE AND THERE WAS A HOLE WHERE IT BLEW OUT. IT WAS A SUNNY DAY. THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 55 DEGREES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Mar 2021
Jul 2020

ON OCT. 6, 2020, WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON I-95 IN VIRGINIA, NEARING EXIT 133, OUR SUN ROOF SUDDENLY AND SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED OUTWARD. WE WERE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 50-60 MPH AND SLOWING TO LEAVE THE HIGHWAY AT EXIT 133. OUR CAR IS A 2020 MAZDA CX-5, PURCHASED IN JULY 2020. WE HAVE LESS THAN 4,000 MILES ON THE CAR. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT OUR CAR WAS STRUCK BY ANY OBJECT THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE SUN ROOF TO EXPLODE OUTWARD. THERE ARE NO OTHER SCRATCHES OR DENTS ON OUR VIRTUALLY BRAND NEW CAR. BECAUSE THE SUN SHADE WAS CLOSED, NO SHATTERED GLASS ENTERED OUR VEHICLE. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE NOT LOST CONTROL OF OUR VEHICLE AND CRASHED. THE SPONTANEOUS SUN ROOF EXPLOSION WAS VERY LOUD AND IT SHOOK THE CAR CAUSING A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 MAZDA CX-5, Manufacturer: Mazda Motor Corp.
Incident: Jun 2020

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2020 Mazda CX-5 has 13 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.