- The lawsuit claims infotainment systems freeze, get stuck in boot loops, or fail entirely.
- The Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-3, CX-5, CX-9, and MX-5 are impacted by issues.
- Despite the settlement, Mazda has denied all allegations of faults with the system.
Mazda owners dealing with glitchy infotainment screens may finally see some relief. However, as often happens, the biggest payday won’t go to the affected drivers—it’ll go to the attorneys leading the charge. A U.S. court has granted preliminary approval for a settlement in a class action lawsuit against Mazda, filed last year over widespread issues with the infotainment system. The case, brought by four plaintiffs, targets the Mazda Connect system, citing persistent malfunctions.
Read: Cybersecurity Experts Warn Mazda’s Connect System Is Vulnerable To Hackers
Originally filed in Kentucky in July 2024, the lawsuit covers multiple Mazda models equipped with the previous-generation Connect system, including the 2016-2022 Mazda2, 2014-2018 Mazda3, 2016-2021 Mazda6, 2016-2021 CX-3, 2016-2020 CX-5, 2016-2020 CX-9, and 2016-2023 MX-5. According to the complaint, infotainment screens in these vehicles “continuously reboot, freeze, become non-responsive, get stuck in a never-ending bootloop process, or otherwise malfunction.”
The Root of the Problem
It’s claimed the problems have been triggered by faulty SD cards used for the navigation system, as well as software that simply cannot handle many important infotainment functions.
One of the plaintiffs, Catherine Duffy, purchased her 2018 Mazda3 in October 2018. Just a year later, her infotainment system began shutting off, rebooting, and freezing, sometimes every few minutes. By September 2020, the system had become completely inoperable. A trip to the dealership confirmed the bad news: her car was out of warranty, so she had to pay $50 for a replacement screen. That, too, had issues.
Mazda’s Response and the Settlement
Through the settlement, the Japanese carmaker has denied all claims and allegations about faults with the Mazda Connect system. Despite that, the company will provide impacted vehicles with an extended two-year limited warranty that covers software updates and repair or replacement of hardware if necessary. Owners can also submit a claim for reimbursement if they have previously had to pay to get their screen fixed, up to a limit of $1,750.
The lead plaintiff, Catherine Duffy, will be awarded $4,000, while the three other plaintiffs will each receive $2,500. But the true winners are the lawyers representing these four plaintiffs, who are set to collect a hefty $1.9 million for their efforts.
