Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Mazda CX-5 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Blind spot monitoring system warning appears on dashboard of vehicle after driving for about 50-60 miles. This occurs only when I drive >50-60 miles in one trip without shutting off my vehicle. Speed does not matter. My sensors will not work until I turn off my car and turn it back on. This started as soon as I purchased my vehicle in July 2020. 1 previous owner (lease) before I purchased the vehicle. No prior accidents. Got the vehicle at ~30,000 miles. In January 2021, I drifted off the freeway and hit a tree going 35 mph during a snow storm. It was only myself (driver) and a passenger in the front seat at the time of the incident. Both were wearing seatbelts. The seat belts locked up, but airbags never deployed for myself or the adult passenger in the front seat. …
The car battery does not get fully charged even after long trips and continuous use of the vehicle. It has been so ever since the vehicle was purchased brand new and maintained meticulously with all service performed on-time at the dealership. Even after long trips exceeding 350 miles, the battery would charge only up to 50% (12.2 volts) and never to 100% (12.7 volts). Thereafter it would quickly discharge to Low (<11.9 volts) if a few shorter trips were made. Upon bringing this to the dealer's attention while the car was still under warranty, they ran a battery and alternator test and quickly dismissed the issue saying that both the battery and alternator were working fine. Nevertheless, in just two years the OEM battery failed from constantly being in a state of low charge, despite using the vehicle regularly for long trips. …
The navigation display turns fails / turns off and on throughout the drive. It turns on then goes off while backing out with the rearview camera in use. It goes off during drives, while directions are in use, while calls are in session, and with no active use at all. After checking online I found that numerous Mazda owners experience the same with thief CX5-s but there is no collective effort by Mazda to find a solution. I paid for extended warranty with Navigation Display covered and they still cannot find a solution. This is more than inconvenience. It is a serious safety issue when physical distraction is caused by manufacturer defect which can lead to accidents on the highway at high speeds relying on the navigation, while backing up viewing the camera, while driving on windy roads and the screen goes out. …
The infotainment system in my 2017 Mazda CX-5 exhibits dangerous behavior consistent with known defects described in the Mazda Infotainment Class Action Settlement (Case No. 8:21-cv-01355). The infotainment system and touchscreen repeatedly activate critical functions on its own ("ghost touches"), sometimes going black, changing critical settings, disengaging phone calls as well as unexpectedly activating phone calls, and navigation features engage or freeze unpredictably. These malfunctions distract from safe vehicle operation, requiring driver attention to manage the malfunctioning display. The vehicle's display is integrated with backup camera, audio, and Bluetooth controls, so these repeated malfunctions cause safety concerns while driving. …
I have made carmax aware of the issue I was driving on the interstate in PA, when out of nowhere the check engine light turned on and the car stalled and stopped working the speedometer went down drastically almost causing me to get into a car accident, I was able to continue going slowly on the emergency lane until the car stopped it was freezing weather and there was no one in sight to help not even an emergency vehicle they told me it was an 02 sensor that they fixed it and once again I am driving and pulling into my driveway the car shut off mid drive and the brake would not work I had to pull the emergency brake i almost got into an accident I would've driven the car into my neighbor's property this 02 sensor is bad there's a bad scent and also now all the electrical has gone haywire i have also made them aware of this since May i have videos of everything shutting on and off …
There is an electrical issue with the infotainment system. It changes settings/programmed setup on its own. It is a known issue that mazda owners call "ghost touch". This is becoming a safety concern for me as it has toggled for the smart city brake support and blind spot monitoring to toggle to off randomly. Although it is not relied on by myself, it can cause an accident or death if does not engage. Additionally, it has changed my display (driver gages) to the lowest setting which is extremely difficult to see at night. As well as the head unit (infotainment system). When this happened, I could not safely read the speed I was going nor reset the display brightness. Mazda needs to take responsibility of this as all system settings are located in the infotainment system. It has apparently also been a known issue for Mazda dated back to 2013 from researching online. Thank you.
Twice now, my 2017 Mazda CX-5 stalled on the highway with a check engine light popping up--both times was driving around 60-70mph for a couple of hours and had about a quarter tank of gas left. The first time, no code was found, but the second time, after a deeper diagnostic, the dealership found a P0192 code. After reading here and many other places online, based on the code and the car's behavior, it really sounds like the Denso low-pressure fuel pump is to blame; that's the source of the recall for 2018 and 2019 Mazda CX-5s experiencing this same issue [redacted] ). If the 2017 model also uses that fuel pump, why isn't it included in the recall? If this dangerous and erratic car behavior is due to a faulty part, it really should be covered by the recall. Shame on you, Mazda. Lives are at risk.
The main screen in the middle of the vehicle experiences "ghost touches" or acts like it's being controlled sporadically without any buttons or the screen being touched. It does it so aggressively that it causes major distraction while driving and will even change navigation routes while driving and make calls while trying to navigate. This is a huge safety issue especially for younger drivers that can't handle this well. It makes beeping sounds and changes the screens very quickly and many times I'm unable to stop it. I've researched ways to fix it online with no success without spending a large amount of money at a dealership. I've seen many many people online with the same issue. I bought the vehicle new, and it began doing this within the first year.
My touch screen, has been acting up. While driving, the navigation system will automatically change prompts while driving. It will change to music, random dials, consistently change to random dials. I am unable to stop the dials from changing. I have read on the internet people are calling this "ghost touching". The volume will randomly go up high while driving. I am unable to control the volume or prompts. This is dangerous while on the road. I am unable to hear first responders while driving in traffic. This is a huge distraction. Many people I am reading are going through this with their Mazdas... This is costing us more than 3,000 or 4,000 to get fixed. I am unable to get this fixed for this price. I am unable to get a new car.
There is a known issue of "Ghost Touching" on the infotainment system on 2017-2020 Mazda's. The ghost touching causes the infotainment center to randomly self-select options on the screen, which is highly distracting. The following are experiences I've had while driving (sometimes going 70MPH on the interstate), where my infotainment center begins to make selections on it's own: Unpausing paused music Making random phone calls Opening text messages and selecting the reply button Flipping between screens continuously Ending phone calls This is extremely distracting and dangerous. Mazda is aware of this issue. I had my screen replaced in 2020, and replaced with another faulty screen that I now have to get replaced again.
Electrical complaints in other CX-5 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2017 Mazda CX-5?
NHTSA has 44 complaints about the electrical system of the 2017 Mazda CX-5, 29% of the model year's 150 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2017 Mazda CX-5 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2017 Mazda CX-5, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2017 Mazda CX-5 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 5,000 miles, and 75% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.