Mazda USA has agreed to a legal settlement of a class action lawsuit related to infotainment problems on several of its vehicles. The lawsuit, filed in July 2024 in Kentucky, concerned faulty systems that would freeze, restart in a loop or fail.
An advantageous settlement... especially for the lawyers
The plaintiffs will receive between $2,500 and $4,000 each, while the law firms will pocket $1.9 million. Mazda, for its part, denies any system failure, declaring in a statement that “The systems are not defective. This settlement simply avoids a lengthy legal process.”
This type of agreement is common, if only because it often costs manufacturers less than proving their innocence in court would.
Which vehicles are affected?
The class action concerned the Mazda Connect system installed on several models:
• Mazda2 (2016-2022)
• Mazda3 (2014-2018)
• Mazda6 (2016-2021)
• CX-3 (2016-2021)
• CX-5 (2016-2020)
• CX-9 (2016-2020)
• MX-5 (2016-2023)
Complainants reported a variety of faults, from screen freezing to GPS blackouts, navigation errors, interrupted Bluetooth calls and a faulty rearview camera display.
Has Mazda been aware of the problem since 2016?
According to the suit, Mazda had been aware of the problem since 2016, and had issued several Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) to its dealers. However, no official recall was issued.
In 2023, NHTSA and Transport Canada recalled more than 350,000 vehicles for problems related to the rearview camera, but without recognizing any defect in the screen itself.
A regulation awaiting final approval
The settlement also provides for a two-year limited warranty on affected vehicles, including software updates and, if necessary, hardware replacement. Owners who have paid for repairs will be able to claim a refund of up to $1,750.
A final hearing in August 2025 will decide whether the settlement is finally approved. As is often the case with this type of case, only American owners will be eligible for compensation, but Canada may follow suit.
