2018 Mazda CX-5 · symptom sheet
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails
- 46owner reports
- $1,200median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report May 27, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
91 of the 350 complaints on this car are about other. 46 of those describe infotainment.
Tick what matches of 46 reports
Infotainment on other CX-5 years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2015, 2021, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Screen complaints read like a list of small betrayals. The display goes black or freezes, the backup camera shows nothing when you shift into reverse, CarPlay or Android Auto keeps dropping, or the radio changes volume on its own. Many owners had a software update that didn't fix it. A narrower sheet covers backup camera failures on their own, and another covers screens that freeze.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the head unit or screen (37 reports), the camera (8 reports) and the module (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on other covers the 2018 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
What owners paid
12 of the 46 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $1,000 to $1,284.
When it happens
Too few of these reports state a mileage to give a range.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 41 service bulletins or notices for the 2018 Mazda CX-5 that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Some vehicles may have one of the following DTCs stored in memory along with a system status notice on the Multi-information display OR display a system status notice with no DTC: C1001:92 - Forward sensing camera (FSC) poor field of view [Gen 6 vehicles] ...
Some customers may complain about any of the following: 1. Infotainment Center Display does not provide the Authorization Code (OTP) during the MyMazda App Connected Vehicle enrollment. 2. Remote function(s) inoperative.
Some vehicles may exhibit a partially missing image (shown in the circles below) from the Active Driving Display (ADD) on the front window and/or display.
Some customers may complain that the ambient temperature on the instrument cluster is displayed more than 50 °F (10 °C) lower than the actual temperature, resulting in insufficient performance of the air conditioning.
37 more on the 2018 Mazda CX-5 page.
What owners wrote
“Entertainment touch screen has a ghost touch, randomly will click options or turn music up or change my destination for GPS. Huge distraction, have almost ran into back of cars/ ran off the road trying to get my destination on GPS back going again.”
Filed Sep 26, 2024
“The center display on it own ( ghosting) changes setting randomly this impacts safety information displayed including rear camera, and distracts the driver. The cause is a defectinve digitizer on the LCD screen panel. The 2016 model year of the same car Mazda CX-5 has a simalar problem and was recalled There is no warning prior to these occurances”
Filed Sep 11, 2024
“Ghost Screen, a very well know issue for Mazda. The screen change on its own, no way to fix it. Mazda recalled all their 2014-16 screen, and the 2017-18 are affected by same issue but they are not taking responsibility for it. Dealership wants to replace the screen, that's over $1,000 repair. Please make Mazda earn their mistake.”
Filed Jan 6, 2024
“The radio (aka infotainment system) goes crazy sometimes- changing radio stations, fliipping around to different settings, stations, etc, all on its own- like it's possessed. this causes a distraction to the driver and is unsafe. its also really upsetting for this to happen on a card i've only had 3 years.”
Filed Dec 30, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 46 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Check engine light or misfire 130 reports
- Engine leaks oil 63 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 33 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 30 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 29 reports