Resuming Playback with 2014 CX-5 GT Tech Stereo and other issues

[artringwald]

USB 1 speeds would work fine for playing audio and USB 3 is backward compatible. No need to wait for the iPhone 6, except possibly for compatibility testing, but I don't think Mazda does much testing.

The reasons it takes so long to discover what's on the USB device are:
1) It's probably a slow, cheap CPU.
2) Poorly written, inefficient software.
3) No non-volatile memory to save the list of songs so it doesn't have read them again unless a different USB device is present.

My 2010 Mariner has Microsoft Sync that performs exactly the way I'd expect it to. Compared to it, the CX-5 audio system is totally lame.

 

[metalfab]

My Nexus 4 with 4.4.4 is not working. Since 4.4.2 the car forgets after the 3rd or 4th startup and I refuse to downgrade the OS as the security on 4.4.4 is improved. I like the sound and interface however, the speed and "memory" of the NB1 is poor.

 

[lajohnson62]

I just e-mailed Mazda as well, but I expect nothing - in the meantime it's HD-Radio and AUX IN for me. Is anyone considering aftermarket stereos? Is it even possible for a 3rd party device to support steering wheel controls, backup camera, separate NAV module and everything else?

I also have the problem with my 2014 Mazda CX5. With my IPOD Touch and my Classic they start at the first song on the IPOD everytime I turn the car off and back on or unplug. I have had the car for 4 months. I would not have bought the car if I had noticed the problem before buying. i listen to audio books on my Touch and music on my Classic. I don't listen to radio, so this is a big deal for me. I loaded my Nano with about 40 songs and that is all I listen to when I drive the CX%. I have been working with Mazda since I notice the problem about 2 weeks after buying. Pretty much have been told it is my problem by everyone except one of the owners who is trying to help me fix the problem. According to the mechanic the Bose system was designed to work with the Iphone 5, which has a different format that earlier models or the IPODS, so the stereo is working the way it was designed.
The owner offered to buy me an Iphone 5, which I declined. I am happy with my android phone. I went to Car Toys and price out a new Kenwood. It would be $1100 to buy and install the new deck and the wiring harnesses, which would enable the steering wheel controls and the backup camera to still work. Thankfully the owner of the dealership is working with Car Toys to help fix the problem. They think if I get the new IPOD Touch it will work with the stereo, but I am not convinced. A person I worked with has an ITouch 5 and it did the same thing on my stereo. The owner did say he would buy the new Itouch for me, if it will work, or if not, he will pay for the new stereo install. Not many dealerships will do this, so I know I am lucky. Mazda headquarters told him that it is listed in the fine print about the stereo that it is made for the Iphone 5 and won't work right with earlier models of Apple products. The owner did say that now that they know about the problem the salesmen will be required to let customers know before buying.

 

[DonSimon76]

I have a 2015 Mazda 6 and the most recent iPod Touch with the most recent iOS, an old iPod Touch and an iPod 160g Classic. The least time any of them take to finish "Scanning iPod" via USB is 7 minutes. I live pretty close to most things so that is just not acceptable when the average drive is 10-15 minutes. I have an appointment at Mazda next week so they can document the issue. Hopefully, if they do actually come out with a update, that will put me near the top of the list to get called. Or monkeys will fly out of my butt. We'll see which happens first. Other than that, I freaking love the car and am not going to apologize for kvetching about my first world problem when I spent close to $30,000 on it!

 

[hp79]

hp79, are they replacing your bluetooth module because it failed or because there is TSB for your VIN? What is your CX-5 manufacturing date if don't mind sharing?

They are replacing it because I told them there's intermittent bluetooth connection problems, and USB always playing track 1. I also brought them the TSB printed out. After the dealer checked, the VIN matches, they ordered the part for me.
After the replacement, I don't think it fixed anything. Well, at least I didn't see bluetooth freezing anymore. USB always plays from the first song.

 

[jayally]

They are replacing it because I told them there's intermittent bluetooth connection problems, and USB always playing track 1. I also brought them the TSB printed out. After the dealer checked, the VIN matches, they ordered the part for me.
After the replacement, I don't think it fixed anything. Well, at least I didn't see bluetooth freezing anymore. USB always plays from the first song.

I had my module "replaced" as well but its still exactly the same. I wonder if they even did anything at all. I certainly hope Mazda is going to do the right thing and fix this dismal headunit. It's so slow doing anything and my phone book still likes to download and I can't make calls or listen to bluetooth music until its done.

 

[aelaan]

I just came back from the dealer (slow leaking tire) and also booked my 24k service and mentioned to the service manager that my bluetooth kept disappearing over the past months and that I rely on it for handsfree calls during my commute. He looked at the history of service being applied and said it was strange that they had applied the update the last time. He went to the car with me and tried some things that did not work and comes to the conclusion after he consulted with another technician that the firmware was not up to date and probably did not get updated the previous time (though it stated it on the bill).
I also asked him about the exchange or replacement of the blue-tooth module and he said that this is indeed coming this fall in Canada (Kieswetter Mazda). I also showed him that the unit shows errors when I press power on + setup and he was very surprised. They took notice of it and I asked further about the exchange or replacement of said module - I did not get further than that it will come this fall. He put on my file that he had verified the issues and that they will call me when this program starts. I still keep skeptic as the firmware was applied and "did not take" so I will verify this time....
So not much to offer yet, other than promises. At least I know now it is on file - which of course is on a computer system not accessible to me.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

There may be a re-flashed firmware module in the works. I saw this over on the Mazda6 forums but TSB includes CX-5. This appears to be coming out in European market first.

Other info

 

[Capsfan84]

There may be a re-flashed firmware module in the works. I saw this over on the Mazda6 forums but TSB includes CX-5. This appears to be coming out in European market first.

Other info

Wow I really hope this is true. One of the guys that posts over there says he got it done today and that it's fixed the USB resuming issue, but hasn't fixed the long time to download the phonebook or the shuffle issue.

Baby steps I guess?

 

[metalfab]

Wow I really hope this is true. One of the guys that posts over there says he got it done today and that it's fixed the USB resuming issue, but hasn't fixed the long time to download the phonebook or the shuffle issue.

Baby steps I guess?

Its like watching grass grow, very slow. If OSes like Android can be fixed, ie: 4.4.3 to 4.4.4 is 2 weeks for X amount of devices I'm sure USB and BT can be fixed in even a shorter time for 1 device, the NB-1.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Glad to see some progress. At least we aren't talking about who has the latest engine or transmission malfunction.

 

[Capsfan84]

Glad to see some progress. At least we aren't talking about who has the latest engine or transmission malfunction.

Good point, it's much easier to live with a balky infotainment unit than something really serious.

 

[metalfab]

A valid point is consumers have been turned into beta testers in a lot of different ways. We paid for these options, they should work, simple as that. I didn't come to the dealership with time to fully test my phone, cargo space and go on a long test drive. Its a nice car but it may be my last Mazda.

 

[craigo]

A valid point is consumers have been turned into beta testers in a lot of different ways. We paid for these options, they should work, simple as that. I didn't come to the dealership with time to fully test my phone, cargo space and go on a long test drive. Its a nice car but it may be my last Mazda.

Though I agree with the spirit of this, I have found Mazda is more receptive to fixes than other manufacturers. And, as wonky as the head unit is, others like Ford for example are far far worse. Acura's is byzantine in operation. Consumer Reports recently did a review of head units and I think the best was merely 'mediocre' in their eyes. I think in this case, the third party designer of the unit was shut down which resulted in a lengthy delay for a fix.

Car head units are more tied into the vehicle than ever which makes swaps not-so-simple. But we expect vehicles to last 10 or more years. In that time, whatever head unit was installed will be simply ancient compared to the technology in your pocket. Not an easy problem to fix. Perhaps if there were a standard on body control that would make factory head unit swaps and upgrades more routine.

 

[metalfab]

Thing is, this is my first ever loaded vehical. I realize other cars have option issues but you pay a lot for something and expect it to work. When it doesnt, what can you do? The car is bought and you are pretty much out of luck. What I should have said was this will be my last loaded vehicle with this many options.

 

[EddieFord33]

Does anyone have a link to the US tsb for the BT or radio.

thanks...this radio seems real cheap

 

[aelaan]

Hopefully this reply is not being burried, so here goes. I had my car in for the first year maintenance and had mentioned multiple times that the Bluetooth seems to disappear and that I also have issues with the playback from iPod, USB and Bluetooth. When I picked up the car they mentioned of course that the firmware is up to date (10.852). I spoke to the service manager and explained that I had lost the Bluetooth (greyed out) four times now in two months. He all of a sudden seemed to recall something... Indeed, he came back with a paper that looks exactly like the one someone uploaded in the Mazda 6 forum (http://www.directupload.net/file/d/3698/xs2aiscn_jpg.htm for the German TSB) and this link for the M6 forum (http://forum.mazda6club.com/electrical/271233-14-nav-radio-head-unit-petition-s-w-update-77.html) which has the translation on it. So I asked if I could take a look at the paper, but the guy said it was for internal use only and had nothing on it... But my eye caught the GHP9-66-DH0 number! The paper is in English, I just could not see the TSB number itself. The warranty claim has now started, and what does this have to do with the USB stuff and playback and such? Well if one reads over the information jsut provided it seems all are related to the same issue. It will take about 5 business days to hear back but I am getting some traction. Will keep postings going up here when I know more.

 

[joemon1984]

Hopefully this reply is not being burried, so here goes. I had my car in for the first year maintenance and had mentioned multiple times that the Bluetooth seems to disappear and that I also have issues with the playback from iPod, USB and Bluetooth. When I picked up the car they mentioned of course that the firmware is up to date (10.852). I spoke to the service manager and explained that I had lost the Bluetooth (greyed out) four times now in two months. He all of a sudden seemed to recall something... Indeed, he came back with a paper that looks exactly like the one someone uploaded in the Mazda 6 forum (http://www.directupload.net/file/d/3698/xs2aiscn_jpg.htm for the German TSB) and this link for the M6 forum (http://forum.mazda6club.com/electrical/271233-14-nav-radio-head-unit-petition-s-w-update-77.html) which has the translation on it. So I asked if I could take a look at the paper, but the guy said it was for internal use only and had nothing on it... But my eye caught the GHP9-66-DH0 number! The paper is in English, I just could not see the TSB number itself. The warranty claim has now started, and what does this have to do with the USB stuff and playback and such? Well if one reads over the information jsut provided it seems all are related to the same issue. It will take about 5 business days to hear back but I am getting some traction. Will keep postings going up here when I know more.

Where in canada you located aelaan? Me too waiting for the update.. Keep updating.

 

[aelaan]

I am in Guelph, Ontario - car was purchased at Kieswetter in Kitchener. They take customer satisfaction very serious, if you get to talk to the service manager.

 

[addabox]

I am in Guelph, Ontario - car was purchased at Kieswetter in Kitchener. They take customer satisfaction very serious, if you get to talk to the service manager.

Given the history of this issue and the experience of people on this forum, there is basically zero chance that this will amount to anything. I'd love to be proven wrong, but you're joining a long line of folks that have heard tell of service bulletins or had service departments imply something was in the works, only to have nothing come of it.

I expect to see some improvements in maybe the '16 model year. I have no expectations for any significant improvements in my car, because I believe the really intractable stuff is design/hardware level and not amenable to software fixes. Either that or Mazda is just incapable of doing infotainment software. I know they want to up their game, but if they can't do it in house they should farm it out to someone who can. It's obviously the worst part of the car, and needs to be addressed if they want to keep growing their sales.

Best thing Mazda (or any manufacturer) could do is make all of their vehicles compatible with the iPhone and Android car stuff that's become available, and let the handset handle the UI for music playback, phone, messaging and navigation. Those UIs are proven, familiar and robust, and allow standardized experiences across models and manufacturers, not to mention timely updates and ever improving hardware.