2017~2021 Undocumented and Squirrelly Door Lock Features - 2020 CX-5 Touring AWD

[CX-5um]

Now for something squirrelly. All of the doors in this vehicle require a little more effort in snapping them closed than I've been accustomed to in a string of Toyotas and and a Honda. This is my first Mazda.

A few years ago I added additional weather stripping to key sections on our 1st gen CX5 (to mimic my Euro luxury cars) ability to block out wind noise. It requires a bit more effort to close the door but creates a more efficient vacuum in the cabin

I'm pretty sure the more recent CX-5s post 2016 have beefier weather stripping for the same reason.

 

[HardRightEdg]

A few years ago I added additional weather stripping to key sections on our 1st gen CX5 (to mimic my Euro luxury cars) ability to block out wind noise. It requires a bit more effort to close the door but creates a more efficient vacuum in the cabin

I'm pretty sure the more recent CX-5s post 2016 have beefier weather stripping for the same reason.

You may be on to something. At your prompting I compared the 2020 CX-5 to my 2014 Sienna. The CX-5's stripping does seem a tad beefier. It's just one of the those "adapt to your tool" things, I suppose. I'll still ask for some hinge grease next time in for service.

You reminded me of something. Since I posted those door comments, I discovered if you leave the door ajar overnight the interior lights turn off at some point. I thought I had run down the battery. Not so. It fired right up. I just tried a test and the lights were still on after 15 minutes so it's not an immediate thing. End of test.

Interestingly, Car & Driver's list of "Features & Specs" includes something called "Battery w/Run Down Protection" under "Mechanical". I've not seen that mentioned anywhere by Mazda, in the brochure, on the web site or in the manual. I suppose it could be in the manual somewhere but the index is no help. If that's what turned off the lights, then thanks for that! If so, I wonder what else it might save me from.

 

[bsaman]

In my 2019 manual there is a note under the "Illuminated entry system" section:

Battery saver If an interior light is left on with the ignition switched OFF, the light is turned off automatically after about 30 minutes to prevent battery depletion.
The operation of the illuminated entry system can be changed. Refer to Personalization Features on page 9-12.

Section 9-12 lists these options:

Item	Feature	Factory Setting	Available Settings
Illuminated entry system (page 5-98)	Time until interior lights turn off after closing door	15 seconds	60 seconds/ 30 seconds/ 15 seconds/ 7.5 seconds
Illuminated entry system (page 5-98)	Time until interior lights turn off automatically when any door is not closed completely	30 minutes	60 minutes/ 30 minutes/ 10 minutes

 

[HardRightEdg]

In my 2019 manual there is a note under the "Illuminated entry system" section:

Battery saver If an interior light is left on with the ignition switched OFF, the light is turned off automatically after about 30 minutes to prevent battery depletion.

There we have it. Thanks. Nice feature. I would guess there are other spots in the manual that describe other circumstances where this protection is activated. This exhausts my interest.

It's been a long time since I've run down a battery so I wouldn't know if this feature is common in the industry today.

 

[youri]

I don’t know if it’s common knowledge but in canada we have digital manuals which i find is easier to navigate and do searches in. It is not just a pdf version.

http://www.mazda.ca/en/digital-owners-manual/2020/cx-5/

 

[CX5_Driver]

I don’t know if it’s common knowledge but in canada we have digital manuals which i find is easier to navigate and do searches in. It is not just a pdf version.

http://www.mazda.ca/en/digital-owners-manual/2020/cx-5/

In the USA

Mazda Owners – Vehicle Manuals, Guides, Maintenance Schedules | Mazda USA

View vehicle resources including maintenance schedules, owner's manuals, and navigation and Bluetooth information.

www.mazdausa.com

https://www.mazdausa.com/static/manuals/2019/cx5/visual.html
Mazda even breaks out the infotainment into a separate resource:

JCI Mazda

infotainment.mazdahandsfree.com

 

[DwightFrye]

I don't know what is squirrelly about it. If you lock the doors with the fob, button on the inside armrest, manually with the buttons on each interior door panel, or with the button on the driver's or passenger's side exterior handles, the hatch is also locked. If you don't have the fob on your person you cannot unlock the hatch from the outside.

I generally drive with all doors locked except for the driver's door. When I exit the vehicle I thumb the button on the inside door panel to the locked position. When I return to the vehicle I press the exterior lock/unlock button once to unlock only the driver's door or twice to unlock all doors if I have passengers. If all doors are unlocked you don't need a fob to open the hatch.

For example if only the driver's door is unlocked, as it usually is when parked in my garage, if I don't have the fob on my person and want to open the hatch for any reason, I have to open the driver's door and hit the electric unlock button on the armrest which then unlocks ALL doors including the hatch.

I have disabled the auto lock function and the auto lock upon walk away features. I know what I am doing and what state of lock or unlock my doors are.

 

[sm1ke]

@HardRightEdg A suggestion.. could you take a video of the "squirrelly behaviour" you're describing? It can sometimes be difficult to read and interpret something, so a video showing the issue at hand might be more illuminating. You can film a short 20-30s video on your cellphone and upload it directly to the website using the "Attach files" button below the Reply text box.

 

[bsaman]

I think his explanation is pretty straightforward:

Expectation: Liftgate has a lock/unlock feature alongside the doors, and button on liftgate is used to activate liftgate only, not to lock or unlock it. A locked liftgate should require unlocking (by unlocking the doors, I suppose) prior to being allowed to activate it.

Reality: Liftgate is *always* locked when closed. Pushing the button allows the liftgate open in the following cases

1. Doors are unlocked
2. Doors are locked but fob is within proximity of liftgate

The confusing part for OP is that the liftgate does not have a true 'unlocked' state; only a state where it allows the rear button to operate it. Doors locked with no key fob present means you are not allowed to operate liftgate.

This isn't confusing to me because it's the exact same behavior on my Ford Focus. My previous CUV, however, a CR-V without power liftgate, had a standard door handle on the liftgate and it functioned alongside the door lock/unlock mechanism. Doors (and hence, liftgate) *had* to be unlocked in order to open it.

 

[HardRightEdg]

@HardRightEdg A suggestion.. could you take a video of the "squirrelly behaviour" you're describing? It can sometimes be difficult to read and interpret something, so a video showing the issue at hand might be more illuminating. You can film a short 20-30s video on your cellphone and upload it directly to the website using the "Attach files" button below the Reply text box.

It's described in the last paragraph of the OP. I cannot now recreate it. Chalk it up to "user error" on my part.

 

[HardRightEdg]

I don’t know if it’s common knowledge but in canada we have digital manuals which i find is easier to navigate and do searches in. It is not just a pdf version.

http://www.mazda.ca/en/digital-owners-manual/2020/cx-5/

In the USA

Mazda Owners – Vehicle Manuals, Guides, Maintenance Schedules | Mazda USA

View vehicle resources including maintenance schedules, owner's manuals, and navigation and Bluetooth information.

www.mazdausa.com

https://www.mazdausa.com/static/manuals/2019/cx5/visual.html
Mazda even breaks out the infotainment into a separate resource:

JCI Mazda

infotainment.mazdahandsfree.com

These posts got me looking for a PDF version of the manual.

I found one at this web site:

Download 2020 Mazda CX-5 - Owner's Manual PDF (714 Pages)

If interested, click the download button, not the open button. Note that it is a 98 MB file if that matters.

I like having a PDF version for word searches. Relating to an earlier exchange above, a PDF word seach using the term "battery saver" identifies only one instance, the one identified in bsaman's post #18 above. A seach on the term "battery" yields over 200 instances which I could scan through pretty quickly. I didn't see any similarly described saver function by another name. I did note warnings that the radio and headlights should not be kept on for extended periods without the engine running lest the battery run down.

In conclusion, it appears the battery saver's sole function is to turn off interior lights when the igntion is off. While I inadvertently tested it for a door ajar (it works for that), the description suggests it applies to interior lights manually turned on and left on.

 

[youri]

Just for further info, all Pdf versions are also on the mazda canada website.

Vehicle Manuals | Mazda Owners | Mazda Canada

Click here for vehicle manuals for all Mazda models, from 2001 to the newest cars. Get details and download vehicle manuals inside.

www.mazda.ca

Scroll down to where you can select the model year, choose your year and click on download pdf.

 

[golfergun]

Has anyone experienced this fast beeping sound when first starting their 2020 CX-9? It is not the sensor going off because of being too close to something. I know that because both sounds went off at the same time this morning when I was a bit close to something. This fast beep goes on for 3-5 minutes. Has only happened the first time I start it in the morning, but today was the third day.

 

[golfergun]

On two occasions I have looked out the window and seen my hatch opened up. The fob is very sensitive and if I keep it in my pocket it unlocks the car doors or opens the hatch. Is there any cover I could put over the fob to protect it from doing this? There should be a button that locks the fob so that the buttons don't work. Also, it seems like it is made of much cheaper plastic than all my previous fobs. Disappointing!

 

[sm1ke]

Has anyone experienced this fast beeping sound when first starting their 2020 CX-9? It is not the sensor going off because of being too close to something. I know that because both sounds went off at the same time this morning when I was a bit close to something. This fast beep goes on for 3-5 minutes. Has only happened the first time I start it in the morning, but today was the third day.

I've never heard that beep tone before. Do you see any warnings displayed on the instrument cluster or in the infotainment system? I'd take it to a dealer to diagnose right away.

On two occasions I have looked out the window and seen my hatch opened up. The fob is very sensitive and if I keep it in my pocket it unlocks the car doors or opens the hatch. Is there any cover I could put over the fob to protect it from doing this? There should be a button that locks the fob so that the buttons don't work. Also, it seems like it is made of much cheaper plastic than all my previous fobs. Disappointing!

There are quite a few different key fob covers available online. Everything from leather to silicone. Just be sure to buy one that is specifically made for your fob style.