2016 CX5 LED headlights

matadorpw said:
Allow me to be the fourth. :)

My DRL on the passenger side was dim/flickering. Unfortunately, since I drive a lot, my car was out of warranty (40k miles) even though it was only 17 months old. The extended warranty does not cover these since the entire headlight assembly has to be replaced and they don't cover headlights and the dealer wanted $1500 to replace it. After many phone calls and letters to the dealership and Mazda USA, I finally got them to replace it at no charge as a "good will" gesture.
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Hi. Were you on your original set of LED headlights? It seems like all the folks who have had the DRL fail are folks who did not have their LED headlights replaced for the hazing.

One thing I recently noticed with my post hazing replacement LED headlights was that on a very cold morning (-12*F) I didn't get the LED headlight warning light that would usually come on at or below -10*F. I know I'll hit temps lower than that over the course of winter, but so far that light has yet to come on when I'm pretty sure it used to in the past.

Just food for thought... and I agree. Asking folks to spend $1,500 for a replacement headlight is pretty much a sure way to lose customers. And increased customer retention is currently one of Mazda's top corporate goals.
 
iPhone batteries aren't designed to be replaceable, but a cottage industry quickly developed to replace those batteries at a much lower cost than Apple charged. As LED automotive lighting proliferates I wonder if the same might happen with LED lighting. I doubt there is much proprietary content in most LED lighting units; it's just a matter of figuring out how to get them apart so bad components can be replaced and having access to replacement parts. That's a real advantage of a market system--if someone thinks they can provide a service cheaper than their competitors and make money doing so, it will likely develop.
 
Anyone else seeing moisture in their headlight assembly? Just went thru a cold spell and then warm weather, now there's some fogging on driver's side, I'll give it a week to see if it'll clear up on it's own before taking it in to dealer for TSB foggy headlights.
 
mraub1 said:
iPhone batteries aren't designed to be replaceable, but a cottage industry quickly developed to replace those batteries at a much lower cost than Apple charged. As LED automotive lighting proliferates I wonder if the same might happen with LED lighting. I doubt there is much proprietary content in most LED lighting units; it's just a matter of figuring out how to get them apart so bad components can be replaced and having access to replacement parts. That's a real advantage of a market system--if someone thinks they can provide a service cheaper than their competitors and make money doing so, it will likely develop.
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I agree. I hope eventually there're some aftermarket components available for our CX-5 LED headlight. Apple charges $120 for battery replacement on my iPhone5 but I can get a "genuine" Apple OEM battery for $27 USD including labor in Taipei! As you said this is a real advantage of a market system. Apple has sold more than 2 millions of iPhones last year, and each one may need a replacement battery after several years. Mazda sold only 100,000+ CX-5's in the US last year, and many of them don't have LED headlights! The incentive for those manufactures who are capable of making these aftermarket parts for our CX-5 LED headlight component is not very high!
 
The driver's side LED ring went out in our 2016 CX-5 GT too. I've got to get it in the shop for the gas leak recall at some point anyway..so should be able to kill 2 birds there.
 
MMcCraryNJ said:
I'm going to preface this by saying that I've not seen or driven a 2015 or 2016 CX-5, as I started my vehicle search well after the 2016 models were gone and the only CX-5s on dealer lots were the 2016.5 models.

I really don't have any complaints about cabin noise in the 2016.5 I just purchased, manufactured in October of 2016. It's something I noted in my research, as every reviewer on YouTube mentioned it. I'm not experiencing it myself. Is it air-tight levels of quiet? No. But it's quiet enough to get on the highway, turn the radio off, not be annoyed, and be able to have a normal-volume conversation with a passenger.

I know officially, on the books, the only change Mazda mentioned in PR as to the 2016.5 model year was that Navigation now comes standard. But I noticed that every review on YouTube is for a "2016 CX-5", and not a "2016.5". Savagegeese even mentioned in the comments of his review that he specifically reviewed a 2016, and not a 2016.5.

Could it be possible that additional sound deadening materials were installed during the half-model year? I've not yet looked around at all of the nooks and crannies of my vehicle, but I did notice there appears to be attempts at adding it. Specifically, the underneath edge of the hood is lined in weather stripping material that creates a really nice seal when you close the hood. The doors have a nice heft to them as well, and "thunk" and seal very nicely when you close them, although I couldn't tell you if that's just normal for this type of vehicle or what. I've noticed on these forums, reddit, and other places, people even with 2016 CX-5s are noting that their doors feel like "tin cans".

Basically, I'm noticing little inconsistencies with what I have versus the information from forums and YouTube, so I'm honestly wondering if the 2016.5 change brought some attempts at quieting the cabin. I find it surprisingly quiet, moreso than any review or forum post would have lead me to believe.
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Not sure where you saw only GPS was added. Additional sound deadening was added. So was the electronic parking brake.
Watch the KBB review on YouTube.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
7eregrine said:
Not sure where you saw only GPS was added. Additional sound deadening was added. So was the electronic parking brake.
Watch the KBB review on YouTube.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

From Mazda PR themselves: http://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/pre...dard-features-best-selling-compact-crossover/

They only mention the additions of: 1. Standard Navigation on higher trim levels and 2. Rear Camera standard on all AT-equipped models.

Keep in mind I was referring specifically to the differences between the 2016 model and the 2016.5 model in my post that you quoted.
 
MMcCraryNJ said:
From Mazda PR themselves: http://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/pre...dard-features-best-selling-compact-crossover/

They only mention the additions of: 1. Standard Navigation on higher trim levels and 2. Rear Camera standard on all AT-equipped models.

Keep in mind I was referring specifically to the differences between the 2016 model and the 2016.5 model in my post that you quoted.
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Thanks. Wierd they don't mention what just about all the reviews did.

https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=WwYO8fGqBjg


Fast forward to 1:25 if you don't want to watch it all.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
Is there a trick to get links to work?
YouTube search "KBB Mazda CX5"

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
The CX-5 I test drove was very quite.

The CX-5 I bought has quite a bit of exhaust rumble. Guess I won't be ordering that Racing Beat muffler any time soon!

No noticable wind noise. Quite a bit of gear noise in manual mode running around the neighborhood. Quieter in auto shift, probably due to higher gears being used.
 
Greetings from the Big Apple! Just wanted to point out that my 2016 CX 5 GT (Purchased 03/15) with 12,611 miles on it, Just noticed the passenger side DRL light out! Visited the dealership yesterday (03/10/17) they performed the Fuel Filler Tube recall, They Re-Flashed the Passenger side Air Bag and they ordered the right side Headlamp Assembly (which is on Back Order) If this is something that we're going to have to deal with AFTER our warrantee is up, I believe I will be returning this leased vehicle back to them September 2018!!!
 
Greetings. Hey...Sometimes things fail. There's nothing anywhere that I've seen that shows LED lights are problematic in these cars. I wouldn't worry too much.

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After sending about 5 emails, Between Mazda Europe, Deutschland, USA; Mazda USA is going to reimburse me for the headlights after the German dealership replaces them. I tried to get the Matrix headlights installed, but the harnesses/plugs are different.


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boandlkramer said:
After sending about 5 emails, Between Mazda Europe, Deutschland, USA; Mazda USA is going to reimburse me for the headlights after the German dealership replaces them. I tried to get the Matrix headlights installed, but the harnesses/plugs are different.
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Nice! So your LED headlights are having mildew issue? Are German Mazda dealer going to replace both? Are you going to get E-code LED headlights without US amber side marker?
 
yrwei52 said:
Nice! So your LED headlights are having mildew issue?
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I have the "milky" distortion inside each assembly

yrwei52 said:
Are you going to get E-code LED headlights without US amber side marker?
Click to expand...

No...I have to get them the US part number so they can order the assemblies

I may just not even mess with it because I'm getting the 2017 and will sell this one. No dealing with US PNs, Mazda USA reimbursements....etc


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boandlkramer said:
I have the "milky" distortion inside each assembly
No...I have to get them the US part number so they can order the assemblies
I may just not even mess with it because I'm getting the 2017 and will sell this one. No dealing with US PNs, Mazda USA reimbursements....etc
Click to expand...
Thanks for clarification. I guess harnesses and plugs are also different between US-spec and EU-spec LED headlights. And are you thinking about getting an EU-spec new 2nd-gen CX-5? :) Is there problems selling your US spec CX-5 in Germany?
 
yrwei52 said:
Thanks for clarification. I guess harnesses and plugs are also different between US-spec and EU-spec LED headlights. And are you thinking about getting an EU-spec new 2nd-gen CX-5? :) Is there problems selling your US spec CX-5 in Germany?
Click to expand...

Nah, there's a significant US community here that drives and buys US Specs


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7eregrine said:
Housing184 said:
Greetings from the Big Apple! Just wanted to point out that my 2016 CX 5 GT (Purchased 03/15) with 12,611 miles on it, Just noticed the passenger side DRL light out! Visited the dealership yesterday (03/10/17) they performed the Fuel Filler Tube recall, They Re-Flashed the Passenger side Air Bag and they ordered the right side Headlamp Assembly (which is on Back Order) If this is something that we're going to have to deal with AFTER our warrantee is up, I believe I will be returning this leased vehicle back to them September 2018!!!
Click to expand...
Greetings. Hey...Sometimes things fail. There's nothing anywhere that I've seen that shows LED lights are problematic in these cars. I wouldn't worry too much.
Click to expand...
To be fair, since our LED headlight unit costs whopping $1,330.55 each, and we've seen too many people got affected, these LED headlight problems are indeed a legit concern for CX-5 owners with Tech Package. There're two problems for CX-5's LED headlights so far, and both require whole LED headlight assembly replaced! One is white milky stains on inner surface of the LED headlight caused by the gas that emits from a gasket in the unit. There's a TSB for it:

White Milky Stains on Inner Surface of Headlight Lens 2013-2016 Mazda CX-5

The good news is the replacement LED headlight seems to be hold up well so far.

But the second problem, poor quality on integrated LED DRLs which is either flickering or dead, is hard to predict. We can only hope it won't happen to us otherwise it'll be very expensive to repair without warranty coverage!

2016 LED headlights
2016 Headlights replaced today
Daytime running lights dim/flickering
 
I think I am the fifth one in this forum to have the same problem or worst...my right drl started flickering and died after 36k miles and was replaced under warranty, but now the left one died also and I am on 41k miles, going to call Mazda today and hope they replace it even when then warranty has expired, I have extended warranty but I read it does not cover headlights. Mazda led headlights seem to be bad made. My CX-5 is only 27 months old.
 
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