Ridiculously slow, barely functional infotainment system.

S

Seeeker

:
2009 Mazdaspeed3
Looks like I've opened Pandoras box now with my 2016 CX-5. I've had mine since May 2016, and overall I've been very happy. Only a few minor complaints. The biggest issue has been the very sluggish performance of the infotainment and everything it includes - navigation, settings, etc. I really only use the navigation and the radio, I haven't done any loading libraries or contacts or using my phone with bluetooth.

The whole system has always been annoyingly slow, but I've just kind of tolerated it. It is on the sophistication level of a Texas Instruments calculator from 1983, or any primitive 1980's computer. Like, no processing power. Upon starting the car, it takes 30 seconds or more for the infotainment screen to become responsive, and my most common task is to immediately turn on the radio and switch to my Favorites. This takes forever. Extremely tedious.

But in the winter, with subfreezing temps, I have now discovered - it's WORSE. These issues are now compounded terribly. The system takes minutes to respond to anything, and it keeps restarting itself and requiring me to hit that annoying big red "Accept" button about using the system safely. Over and over. I finally get to radio favorites, then it reboots again. And again. It's nearly nonfunctional. This is a disgrace! I'm driving in my car and can't even operate the radio, or the navigation. This is in the realm of inexcusable and incompetent. Can't work the RADIO. My god.

So I guess I can rant all I want, but what I really want to know is this system upgradable? Repairable? Is there any resolution to this? Thoughts or anyone else experience this? I have found some other websites with people complaining, so it's not just my car. Cheers-
 
What software version are you running? First, make sure that is updated to the latest. Then reassess. After that if it continues and if you can replicate the issue with the dealer, I bet they'll replace your whole unit.

Mine system is overall pretty good. Load times when starting up, can be a little slow, especially navigation. Once it's up an running everything is quick. But try those things I mentioned above.
 
Loads under 15 secs, if i am backing out camera comes on fast. Plays ipod and phone Bluetooth, maps are non glitchy. Has restarted 2 times in 5k miles.
 
You don't need to press the accept button every time, it goes away if you do nothing. My system has been very stable, it is sensitive and gets confused though if you press any buttons while it's loading so I do make sure I don't press any buttons for like the first 15 seconds also I ignore the warning screen. I just let it load until I hear radio. I don't press any of the command buttons by the shifter or try to use phone dial until I'm sure the system is running usually takes 10 seconds.

15 seconds if I shut down the car last with Pandora radio as the last music source because the car needs to link to my phone and my phone needs to open the Pandora app and stream the content via Bluetooth.

Also, very important. I turned off email and text syncing, I have no use to read emails or texts while I'm driving. That slows down the system a lot and takes up a lot of the infotainment internal memory. It also has a lot do with how fast or how good your phone is in transferring the data to the car.

I do sync my contacts from my phone and I can see the percentage downloading each time but the data download is not bad because phone contacts is not much data. But emails and text will really bog down the system, try unchecking download emails and text from the communications screen. I've also read from online that texts with emojis or symbols will also mess up the system and cause reboots. I guess the system gets confused and has no idea what the special characters are and probably Mazda's supplier for the infotainment I believe is Johnson Controls never tested the downloading of emojis.
 
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Its working pretty well now in my 2016 CX-5 GT. Even Pandoras working now (for some odd reason it started working after Apple replaced the battery recently as part of a recall, Iphone 6S). I always switch back to fm before shutting down, seems to make system startup quicker.
 
Tccox said:
..... I always switch back to fm before shutting down, seems to make system startup quicker.
Click to expand...

Agreed, whenever I have Pandora or Navigation or USB mode as the last shut down screen, it does take longer to boot up, I try to have it on FM radio also as last music source prior to shut down.
 
Ok thanks for the replies. How do I check the software version? I took ownership May 2016, so gosh I would assume it is the latest version. Definitely taking it into the shop. Would be great if they replaced it.

I don't even use syncing, Pandora, anything like that. Just saved radio stations and navigation. Very slow overall, but in very cold weather, intolerable, almost nonfunctional as I mentioned. Keeps rebooting, etc. Sluggish. Sounds like it's generally a slow computer but seems to be tolerable for you folks. I have tolerated it for 6 months but I need to see if anything can be done.
 
Seeeker said:
Ok thanks for the replies. How do I check the software version? I took ownership May 2016, so gosh I would assume it is the latest version. Definitely taking it into the shop. Would be great if they replaced it.

I don't even use syncing, Pandora, anything like that. Just saved radio stations and navigation. Very slow overall, but in very cold weather, intolerable, almost nonfunctional as I mentioned. Keeps rebooting, etc. Sluggish. Sounds like it's generally a slow computer but seems to be tolerable for you folks. I have tolerated it for 6 months but I need to see if anything can be done.
Click to expand...

don't asume anything. Go into system, it's either in the vehicle or the music menu. I think it's the last selection on one of those menus, it will display the current software version. There's not that many selections on each menu so if you have to keep drilling down you will eventually find it.

Mine is pretty responsive except for the initial bootup that takes about 15 sec. It was annoying at first but I've gotten used to it.
 
Current version in North America is v59. v55 and v56 have been reported by others anecdotally to be the most stable, as there have been Bluetooth issues on v59 for some users. Anything lower than v55, you should probably get the dealer to upgrade, however make note that they'll likely get you up to v59. There are instructions on other forums and YouTube for how to flash the firmware yourself, but it's ill-advised to do so as if something goes wrong, it likely won't be covered under warranty to fix.

All of that being said, try doing a reboot of the system. There's a button combination that you'll have to look up, but it reboots the infotainment system on a deeper level than when shutting the car down alone. If that doesn't work, you can try completely resetting the system and returning it to stock, there's an option to do that in the menu. It will erase your data/contacts/favorite stations though.

I'm on v55 (Got mine from the dealer at the beginning of December that way) and I've had none of the issues you're describing.
 
I've been using the Mazda Connect with both an iPhone 6s Plus iOS 10.2 and an android phone (Galaxy Note Edge), and I find that the infotainment system is very buggy when using the iPhone, with Pandora, aHa, and stitcher being very unreliable and when it does work, it disconnects usually after 10-15 minutes and is only able to reconnect by putting the iPhone into and out of airplane mode. When I use my android phone, it works perfectly, all functions, all features, and never disconnects. I have v55 in my radio. I'm thinking mine might be related to my iPhone, since I have difficulty using the iPhone with my Prius Entune suite, yet, my android phone works perfect in that car too. As for boot up time, I seem to average about 15-20 seconds or so with the Mazda Connect system, which is a little slower than my Prius Entune system, but once the Mazda Connect system is up and running, it seems to work fine (aside from my iPhone issues)
 
2017 CX-5 Infotainment system SLOW!

Seeeker said:
Looks like I've opened Pandoras box now with my 2016 CX-5. I've had mine since May 2016, and overall I've been very happy. Only a few minor complaints. The biggest issue has been the very sluggish performance of the infotainment and everything it includes - navigation, settings, etc. I really only use the navigation and the radio, I haven't done any loading libraries or contacts or using my phone with bluetooth.

The whole system has always been annoyingly slow, but I've just kind of tolerated it. It is on the sophistication level of a Texas Instruments calculator from 1983, or any primitive 1980's computer. Like, no processing power. Upon starting the car, it takes 30 seconds or more for the infotainment screen to become responsive, and my most common task is to immediately turn on the radio and switch to my Favorites. This takes forever. Extremely tedious.

But in the winter, with subfreezing temps, I have now discovered - it's WORSE. These issues are now compounded terribly. The system takes minutes to respond to anything, and it keeps restarting itself and requiring me to hit that annoying big red "Accept" button about using the system safely. Over and over. I finally get to radio favorites, then it reboots again. And again. It's nearly nonfunctional. This is a disgrace! I'm driving in my car and can't even operate the radio, or the navigation. This is in the realm of inexcusable and incompetent. Can't work the RADIO. My god.

So I guess I can rant all I want, but what I really want to know is this system upgradable? Repairable? Is there any resolution to this? Thoughts or anyone else experience this? I have found some other websites with people complaining, so it's not just my car. Cheers-
Click to expand...

I have a 2017 CX-5 GT with the premium package.Mazda MZD Version 59.00.446a.
I completely agree with the OP. It is slow! I can't get the artists section when I have my iPhone 7 connected via usb 1 in under a few minutes. I have switched off unnecessary bluetooth items to speed it up but even still it is unbearable.
 
i wonder if there is an improvement on this issue on the latest version of infotainment v59.00.502 NA..
 
Have you tried the AIO program? You can do a bunch of easy customizations using it.
 
I don't think it's a software issue, it's a hardware issue. I had the infotainment updated a couple months ago and there is no difference. It's just a piece of s*** quality processor or whatever is inside. Updating will do nothing. And I'm not pressing it because I'm confident there's nothing that can be done about it. Probably the last Mazda I buy.
 
Seeeker said:
I don't think it's a software issue, it's a hardware issue. I had the infotainment updated a couple months ago and there is no difference. It's just a piece of s*** quality processor or whatever is inside. Updating will do nothing. And I'm not pressing it because I'm confident there's nothing that can be done about it. Probably the last Mazda I buy.
Click to expand...
If your infotainment system starts rebooting constantly you have hardware problem. It happens and you should go to your Mazda dealer and demand a whole new unit under warranty. Don't get bought in any software upgrade talks as many 2016 CX-5 owners who are still running very old factory version and their MZD won't reboot constantly by itself!
 
It's not really rebooting as much now, that was happening during extreme outdoor cold temperatures. It's just a slow system. Once the car is going along, it operates at more or less a tolerable speed, it's just slow starting up as the car starts. For example it takes a minute or so as I leave my driveway and drive down the road for all the radio options to kick in so I can adjust the radio. It's just a weak system. Like a calculator from 1980.
 
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I'd guess 30-45 seconds for full boot and syncing after startup for me. Not great but not terrible.

System hasn't crashed for months. Maybe twice in 2+ years.
 
2016cx5 said:
i wonder if there is an improvement on this issue on the latest version of infotainment v59.00.502 NA..
Click to expand...

I installed 59.00.502 on my own yesterday on both a '17 CX-5 and a '14 Mazda3. I have noticed that there seems to be less lag on my CX-5 then there was before. The Mazda3 also seems to be working as expected (coming from v55). I encountered a bunch of bugs with the original v59 software on my CX-5, including black screens, slow loading, and unresponsive command knob. So far, no major issues, but will need to test through a week of commuting to be sure.

The self-install process is super easy if you are comfortable using technology. The Mazda3revolution forums had a link to the update files and the TSB document to guide you through the process.
 
steinbch said:
I installed 59.00.502 on my own yesterday on both a '17 CX-5 and a '14 Mazda3. I have noticed that there seems to be less lag on my CX-5 then there was before. The Mazda3 also seems to be working as expected (coming from v55). I encountered a bunch of bugs with the original v59 software on my CX-5, including black screens, slow loading, and unresponsive command knob. So far, no major issues, but will need to test through a week of commuting to be sure.

The self-install process is super easy if you are comfortable using technology. The Mazda3revolution forums had a link to the update files and the TSB document to guide you through the process.
Click to expand...

Can you link to the post with the upgrade file? I'm sure more than a few here would be interested in doing this update too, thx!
 
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