2017~2024 Rear hatch opening by itself?

SndChsr

Member
:
2017 CX-5 GT
This is very concerning. I drive a 2017 (GT w/Tech) while my brother drives a 2018 (GT w/Tech as well). One time he complained that when he went down to his driveway in the morning, he was surprised to find the rear hatch open. I dismissed him and didn't think much of it. A few months later he complained about the same thing again, and again I dismissed him.

Last night, I parked my car at the grocery store, clicked the lock button on my fob. Upon returning some 15 mins later I was horrified to see my rear hatch wide open. I often have about $25,000 worth of photography gear in there (yea, I know I shouldn't) so this really freaked me out.

I know for a fact that I did not open the hatch with the button inside the car or the fob. In order to open the hatch with the fob, the open hatch button (which is near the bottom of the fob as opposed to the top for the door lock function) needs to be pressed for 2 seconds or so and an audible sound is heard. I definitely didn't have any buttons pressed for an extended time and I definitely did NOT hear any beeping sound. Also, I was facing a huge glass window and had I triggered the open hatch function, I would see the reflection of the hazard lights in the window in front of me which are also triggered when opening the vehicle. Also, while in the grocery store, there is NO way I would've accidentally pressed AND HELD the open hatch button. The fob was dangling from my finger by its ring the entire time.

Doing some research, I found this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CX5/comments/6wmgwf/accidental_remote_trunk_opening/

The people responding to the OP in that post suggest it's the key fob, but from my own experience I know there was no way I could've triggered it by hitting AND HOLDING the open button.

Anyone else experience this? This could potentially be a big issue. We leave things in our cars and this could lead to serious loss of personal property.

I'm awaiting any input from other owners.

Regards
 
Your key fob is in your pocket? Any sustained pressure on it (tight pocket with not much movement inside) can cause the button to engage and trunk to open
 
Your key fob is in your pocket? Any sustained pressure on it (tight pocket with not much movement inside) can cause the button to engage and trunk to open

As I stated in my post, the entire time, the key fob was dangling off my finger by its attached ring. It never went near my pocket. It was dangling off my index finger while I picked up some pop and bread. There is no way that I could've touched and kept that button pressed in any way shape or form.
 
Sorry missed that. Where's the 2nd key fob (uhm)

Nothing like what you have said has occurred to me in 5 months of ownership.

Maybe get yours looked at. Could be a fault with a module.
 
I've had this happen to me a few times when I first got the car. This stopped as soon as I bought a key holder and attached it to the belt loop of my pants.

From what I gathered, it was the other keys in my pocket pressing the button when ever I was moving.

Mazda should really put a button on the side of the fob and make it that both buttons need to be pressed to open the trunk or perhaps the single button doesn't work unless your within proximity to the car like autolocking does.
 
Regardless of where your keys were I have little doubt: it was done accidentally by you. This has been happening to people since the invention of the fob trunk release. Just yesterday I pulled into work and my coworkers Infinti whatever was sitting there with the trunk open. Somehow, someway you pushed that button. The only other possible explanation is a broken fob but I find that unlikely because if that were the case it would happen frequently.
 
IMO theres a design flaw on CX-5s power liftgate system. Cant blame the car owner even if he or she accidentally press the key fob liftgate button. Apparently the liftgate is too easy to open by the key fob either the liftgate release button pressing time is not long enough, or the button is not recessed enough on the key fob. Compare key fob buttons between gen-2 CX-5 and my 1998 Honda CR-V with attached pictures, one obvious thing is buttons on CX-5 are bulging up but buttons on CR-V are recessed, especially the rear hatch window release button. Thus the key fob buttons on my CR-V are not easy to get pushed accidentally even in the pocket with other things. And I have to push the rear hatch window release button a little harder for at least 3 seconds to make it work. In my 20+ years of owning my CR-V, the rear hatch window has never been accidentally opened, even though I always keep the remote key fob in my pocket when I walk away from the CR-V. Ive been complaining that our 2016 CX-5 doesnt have a liftgate release button on remote key fob (and a release button in the car) which is inconvenient. But now may be thats a good thing.

2018-mazda-cx-5-intelligent-smart-key-remote-w-hatch-11.png
honda_new_dealer_installed_honda_cr_v_crv_97_98_99_00_01_2001_2000_1998_1999_1997_a269zua101_keyless_remote_control_keyfob_vehicle_security_alarm_entry_transmitter_new_144_p3421.jpg
 
My BMW has a similarly haunted power lift gate. The problem is that the hands-free sensor is way too sensitive. Itll sometimes open simply because I walked around the backside of the car. As long as the key fob is in range, it can be triggered by the slightest presence.

Is it possible someone walked past the back of your car while you were within range?
 
My BMW has a similarly haunted power lift gate. The problem is that the hands-free sensor is way too sensitive. Itll sometimes open simply because I walked around the backside of the car. As long as the key fob is in range, it can be triggered by the slightest presence.

Is it possible someone walked past the back of your car while you were within range?

The CX-5 doesnt have the hands-free sensor.
 
I havent looked into it, but I assume we can disable the key fob open? I too have had my hatch open overnight in a snow storm, and in several other occasions.
 
Of course Yrwei would call out Mazda on it being a design flaw. [emoji2357]
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I still maintain that there was no way that I could've triggered this. The key fob never went inside my pocket. Upon locking the car, he was left dangling off my finger by its key ring. There is virtually NO chance that another key on my keychain would press against the trunk button with enough force and for enough time to open the hatch. I would've hard the audible warning or seen the car's lights blink when the lift opened as I walked away since I was facing a huge window AND it was dark. Once inside the store, even thought the fob was still dangling off my finger, I would be out of range to trigger the hatch with the fob.
I'll bring this up with Mazda...see what comes.
 
IMO there*s a design flaw on CX-5*s power liftgate system. Can*t blame the car owner even if he or she accidentally press the key fob liftgate button. Apparently the liftgate is too easy to open by the key fob either the liftgate release button pressing time is not long enough, or the button is not recessed enough on the key fob. Compare key fob buttons between gen-2 CX-5 and my 1998 Honda CR-V with attached pictures, one obvious thing is buttons on CX-5 are bulging up but buttons on CR-V are recessed, especially the rear hatch window release button. Thus the key fob buttons on my CR-V are not easy to get pushed accidentally even in the pocket with other things. And I have to push the rear hatch window release button a little harder for at least 3 seconds to make it work. In my 20+ years of owning my CR-V, the rear hatch window has never been accidentally opened, even though I always keep the remote key fob in my pocket when I walk away from the CR-V. I*ve been complaining that our 2016 CX-5 doesn*t have a liftgate release button on remote key fob (and a release button in the car) which is inconvenient. But now may be that*s a good thing.

2018-mazda-cx-5-intelligent-smart-key-remote-w-hatch-11.png
honda_new_dealer_installed_honda_cr_v_crv_97_98_99_00_01_2001_2000_1998_1999_1997_a269zua101_keyless_remote_control_keyfob_vehicle_security_alarm_entry_transmitter_new_144_p3421.jpg

What stands out to me is the chintzy finish of the silver painted plastic on the Mazda fob and the irregular gaps around the buttons. I like the emboss and the captured key though. The Honda one is what I'm used to. The Honda buttons are easier to differentiate and locate with or without looking as well.
 
I had this happen to me about 3 months ago. I went to my car when leaving work (the car sits 60 feet from the office door) and I was horrified to see the rear door fully open. I now keep my keys on my desk, never in my pocket. The only explanation I can guess (for my case) is that the open button was being pushed in my pocket by another key. Fortunately it didn't rain that day!!
 
I've had my trunk automatically open four times in the 1-year that I've owned my 2017 CX-5. Luckily It's always happened at home, while my car was in the garage.

I always put my keys on the kitchen counter when I get home, there is no chance that I'm accidentally pressing a button.
If it is the key-fob button being pressed, as people are suggesting, then you would think that it would be equally as likely that the panic button is accidentally pressed as well, but that's never happened to me, nor am I seeing anyone reporting that as in issue.
 
Could it be possible of cross interference with another radio device...possible even another Mazda?
 
It takes a very deliberate LONG push on the fob button to make the hatch open, so the accidental activation theory is pretty weak.

Stop blaming the victims! :)
 
It's never happened to me but I doubt it's someone else's remote causing it.

This reminds me of a car review I read back in the early 90s. It was for a Cadillac, I think. Anyway, the reviewers came to a restaurant or something and there was another car exactly like the one they were reviewing, sitting in the parking lot. If I remember correctly it was even the same color. They could unlock this other car with their remote! I'm sure a lot had changed in close to 30 years. Especially considering virtually every car today has a remote.
 
Been checking Australian forums and so far from what I have read, no one has reported such an issue.
 
Back