--- title: "Mazda Settles Lawsuit, Lawyers Get $1.9M While Plaintiffs Split $11,500 and a Sandwich" date: "2025-02-24" modified: "2025-02-24" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/mazda-settles-lawsuit-lawyers-get-1-9m-while-plaintiffs-split-11500-and-a-sandwich" categories: - "Car Tech" - "Infotainment" - "Mazda News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "mazda" - "mx-5" - "sports car" --- # Mazda Settles Lawsuit, Lawyers Get $1.9M While Plaintiffs Split $11,500 and a Sandwich ![]() *\Chris Tsui\* Big win for lawyers today, and a much smaller win for [Mazda]() owners who were involved in a class-action lawsuit regarding faulty infotainment systems. According to *[CarComplaints]()*, it was a rather small case, with just four plaintiffs whose infotainment systems would lag, reboot, and completely shut down while driving. Now that Mazda has settled the matter, those four plaintiffs have received a combined $11,500, while the lawyers representing them got a whopping $1.9 million. Apparently, I picked the wrong line of work. The issues customers were facing came from Mazda's Connect infotainment system, which began in the [Mazda 3]() in 2014, spanned all of its models, and continued until 2023 in the [MX-5 Miata](). According to the plaintiffs, the system would fail entirely while driving, leaving them with no navigation, phone connectivity, or backup camera. Allegedly, the issues were caused by the SD Card-based nav system forcing the software into an endless reboot cycle, rendering it useless. Frustrating at best and downright dangerous at worst, depending on the circumstances. Mazda issued technical service bulletins and alerts about the problem as well as an extended warranty on the infotainment system in 2019. However, the plaintiffs alleged in the suit that the warranty was useless, as Mazda was purportedly replacing bad units with others that were equally defective. Despite settling the lawsuit, Mazda denies that it engaged in this practice. The main plaintiff, Catherine Duffy, bought a 2018 Mazda 3 in October 2018 and started experiencing issues within just a few months. By 2020, the infotainment system didn't work at all. When she took it to the dealer in September 2020, she was told she had to shell out $50 for a replacement, as her car was out of warranty. That unit was broken, too. ![]() **Chris Tsui** Duffy received $4,000 in the settlement, while the other three plaintiffs—Matthew Edlin, Lawrence Mulcahy, and Paula Hall—all got $2,500 a piece. Any Mazda customers who paid out of pocket to have their infotainment systems replaced or repaired can file a claim and get up to a $1,750 reimbursement. But that's chump change compared to the lawyers, who are getting big fat paydays, as usual with class action cases like these. The people who actually dealt with these issues on their brand-new cars get scraps, while the folks who already drive Porsches to the office get to place a deposit on another. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()