Seattle Mazda drivers can't change the radio dial

At KUOW, we often hear from listeners who say that their car
radio is always set to 94.9. But now some drivers don’t have
a choice (https://bit.ly/3JKzeGE).
Mazda owners from around the Puget Sound region have written
to KUOW or posted on social media that for some reason their
radio is permanently fixed on our station.
Scott Smith in Seattle returned to his car after grocery shopping
recently one night and found the car’s “infotainment system”
going whacky.
The menu on the screen kept cycling through options, and wouldn’t
stop. “I tried rebooting it because I’ve done that in the past and
nothing happened,” Smith said, “I realized I could hear NPR, but
I can’t change the station, can’t use the navigation, can’t use the
Bluetooth.”
Ears held captive by his local, public radio station, Smith is only
able to adjust the volume.
“Luckily I am an NPR listener so that’s fine,” Smith said.
We’re flattered, but it still might be a good idea to have access to
the navigation system.
Smith, who drives a 2016 Mazda CX-5, isn’t alone in this new
KUOW purgatory. Other Mazda owners who spoke to KUOW also
drive cars from around that year.
Service managers at three local Mazda dealerships said they’ve been
flooded with calls during the last three weeks about this issue. One
employee said it’s a sore subject, and they’ve been getting calls
about the issue for weeks.
So who, or what, is responsible for trapping these Mazda owners
in a public radio echo chamber they can’t escape, even by car?
It still isn’t clear why specifically KUOW’s signal is affecting some
specific Mazda cars. One theory points to the recent rollout of 5G
technology for smartphones.
A few weeks ago cellphone companies switched to a 5G signal. But
many cars are still only equipped with 3G and glitch when faced with
the newer 5G. Some car companies put out advisories to customers
last year ahead of the switch that an issue like this could arise.
But the 5G theory still doesn’t answer why some Mazdas are only
affected by KUOW.
Michaela Gianotti, a spokesperson for KUOW, said in a statement
that the station is “in contact with Xperi, the company who owns
the technology behind HD Radio, and have given them complete
access to our transmitters to investigate what is causing this
issue.”
Mazda drivers stuck will have to wait a while for a fix. Mazda USA
did not respond to a request for comment, but service managers at
various dealerships said a replacement part could be available in
a few weeks.
When Smith, a Mazda driver, called his dealership for an estimate
on the repair, the service employee put his name down on a list.
“I was one of hundreds, he said, of other people he let know that
there was a problem,” Smith said.
So… thanks for listening?
Read the entire statement from KUOW:
KUOW is aware of an apparent issue between our signal and some
Mazda infotainment systems, causing radios to reboot when they
connect to KUOW’s 94.9 FM signal. We have been in contact with
Xperi, the company who owns the technology behind HD Radio,
and have given them complete access to our transmitters to
investigate what is causing this issue. Our operations team is doing
everything they can to support them in finding a quick resolution.
We also appreciate the assistance of listeners who helped alert
KUOW to this issue and have provided additional information to
aid the investigation.