Seattle-area Mazda drivers report radios are stuck on the local NPR station (Thanks Antifa!)

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/02/09/Seattle-area-Mazda-drivers-radios-stuck-on-NPR/5501644444707/

Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Seattle-area drivers of Mazda vehicles from 2014-17 have reported an unusual problem -- their radios are stuck on the local NPR station.

KUOW-FM, the Seattle-area NPR station, confirmed it had been contacted by multiple Mazda drivers in the area who reported the HD Radio in the Mazda infotainment center of their vehicles was stuck on the station.

The drivers said the radio is frozen on the station and the visuals on the dashboard screen are constantly rebooting, causing a visual hazard for some.

Many drivers have taken to social media to complain about the issue. All of the affected vehicles appear to be Mazda models from 2014-17.

*snip*

[Jerry2144]

1. It could be worse

Those radios could be stuck on a Rush Limpbaugh rerun

[electric_blue68]

2. 😄 Unfortunately too many people would like that.

[maxsolomon]

3. Obviously because we defunded the Police.

and refuse to prosecute rampant shoplifting.

#SEATTLEISDYING!

[genxlib]

4. That is surprising

Sounds much more like a Subaru kind of thing.

[tanyev]

5. OMG, it's the All Things Considered Thought Police!

[cinematicdiversions]

6. Is it pledge week?

Cause that would be cruel and unusual.

[dchill]

7. Why couldn't this happen to F-150s?

That'd be GREAT!

[Klaralven]

8. Mazda's software sucks

A Mazda spokesperson told Gizmodo via email the cause was KUOW’s transmission of album cover images without a valid file extension, which possibly caused the onboard software to flip out when it tried to open them.

“Between 1/24-1/31, a radio station in the Seattle area sent image files with no extension (e.g., missing .jpeg or .gif), which caused an issue on some 2014-2017 Mazda vehicles with older software,” Tamara Mlynarczyk, a public affairs manager at Mazda North American Operations, wrote to Gizmodo. “Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) has distributed service alerts advising dealers of the issue.”

https://gizmodo.com/seattle-mazda-owners-radios-are-permanently-stuck-on-np-1848507907

A missing file extension should cause the file to be ignored. I'm at a loss to understand why I would want an album cover image on the infotainment display in my car anyway.

[Zorro]

9. All your base are belong to us!

[NutmegYankee]

12. For Great Justice!

[mitch96]

10. My 2020 Mazda is stuck on NPR also.. I listen to NPR all the time...😁...nt

[ironflange]

11. They make it sound like a bad thing