2014 Mazda CX-9

Do not drive

Owners filed 54 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. It has been recalled 3 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k

28 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 010,000 miles; the median is 59,800 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine18
000
Service Brakes9
100
Unknown or Other5
000
Suspension4
000
Seats3
000
Air Bags3
000
Visibility/Wiper2
000
Power Train2
010
Fuel/Propulsion System2
000
Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly1
000

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module18V717000Do not drive
Filed Oct 12, 2018155,436 vehiclesMazda North American Operations

Defect. Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Mazda CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, unless covered in "Zone A," Mazda is recalling certain 2011-2013 Mazda6, 2011-2012 CX-7, and 2011-2015 CX-9 sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Mazda6, 2010-2012 CX-7, and 2010-2015 CX-9 vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.

Steering16V203000
Filed Apr 11, 2016578 vehiclesMazda North American Operations

Defect. Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 2, 2015, 2013-2014 Mazda2 vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to August 8, 2014, 2014-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2, 2015, and 2013-2015 CX-9 vehicles manufactured December 6, 2012, to July 31, 2015. The lower mounting nuts and bolts that attach the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle may loosen, allowing the steering knuckle to separate.

Risk. If the steering knuckle separates from the strut assembly, it can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower mounting nuts and bolts that secure the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle. If the bolts are loose, they will be replaced and then correctly tightened, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9316D.

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint15V451000
Filed Jul 20, 2015193,484 vehiclesMazda North American Operations

Defect. Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2014 CX-9 vehicles manufactured October 24, 2006, to December 28, 2013. The affected vehicles have front suspension ball joints that may corrode from water leaking into the fitting.

Risk. Over time, the ball joint corrosion may result in the front lower control arm separating from the ball joint, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace both the left and right lower control arms, free of charge. The recall began on September 14, 2015. The recall will begin with model year 2007-2009 vehicles registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The second phase will be for model year 2010-2014 vehicles in the same states. Finally, all remaining vehicles will be remedied. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 8515G.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Suspension
Filed Nov 20, 202495,000 milesIL

The contact owns a 2014 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was drifting to either side. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had to forcefully grip the steering wheel to avoid losing control of vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was discovered that there was severe corrosion around the front suspension ball joints. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V451000 (Suspension); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided an estimate for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Engine
Filed Jun 27, 2024CT

I purchased a 2014 Mazda CX-9 back in May of 2020 w/ roughly 60k on the dash. Literally 7 months later w/ about 72k on the dash, the day after Christmas I was driving to work (I worked in the next state over) on the highway my car just shut down. No warnings, no check engine lights NOTHING! It just completely shut off and would not turn on. Thankfully because of the holiday the highway was pretty empty and I was able to swing my car across the interstate so I wouldn’t get hit by oncoming traffic. After getting out and deciding to check my oil I noticed it looked milky. I had no idea what that meant so I had it towed to a Mazda dealership in the state I live in. It was going to cost me almost $8,000 to put in a new engine because the water pump that was placed inside of the engine failed, which in turn caused my engine to seize. The extended warranty I had on my vehicle was worthless so I ended up paying out of pocket. Thankfully Mazda worked with me and had me prove that I kept up maintenance on the truck so the price was chopped in half. This happened right at the beginning of Covid when the entire world was suffering financially. I still had to make my car payments on top of shelling out 4k on a truck I hadn’t even had for a year. This is a huge issue with a lot of people that own the same vehicle and is extremely dangerous! I could’ve killed someone or worse myself when my vehicle stalled out on the highway.

Engine
Filed Mar 12, 2024PA

The water pump failed causing water to mix with the oil and damage the head gasket. Estimates recommend replacing engine. The service engine light came on and we took it to our trusted mechanic right away. Got the estimates from two mechanics for this repair and then towed the car to Mazda dealer who confirmed the problem. We wrote to Mazda's corporate office and was told they would not fix it. My car has 68,000 miles and was regularly serviced. It is currently sitting dead in my garage. We bought this car in 2015 brand new from the Mazda dealer in Monroeville, PA. This is outrageous! I spoke with someone else who also owns a Mazda and the same thing happened to his car. From articles I have read and attached, this problem is occurring in many Mazdas. What needs to be in place for Mazda to take responsibility and fix this problem by recalling the affected vehicles?

Engine
Filed Aug 12, 2023GA

Water pump failed and ruined the engine. There was little to no warning.

Service Brakes
Filed Aug 12, 2023GA

Brakes stopped working while we were on vacation. Made the drive down fine, but the next day went to drive the car, pressed the brakes and the car did not come to a complete stop. Also made a funny noise when we tried to press on the brakes. My husband practically had to stand up and push all the way down to get car to stop. Luckily we were not in a congested or confined place. Ended up replacing the brake booster. Three weeks later my acceleration stopped working intermittently. I go to press the gas and the car doesn’t go. The dealership is saying it’s the brake signal.

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 20, 2023FL

Breaks became very hard to press and I was having trouble stopping the car. I could not drive it to the Mazda dealer who was too far. I took a chance and drove a few miles to local break shop. They replaced the master cylinder and the break booster. Parts and labor were $1083.87

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 10, 2023NC

When I press on my brakes, I hear air. I am fortunate that, as of this reporting, I have not had an accident. My brakes do not fully stop my car, so I have to judge when to brake in order to slow down and not hit the car ahead of me. Very scary when your car won't stop! I have read other complaints on the Mazda CX9s built in 2013 having an issue with the brake booster. PLEASE recall these 2014 Mazdas so the appropriate repairs can be made. Working brakes are ESSENTIAL!

Engine
Filed Jun 24, 2023WA

I bought a vehicle from Carvana 11/2021 with not quite 59k on it. On 6/21/2023, with 77K miles, my car had a catastrophic engine failure. I was driving my grandchildren ages, 3-12 years of age home. Safety was definitely at risk with speeds of 70 freeway were completed right before engine stopping. The mechanic shop has confirmed the car giving 3 codes related to timing belt/water pump and the other code which confirms engine failure. No warning lights had come on until I tried to restart it. Since this situation is most recent, I have not had anyone else inspect the vehicle. I am working through my options and will take recommendations for resolution.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 14, 2023LA

I was driving on interstate and there were not any other vehicles that were all that close to me. All of a sudden there was this huge extremely loud bang and glass shattering sound. Scared me to death. I never saw anything, I pulled over at next exit and saw my sunroof with a huge hole and shattered. I drove back by where i was driving and there was nothing i could see that could have caused that to happen. After doing a little research i'm positive the sunroof exploded. Thankfully my kids were not in there and i was able to remain calm enough to get pulled over safely

Engine
Filed Mar 26, 2023NY

My transmission is slipping ….

Service Brakes
Filed Jan 26, 2023FL

The car started creating a noise like air was leaking when i apply brake. The problem continued to increase, and braking became harder and harder. The dealer indicated that I had to replace the brake booster. This is a 2014 CX-9. A NHTSA search showed that vehicles manufactured in 2013 were affected. My car was purchased in Feb 2014. I suspect this one too had that faulty equipment.

Engine
Filed Nov 26, 2022TX

Sudden failure of water pump located inside the engine caused engine to shut down immediately while driving 70 mph on busy expressway. Extremely dangerous situation due to heavy traffic and high speeds traveled. Only by sheer luck were we able to coast across 4 lanes of traffic to an exit ramp and barely make it into a parking lot after crossing 2 more lanes on the frontage road. Very difficult to steer and brake due to no engine power. Repair cost was $4,433. Two subsequent follow up repairs for check engine light and oil control valve issues related to water pump failure were required and covered under initial repair warranty. Research on web indicates this is a common problem with this engine with many complaints occurring soon after 100k miles. In many cases customers reported having to replace the engine or sell the car for parts due to the high cost of repair. Locating the water pump inside the engine block was a terrible design fault and extreme safety hazard when it fails.

Engine
Filed Nov 23, 2022MD

Water pump defect that led to pump failure, which led to catastrophic engine failure without any prior warning. The defect is in the internal chain-driven water pump. The pump is meant to circulate coolant through the engine while the engine is running. However, the defect allows coolant to leak from water pump into the oil pan and/or other engine components, mixing it with the engine’s oil and leading to destruction of the engine. Mazda’s internal data indicates that the company began receiving reports of premature water pump failures in vehicles identical to mine (mine is a 2014 Mazda CX-9) by at least June 2007, yet Mazda continued to sell the vehicle without fixing the defect and failed to warn customers of the defect. The owner's manuals say nothing about water pump maintenance because the water pump should last the life of the Mazda vehicle. My water pump failed and destroyed my engine at just a mere 72,400 miles. The water pump problem is caused by the elastomer bellow, which is made with hydrogenated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, which is damaged by hot coolant. Due to problems with the seal, coolant leaks into other components because the water pump is located above the crankshaft. An engine will allegedly fail once coolant mixes with engine oil and travels through the engine. Mazda allegedly has done nothing to fix the water pumps and won't recall the vehicles to offer free repairs. The automaker is also not reimbursing owners who may pay thousands of dollars for

Engine
Filed Aug 31, 2022NH

- Water pump failed causing coolant to mix with oil. This repair cost was around $3,900. - Luckily this failure happened on our community road and was able to pull into our driveway. Mechanic stated that if this happened on the highway or regular road, this could have caused a major incident and possibly a blown motor. - No, but complaints of similar issues have been reported via my online research. - Just by the mechanic I had my vehicle towed to. - There was no indication of an issue until the water pump failed.

Seats
Filed May 9, 2022UT

Drivers seat will not recline backwards

Unknown or Other
Filed May 4, 2022AL

Sunroof exploded spontaneously, we have a dashcam and nothing from the road hit it.

Unknown or Other
Filed Apr 28, 2022CA

Water pump faild without warning car overheated and breaking was made difficult. Almost collided with another car do to the breaking not working properly when the car over heated. This problem was or is part of a lawsuit agianst Mazda. Im not sure if there has been a resolution to the lawsuit.

Engine
Filed Nov 3, 2021TX

I purchased a 2014 Mazda CX-9 on 12/14/2019. On Monday 10/18/2021 I was driving on the Hwy on the way home and my check engine light came. I had my mechanic check it out and he said the computer read a P0019 code. So on 10/20/2021, I took it to the dealer where I originally purchased it and this was the same code they found. At the local dealership, I was told that apparently, the water pump needed to be replaced due to water coolant in the oil pan. I had absolutely no warning. No leaking, no smell of coolant. This vehicle only has 88,000. Upon further research and to my surprise is that the water pump in the Duratec 37 engine and make and model has a design flaw with the water pump located in the engine with the timing chain. That is the number one problem that fails first due to the water pump gaskets wearing degrading without any warning pump has become damaged due to pump bearings too. I had my vehicle serviced with four oil changes over the past 28,000 miles since I purchased it. These late-model vehicles being built today I know do not burn that much oil nowadays. I also found out, the iVCT 3.7 Duratec is in the 2008-2015 Mazda CX-9 which I have the 2014 model. This 3.7 V6 uses a timing chain-driven water pump. I also found out this kind of water pump is prone to failing at the pump bearings which allows the timing center to move around. Once it’s bad enough coolant is dumped into the engine where it mixes with the oil dripping from the water pump into the oil pan. This

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 30, 202173,000 milesNJ

OUR 2014 MAZDA CX-9 POWER BRAKE BOOSTER HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND HAS NOW FAILED AT 75,269 MILES WHERE THE PEDAL IS SPONGY, PEDAL TRAVEL IS LONG AND THERE IS A HISSING NOISE (AIR LEAKAGE) FROM THE POWER BOOSTER, ALL RESULTING IN SEVERELY REDUCED BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS - VERY LITTLE. WE CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR. THIS IS THE SAME FAILURE AND SAFETY DEFECT THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF ODI INVESTIGATION PE-14-005 (ODI CLOSED 2/10/2014) INVOLVING 2007-2013 MAZDA CX-9 VEHICLES IN WHICH THE ODI RESUME SAID "THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED." IN THAT CASE, IN ORDER TO AVOID A RECALL, IN MARCH 2014 MAZDA AGREED WITH THE NHTSA/ODI TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR 7 YEARS OR 100,000 FOR THE 2007-2013 MAZDA CX-9 VEHICLES AND REPAIR THE CONDITION AND INITIATED SPECIAL SERVICE PROGRAM SSP93. THIS NOW IS EXACTLY THAT SAME CONDITION BUT IN THE NEXT YEAR MODEL - A MODEL 2014 MAZDA CX-9 MANUFACTURED IN 2013 THAT OBVIOUSLY RECEIVED THE DEFECTIVE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER THAT WAS MANUFACTURED BEFORE THE BOOSTER SUPPLIER CORRECTED THE FAULTY BOOSTER MOLD IN FEBRUARY 2013. YESTERDAY (4-29-21) MAZDA SAID (MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE REFERENCE # 1-378914617) OUR VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE NHTSA/ODI AGREEMENT AND SSP93 ONLY APPLIES TO 2007-2013 VEHICLES WHERE OURS IS A 2014, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2013. THIS IS NOT ONLY ANOTHER EXAMPLE O

Engine
Filed Mar 16, 202180,000 milesWA

I PURCHASED A 2014 MAZDA CX NINE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. THE OTHER DAY I WAS DRIVING AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY FAN GOT REALLY LOUD SO I PULLED OVER AND TURNED UP THE HEAT AND TURNED OFF ANY AC. ALL THE SUN STEAM STARTED COMING OUT OF MY ENGINE AND THE CAR DIED. AFTER TOWING IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TWO OPTIONS. I COULD EITHER BUY A BRAND NEW CAR OR PAY $13,000 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. APPARENTLY THE WATER PUMP BROKE AND THE ENGINE SEIZED UP. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING. NO LEAKING, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NOTHING' I LATER FOUND SEVERAL REVIEWS SAYING THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE & MODEL. I STILL OWE OVER $16,000 ON THIS CAR AND NOW I HAVE TO GET A NEW CAR.

20 of 54 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2012
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
202312000Routine
202210000Routine
202139100Routine
202019100Routine
201953200Routine
2018128210Routine
201761000Routine
2016104010Routine
201535200Do not drive
2014 — this page54310Do not drive
201368410Do not drive
2012221400Do not drive
2011170430Do not drive
2010195650Do not drive
200959700Do not drive
2008172600Do not drive
200786610Do not drive

Compare every CX-9 year →

Reading this record

NHTSA has issued a do-not-drive warning for a recall on this vehicle.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Oct 12, 2018. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.