2020 Mazda CX-9

Routine

Owners filed 19 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine4
000
Electrical System3
000
Unknown or Other2
000
Fuel/Propulsion System2
000
Visibility/Wiper1
000
Tires1
000
Structure › Body1
000
Service Brakes1
000
Power Train1
000
Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Seats › Mid/Rear Assembly21V750000
Filed Sep 27, 20218,648 vehiclesMazda North American Operations

Defect. Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2020-2021 CX-9 vehicles equipped with 60/40 split bench second-row seats. The left-side second-row seat may unexpectedly slide forward during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

Risk. A seat that slides forward during a crash can transfer excessive force onto a belted occupant, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the internal parts of the affected second-row seats, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5221I.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Jun 30, 2026130,000 milesAL

The contact owned a 2020 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, a second vehicle crashed head-on into the front of the vehicle. During the head-on crash, no air bags inside the vehicle deployed. The contact sustained a concussion and right eye injury and later received medical attention. A Police report was filed at the scene. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a local storage facility. No information was available concerning the second vehicle's occupants. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 130,000.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jun 19, 2026TX

The mazda Cx-9 is having the same fuel pump issues that was recalled up until 2018 models. The issue with the lean codes and faulty fuel pump continues

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jun 1, 2026AL

Prior to [XXX] The vehicle ran rough and sputter excessively. I took car to local repair shop. Diagnostic equipment determined the fuel injector needed to be replaced. Vehicle ran better but continued to sputter and ride rough on occasion. Prior to [XXX], the vehicle stopped operating properly. The vehicle would not travel faster than 20 mph and sometimes would stop completely in the middle of the road. This was a hazardous situation. The vehicle seemed to be starved for fuel. All warning lights were displayed on the short trip home. Being too dangerous to drive the vehicle was towed to a different repair shop. Diagnostic equipment determined the throttle body needed to be replaced. This was done prior to [XXX]. I drove the car less than 5 miles after the 2nd repair and the same behavior returned. Vehicle would sputter run rough sometimes stop etc. All warning lights were displayed. Vehicle seemed to be starved for fuel. Vehicle was towed back to the repair shop. Next step will be to contact Mazda dealership in Huntsville AL and see if they will accept the Vehicle for repairs after I have it towed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Back Over Prevention › Warnings
Filed Mar 17, 2026FL

Warning signal front camera sensor system malfunction Forward Smart City Brake Support malfunction When this initial happen the steering wheel becomes hard to maneuver than releases The front and back cameras are clear from any debris or obstructions What should I do next?

Tires
Filed Mar 1, 2026MT

All 4 of my BH255/50R20 XL 109v NOKIAN WR G4 vehicle tires are exhibiting abnormal tread degradation and excessive sidewall cracking. The tire defect includes a circumferential crack along the top of all 4 tires, where the top of the tire's sidewall and tread base meet. Upon tire inspection, the structural integrity and safety of these tires with continued usage is questionable. The tires in question are only 26 months old and have approximately 31K miles of usage.

Unknown or Other
Filed Feb 2, 2026DE

The information screen is getting 'spider cracks" spreading across the face and turning opaque making the information unreadable. Mazda is apparently aware of this defect and issued a TSB for earlier models. Dealers were unhelpful and quoted $1000 - $3000 to repair depending on the VIN.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 10, 2025VA

The vehicle will hesitate/stall while driving down the road. The vehicle has done this multiple times and has actually shut off on 2 different occasions while at a stop. on 2 occasions now the vehicle has not wanted to start. I have taken vehicle to Mazda dealership and they can never duplicate it. When they check for any codes, the vehicle computer does not give accurate times when happened. This last date I took it to them 6/9/25, the computer said it happened 4000 miles ago. The time before, I took it in the morning it happened, 5 min after it happened and the computer said it happened 10 starts ago. The last time, 6/9/25 they said they suspect fuel pump going bad, but until the vehicle gives a "check engine" light or dies all together they are not 100% sure. The vehicle is unsafe if it dies in the middle of the freeway/road with no warning to myself or the other vehicles around me. This has been going on for at least 1 year now, maybe longer Dealership has all records. Seeing how the 2018 & 2019 Mazda CX-9 had fuel pump recalls makes me wonder if the 2020 should have been included in this recall. This has been an on going problem.6/7/25 was most recent incident.

Electrical System
Filed May 22, 2025MO

Vehicle randomly displays "smart brake system malfunction," "forward smart city brake malfunction" and " front radar system malfunction." This has been going on for at least a year. I will be driving on a highway, trying to accelerate and these messages will pop up. I'm not able to accelerate when these messages pop up and I have to turn on my hazard lights and pull over to the side of the road. The only thing that clears these warnings are for me to completely shut down my car and restart it. Luckily I have been able to get over to the side of the road on the highway without an accident, but these warning lights pop up when it's sunny out and there is no reason for the car to act the way it does. I took my car to the dealer the first time it happened and paid several hundred dollars for them to tell me that they don't know why it happened. There are several forums posted online with people having the same issues. Online posts say to make sure the sensors are clean and that the malfunction can activate if it's too hot, rainy, snowing or foggy? In my experience, it has happened only when it has been sunny. When the system decides to malfunction, the car will not accelerate, and it could make it easier for the car to be hit by another car. It's like the car just shuts down.

Service Brakes
Filed May 1, 2025SC

I've had it repaired for over 30+ times. I'm tired of the car not being fixed. The last visit I was told maybe its the way I drive.

Engine
Filed Apr 14, 2025NY

The vehicle was overheating and a message came up that power will be reduced. Then it would go away and come up every 3 minutes while driving. I brought it to the service center, we filled it up with coolant and the issue kept coming back this time with a lot of white smoke coming out at vehicle start up. My mechanic said this is a bigger issue most likely to do with a coolant leak at the cylinder head. There is a technical service bulletin but no recall as of yet.

Engine
Filed Feb 11, 2025TX

Excessive oil consumption. In less than 3000 miles, I have to add a quart of oil

Engine
Filed Aug 14, 2023IL

Some vehicles may have coolant leaks at the cylinder head around the exhaust manifold. There may be cracks at the stud bolt hole or at the outside of the exhaust manifold - from Mazda's TSB. Excessive coolant leak leading to engine-overheating and going into 'limp mode' couldn't drive faster than around 30 mph. Mazda has repeatedly declined help with goodwill requests and any further assistance. ref. https: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Electrical System
Filed May 14, 2023CA

We were on the freeway and all of a sudden it stopped accelerating and the engine light, sensor light, and sensor warning came on. We could not accelerate, that became disabled and we had to pull over. My husband said our fluid levels were normal and he checked them all in the shoulder of the freeway. We turned the vehicle off then on again and all lights went away and we continued on. This is a safety hazard because the car would not accelerate while we were going 60 mph on the freeway. I quickly took a picture of the dash as this was happening so I can take it to the dealer.

Visibility/Wiper
Filed Jul 18, 2022CA

While driving at freeway speed in Oregon, with 85 degrees ambient temperature and A/C inside set to 74 degrees, our CX-9 sunroof exploded outward. The sound was close to a very loud pop, and not the sound of rock/debris impact. At the time of explosion, there were no vehicles nearby and no overpasses from which an object could have dropped. The vehicle had been washed the day before and there was no visible damage to the sunroof. At the time of explosion, the sunroof and interior cover were closed. Upon stopping the vehicle (within less than one mile) inspection showed that nearly no glass fell downward, and approximately 50% of the total sunroof area had blown upward and out of the vehicle. The remainder of the shattered glass was still contained within the frame, with the edges visibly curved upward as though the glass had been pulled away from the car. There were three people in the vehicle at the time (driver, front seat passenger, and middle row passenger behind the driver). The two passengers were asleep and woke abruptly thinking we had been hit by something, as the explosive bang was followed by the sound of air rushing past the hole. There was no sound of glass rattling in the area over the sunroof cover, which seems to indicate glass had not broken inward and then blew out before stopping. I (driver) kept the cover closed and promptly pulled off the freeway to assess damage. I was unable to visit a dealer for warranty assessment due to vacation travel. A phone call

Structure › Body
Filed Mar 22, 2022FL

The passenger rear plastic wheel trim fell off with no incident/ damage

Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking
Filed Sep 17, 2021MN

On 10/12/2021 we were driving on and urban street when the vehicle infront of us signaled and initiated a right hand turn. At that point were we traveling approximately 20 mph, and we were driving with active cruise disengaged. When we were around 150 feet behind the vehicle taking a right when our CX-9 falsely engaged the emergency braking. Our car with our whole family in it locked up the brakes and stopped in 80 feet short of the car taking a right. The vehicle behind us only managed to stop 10 feet short of hitting us in the rear. It is in the 4 people in our vehicles opinion that this operation was both terrifying and dangerous to use and those following.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 10, 2021FL

The 2020 Mazda completely shut off following an exit from an expressway, turn under a bridge and slow down for a red light. The Mazda electrically shut off and coasted to a braked stop in the center lane of a 3 lane road. The entire electrical system went dead, no exterior lights, signals, instrument panel or radio. There was no warning, everything electrical just shut off. In a moving traffic situation the car could not maneuver or restart without being placed in PARK. (There is a history of Mazda CX 9's having a similar problem which sent the driver to the local dealership.) The car was restarted by shifting into Park and pressing the start button, all functions appeared normal as the driver moved it to a parking lot to review the situation. The driver was unable to re-create the complete shut down and finished the trip. The driver took the Mazda to the dealer following the incident and was asked to leave the Mazda for observation. The driver was notified by the dealership that the problem was being elevated to the national team for diagnosis. 10 days later the local dealer called the driver and said that they; nor the Mazda engineers in California; could reproduce the system shutting off or find any error codes. They wanted to return the car to the driver with no need for a repair. The driver spoke to the National Mazda help line and the representative was aware of the situation. The representative reiterated that engineers had been unable to find the source for the incide

Power Train
Filed Feb 1, 202114,000 milesCA

FUEL CAP LIGHT ON IN DEC 2020. OUR CAR MILEAGE ~14,000 MILES . WE BOUGHT BRAND NEW CX9 2020 IN AUGUST. DEALER INSPECTED IT AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. DEALER REPROGRAMMED IT. A MONTH LATER JAN 1,2021, FUEL CAP LIGHT IS ON ON AGAIN. WE IGNORED IT THINKING IT IS ANOTHER PROGRAM ISSUE. CAR STARTED TO JERK AND VIBRATE AT STOP SIGN. WE BROUGHT TO DEALER THE NEXT DAY. DEALER SAID CHARCOAL BOX IS LEAKING. I THOUGHT CHARCOAL BOX SHOULD LAST A LIFE TIME. THEY SAID IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY: $680 LATER, THE JERKING/VIBRATING ISSUE IS FIXED. HOPEFULLY THAT IS IT SINCE WE ONLY HAVE THE CAR FOR 5 MONTHS

Engine
Filed Feb 4, 20202,200 milesWA

THE MAZDA CX-9 UNCOMMANDED ENGINE ACCELERATION REPORTED HEREIN DID NOT RESULT IN ANY DAMAGE PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT COMMENCED SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER I BEGAN LIGHT BRAKING WHILE APPROACHING A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT. MY IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS TO INCREASE BRAKE PRESSURE; THERE WAS NO NEED FOR ME TO MOVE MY LEG OTHER THAN PRESSING HARDER WITH MY FOOT. MY FOOT HAD BEEN OFF THE ACCELERATOR FOR MANY SECONDS WHILE ALLOWING THE CAR TO SLOWLY DECELERATE WHILE COASTING TOWARD TRAFFIC STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WITHIN TWO SECONDS OF COMMENCEMENT OF UNCOMMANDED ENGINE ACCELERATION AND WITH THE CAR FULLY STOPPED, I SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY GENERATED THE NOISE OF VERY HIGH RPM. ALTHOUGH THE DASHBOARD INCLUDES A TACHOMETER, I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY THINK TO LOOK AT IT; INSTEAD, I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. A FEW SECONDS LATER, I SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND RESTARTED THE CAR WHICH OPERATED NORMALLY THEREAFTER. MY FOOT DID NOT MOVE OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL DURING ANY OF THE PRECEDING SEQUENCE. ONLY THE NHTSA AND POSSIBLY THE MANUFACTURER WOULD KNOW IF THIS IS A ONE IN A BILLION-HOURS OR A MORE COMMON OCCURRENCE. I AM WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE NHTSA OR THE MANUFACTURER MIGHT HAVE. I GRADUATED FROM MIT, WORKED OVER 29 YEARS FOR THE LEADING USA COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER AND AM CURRENTLY RETIRED.

19 of 19 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2012
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
202312000Routine
202210000Routine
202139100Routine
2020 — this page19100Routine
201953200Routine
2018128210Routine
201761000Routine
2016104010Routine
201535200Do not drive
201454310Do 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

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

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: Sep 27, 2021. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.