2014 Mazda Cx-9 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (10) · Service Brakes (9) · Power Train (6)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Mazda Cx-9 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
28 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (3)
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2018-10-12 · campaign 18V717000 · 155,436 vehicles ⚠ DO NOT DRIVE
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 s
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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.
Steering 2016-04-11 · campaign 16V203000 · 578 vehicles
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 knuckl
Risk: If the steering knuckle separates from the strut assembly, it can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 Joint 2015-07-20 · campaign 15V451000 · 193,484 vehicles
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.
Fix: 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
Service bulletins (276)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Electrical System 2026-09-11 · SA-041-26a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
description if you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, dtc(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal mgss diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical con
Engine 2026-06-19 · SA-041-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this sa supersedes the previously issued sa(s) listed below. the changes are noted in red. sa-061/25 12/17/25 description if you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, dtc(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal mgss diagnosis by ask
Unknown Or Other 2026-04-21 · SA-029-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this service alert supersedes the previously issued sa listed below: the changes are noted in red. sa-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 description mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. mazda recommends dealers follow the sch
Electrical System 2025-12-17 · SA-061-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
if you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, dtc(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal mgss diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. below
Unknown Or Other 2025-12-10 · 07-004-25a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
a musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (a/c) system is operating. it is most noticeable when the a/c is first turned on. this odor is the result of mold growth in the a/c evaporator/cooling unit which is caused by condensation, dust, and pollen within the cooling
Unknown Or Other 2025-08-22 · SA-039/25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.) when parked near a glass building or low-e windows. this may be caused by the sun's reflection. if a structure's windows create enough of a curve, the concave glass can focus the sun's rays onto a small area and a
Showing the 6 most recent of 276 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2024-11-20 · Suspension · 95,000 mi“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 seve…”
2024-06-27 · Power Train“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. thankfu…”
2024-03-12 · Fuel/Propulsion System“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 c…”
2023-08-12 · Engine“water pump failed and ruined the engine. there was little to no warning. …”
2023-08-12 · Service Brakes“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 …”
2023-07-20 · Service Brakes“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…”
2023-07-10 · Service Brakes“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 issu…”
2023-06-24 · Engine“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 c…”
2023-06-14 · Unknown Or Other“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 wa…”
2023-01-26 · Service Brakes“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…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.