2018 Mazda CX-9

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2018 Mazda CX-9 has 165 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (45% of all complaints), specifically: i was waiting in a stationary position, at a red light, behind some other vehicles, with my foot on the brake pedal. all of a sudden, the vehicle started to lurch forward as if someone had stepped hard on the gas pedal! i was struggling to keep the car still by depressing the brake pedal harder, bu. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 3 crash reports 1 injury

165

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

74 complaints

45%

• I WAS WAITING IN A STATIONARY POSITION, AT A RED LIGHT, BEHIND SOME OTHER VEHICLES, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LURCH FORWARD AS IF SOMEONE HAD STEPPED HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL! I WAS STRUGGLING TO KEEP THE CAR STILL BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL HARDER, BU
• HAPPENED TO ME TWO TIMES IN PAST THREE WEEKS, WHERE I AM COMING TO A STOP, OR HARDLY MOVING, AND CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATES. HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR WAS STILL TRYING TO ACCELERATE. YESTERDAY, 4/24/21 IT TOOK ALL MY STRENGTH ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM PULLING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC
• When I shifted into reverse the back up camera wouldn’t come on and instead a screen that said check your surroundings stayed on the screen. I reset it using the 3 button reset method and it came back on. Drove it to the grocery store, and then it sat in my driveway for 3 hours. When I went to go ba

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I WAS WAITING IN A STATIONARY POSITION, AT A RED LIGHT, BEHIND SOME OTHER VEHICLES, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LURCH FORWARD AS IF SOMEONE HAD STEPPED HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL! I WAS STRUGGLING TO KEEP THE CAR STILL BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL HARDER, BU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

20 complaints

12%

• I PURCHASED A NEW MAZDA CX-9 IN SEPT 2017 BECAUSE IT HAD THE HIGHLY TOUTED SMART CITY BRAKING SYSTEM FOR WHICH I PAID THOUSANDS EXTRA. I HAD HAD A PREVIOUS REAR END COLLISION AND WANTED TO BE SURE THIS SYSTEM WOULD AT LEAST WARN ME. I SET UP SOME CARDBOARD BOXES WRAPPED IN ALUMINUM FOIL. I SLOWLY (1
• ON FRIDAY (JUNE 29TH, 2018) AROUND 9:29 PM, MY CAR BROKE DOWN WHILE MY FAMILY AND I WERE TRAVELING FROM ROCHESTER NY TO BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND MY CAR JUST STARTED TO SLOW DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE H
• CPSC: THE MANUFACTURER SELLS A SMART CAR SEAT. *DT THE CONSUMER STATED THE CYBEX SIRONSAFE 2.0 CAR SEATS PLUG INTO THE VEHICLES OBD PORTS. THE CAR SEATS BOTH INDIVIDUALLY DRAINED THE BATTERY OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *JS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“I PURCHASED A NEW MAZDA CX-9 IN SEPT 2017 BECAUSE IT HAD THE HIGHLY TOUTED SMART CITY BRAKING SYSTEM FOR WHICH I PAID THOUSANDS EXTRA. I HAD HAD A PREVIOUS REAR END COLLISION AND WANTED TO BE SURE THIS SYSTEM WOULD AT LEAST WARN ME. I SET UP SOME CARDBOARD BOXES WRAPPED IN ALUMINUM FOIL. I SLOWLY (1”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

15 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE CAR TO AN ABRUPT STOP AND I HAD NO CONTROL. THE DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH ALL TYPES OF WARNINGS AND HEAT WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR.
• THIS VEHICLE IS HAS BEEN ON LEASE FOR 1 YEAR AND HAS LESS THAN 4000 MILES ON IT. INITIALLY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE THAT HAD BEEN PARKED OVERNIGHT IT GAVE THE FOLLOWING WARNINGS: - KEYLESS ENTRY MALFUNCTION - CHARGING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION - VEHICLE OVERHEATING - BATTERY MALFUNCTION
• CPSC: THE MANUFACTURER SELLS A SMART CAR SEAT. *DT THE CONSUMER STATED THE CYBEX SIRONSAFE 2.0 CAR SEATS PLUG INTO THE VEHICLES OBD PORTS. THE CAR SEATS BOTH INDIVIDUALLY DRAINED THE BATTERY OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *JS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE CAR TO AN ABRUPT STOP AND I HAD NO CONTROL. THE DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH ALL TYPES OF WARNINGS AND HEAT WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

13 complaints

• the cars engine makes loud rattling noise and slips gear. the vecicle jerks hard and feels as if transmission is slipping. car hesitates when i shift into gear, followed by a jerking and jolting into gear. my brakes are replaced frequently. mazda at 65643 miles on car found excess operating noise co
• This weekend Mazda CX-9 started leaking coolant from the firewall side.
• Coolant leak into cylinder head, resulting in overheating and blown head gasket. Repair cost was $7k to resurface cylinder head and replace gasket. Repair did not fix issue, likely due to unseen cracks or warping to cylinder head. Will require rework, likely entire engine replacement, as the de

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“the cars engine makes loud rattling noise and slips gear. the vecicle jerks hard and feels as if transmission is slipping. car hesitates when i shift into gear, followed by a jerking and jolting into gear. my brakes are replaced frequently. mazda at 65643 miles on car found excess operating noise co”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

11 complaints

• I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT IN THE UPPER PARKING LOT AT WORK. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL SO THAT I COULD STOP AND PARK BUT THE PEDAL WAS HARD AND HAD NO GIVE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL FORWARD OVER A CURB AND PARTLY DOWN A SMALL SET OF STAIRS THAT GO FROM THE UPPER PARKING LOT TO THE LOWER
• I WANTED TO SAY IT HAPPENED TO US WHILE WE WERE DRIVING BACK FROM A DAYTRIP ON SATURDAY. WE HAD OUR KIDS IN THE CAR AND MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SCBS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR JUST STOPPED GIVING GAS. THE CAR BEHIND US COULDN'T TELL WE WERE SLOWING DOWN BECAUSE THERE WAS NO BRAKE
• I'M CONSTANTLY HAVE A FRONT WINDSHIELD ERROR : CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO JUST AUTOMATICALLY STOPING WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND STREETS. MY AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY WHEN I WAS I A ACCIDENT . I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES ALREADY AND THEY ALWAYS HAVE A DIFFERENT EXCUSE OR REASON

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT IN THE UPPER PARKING LOT AT WORK. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL SO THAT I COULD STOP AND PARK BUT THE PEDAL WAS HARD AND HAD NO GIVE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL FORWARD OVER A CURB AND PARTLY DOWN A SMALL SET OF STAIRS THAT GO FROM THE UPPER PARKING LOT TO THE LOWER ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 165 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I WAS WAITING IN A STATIONARY POSITION, AT A RED LIGHT, BEHIND SOME OTHER VEHICLES, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LURCH FORWARD AS IF SOMEONE HAD STEPPED HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL! I WAS STRUGGLING TO KEEP THE CAR STILL BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL HARDER, BU
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I PURCHASED A NEW MAZDA CX-9 IN SEPT 2017 BECAUSE IT HAD THE HIGHLY TOUTED SMART CITY BRAKING SYSTEM FOR WHICH I PAID THOUSANDS EXTRA. I HAD HAD A PREVIOUS REAR END COLLISION AND WANTED TO BE SURE THIS SYSTEM WOULD AT LEAST WARN ME. I SET UP SOME CARDBOARD BOXES WRAPPED IN ALUMINUM FOIL. I SLOWLY (1
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE CAR TO AN ABRUPT STOP AND I HAD NO CONTROL. THE DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH ALL TYPES OF WARNINGS AND HEAT WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: the cars engine makes loud rattling noise and slips gear. the vecicle jerks hard and feels as if transmission is slipping. car hesitates when i shift into gear, followed by a jerking and jolting into gear. my brakes are replaced frequently. mazda at 65643 miles on car found excess operating noise co
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)