RoadVitals

2015 Mazda CX-9

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

NHTSA has issued a “do not drive” advisory affecting this model year.

Campaign 18V717000. Confirm whether your specific vehicle is covered using its VIN before acting on this.

Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov
Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
35
Latest Apr 3, 2025
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Oct 12, 2018
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
5 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 35 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2015 Mazda CX-9, most frequently naming the engine, brakes and powertrain (other) categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 245 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine1850.0%
  • Brakes38.3%
  • Powertrain (other)38.3%
  • Airbags25.6%
  • Exterior lighting25.6%
  • Visibility25.6%
  • Interior & seats12.8%
  • Steering12.8%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
18V717000NHTSA advisory: do not drive

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Oct 12, 2018
155,436 units potentially affected
The 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.
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The 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.
Mazda North American OperationsManufacturer number 1317FView on NHTSA.gov

STEERING

Apr 11, 2016
578 units potentially affected
The 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.
The risk: If the steering knuckle separates from the strut assembly, it can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.
Mazda North American OperationsManufacturer number 9316DView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Apr 3, 2025

My Mazda has been serviced regularly, in fact my next oil change isn't for 2,000 more miles. I was driving when I heard this weird noise. I looked at the dash and the oil light was flashing and the temperature was over heating. I could also feel the vehicle getting sluggish. I pulled over on the interstate. All the lights were on by this time. I popped the hood and there wasn't any coolant in the resivour anymore. I let the car cool down and I added some water as I was 1 mile from the exit where there was a gas station. I had to baby the car to the exit and shut it off whenever it got hot. The oil was full and seemed overfull even..... Mechanic is guessing the coolant leaked if the engine.... I was stranded for hours with 4 children...

NHTSA ID
11652669
Incident
Apr 3, 2025
EngineFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 14, 2024

We have a 2015 Mazda CX-9 Touring with All-Wheel Drive (AWD). The issue that has been happening is a flashing check engine light (CEL) indicator showing up in the gauge cluster. This issue originally started in October of 2023. I was on the highway doing at least 55 miles per hour (mph). Before the light actually came on, I had already felt the vehicle shaking, and also noticed the acceleration was sluggish. In the blink of an eye, the CEL came on and started flashing. After that point, the CEL stayed on. I was able to get to my destination safely. We took the vehicle to a shop, and told the mechanics the issue, but they could not re-create what happened. We stopped driving the vehicle as much after this first encounter. A couple of months later, the issue still persisted, and we took it to another shop. They changed the spark plugs, and the vehicle had been driving CEL-free for several months. Recently, we were going to take the vehicle out for a drive, and noticed the vehicle shaking (before the CEL officially came on) again. The CEL flashed and came on. As of this moment, the CEL pops up and stays on when starting the vehicle. I put in a code reader, and the code that came up was “PO304 Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected.” We are figuring out what our next plan(s) is/are with the vehicle. I looked at some forums for the 2007-2015 Mazda CX-9 Generation, and I noticed that someone mentioned that there was an issue with the injector pigtail wire (one of the fuel injectors). They also mentioned spark plugs and coil plugs. But they still had an issue and it seemed to be not resolved. I'm wondering if this issue could have a direct or indirect connection with the Takata Airbag recall that was issued on August 13th, 2024 with a "Do Not Drive" alert.

NHTSA ID
11608589
Incident
Aug 8, 2024
Filed May 30, 2024

2015 transmission problem Mazda dealership unable to affect because transmissions are no longer made for my model

NHTSA ID
11591627
Incident
May 30, 2024
Engine
Filed Feb 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2015 Mazda CX9. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the engine was overheating. The contact restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle stalled again. The vehicle continued to coast into a parking lot. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the water pump, timing chain, cam phaser, timing chain tensioner, and an engine replacement were needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 124,000.

NHTSA ID
11569248
Incident
Jan 30, 2024
Mileage
124,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 14, 2023

The issue is with the design of the Water Pump on this vehicle. From my understanding, this is a common issue with the 2015 Mazda CX-9. What happens is once the water pump starts to fail due to the design, the vehicle starts to stall randomly which poses a safety issue to my family when driving. The vehicle was inspected by a dealership in the area and was ultimately fixed. I was informed that the water pump has been redesigned by the manufacturer to prevent this issue from happening again.

NHTSA ID
11544460
Incident
Sep 1, 2023
Engine
Filed Apr 14, 2023

My check engine light came on. Thought it was the oil needing to be changed. Oil was extra dark and muggy. Also notice antifreeze low. Fill up antifreeze and change oil. 2 wks later antifreeze back down low. Check engine still on. Got it diagnosed with auto scanner and says camshaft sensor. Went to autoshop, mechanic says it's not cramshaft sensor but water tank leak in engine which was picked up by camshaft sensor. I have yet to find out what else is wrong or if my engine needs to be replaced. For sure the water tank needs replacement. I read from others of their car over heating or completely stopped working. I fear this because I have 3 kids and on weekends I drive on the highway for about an hour to get to my destination. This is something dangerous because I don't want to get rear ended or hurt if my car suddenly gives out during heavy traffic.

NHTSA ID
11517156
Incident
Apr 14, 2023
Engine
Filed Feb 16, 2023

Engine failed suddenly while driving on a busy street. No lights were on, no warnings. Slight hum earlier that day, that was almost indistinguishable from the radio or other road noise. Steering and brakes not responsive. Had it towed to dealer who found that the water pump had failed which allowed coolant to leak into the oil. Dealer mechanic stated that the water pump is not visible to any mechanic without removing the entire engine, therefore would not have been able to see defects or problems ahead of event. Also said the fix would run a minimum of $3400 if a new water pump could even fix the problem. Found that there is a class action lawsuit against Mazda already for the CX9 for my model year because they know of the problem yet refuse to recall. I am one of many this has happened to. It is very unsafe for a car to suddenly seize while driving. Especially with no warnings and with the car having only 97000 miles on it. Had my new teenage driver been behind the wheel or had it happened a few minutes earlier while I was on the interstate, the outcome could have been very different.

NHTSA ID
11507607
Incident
Feb 14, 2023
Engine
Filed Jan 27, 2023

Water pump failed and leaked coolant into oil. Known issue by Mazda but they have failed to warn consumers. Repairs roughly 4000 dollars. Luckily I caught before engine failed due to lubricant dilution from coolant. Potentially a very dangerous flaw.

NHTSA ID
11504068
Incident
Jan 15, 2023

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

SA-041-26

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ENGINE

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 asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. Examples: 1. Devices connected to the DLC-2 (battery discharge/DTC stored) 2. Devices plugged into the 12V outlet 3. GPS tracking device (engine no start/battery discharge) 4. Dash cam (DTC stored) 5. Non-certified USB cable (Apple Carplay™/ Android Auto™ will not connect) 6. Over-sized wheels/tires (incorrect GPS location) 7. DTC C0023:14 8. Decorative trim and/or cover on the START/STOP ENGINE button Example 1: Some electrical devices connected to the DLC-2 connector by insurance or mobile phone companies may cause: Battery discharge. The device may disrupt the CAN system battery saver mode. • IDS/MMDS will not communicate with the vehicle due to poor DLC-2 connection. The aftermarket device may cause DLC-2 female terminals to spread open.

SA-029-26

ENGINE; POWER TRAIN; SERVICE BRAKES

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 scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE Refer to the applicable Workshop Manual or Owner's Manual for vehicle -specific manufacturer scheduled maintenance. Workshop Manual - Refer to section 00-00 SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. Owner's Manual - Refer to section 8 Maintenance and Care. b. Note: Please refer to the information below outlining the services not included in Mazda's Factory Scheduled Maintenance: IMPORTANT: Recommending fluid flushes when not necessary can lead to customer confusion and dissatisfaction. Fluid flushing for preventive maintenance purposes is strongly discouraged, unless otherwise specified in a published procedure (Owner’s Manual, Workshop Manual, Technical Service Bulletin, etc.).

SA-061-25

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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 are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices.

07-004-25a

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 unit. This condition is usually worse during high humidity conditions. “Mazda Air Cooling Coil Coating” is available to encapsulate the mold to reduce odors. If the product is properly applied, it can effectively reduce the musty/mildew odor for up to three years. NOTE: See parts information for Mazda Air Cooling Coil Coating and Kit part numbers.

SA-039/25

STRUCTURE:BODY

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 acting like magnifiying glass direct the sunbeams into a hot pinpoint of light. This magnifcation of the sun's rays can cause damage to vehicle trim (see examples). Additional information and exemplar images regarding this phenomenon can be found by performing a google search.

SA-036-25

When replacing the SiriusXM satellite radio unit, a call must be made to inform SiriusXM of the existing Radio ID and the new/replacement SAT Radio ID as soon as possible to ensure the customer leaves the dealership with an active SAT radio.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mazda CX-9 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2023120050.1
2022900
2021371052.9
2020191047.9
2019522048.5
20181262052.2
2017610036.8
20161030039.0
2015Viewing352044.4
2014543148.5
2013684259.6
20122214256.3
20111704358.1
20101956359.9
2009597153.1
20081726256.4
2007866152.4

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.