2016 Mazda CX-9 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2016 Mazda CX-9, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine6750.0%
- Electrical1410.4%
- Brakes118.2%
- Powertrain (other)96.7%
- Fuel system86.0%
- Driver assistance64.5%
- Body & structure43.0%
- Interior & seats32.2%
- Other / unspecified32.2%
- Visibility21.5%
- Steering21.5%
- Suspension21.5%
- Airbags21.5%
- Tires & wheels10.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The cylinder head (which involves the engine cooling system) has a known manufacturer defect that affects all year/models of the Mazda CX-9 with turbo. The manufacturing defect poses a risk to motor vehicle safety in a group of vehicles or equipment of the same design and/or manufacturer. Specifically, the overheating and failure of the engine can occur at any time, without warning. This puts my family at risk of being stranded on a roadway, particularly because my car is often driven in rural areas. The manufacturing defect is significant and is acknowledged by Mazda: Mazda has offered owners a voluntary, limited, warranty extension (CSP11) of 10 years or 120,000 miles. The voluntary warranty extension is not sufficient because it is limited in duration while the safety risk can happen at any time after the warranty extension expires. The warranty extension essentially only applies to about half of the expected lifetime of the car. NHTSA should determine that a recall and repair should be issued by Mazda that does not expire. The engine is defective, poses a safety hazard, and Mazda has fixed the engine for subsequent models (starting in 2021), so a repair is available.
I own a 2016 Mazda CX9 Touring FWD (180k miles). Today my car was diagnosed with cracked cylinder head, resulting in coolant and oil leak from the head gasket. While there is a class action settlement about it where Mazda accepted the manufacturing defect, they do not cover the engine repair/cylinder head replacement because my car's mile is over 120k. If it is a manufacturing defect, why year/mile make a difference on the responsibility of the manufacturer? Mazda obviously sold defect vehicles to their customers, and driving these vehicles under this condition is very dangerous! Now, they are expecting me to pay more than $10,000 for a vehicle priced around $6,000!
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Smart City Break Malfunction warning light appears while driving. Simultaneously the tire pressure warning appears. Also, at the same time, the temperature reads -20 to -40 degrees. Yes, vehicle is available for inspection. Fearful that car could randomly break while driving putting myself and family in danger since there is a malfunction. Mazda service center says the problem can’t be reproduced so there’s nothing they can do. The problem seems to appear when the outside temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
Vehicle failed to turn off the engine while in park and I was unable to lock vehicle while engine was still running. The ignition button failed to work.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
The vehicle has tire pressure monitoring system malfunction warnings and parking brake malfunction warnings even after taking to dealership to be fixed. Was told it’s a known problem by Mazda, should be recalled, but there were not any current recalls for the issue.
Engine Coolant Leaking from rear of engine near Exhaust / turbocharger at Cylinder Head. No Warning Lights indicating problem until coolant level low causing overheating and fire risk. Rear Brakes not releasing completely from "City Mode" where brakes are kept close to rotor "to increase braking response in City driving" - causes premature brake wear, warped brake rotors (reoccurs within 10K miles from new / replaced rotors) Front Bumper Fascia keeps coming loose at clips near headlights on both Driver and passenger side. Had replaced at dealership 3 times, but continues. Bumper coming loose and can obstruct headlights while moving around at highway speeds
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
August 2nd I noticed a smell of Coolant coming from my car. I looked under my car and noticed it leaking green coolant. I took it to Mazda where they had it for 7 days to then give me a $6,300 estimate with possible added expenses. They diagnosed it as a cracked cylinder head and needs a gasket as well. I am a single mother and have work but I cannot afford that repair especially since Mazda is not going to honor there vehicle and what they stand by. With this issue with the coolant leak and the cracked cylinder the vehicle could have overheated and go into limp mode and come to a sudden stop with my children in the car while driving on the road. I could be hit as this puts my family at risk of injury while we go to school or work. Mazda has done nothing but tell me to submit a claim with customer service which I have. I had my case manager call me once and left a voicemail and I have called multiple times and have not heard back. There was no warning of this until I found forums and other stories that this unfortunately has happened to hundreds of Mazda owners.
I started smelling coolant after exiting the vehicle from a drive. Coolant level was very low. Adding coolant did not last long. I could not see where the leak was. The dealership evaluated and determined I had a cracked cylinder head and the car is leaking coolant near the rear of the engine. This could cause the engine to seize should coolant get into the engine. The dealer (New Rochelle Mazda) explains the cylinder head needs replacing. The dealer also observed bad rear sway bar links. One was detached. The car is serviced at the same dealership every 5k miles. The car has approximately 85k miles. The cylinder head has been repaired by the dealer under the extended warranty. Safety risk was moderate as the car could have stalled on the highway. The component was inspected by the warranty company and dealer only. The only warning lamps that showed up once were both brake indicator lights came on and the climate control would not warm the car.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
Vehicle “surges” at idle. 300-500 RPMS at a time. Sometimes the brakes hold and sometimes not. Have nearly been in 3 collisions the last 2 days because of this issue. The ECM codes indicate throttle body or TPS issue, both of which have been unfounded. Vehicle has 63,000 miles. Researching this topic online found that many others have had this issue with no associated safety recalls noted. I am hoping to bring light to this so someone doesn’t have to be injured or killed to have this rectified.
Traveling on the highway going on a road trip. Had vehicle inspected prior and no fuel system problems were noted. I was going 75mph with my family when there was a coasting feeling in the car. I looked and my check engine light popped on and my car immediately would not accelerate and we quickly lost speed. By the grace of God were we able to pull over safely! Code P0132 was the engine code and after an hour, the engine light went back off and we were able to keep a safe speed traveling home. After speaking with a mechanic and dealership, I learned that this was a common problem with the Denso fuel system. My vehicle was not included in a recent recall that included a different year of my vehicle. If manufacturers are aware that a major defect is out there, how many people have to have an accident or potentially cause a huge accident because a car made 2 years prior with the same part from the same manufacturer has the same dangerous problem? It’s ridiculous and I hope you look at this near fatal issue that has effected thousands of people, whose vehicles’ were made in 2017, 2016, 2015 and are not included in the recall.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
Smart City Break Malfunction warning light appears while driving. Simultaneously the tire pressure warning appears. Also, at the same time, the temperature reads -20 to -40 degrees. Yes, vehicle is available for inspection. Fearful that car could randomly break while driving putting myself and family in danger since there is a malfunction. Mazda service center says the problem can’t be reproduced so there’s nothing they can do. The problem seems to appear when the outside temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
Vehicle “surges” at idle. 300-500 RPMS at a time. Sometimes the brakes hold and sometimes not. Have nearly been in 3 collisions the last 2 days because of this issue. The ECM codes indicate throttle body or TPS issue, both of which have been unfounded. Vehicle has 63,000 miles. Researching this topic online found that many others have had this issue with no associated safety recalls noted. I am hoping to bring light to this so someone doesn’t have to be injured or killed to have this rectified.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
Engine Coolant Leaking from rear of engine near Exhaust / turbocharger at Cylinder Head. No Warning Lights indicating problem until coolant level low causing overheating and fire risk. Rear Brakes not releasing completely from "City Mode" where brakes are kept close to rotor "to increase braking response in City driving" - causes premature brake wear, warped brake rotors (reoccurs within 10K miles from new / replaced rotors) Front Bumper Fascia keeps coming loose at clips near headlights on both Driver and passenger side. Had replaced at dealership 3 times, but continues. Bumper coming loose and can obstruct headlights while moving around at highway speeds
I have noticed cracks on both sides of the front bumper on my 2016 Mazda CX-9. Mazda has issued a TSB 09-022-20-3720, however, the cracks recently appeared and my car is no longer under the manufacturer's warranty.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
My seat warmer caught fire and burnt a hole through the seat.
- THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM A MAZDA DEALER IN MAY 2017 - THE DRIVER SIDE CUSHION HEATER FAILED IN MARCH 2020. - THE PASSENGER SIDE CUSHION HEATER FAILED IN NOVEMBER 2020 - BOTH SIDES EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEM DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE USAGE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ABOUT 25% OF THE DRIVER - FROM THE TIME THE CUSHION HEATERS FAILED, WE OBSERVED RANDOM OVERHEATING OF THE BACK HEATERS AND RECORDED "HOT SPOTS" OF UP TO 149 DEG F (PICTURE ATTACHED) - WHILE THE CUSHION HEATERS DON'T OPERATE, THE BACKS GET TOO HOT FOR OCCUPANTS (ATTACHED PICTURE OF SKIN REACTION) AND AT ONE POINT THE PASSENGER SIDE PARTIALLY MELTED A PLASTIC SHOPPING BAG - MAZDA RESPONDED TO THE COMPLAINT THAT THE CAR WAS OUTSIDE OF THE 3-YEAR WARRANTY (EXPIRED IN MAY 2020) AND THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS SO THE COMPANY WAS NOT INTERESTED IN ANY TESTING OR INVESTIGATION OF THE PROBLEM ATTACHED: - PICTURE #1: TEMPERATURE IR READINGS - PICTURE #2: EFFECT OF THE OVERHEATING ON ONE OF THE OCCUPANTS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
The vehicle has tire pressure monitoring system malfunction warnings and parking brake malfunction warnings even after taking to dealership to be fixed. Was told it’s a known problem by Mazda, should be recalled, but there were not any current recalls for the issue.
Rear wheel trim partially detached from car while driving, safety risk of large plastic part being caught in rear wheel. Did not hit any debris but heard a loud noise as the part detached. Part is supposed to be held in place by 12 clips but multiple owners of Mazda CX-5 and CX-9 models report this problem. Mazda dealers deny there is a problem even when some new cars have only 3 clips installed. When I called Mazda USA to report, and asked them specifically for a federal government contact to report safety issues, they said calling them was the ONLY way to report an issue, which was not correct. Was told I would have to pay for the repair of this safety issue. See this website for the experience of other owners and a description of the problem: https://mazdas247.com/forum/t/2016-cx-9-wheel-well-trim-became-detached.123861160/ I also personally know another Mazda owner who had the same issue with the part falling off while driving.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, POURING RAIN/SLEET, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE FLEW OFF OF THE CAR - CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE WITH VISIBILITY. WE HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND SWITCH TO THE PASSENGER SIDE'S WIPER BLADE, SO THAT WE COULD GET TO A SAFER PLACE TO BE OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. IT WAS NIGHT TIME DURING ONE INCIDENT AND DAYTIME DURING THE OTHER. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO BE THE WAY THE WIPER BLADE ATTACHES TO THE ARM.
SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING APPROX 40 MPH. WERE IN A VALLEY ON VACATION IN COLORADO, NO TREES OR ANYTHING OVERHEAD WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WE HAD JUST CLOSED THE WINDOWS AND TURNED ON THE AIR CONDITIONER AS IT WAS GETTING HOT. ABOUT 2 MINUTES LATER WE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. ONLY WHEN WE PULLED OVER DID WE DISCOVER IT WAS THE SUNROOF.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The entire electrical system is malfunctioning. All dashboard service lights (check engine, ABS, etc.) illuminate simultaneously, causing the vehicle to stutter and shut off while driving. The vehicle is available for inspection. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This issue has resulted in a dangerous situation, particularly when the vehicle lost power on the highway with my young children aboard. This sudden loss of control could have led to a severe accident. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Mazda’s service department has not been able to reproduce the problem despite multiple visits. I have provided video evidence, but no conclusive diagnosis or resolution has been achieved. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? Mazda’s authorized technicians have inspected the vehicle several times, but no substantial action has been taken. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? All dashboard lights come on simultaneously without prior warning. The symptoms have been random and intermittent over the past few months. Given the ongoing risk, I request an immediate replacement of my vehicle. Please confirm receipt of this complaint and provide a plan for replacement. Thank you for your prompt attention.
VEHICLE MAKES A CRANKING NOISE WHEN STEERING AT A SLOW SPEED MEANING WHEN TURNING, REVERSING OR SLOWLY GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS IT MAKES A CRANKING NOISE ITS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NORMAL HAS BEEN LIKE THAT SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, IT WAS TAKEN IN DUE TO A RECENT RECALL COUPLE MONTHS AGO FOR THE REAR SAME ISSUES WITH A CRANKING NOISE, NOW IT'S THE FRONT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
I started smelling coolant after exiting the vehicle from a drive. Coolant level was very low. Adding coolant did not last long. I could not see where the leak was. The dealership evaluated and determined I had a cracked cylinder head and the car is leaking coolant near the rear of the engine. This could cause the engine to seize should coolant get into the engine. The dealer (New Rochelle Mazda) explains the cylinder head needs replacing. The dealer also observed bad rear sway bar links. One was detached. The car is serviced at the same dealership every 5k miles. The car has approximately 85k miles. The cylinder head has been repaired by the dealer under the extended warranty. Safety risk was moderate as the car could have stalled on the highway. The component was inspected by the warranty company and dealer only. The only warning lamps that showed up once were both brake indicator lights came on and the climate control would not warm the car.
I WAS T-BONED ON PASSENGER SIDE OF MY MAZDA CX9 AIR BAGS DID NOT WORK ON MY MAZDA.OTHER VEHICLE AIR BAGS DID GO OFF.I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH WHEN OTHER CAR PLOWED INTO MINE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
Intermittent Airbag Warning Light (Code 18), Passenger Airbag Deactivation light not operating and no warning chime indicating unbuckled passenger side seat belt. The safety issue appears to be related to the airbag and related safety equipment. In the dash, within the speed and rpm display, the red airbag warning light is blinking, reporting from what I gather is a CODE18, as it blinks once, followed by a pause, followed by eight blinks. It appears to be linked an inoperable PAD warning light, which should be on while no one is sitting in the passenger seat and off while someone is sitting on the passenger seat. While the car is running and a passenger sits unbuckled on the passenger seat there is no warning chime indicating that this passenger is unbuckled. Thank you
I WAS T-BONED ON PASSENGER SIDE OF MY MAZDA CX9 AIR BAGS DID NOT WORK ON MY MAZDA.OTHER VEHICLE AIR BAGS DID GO OFF.I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH WHEN OTHER CAR PLOWED INTO MINE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
P 255 / 50 R 20 104V M+S tread physically detached while driving at 70MPH Was able to steer and stop the vehicle and avoid a crash, partially due to fewer traffic on the road and the tire in question was on the rear driver side. Was able to replace the tire with my insurance. However no intimation about the failure was mentioned or no further action taken about safety of other tires previously on the vehicle The incident took place suddenly with a huge noise due to the broken tire hitting the wheel well and ripping off the fender. The accident happened on 17th Apr 2019 A supporting link referring a similar incident to a with different model year and date code https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RCAK-19V770-4232.pdf Makes/Models/Model Years: MAZDA/CX-9/2019 Mfr's Report Date: October 28, 2019 NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V-770 Components: TIRES:TREAD/BELT Potential Number of Units Affected: 146 Mazda's number for this recall is 4019J
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .