RoadVitals

2021 Mazda CX-9

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

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.
41
+2 complaints in 30 days
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.
1
Latest Sep 27, 2021
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.
7
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 41 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Mazda CX-9, most frequently naming the engine, driver assistance and powertrain (other) categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 431 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

  • Engine2245.8%
  • Powertrain (other)510.4%
  • Brakes48.3%
  • Electrical24.2%
  • Airbags24.2%
  • Visibility12.1%
  • Other / unspecified12.1%

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

1 campaign 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

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER; SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

Sep 27, 2021
8,648 units potentially affected
The 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."
The risk: A seat that slides forward during a crash can transfer excessive force onto a belted occupant, increasing their risk of injury.
The 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.
Mazda North American OperationsManufacturer number 5221IView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

Engine
Filed Nov 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 - 25 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact used a diagnostic scanner and retrieved DTC: P0303, for a cylinder #3 misfire. The vehicle was taken to a local Mazda dealer to be diagnosed and repaired. The dealer found a coolant leak and performed a system cleaning and replaced the spark plugs and fuel injectors. However, the failure reoccurred. While the contact's wife was driving the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer by the insurance company. The contact requested that the dealer inspect the cylinder head gasket and coolant system in his presence. The dealer informed the contact that the repair warranty would be limited to one year or 12,000 miles. The contact also contacted the manufacturer customer service but was not provided any additional assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

NHTSA ID
11775584
Incident
Oct 14, 2026
Mileage
86,000 mi
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 14, 2026

2021 Mazda CX-9 (VIN: JM3TCBDY3M0538768 / 72,400 mi) Vehicle has suffered complete, sudden loss of motive power at high freeway speeds on four separate occasions. Without warning, the engine loses all propulsion, essentially stalling mid-traffic and forcing me to dangerously coast across active freeway lanes to the shoulder. This creates an extreme risk of a high-speed rear-end collision. No crash or injuries have occurred yet, but the car is entirely unsafe to drive. The authorized Mazda dealership has been completely unable to diagnose or fix this intermittent failure. Due to the persistent danger, the vehicle is currently at the shop with the same problem, where it has been since Oct 8, 2026. This is not an isolated issue. As you will see from the pictures, there are several dates where the same situation has occurred in the vehicle goes into limp mode. Mazda corporate has been contacted case 00503976. I am requesting a buyback. I request an urgent NHTSA investigation into 2021 CX-9 power loss defects for a potential recall.

NHTSA ID
11771132
Incident
Oct 6, 2026
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 12, 2026

I entered the interstate normally, with no issues accelerating or merging. While driving at approximately 70 mph, in traffic, all three warning messages appeared on the instrument cluster at the same time: “Smart Brake System Malfunction,” “Driver Attention Alert System Malfunction,” and “Forward Smart City Brake Support Malfunction.” At the same moment, the vehicle began to lose speed. I pressed the accelerator pedal firmly. The speed continued to decrease instead of increasing. I could not accelerate at all. An exit was thankfully immediately available. I took the exit, then continued on a side road, then into a parking lot before I could find a safe place to stop. At no point did the pedal work again — I was immensely lucky to navigate safely, especially with my toddler in back seat. Other traffic was present on the interstate at the time. The sudden loss of throttle at that speed, with traffic present on each road and merging across numerous lanes in [XXX] traffic, created a serious risk of collision while I searched for a safe stop. The vehicle has not been inspected by a dealer, it’s with Hiley Mazda of Hurst dealership in [XXX] now. TBD whether the problem can be reproduced. The vehicle can be available for inspection if needed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11763863
Incident
Sep 12, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 27, 2026

On a high-speed highway (Route 14), the vehicle suffered a sudden flat tire/air loss event, forcing an emergency pull-off onto a narrow shoulder with 65 mph traffic. Subsequent inspection revealed the failed tire and the rest of the set were manufactured in late 2007 (DOT code 4907). These 19-year-old tires were installed by a professional tire shop despite being far beyond their safe service life. Component/System Failed: Tires (Set of 4). Tire Size: 255/50 R20 (Vredestein Wintrac 4 Xtreme, DOT 4907). Available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: Sudden tire failure at highway speeds created immediate loss-of-control risks and exposed occupants to high-speed semi-truck traffic on a narrow shoulder. Confirmation/Inspection: DOT date code 4907 confirmed by visual inspection. The installing tire shop was notified and acknowledged the sale/installation. Not yet inspected by manufacturer or law enforcement. Warning Signs: No warning lights, pressure drops, or symptoms occurred prior to failure. UNKNOWN if internal tread separation preceded deflation.

NHTSA ID
11760004
Incident
Aug 27, 2026
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 10, 2026
Crash reported

The vehicle was parked stationary in the driveway with the engine running for 3-5 minutes with the A/C on. The vehicle then accelerated forward into my garage causing damage. Once I entered the vehicle, both the dash and shifter displayed park. Current TCU system internal failures have been reported from the pulling of data from Mazda.

NHTSA ID
11755863
Incident
Aug 3, 2026
Engine
Filed Jul 23, 2026

1) What component or system failed or malfunctioned: On 6/12/2026 While drive on the highway with our daughter in the car and we experienced a high speed stall. The engine failed and we lost power. We barely got the car of the highway and coasted into a parking lot. 2) Life threating for Father, Mother and daughter and other drivers on the highway. 3) The Mazda dealer stated they were unable to reproduced problem. The diagnostic report showed few random misfired on two cylinders 2 & 3. Autozone detected codes P0300 with Secondary DTCs U0442-00 4) There car was only inspected by the dealer. The vehicle has not been inspected by Mazda the manufacturer. We requested Mazda to escalate this to the District Service Manger and to open hotline call with Mazda corporate but both of these were denied. All our service has been performed at Mazda dealer, including oil changes. We have always received a video of them working on our car with a detailed summary of what done. We did not receive the video or diagnostic report for this issue. 5) There were no warning lamps, no messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure.

NHTSA ID
11752508
Incident
Jun 12, 2026
Engine
Filed Jul 12, 2026

This complaint refers to Mazda and it's dealer refusal to properly execute the warranty work under the SSPD5 Valve Stem Seal Class Action Campaign and does not follow the Court's approval of the final Settlement Agreement. I assert that Mazda and it's dealer are not following the SSPD5 repair procedures. 1. I have documentation and complaints going back to Dec-2023 with this particular dealer that I have experienced low level oil consumption within the 7,500 mile oil change interval. The dealer did not detect oil leaks in any of the engine systems. 2. I presented the vehicle to the dealer with the Engine Oil Level Warning Light illuminated. The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P250FF:00 should be stored in the vehicle memory. 3. The vehicle had 50,501 miles and was within the original 60 month limited powertrain warranty. 4. The dealer refused to conduct the valve stem seal repairs until an oil consumption test was run. The dealer claims that because I had another service center (note that I use full synthettic oil that meets Mazda oil specifications) conduct the most recent oil change at 43,738 miles (note within the 7,500 oil change interval and the 1 year time window) that the dealer would require an oil consumption test. I assert that this is not required per the class settlement agreement and the SSPD5 repair procedures that Mazda sends to all of its dealers. 5. I researched the available documentation that it's available through the NHTSA.gov. The language in these documents is very clear. 6. SSPD5 Valve Stem Class Action Campaign, Repair Procedure 6-12-2024: a. "The DTC250 is not required to be present for valve stem replacement." b. "Customer complaint of oil consumption...OR Low Oil Light OR DTC250 follow the flow chart." c. Flow chart says "Replace the exhaust valve stem seals by following TSB 01-003/24" if no previous warranty work done. 7. SSPD5 updates on 8-6-25 and 4-28-26: a. Refer to page 4, DTC250 is NOT required to be presented (it is noted in RED).

NHTSA ID
11749820
Incident
Jul 6, 2026
Engine
Filed Jun 18, 2026

Check engine light comes on and error P0303 comes on. Had an independent mechanic do the following and after each one, error P0303 still came on 1. Swap the ignition coils from 2 to 3 2. Swap spark plugs from 2 to 3 3. Swapped injectors 4. Compression test 5. Leak down test 6. Changed the spark plug, coil and injectors 7. Looked for vacuum leaks. Mechanic believes that it is related to the cracked cylinder head in the recall, MC-10232269-0001.pdf. My vehicle is just outside of the recall range and has 87k miles on it. Other research online shows other people with the same vehicle and similar milealge are also having this problem.

NHTSA ID
11745150
Incident
Jun 18, 2026

Manufacturer communications

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

Dlr Claim Resp

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Subject: Update – Campaign Warranty Claim Response Enhancements – Modules Not Repaired for Certain Campaigns Dear Mazda Dealer Colleagues, On October 28, 2026, a change was implemented in the warranty claim response screen to provide precise information for all campaigns requiring module programming or module replacement subject to the LECS system software checks. As previously announced, some claims were automatically rejected with the Edit code JN1 – One or More Modules Are Not Updated when submitting a campaign warranty claim. This response was based on the session file received from MDARS or MDARS II at the dealership and the VIN on the claim submitted. This change provides additional Related Information which enhances the edit code information. This information allows the dealer to correct the error without contacting Warranty or Hotline. Edit code JN1 now contains the actual module name and the software version that was collected from the car and what the minimum required software needed to be for the claim. Using this information, the technician can now identify the exact error or errors and correct the concern.

SA-038-26c

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some customers may complain about any of the following 1. Infotainment Center Display does not provide the Authorization Code (OTP) during the MyMazda App Connected Vehicle enrollment. 2. Remote function(s) inoperative.

09-028-26

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted below in Red. 09-038/24 08/08/24 NOTE: This service information is NOT applicable to 7th generation Mazda vehicles because the odometer data is stored in the BCM. DESCRIPTION In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealer’s responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometer and related documentation requirements when providing a repair or replacement. Mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers.

SA-042-26a

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Mazda Connected Services - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SAs listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-042/26 06/30/26 DESCRIPTION Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Index General Questions MAZDA CONNECT Indication Setup and Getting Started Dealer Processes Registration / Enrollment / Take-Over Customer Subscription Status WI-FI General Informatio Opening the TCU Communication Line WI-FI How-To Conditions for Remote Engine Start Will Not Function WI-FI Trial Period Conditions for Remote Engine Start Function Will turn engine OFF Interacting With The App TCU Communication Line Status Service Issues Educational Videos Troubleshooting Resources MyMazda App Error Codes Customer Opt-Out

SA-041-26a

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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

SA-038-26b

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued service alert listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-038/26 08/18/26 and 06/15/26 DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about any of the following: 1. Infotainment Center Display does not provide the Authorization Code (OTP) during the MyMazda App

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
2023130050.3
2022110052.7
2021Viewing411054.6
2020191047.8
2019542048.4
20181282050.8
2017610035.5
20161080040.4
2015352044.4
2014543148.5
2013684258.0
20122214256.3
20111714358.7
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.