2026 Mazda CX-90 Problems

My boyfriend and I rented the car from Hertz Car Rental in [XXX] on Labor Day weekend. Within moments of driving the car off the lot, the safety camera system stopped working and the lights came on saying they weren’t working. The touch screen also started glitching and intermittently working but we didn’t think too much about it. We started driving across the state to [XXX] and made it about 4 hours away from [XXX] when the car started making a noise like a marble in a tin can, lost power, started shaking, and could not make it up hills at a safe speed. The check engine light came on. We pulled over and popped the hood to find a lot of rat feces scattered all over the engine bay, some of it looked fresh and some was turning white telling us it was there for a while. We called the Hertz rental roadside assistance who could not help us as they rented out all of their cars for the weekend and our only options were to tow us back to [XXX] without a replacement car or try to continue driving it the 1 hour to our destination. We continued to drive the car as we did not have anywhere else to stay and were in the middle of nowhere. We drove the car slowly to our destination but it did keep making the noise and shaking although the check engine light went out. When I got out of the car, I noticed a raw gas oder which worried me. I called my dad who works on cars and he told me not to drive it any farther as it could be a serious safety risk as the rats likely have been chewing wires and hoses and there could be a fire risk. We were also breathing the rat feces in our whole trip unknowingly. We called for the car to be towed and paid to rent another from another company. Since then, we have not gotten any money back and they continue to charge us daily for the car saying we must return it, meaning they have no record of where there car is even though we watched it be towed away and talked to the driver who said he was taking it to the Grand Junction Airport. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

On multiple occasions, the steering wheel became stiff or locked while driving or during start-up, multiple dashboard warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle could not be shifted from Park to Drive. This occurred repeatedly since the vehicle was purchased. The dealer inspected the vehicle multiple times; on the first attempts they could not duplicate the issue. On a later visit, the vehicle displayed a lost communication fault with the electric power steering (EPS) system, and the dealer replaced the steering gear/rack assembly and EPS motor per the manufacturer’s technical hotline instructions. Despite this part replacement, the same steering/warning light condition recurred weeks later. At that point the dealer confirmed the defect but stated there is currently no authorized repair or parts replacement available, and that engineering is developing a permanent corrective action. The vehicle remains in my possession and is available for inspection. This defect creates a serious safety risk because the vehicle cannot be steered or shifted normally when the condition occurs, including while driving. No crash or injury has occurred to date.”

My boyfriend and I rented the car from Hertz Car Rental in [XXX] on Labor Day weekend. Within moments of driving the car off the lot, the safety camera system stopped working and the lights came on saying they weren’t working. The touch screen also started glitching and intermittently working but we didn’t think too much about it. We started driving across the state to [XXX] and made it about 4 hours away from [XXX] when the car started making a noise like a marble in a tin can, lost power, started shaking, and could not make it up hills at a safe speed. The check engine light came on. We pulled over and popped the hood to find a lot of rat feces scattered all over the engine bay, some of it looked fresh and some was turning white telling us it was there for a while. We called the Hertz rental roadside assistance who could not help us as they rented out all of their cars for the weekend and our only options were to tow us back to [XXX] without a replacement car or try to continue driving it the 1 hour to our destination. We continued to drive the car as we did not have anywhere else to stay and were in the middle of nowhere. We drove the car slowly to our destination but it did keep making the noise and shaking although the check engine light went out. When I got out of the car, I noticed a raw gas oder which worried me. I called my dad who works on cars and he told me not to drive it any farther as it could be a serious safety risk as the rats likely have been chewing wires and hoses and there could be a fire risk. We were also breathing the rat feces in our whole trip unknowingly. We called for the car to be towed and paid to rent another from another company. Since then, we have not gotten any money back and they continue to charge us daily for the car saying we must return it, meaning they have no record of where there car is even though we watched it be towed away and talked to the driver who said he was taking it to the Grand Junction Airport. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

I am reporting a fuel odor concern with my Mazda CX-90. After driving the vehicle and pulling it into my attached garage, I noticed a strong gasoline/fuel smell coming from the vehicle. I reported this to the Mazda dealership's service department. They told me Mazda is aware of the fuel smell for several years now and that it is coming from the EVAP system/canister. They explained that the EVAP system has openings that allow it to vent and that this venting is causing the fuel smell. The service department told me they have contacted Mazda corporate about this issue in the past. According to them, Mazda's response is that [XXX] and [XXX] are considered "extreme climates" due to the heat, and Mazda has not provided a repair or modification for the issue. The dealership advised me to park the vehicle outside for approximately 10 minutes after arriving home before putting it in my garage. They said this allows the fuel smell/vapors to dissipate outside instead of entering the garage or home and creating a potential fire hazard. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact was driving a 2026 Mazda Motor. The contact stated while driving at approximately 20 MPH, the contact discovered that while the front passenger seat was not occupied, when the passenger did not weigh enough the front passenger side air bag was inoperative; the contact stated that while the front passenger seat was not occupied the "fasten passenger seatbelt" message was displayed on the instrument panel and the fasten seat belt alarm went off. A dealer was contacted however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,133.

Vehicle experienced multiple safety-related failures at approximately 500 miles. The failures included complete instrument cluster loss (no speedometer or gauges), unpredictable windshield wiper operation, headlight flickering, complete loss of brake lights and turn signals, rear liftgate malfunction, and airbag/seatbelt warning indicators. These issues created unsafe operating conditions, including inability to monitor vehicle speed, loss of rear signaling and brake indication to other drivers, and uncertainty regarding airbag system functionality. This presented a risk to both the driver and surrounding traffic. The failures occurred intermittently and in combination, indicating a potential systemic electrical issue rather than a single isolated component failure. The vehicle has been taken to an authorized Mazda dealership and is currently under inspection and repair. The dealership has indicated the instrument cluster requires replacement and is currently on backorder. Full root cause has not been confirmed. Warning indicators, including airbag and seatbelt system alerts, were observed prior to and during the failures. Additional symptoms included erratic system behavior across multiple vehicle functions. Vehicle remains at dealership with no confirmed repair completion date. Component is available for inspection upon request through the servicing dealership.

On multiple occasions, the steering wheel became stiff or locked while driving or during start-up, multiple dashboard warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle could not be shifted from Park to Drive. This occurred repeatedly since the vehicle was purchased. The dealer inspected the vehicle multiple times; on the first attempts they could not duplicate the issue. On a later visit, the vehicle displayed a lost communication fault with the electric power steering (EPS) system, and the dealer replaced the steering gear/rack assembly and EPS motor per the manufacturer’s technical hotline instructions. Despite this part replacement, the same steering/warning light condition recurred weeks later. At that point the dealer confirmed the defect but stated there is currently no authorized repair or parts replacement available, and that engineering is developing a permanent corrective action. The vehicle remains in my possession and is available for inspection. This defect creates a serious safety risk because the vehicle cannot be steered or shifted normally when the condition occurs, including while driving. No crash or injury has occurred to date.”

The contact owns a 2026 Mazda CX-90. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel was pulling to the left, causing the vehicle to merge into the left lane unintendedly. The contact firmly held the steering wheel to prevent the failure. Additionally, the vehicle jerked to the right lane while the lane keep steering assist function was activated because the steering wheel was pulling to the left. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but no cause of failure was found. The failure persisted, and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and an alignment of 0.1 degrees was performed; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer for the third time, and the contact was informed that no repair was available and was advised to contact the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 100.

Vehicle experienced multiple safety-related failures at approximately 500 miles. The failures included complete instrument cluster loss (no speedometer or gauges), unpredictable windshield wiper operation, headlight flickering, complete loss of brake lights and turn signals, rear liftgate malfunction, and airbag/seatbelt warning indicators. These issues created unsafe operating conditions, including inability to monitor vehicle speed, loss of rear signaling and brake indication to other drivers, and uncertainty regarding airbag system functionality. This presented a risk to both the driver and surrounding traffic. The failures occurred intermittently and in combination, indicating a potential systemic electrical issue rather than a single isolated component failure. The vehicle has been taken to an authorized Mazda dealership and is currently under inspection and repair. The dealership has indicated the instrument cluster requires replacement and is currently on backorder. Full root cause has not been confirmed. Warning indicators, including airbag and seatbelt system alerts, were observed prior to and during the failures. Additional symptoms included erratic system behavior across multiple vehicle functions. Vehicle remains at dealership with no confirmed repair completion date. Component is available for inspection upon request through the servicing dealership.

My boyfriend and I rented the car from Hertz Car Rental in [XXX] on Labor Day weekend. Within moments of driving the car off the lot, the safety camera system stopped working and the lights came on saying they weren’t working. The touch screen also started glitching and intermittently working but we didn’t think too much about it. We started driving across the state to [XXX] and made it about 4 hours away from [XXX] when the car started making a noise like a marble in a tin can, lost power, started shaking, and could not make it up hills at a safe speed. The check engine light came on. We pulled over and popped the hood to find a lot of rat feces scattered all over the engine bay, some of it looked fresh and some was turning white telling us it was there for a while. We called the Hertz rental roadside assistance who could not help us as they rented out all of their cars for the weekend and our only options were to tow us back to [XXX] without a replacement car or try to continue driving it the 1 hour to our destination. We continued to drive the car as we did not have anywhere else to stay and were in the middle of nowhere. We drove the car slowly to our destination but it did keep making the noise and shaking although the check engine light went out. When I got out of the car, I noticed a raw gas oder which worried me. I called my dad who works on cars and he told me not to drive it any farther as it could be a serious safety risk as the rats likely have been chewing wires and hoses and there could be a fire risk. We were also breathing the rat feces in our whole trip unknowingly. We called for the car to be towed and paid to rent another from another company. Since then, we have not gotten any money back and they continue to charge us daily for the car saying we must return it, meaning they have no record of where there car is even though we watched it be towed away and talked to the driver who said he was taking it to the Grand Junction Airport. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

Instrument cluster will reboot during braking at random times. All warning lights turn on, gauges go to zero and front wipers are set off. This happens for 1-3 seconds. Mazda replaced instrument cluster but only made issue worsen they said it’s safe to drive but very distracting especially when turning onto busy roads. Currently being experienced by multiple other vehicles, so not isolated. Bought in February 2026 and started in early March 2026, currently still an issue as of June 2026.