Most common 2011 Mazda CX-7 problems
Share of the 154 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mazda CX-7 complaints by model year
Best CX-7 years: 2012, 2009. Years to avoid: 2007. Compare all years →
2011 Mazda CX-7 recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2007-2012 CX-7, CX-9, and 2009-2012 Maza6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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.
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 Mazda6, and 2007-2011 CX-7 and CX-9 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2012 Mazda CX-7 vehicles manufactured February 14, 2006, to May 9, 2012. In the affected vehicles, water may enter the front suspension ball joint fittings.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower control arms, free of charge. As a priority, Mazda will first address all affected 2007-2008 vehicles as well as 2009-2011 vehicles currently…
What 2011 Mazda CX-7 owners say
Suspension all 51 →
My wheel on front driver's side is wobbly and I just decided to look up for any recalls and I'm lucky we didn't have a major accident I drive the interstate almost daily also I want to report that my door handles have had to be replaced 6 times since we've bought the car in 2019
There was a recall on my vehicle in oct 2016 , I had already lost control of my vehicle and had an accident in sept 2016 and had to pay insurance fees storage fees and lost wages due to accident. Mazda sent me a letter as of March 2018 saying that thet now have the parts to fix it after 6 months..I was driving down the street and lost control of steering and crashed into a parked car. I would like to find out how I can be compensated because I lost control of the vehicle because of defect
Air bags all 42 →
The contact owns a 2011 Mazda CX-7. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V429000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact called an independent mechanic, but no assistance was provided. The local dealer was contacted. The dealer declined to tow the vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
My mechanic told me to check with Mazda as there might be a recall that has not been taken care of yet. I called Mazda and they told me there were 3 recalls (2 of which my mechanic already fixed) and the airbag recall. Told me not to drive, but would not provide any vehicle to use and would not set an appointment until December 8th, 2025.
Lights all 38 →
The low beam wiring gets hot and melts the connectors to the bulb connection. The low beam headlights have been replaced 8 times in a year due to low visibility. It's like turning off the headlights but they are still on. It's been going on for years. I've taken it to Mazda and the mechanic told me they had a vehicle there now with the same problem and have not figured out the problem yet. Wiring harness has been replaced to the low beam, the connectors and bulbs replaced fuzes and nothing seems to fix it, the battery keeps needing to be replaced as well, alternator has been replaced. This is a safety issue due to the fact that the low beams are so dim the driver can't see to drive without using high beam headlights to drive and they are just like having regular low beams on.. I've used halogen as well as led trying to fix it nothing has worked
Mazda has messed up headlights and it is very dangerous. I have to drive with high beams on continuously! The low beams point straight down to the road, looks like even with the bumper, you cannot see anything. It looks like you don't have lights on. Took it to dealer and they say it's the housing and it's a Mazda thing and don't do anything to fix it. I have tried every bulb available for Mazda and nothing helps. They need to fix this. I see SEVERAL owners with the same complaints! Please don't overlook this as it is very dangerous and may cause deaths.
2011 Mazda CX-7 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 17 / 21 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Mazda CX-7 a good car?
Based on 154 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 CX-7 rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the CX-7 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Mazda CX-7?
The suspension — 51 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (42) and lights (38).
How many recalls does the 2011 Mazda CX-7 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2011 Mazda CX-7, the most recent from October 31, 2019 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mazda CX-7?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2007. See the full Mazda CX-7 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Mazda CX-7 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 53,000 miles; 48% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.