Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Mazda CX-9 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
In 2017 had my front control arms replaced after the driver side CV arm came off of the axle due to a recall. 5 years later (about 30k miles) the same exact situation happened now with the passenger side making a left turn. Thankfully both times I didn't cause an accident but came close due to the wheel coming off of the axle. Brought to dealership, they had to get approval from corporate for the repair. Got a call 6 days later saying corporate denied the goodwill repair due to being "normal wear and tear" and they told me to call corporate. Just called corporate and they say that the dealership makes that decision. I shouldn't have to pay for something that was recalled, repaired, and happened again 100% in the same fashion. Normal wear and tear on a CV arm is not 20-30k miles.
On Tuesday May 31, 2016 I took my Mazda cx9 to Mazda dealership for the recall, reference ##15V451000. I told the service representative that I was glad to be bringing the car in as it was making noises in the driver front and that the steering seemed loose. I was told that my car was inspected, did not require the recall and that all suspension parts were in good working order. On Sunday, June 5, 2016 while entering the highway while driving my 2 children and elderly mother, my ball joint and lower control arm broke causing an accident on the highway on ramp. I was informed by police that I was lucky this had not occurred moments later (at high speed) as it was likely to have caused a severe or possibly fatal accident. The car was not drive able and required me tow my vehicle and find alternative transportation.
While driving went to make right turn to have car serviced for unknown clicking when I would only make right turns. When turning into parking lot I heard a loud bang and auto was immobile at that point. I exited and found left front tire turned sideways. I had various damage to left front wheel area having to replace ball joint, lower control arm, bent axle and rim damage. I was also inform from irwin Mazda that right ball joint had issues and I also had that replaced.
When making a u-turn (left turn) at under 10 MPH the vehicle made a loud noise and it shuttered to a stop. I called my husband and waited for him to arrive. When he arrived, he (and the police) attempted to push the car in neutral, but the car would not budge. He walked around the car and observed that the front right passenger wheel was turned out and resting against the fender. This exposed the suspension and he saw the ball joint and suspension had broken loose. The ball joint had ripped out from its housing and the suspension bar had broken apart at the wheel. There were parts on the ground along with grey fluid which was coming out from the hole left by the ball joint coupling. The fender was also damaged by the wheel. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for repair. …
Was driving on neighborhood road, heading toward a state highway when all of the sudden a large boom occurred and I lost total control of the car and went up the curb and onto the sidewalk. I thought I'd blown a tire but got out and saw the entire wheel was disconnected - the suspension ruined. Would be happy to share pictures mechanic says ball joint, cv joint came completely off as well as brake fluid all over. I read online about similar issues and that NHTSA has an open investigation under NHTSA action number: pe15022. Consider this another case! I'm thankful there were no people that I swerved into when losing control! This is clearly a safety hazard- ay least in states where salt is used on roads, like here in mn I expect Mazda to take responsibility and pay for these repairs please contact me with additional info or next steps. Thank you!
I was making a right turn from a parking lot onto a road with my two children in the car when a loud crunch happened, the vehicle jerked left while still moving forward and I was unable to steer or break. The car came to an abrupt stop and I couldn't get the driver's door open. I walked around to the front of the car while in traffic and noticed loose parts that had been ejected from the wheel, leaking break fluid, and the driver's side front wheel was no longer attached and had wedged under the car. The car was unable to be moved out of the road thus creating a traffic jam. The tow truck driver said the control arm was broken and that my girls and I are lucky that we were not seriously injured. The car was towed to the Mazda dealer service department 4 days ago and I have not heard from them. Is this something that is covered under tread liability laws? …
I heard a loud noise as I turned left into a driveway and came to a stop. The car wouldn't move forward or backward. When I got out to inspect, I found that the left front tire had disengaged. The car was towed to a non-dealer service facility, which determined that the left front ball joint had broken. The ball joint, axle and sway bar link were replaced. The next week, I returned the car to the service facility, and they determined that the same repairs were needed on the right front, as well as replacement of the tie rod ends on the left front. About a month after these repairs, I took my car to my local Mazda dealer for a full ("used car") inspection. I mentioned the repairs I'd had done, and they said they weren't aware of any problems with ball joints on CX-9s. I had been traveling on the freeway (70 MPH) not five minutes before the ball joint broke. …
I had been hearing a knocking noise in my car when I went to make left or right hand turns for approximately a week. After having my mechanic investigate he took a look at the ball joints, they are 'non-serviceable,' which means they are a sealed unit. He said from what he could tell they were fine. Later that day I attempted to pull out of a parking space. My wheels were spinning in the snow, I got out and took a look and my front left tire was off! The ball joint was no longer attached the car. The only thing securing the wheel to the car was the tie rod. After having it towed to my garage both lower control arms were replaced on the vehicle (one per side) along with the cv joint. They were replaced with Mazda parts. Inspection on the passenger right side revealed there was barely any grease in that ball joint. …
While making a right turn into a parking place, the right front ball joint broke and cv joint became disconnected, causing the wheel to become disconnected from the car and pushing the wheel well back under the passenger door, making it inoperable. The tow driver said I must have hit something really hard, but in the two and a half years I've had this car, I've never hit anything! I drive a lot for my job and am grateful this didn't happen while I was traveling 70 MPH on the highway. It was very scary and has shaken my confidence in this car. I had the car repaired on an emergency basis, but the mechanic told me while the other ball joint was safe enough for me to make the trip home (350 miles), I should definitely get it checked out as well, as it looked suspect for the long term. The car is at the mechanic now, and I was a nervous wreck driving it home earlier today.
2008 Mazda CX-9 grand touring all wheel drive with 20 inch (upgrade) wheels housed in northern va has had a series of suspension system issues. In December 2014 the front driver-side wheel bearing broke while driving from new york to dc. Luckily the roaring sound was noticed and the car was taken to a mr tire in time before the wheel fell off. Front tire wear was also extremely uneven and tires were replaced. Now in summer 2015 a creaking noise while going over bumps and hard turns resulted in the discovery that the front lower ball bearings were loose/had too much play, and we replaced the front lower control arms, swaybar links and bushings, and a broken rear differential mount. Mazda dealer suggests these are normal wear and tear issues. It feels like the suspension system is not designed to manage the weight of the car and normal city/bumpy/pothole driving.
Related recalls
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2014 CX-9 vehicles manufactured October 24, 2006, to December 28, 2013. The affected vehicles have front suspension ball joints that may corrode from water leaking into the fitting.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace both the left and right lower control arms, free of charge. The recall began on September 14, 2015.
NHTSA investigations
Lower ball joint separation
In an July 7,2015 letter to NHTSA, Mazda identified a safety defect that could result in lower ball joint separation in approximately 193,484 model year (MY) 2007 through 2014 Mazda CX-9 vehicles (NHTSA Recall No. 15V-451,Mazda 8515G).Mazda indicated that damage to the ball joint boot may allow water to enter the front suspension ball joint fitting during use which may result in premature ball joint wear and a…
Suspension complaints in other CX-9 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2008 Mazda CX-9?
NHTSA has 55 complaints about the suspension of the 2008 Mazda CX-9, 32% of the model year's 172 complaints. The component named most often is front › control arm › lower ball joint (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Mazda CX-9 suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 15V-451 (lower ball joint, Jul 20, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 Mazda CX-9 suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 110,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.