Most common 2009 Mazda CX-9 problems
Share of the 59 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mazda CX-9 complaints by model year
Best CX-9 years: 2015, 2022, 2020. Years to avoid: 2012, 2011, 2018, 2008, 2010. Compare all years →
2009 Mazda CX-9 recalls (6)
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 2013 Mazda6 and 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 March 2, 2018.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2012 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 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: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
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 2007-2014 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.
Electrical system › Wiring › Interior/under dash
Mazda is recalling 30,600 my 2007-2009 cx9 vehicles equipped with power adjustable seat with position memory function. The seat harness routed underneath the seat cushion May interfere with the front cover bracket which is attached on the front side of the seat cushion.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the seat harness and fasten the seat frame with a cable tie. The harness covering will be repair free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before March 16, 2009.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2009 Mazda CX-9:
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…
What 2009 Mazda CX-9 owners say
Brakes
Was driving my Mazda CX-9 in afternoon traffic when the car in front of me applied their brakes to stop. I went to apply my brakes and the pedal was hard and nothing happened...the car would not stop. I then placed my other foot on the pedal in order to apply more pressure and still nothing. Heard a hissing noise and then realized this car was not going to stop. "scared the hell" out of me as I watched my car hit the car in front of me. Thank god I was not going fast or this could have been tragic. Pulled over slowly to the side of the road and shut the car off to gather my thoughts. Apologized to the lady I just hit and could not explain to her what happened, we were both puzzled. I then slowly milked the car home to park it and call the dealer. This is what I found out....Mazda know's there are issues with the brake power assist unit and it actually was investigated by the NHTSA. …
So I was backing up from a parking space on a shopping center and my brake pedal on my Mazda CX-9 did not stop immediately. Due to this problem I bump in to some one else's car. The pedal has turn so hard it was difficult for fractions of seconds to know what was going on. After the incident with having an issue with the brake pedal. I notice beside been hard it started making a squeaky noice and also like and air sound under the dash board. I found out there was a class action agains Mazda for their brake booster on this model and sure enough, that's what it was, I'm just so blessed it happens in a parking lot and not on the freeway. So I called Mazda and they said they will cover the part but I have to pay for the work done to the vehicle. …
Air bags
Takata recall VIN: [redacted] I have repeatedly called the dealership (suburban auto collection of troy - michigan) suburban Mazda of troy for the past 1-2 years asking them to check and see if our vehicle is on the Takata airbag recall list and they have confirmed everytime that it was not. I checked the NHTSA website and confirmed that their is an active recall on the airbag for our CX-9. We were not called or informed (as they said they would do). We did not receive the proper notification from Takata or the Mazda dealership. Our vehicle was either apart of the recall from the start or it was added later when the recall was expanded, however we never received anything telling us to have the airbag inflator replaced.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Mazda CX-9. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V356000 (air bags) over a year ago. The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called a local dealer (putman Mazda located on 65 california dr, burlingame, ca [phone]) who stated that the recall parts were not available and added her name to a wait listing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue as the wait time was over an hour when the contact tried to contact the manufacturer. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Suspension
The contact owns a 2009 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The contact stated the brake pads and rotors were replaced; however, the abnormal sound persisted. The contact called and informed the dealer of the issue however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V451000 (Suspension) as a possible solution for the failure; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Mazda CX-9. While driving at various speeds, an abnormal noise was heard while attempting to make a left turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the driver side lower control arm was failing and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V451000 (suspension). The part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
2009 Mazda CX-9 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Mazda CX-9 a good car?
Based on 59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 CX-9 rates better than average: 44% fewer complaints than a typical year of the CX-9 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 2009 Mazda CX-9?
The brakes — 17 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (16) and suspension (6).
How many recalls does the 2009 Mazda CX-9 have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2009 Mazda CX-9, 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-9?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2015, 2022 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 2011, 2018, 2008 and 2010. See the full Mazda CX-9 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Mazda CX-9 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 85,000 miles; 26% 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.