Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2014 Mazda CX-9 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I purchased a 2014 Mazda CX-9 back in May of 2020 w/ roughly 60k on the dash. Literally 7 months later w/ about 72k on the dash, the day after Christmas I was driving to work (I worked in the next state over) on the highway my car just shut down. No warnings, no check engine lights NOTHING! It just completely shut off and would not turn on. Thankfully because of the holiday the highway was pretty empty and I was able to swing my car across the interstate so I wouldn't get hit by oncoming traffic. After getting out and deciding to check my oil I noticed it looked milky. I had no idea what that meant so I had it towed to a Mazda dealership in the state I live in. It was going to cost me almost $8,000 to put in a new engine because the water pump that was placed inside of the engine failed, which in turn caused my engine to seize. …
Sudden failure of water pump located inside the engine caused engine to shut down immediately while driving 70 mph on busy expressway. Extremely dangerous situation due to heavy traffic and high speeds traveled. Only by sheer luck were we able to coast across 4 lanes of traffic to an exit ramp and barely make it into a parking lot after crossing 2 more lanes on the frontage road. Very difficult to steer and brake due to no engine power. Repair cost was $4,433. Two subsequent follow up repairs for check engine light and oil control valve issues related to water pump failure were required and covered under initial repair warranty. Research on web indicates this is a common problem with this engine with many complaints occurring soon after 100k miles. In many cases customers reported having to replace the engine or sell the car for parts due to the high cost of repair. …
The water pump failed causing water to mix with the oil and damage the head gasket. Estimates recommend replacing engine. The service engine light came on and we took it to our trusted mechanic right away. Got the estimates from two mechanics for this repair and then towed the car to Mazda dealer who confirmed the problem. We wrote to Mazda's corporate office and was told they would not fix it. My car has 68,000 miles and was regularly serviced. It is currently sitting dead in my garage. We bought this car in 2015 brand new from the Mazda dealer in Monroeville, PA. This is outrageous! I spoke with someone else who also owns a Mazda and the same thing happened to his car. From articles I have read and attached, this problem is occurring in many Mazdas. What needs to be in place for Mazda to take responsibility and fix this problem by recalling the affected vehicles?
I bought a vehicle from Carvana 11/2021 with not quite 59k on it. On 6/21/2023, with 77K miles, my car had a catastrophic engine failure. I was driving my grandchildren ages, 3-12 years of age home. Safety was definitely at risk with speeds of 70 freeway were completed right before engine stopping. The mechanic shop has confirmed the car giving 3 codes related to timing belt/water pump and the other code which confirms engine failure. No warning lights had come on until I tried to restart it. Since this situation is most recent, I have not had anyone else inspect the vehicle. I am working through my options and will take recommendations for resolution.
- Water pump failed causing coolant to mix with oil. This repair cost was around $3,900. - Luckily this failure happened on our community road and was able to pull into our driveway. Mechanic stated that if this happened on the highway or regular road, this could have caused a major incident and possibly a blown motor. - No, but complaints of similar issues have been reported via my online research. - Just by the mechanic I had my vehicle towed to. - There was no indication of an issue until the water pump failed.
I purchased a 2014 Mazda CX-9 on 12/14/2019. On Monday 10/18/2021 I was driving on the Hwy on the way home and my check engine light came. I had my mechanic check it out and he said the computer read a P0019 code. So on 10/20/2021, I took it to the dealer where I originally purchased it and this was the same code they found. At the local dealership, I was told that apparently, the water pump needed to be replaced due to water coolant in the oil pan. I had absolutely no warning. No leaking, no smell of coolant. This vehicle only has 88,000. Upon further research and to my surprise is that the water pump in the Duratec 37 engine and make and model has a design flaw with the water pump located in the engine with the timing chain. …
Water pump defect that led to pump failure, which led to catastrophic engine failure without any prior warning. The defect is in the internal chain-driven water pump. The pump is meant to circulate coolant through the engine while the engine is running. However, the defect allows coolant to leak from water pump into the oil pan and/or other engine components, mixing it with the engine's oil and leading to destruction of the engine. Mazda's internal data indicates that the company began receiving reports of premature water pump failures in vehicles identical to mine (mine is a 2014 Mazda CX-9) by at least June 2007, yet Mazda continued to sell the vehicle without fixing the defect and failed to warn customers of the defect. The owner's manuals say nothing about water pump maintenance because the water pump should last the life of the Mazda vehicle. …
My wife took our 2014 Mazda CX-9 to liberty Mazda for a check engine light that came on the evening before she already and an appointment for another issue. She asked them to check the light as well. After their findings they told sue the car had a catastrophic water pump engine failure. This water pump is located inside the timing chain cover and leaks coolant in to the engine. At this point we were handed over to a sales rep. Who informed us this was a foolish design with the water pump located in the powertrain behind the timing chain cover. This causes catastrophic engine failure with no warning this is wrong and should not happen. We talked to jason the sales manager who reiterated the same message and said he would put in a good word for me if cooperate called about my complaint. He did and cooperate offered us the eplan on a new car. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 Mazda CX-9. Contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle decelerated and the steering ceased without warning. The contact depressed the brake pedal which failed to engage. The contact allowed the vehicle to idle with both feet off the pedals which allowed the vehicle to come to a complete stop. The contact turned the vehicle off and back on which resumed to normal vehicle operation for about 2-3 minutes however, the failure recurred. The contact inspected the vehicle for leaks but found none. The contact stated that the coolant bottle was empty. The contact checked the oil which looked milky and dirty. Lee edwards Mazda (2218 louisville avenue, monroe, la 7120[phone]) was contacted and informed of the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the water pump gasket was fractured. …
I noticed a rough noise when I started the 2014 Mazda CX-9. I chose to ignore it thinking it was because of the cold weather. Got to the highway on the way home to kansas city from columbus, oh. Several miles later when filling gas, I noticed a weird smell like that of a burning rubber or coolant. The car got me home same but I noticed slight smoking from the engine when I got home.took it to the mechanic and he advised it was the water pump. He didnt have the right tools to replace it so I took it to a Mazda dealership who advied getting a new engine. It's been over three weeks and I'm still waiting or the dealership to find an engine they could replace with. Total cost, $4K - $5K. Extremely frustrated that Mazda wouldnt recall cars with this type of engine/ water pump problem!
Engine complaints in other CX-9 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2014 Mazda CX-9?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2014 Mazda CX-9, 37% of the model year's 54 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2014 Mazda CX-9 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2014 Mazda CX-9, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2014 Mazda CX-9 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 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.