← New search

2007 Mazda CX-7

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most CX-7 years

Owner complaints for the 2007 Mazda CX-7 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 153.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

424 reports with mileage · 104 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 206 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 112 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 102 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports30 fire reports10 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

206 reports
Clear category filter
19,000 miles · Feb 13, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

AC COMPRESSOR WENT OUT ON MY MAZDA CX7 AFTER ONLY 19K. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE COMPRESSOR LOCKED AND THE A/C BELT POPPED CUTTING WIRES AND CAUSING SMOKE AND THE SMELL OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD BEFORE THE SMOKE TURNED INTO A FIRE. AFTER GETTING ON THE INTERNET, I …

Read full complaint

AC COMPRESSOR WENT OUT ON MY MAZDA CX7 AFTER ONLY 19K. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE COMPRESSOR LOCKED AND THE A/C BELT POPPED CUTTING WIRES AND CAUSING SMOKE AND THE SMELL OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD BEFORE THE SMOKE TURNED INTO A FIRE. AFTER GETTING ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND OUT THIS IS A POPULAR PROBLEM WITH CX7S ALONG WITH SHOTTY TIRES THAT HAS TO BE REPLACE BETWEEN 10K TO 18K MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10258566

45,000 miles · Feb 9, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SMELLED LIKE BURNT RUBBER. THERE WAS NO LEAK AND ALL THE BELTS LOOKED OK. LOST POWER STEERING AND ENGINE DIED. DID NOT TURN ON AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE A/C COMPRESSOR AND WANTED TO CHARGE AROUND $1900 (WITH TAX…

Read full complaint

SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SMELLED LIKE BURNT RUBBER. THERE WAS NO LEAK AND ALL THE BELTS LOOKED OK. LOST POWER STEERING AND ENGINE DIED. DID NOT TURN ON AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE A/C COMPRESSOR AND WANTED TO CHARGE AROUND $1900 (WITH TAXES AND EVERYTHING). SINCE I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT TOOK CARE OF MOST EXCEPT $180. I WOULD NOT FILE A COMPLAINT, EXCEPT THAT THE ONLY OTHER FRIEND THAT HAS A CX-7 HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND NOW LOOKING AT THE INTERNET IT SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. IT MAY BE TOO LATE FOR ME, BUT THEY SHOULD DO A RECALL SO OTHER PEOPLE COULD BE POTENTIALLY SAVED FROM HARM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10258144

24,000 miles · Nov 10, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE AC ON MY 2007 MAZDA CX-7 STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY ABOUT 14 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT. I HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITHIN A COUPLE DAYS TO BRING IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE SO I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING IMMEDIATELY. THE NEXT DAY, WHILE DRIVING LOCALLY I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR AND THEN THE POWER STEERING STO…

Read full complaint

THE AC ON MY 2007 MAZDA CX-7 STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY ABOUT 14 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT. I HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITHIN A COUPLE DAYS TO BRING IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE SO I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING IMMEDIATELY. THE NEXT DAY, WHILE DRIVING LOCALLY I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR AND THEN THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. I FORCED THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE AND GOT IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST MAZDA DEALER. AFTER 2 WEEKS WITHOUT THE CAR, THEY FINALLY FIXED IT SAYING THAT THE BELT TENSIONER HAD "FROZEN UP" AND THE BELT HAD MELTED ONTO THE AC COMPRESSOR AND POWER STEERING DRIVE WHEEL. THEY HAD TO REPLACE BOTH PULLEYS AND THE BELT WITH PARTS SHIPPED IN DIRECTLY FROM JAPAN. THE CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD THIS MAJOR OF A PROBLEM WITHIN 25K MILES AND LESS THAN A YEAR AND A HALF OF DRIVING, AND I'M WONDERING WHAT OTHER DAMAGE IT MAY HAVE CAUSED THAT WILL CROP UP IN THE FUTURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10248218

25,500 miles · Oct 15, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR PULLEY BEARING SEIZED BUT WAS ABLE TO TURN LONG ENOUGH TO GET TO A NEARBY RELATIVE. THE DEALER SAID THE COMPRESSOR AND BELT WOULD BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE PART WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GET AND ESTIMATED AT LEAST A WEEK OR MORE. HE SUPPLIED A LOANER AND SAID THE CAR WOULD NOT BE SAFE TO DRI…

Read full complaint

THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR PULLEY BEARING SEIZED BUT WAS ABLE TO TURN LONG ENOUGH TO GET TO A NEARBY RELATIVE. THE DEALER SAID THE COMPRESSOR AND BELT WOULD BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE PART WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GET AND ESTIMATED AT LEAST A WEEK OR MORE. HE SUPPLIED A LOANER AND SAID THE CAR WOULD NOT BE SAFE TO DRIVE, AS THE PULLEY COULD SEIZE COMPLETELY AT ANY TIME. I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10245530

23,300 miles · Oct 5, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE ON A TRIP, OUR A/C STOPPED WORKING ON OUR 2007 MAZDA CX-7. THIS CAR WAS 1 YEAR AND 1 MONTH OLD WE WENT TO THE NEAREST MAZDA DEALERSHIP. PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE, AND THE SERVICE TECH TOLD US THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR WITHOUT A/C. 200 MILES LATER, THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING SOUNDS AND THE CAR STALLED IN THE …

Read full complaint

WHILE ON A TRIP, OUR A/C STOPPED WORKING ON OUR 2007 MAZDA CX-7. THIS CAR WAS 1 YEAR AND 1 MONTH OLD WE WENT TO THE NEAREST MAZDA DEALERSHIP. PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE, AND THE SERVICE TECH TOLD US THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR WITHOUT A/C. 200 MILES LATER, THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING SOUNDS AND THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD. WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE CAR RESTARTED AND ATTEMPTED TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD, AND COULDN'T FIND ANY PLACE TO PULL OVER, AND THEN BLACK SMOKE ENGULFED THE CAR. THE CAR "DIED" IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET WITH NO SHOULDER. WE BELIEVED AT THE TIME THAT OUR CAR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO EMIT A LARGE AMOUNT OF BLACK SMOKE, WE RAN FROM THE CAR CALLED 911. WE DID NOT OPEN THE HOOD OF THE CAR THINKING THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. BY THE TIME THE POLICE DEPT ARRIVED, THE SMOKING STOPPED. OUR CAR WAS DISABLED ON THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET (WITH NO SHOULDER). WE WERE VERY LUCKY THAT OUR CAR DIDN'T CAUSE ANY SERIOUS ACCIDENTS TO OTHER VEHICLES WHILE IT WAS DISABLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. WE WERE LEFT STRANDED WITH AN INOPERABLE "BURNT" CAR 800 MILES FROM HOME. OUR MAZDA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE A/C "SEIZED" UP AND CAUSED THE SERPENTINE BELT TO "DISINTEGRATE". THE CAR WAS LEFT AT MAZDA FOR 2 WEEKS, AND THE PART STILL HAD NOT COME IN AND WAS ON BACK ORDER. THE BELT WAS REPLACED AND AN A/C UNIT TAKEN FROM ANOTHER CX-7 SO WE COULD GET OUR CAR HOME. HOW CAN AN A/C COMPRESSOR BE ON BACK ORDER ON A 1 YEAR OLD MODEL, UNLESS THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON OTHER MAZDAS? I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10244408

11,995 miles · Feb 19, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

AFTER SHORT DURATION IDOL "5-10" MINUTES CAR BLEW HEAVY WHITE AND BLACK SMOKE OUT OF EXHAUST FOLLOWED WITH A CLANKING/RATTLING SOUND FROM THE REAR OF CAR. THREE TIME THIS HAPPENED IN A SHORT 4-7 MILE DRIVE HOME. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND AT FIRST THE SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT UPDATED THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSI…

Read full complaint

AFTER SHORT DURATION IDOL "5-10" MINUTES CAR BLEW HEAVY WHITE AND BLACK SMOKE OUT OF EXHAUST FOLLOWED WITH A CLANKING/RATTLING SOUND FROM THE REAR OF CAR. THREE TIME THIS HAPPENED IN A SHORT 4-7 MILE DRIVE HOME. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND AT FIRST THE SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT UPDATED THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION COMPUTER PROGRAM. THEN THEY LET THE CAR IDOL FOR SOME TIME AND IT BLEW THE SMOKE AND HEARD THE SOUND. SO THEY DECIDED AFTER CALLING AND REPORTING THE EVENT TO THE REGIONAL MANAGER TO REPLACE THE TURBO. I HAVE LOOKED ON-LINE ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS AND HAVE COME ACROSS OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THEIR TURBOS REPLACED A FEW TIMES AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. WHEN THE PARTS ARE IN AND THEY REPLACE THE TURBO, I WILL SEE IF THIS IS A FIX. I HAVE VERY LITTLE FAITH THAT THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEMS THIS VEHICLE HAS. AND IT HAS MANY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10218486

Official recalls

4

19V782000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Oct 31, 2019

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. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

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. The recall began December 3, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V356 and 17V012.

17V457000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Jul 18, 2017

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. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2009 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2007-2008 CX-7 and CX-9 sold, or ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

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. The recall began October 4, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recall 17V-012.

17V429000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Jun 29, 2017

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. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

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. The recall began on August 30, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recall 16V356 and all vehicles that were not remedied under that campaign are now covered by this one.

16V593000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

Aug 11, 2016

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. If the water is contaminated with salt, such as from driving on snowy roads that have been treated, the ball joint may corrode and separate from the lower control arm, resulting in a loss of steering control.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.

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 registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia. West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The remaining vehicles will be addressed as parts are available. The recall began September 20, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9716H.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.