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2009 Mazda CX-7

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2009 Mazda CX-7 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 153.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

35 reports with mileage · 29 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.

  • Suspension. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine complaints

12 reports
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60,000 miles · Oct 23, 2012
Engine

AS I PULLED OUT OF MY PARKING LOT AT WORK I LOST POWER SO I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY CALLED AND TOLD ME THE TURBO WAS BAD DUE TO BEING CLOGGED WITH SLUDGE. AND, THAT DUE TO THAT SLUDGE THE ENTIRE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $8,900. I'VE ONLY OWNED THE CAR 9 MONTHS, HAVE RECEIPTS FOR MULTIPLE OIL CHA…

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AS I PULLED OUT OF MY PARKING LOT AT WORK I LOST POWER SO I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY CALLED AND TOLD ME THE TURBO WAS BAD DUE TO BEING CLOGGED WITH SLUDGE. AND, THAT DUE TO THAT SLUDGE THE ENTIRE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $8,900. I'VE ONLY OWNED THE CAR 9 MONTHS, HAVE RECEIPTS FOR MULTIPLE OIL CHANGES, AND HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY - HOWEVER, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY (AMERIPLUS) STATES THAT BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY SLUDGE, I'M NOT COVERED. I'VE RESEARCHED AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, PLEASE HELP ME! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10482007

36,000 miles · May 16, 2012
Engine

AROUND THE END OF APRIL 2012 I NOTICED THAT MY MAZDA STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE - COMPARABLE TO A SEMI OR DIESEL TRUCK. THE NOISE WAS CONSTANT, REGARDLESS OF SPEED, AND MAINTAINED AT THE SAME LEVEL AS LONG AS THE CAR WAS ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO MAZDA ON MAY 12TH TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE. WITHIN A FEW HOURS OF DROPPING …

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AROUND THE END OF APRIL 2012 I NOTICED THAT MY MAZDA STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE - COMPARABLE TO A SEMI OR DIESEL TRUCK. THE NOISE WAS CONSTANT, REGARDLESS OF SPEED, AND MAINTAINED AT THE SAME LEVEL AS LONG AS THE CAR WAS ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO MAZDA ON MAY 12TH TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE. WITHIN A FEW HOURS OF DROPPING THE CAR OFF, THE DEALERSHIP CALLED ME BACK AND ADVISED THAT IT WAS THE VVT SYSTEM THAT WAS CAUSING THE NOISE AND IT NEEDED TO BE FIXED. ALL THEY NEEDED WAS MY OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS TO COVER THIS REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. I ADVISED THEM THAT I DON'T KEEP ALL OF MY OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS; THAT I GO TO VARIOUS BUSINESSES EACH TIME I GET AN OIL CHANGE BASED ON WHO HAS A SPECIAL, COUPONS, NEAREST LOCATION ETC. I WAS THEN TOLD WITHOUT THE RECEIPTS I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $4000 FOR THE REPAIR. AFTER DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY FAULTY PARTS USED BY MAZDA - AND NOT BY POTENTIAL NEGLECT FROM THE CONSUMER. THERE'S CASE AFTER CASE OF PEOPLE REPORTING SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN THEIR CX7, MAZDA REQUIRING OIL CHANGE HISTORY, AND SERVICE BEING DENIED REGARDLESS IF APPROPRIATE HISTORY IS PROVIDED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE TECHNICIANS FIND "OIL SLUDGE" IN THE VEHICLE AND QUICKLY DETERMINE THAT IT'S THE FAULT OF THE CONSUMER. I'VE NOW BEEN ASKED TO BRING MY CAR BACK INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR FUTHER DIAGNOSIS. I TOLD BOTH THE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE WARRANTY DESK AS WELL AS MY SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT BASED ON MY RESEARCH ONLINE, I ALREADY CAN PREDICT WHAT WILL BE FOUND AND WHAT WILL BE SAID TO ME. I NOTED THAT MAZDA RECENTLY ISSUED A LETTER OF JANUARY OF THIS YEAR EXTENDING THE WARRANTY OF THIS VERY PART BECAUSE OF THE ON GOING ISSUES. SO THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THEY'RE UNAWARE OF - IT'S JUST SOMETHING THEY ARE (WRONGLY) REFUSING TO COVER ON THEIR WARRANTY. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT MAZDA'S NEGLECT!

NHTSA ODI #10458675

Official recalls

5

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.

18V018000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Jan 9, 2018

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. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, unless covered in "Zone A," Mazda is recalling certain 2010 Mazda6, CX-7 and CX-9 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 covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2009 Mazda6, CX-7, and CX-9 vehicles 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 or "Zone C." 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 explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity 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: 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. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.

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.