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2016 Mazda CX-9

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Mazda CX-9 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 61.

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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

29 reports with mileage · 75 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. Review the 65 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

104 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2019
Electrical SystemService Brakes

BRAKE LIGHTS COME UP INTERMITTENTLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN TEMPERATURE IS LOW. ALSO, FRONT RADAR SENSOR SYSTEM MALFUNCTION AND SMART BRAKE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WARNINGS COME UP ALSO,. THIS IS DURING THE DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI #11174671

41,000 miles · Jan 7, 2019
Service Brakes

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE TPMS WARNING CAME ON. I PULL OFF THE INTERSTATE AND PARK. THERE IS SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AND THE CENTER OF THE WHEEL IS EXTREMELY HOT, TOO HOT TO TOUCH. I CAN FEEL THE HEAT FROM ABOUT A FOOT AWAY. THERE IS METAL PINING AND GROANING AS IT COOLS DOWN, THE TIRE IS WARM, BUT N…

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I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE TPMS WARNING CAME ON. I PULL OFF THE INTERSTATE AND PARK. THERE IS SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AND THE CENTER OF THE WHEEL IS EXTREMELY HOT, TOO HOT TO TOUCH. I CAN FEEL THE HEAT FROM ABOUT A FOOT AWAY. THERE IS METAL PINING AND GROANING AS IT COOLS DOWN, THE TIRE IS WARM, BUT NOT AS HOT AS THE CENTER A THE WHEEL. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL IS COOL TO THE TOUCH, AS ARE THE FRONT WHEELS. I TOGGLE THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE A FEW TIMES AND AFTER THE WHEEL HAS COOLED DOWN I DRIVE ON. THE PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR AGAIN IN THE LAST 60 MILES, HOWEVER, THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL NOW MAKES A NOISE WHEN BRAKES ARE BEING APPLIED CONSISTENT WITH THE ROTATION OF THE WHEEL.

NHTSA ODI #11164856

49,000 miles · Nov 6, 2018
Air BagsStructureSuspensionCrashInjury

I WAS T-BONED ON PASSENGER SIDE OF MY MAZDA CX9 AIR BAGS DID NOT WORK ON MY MAZDA.OTHER VEHICLE AIR BAGS DID GO OFF.I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH WHEN OTHER CAR PLOWED INTO MINE.

NHTSA ODI #11149815

40,000 miles · Aug 8, 2018
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineService Brakes

THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON 31ST JULY, WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THIS CAR ON HIGHWAY 4 MARTINEZ, CA AT AROUND 5.00 PM WITH OUR DAUGHTER (2 YEARS OLD) RETURNING FROM DAYCARE. SHE WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 60 MILE/HR, WHEN THE CAR STARTED GIVING AUDIO VISUAL WARNINGS ON MULTIPLE FAILURES AND THE CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN WITHOUT RESPONDI…

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THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON 31ST JULY, WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THIS CAR ON HIGHWAY 4 MARTINEZ, CA AT AROUND 5.00 PM WITH OUR DAUGHTER (2 YEARS OLD) RETURNING FROM DAYCARE. SHE WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 60 MILE/HR, WHEN THE CAR STARTED GIVING AUDIO VISUAL WARNINGS ON MULTIPLE FAILURES AND THE CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN WITHOUT RESPONDING TO THE GAS PEDAL AND ENGINE PROPULSION REDUCED TO 'ZERO'. MY WIFE PANICKED AND WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO PULL OVER ON THE CURB SIDE SAFELY, EVEN THOUGH TRAFFIC WAS VERY HIGH. SHE STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND WAITED FOR 10 MINS AND RESTARTED THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES AND MADE SURE THAT NO MORE WARNINGS ARE DISPLAYED, BEFORE DRIVING AGAIN, HOWEVER THE 'ENGINE WARNING LIGHT' STAYED ON. AFTER A WHILE SHE DROVE HOME ALMOST 40 MILES AWAY VERY CAREFULLY WITHOUT USING ANY CRUISE CONTROL. HERE ARE THE WARNINGS, THAT CAME ON DURING THIS FAILURE, PICTURES ATTACHED. ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT. TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR. STABILITY CONTROL INDICATOR. TEMPERATURE INDICTOR CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE WARNING MESSAGE 'FRONT RADAR SENSOR SYSTEM MALFUNCTION' WARNING MESSAGE 'FORWARD SMART CITY BREAK MALFUNCTION' AFTER A DAY WE DROPPED THE CAR TO MAZDA DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND THEY FOUND MULTIPLE FAILURE CODES AND THEY DID NECESSARY REPAIR (INSPECTION AND REPAIR INVOICE ATTACHED). EVEN BEFORE THIS INCIDENT , WE REPORTED MULTIPLE TIMES TO DEALERSHIP THAT THE CAR CENTRAL INFORMATION SYSTEM ABRUPTLY SHUTS DOWN DURING DRIVE. BUT THEY ALWAYS SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THIS INCIDENT ON A FREEWAY WAS VERY SERIOUS, MY FAMILY OR OTHER DRIVERS COULD HAVE BEEN IN A INJURY ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE WITH MAZDA.

NHTSA ODI #11118566

6,000 miles · Aug 8, 2018
Electrical SystemEngineService Brakes

DRIVING TO WORK IN THE MORNING AT 5:45AM ON 06/05/2018 GOING 65 MPH AND MY CAR CUTS ENGINE POWER AND STARTS LOWLY DECLINING PRESSING GAS DID NOTHING AND MULTIPLE NOTIFICATIONS FLASHING SUCH AS VEHICLE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, FORWARD SMART CITY BRAKE SUPPORT MALFUNCTION, SMART BRAKE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. I HAD TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE O…

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DRIVING TO WORK IN THE MORNING AT 5:45AM ON 06/05/2018 GOING 65 MPH AND MY CAR CUTS ENGINE POWER AND STARTS LOWLY DECLINING PRESSING GAS DID NOTHING AND MULTIPLE NOTIFICATIONS FLASHING SUCH AS VEHICLE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, FORWARD SMART CITY BRAKE SUPPORT MALFUNCTION, SMART BRAKE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. I HAD TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY I CAN'T EVEN SAY I CAN PULL OFF SAFELY BECAUSE ALL POWER WAS CUT. SO LET THE CAR SIT FOR 5 MINUTES WHILE OFF AND THEN RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK. I TOOK PICTURES AS EVERYTHING WAS HAPPENING BECAUSE I KNOW THE DEALER SHIP WILL SAY SOMETHING LIKE "WELP IT AIN'T HAPPENING HERE SO YOUR CAR IS FINE." I AM VERY FORTUNATE WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR I DECIDED TO LEASE THE VEHICLE SO I CAN JUST TAKE THE CAR BACK. THESE MALFUNCTIONS SEEM LIKE A VERY SEVERE PROBLEM AND I DO NOT WANT TO HANG ON TO THE VEHICLE. ONCE 30K PASSES I WILL BE SUPER SCREWED! I CALLED DEALER SHIP AND THEY ARE BOOKED OUT 2 WEEKS SO I CANT EVEN TAKE THE CAR IN RIGHT AWAY, PLUS THEY AREN'T EVEN SURE IF THEY'LL HAVE A RENTAL FOR ME WHEN I DROP IT OFF. ALSO TO MENTION, AC UNIT ALREADY HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND A SUSPENSION RECALL. WORSE CAR I'VE HAD SO FAR ITS SUCKS BECAUSE MAZDA USED TO BE SO GREAT. THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT SUCKS BIG TIME! I NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF SERVICE OR ISSUES THIS SEVERE WITH MY CHEVY. 08/07/2018 I TOOK CARE IN AGAIN FOR SAME SITUATION ALONG WITH AC AND ALL MAZDA TELLS ME IS THEY ARE LOOKING INTO AND ASSURE ME IT WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF THIS TIME. (ALSO SAID LAST TIME) I THINK THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE ISSUE! I CALLED CORPORATE TO ASK FOR A REFUND AND GIVE THE CAR BACK AND ALL THE TOLD ME WAS TO GIVE DEALERSHIP ANOTHER CHANCE TO FIX THE ISSUE. IT IS SO UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND HAVE KIDS IN THE CAR, I AM VERY FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE MY BABY NEPHEW AND NIECES WITH ME WHEN THESE THINGS WERE HAPPENING.

NHTSA ODI #11118501

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2018
SteeringUnknown Or Other

VEHICLE MAKES A CRANKING NOISE WHEN STEERING AT A SLOW SPEED MEANING WHEN TURNING, REVERSING OR SLOWLY GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS IT MAKES A CRANKING NOISE ITS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NORMAL HAS BEEN LIKE THAT SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, IT WAS TAKEN IN DUE TO A RECENT RECALL COUPLE MONTHS AGO FOR THE R…

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VEHICLE MAKES A CRANKING NOISE WHEN STEERING AT A SLOW SPEED MEANING WHEN TURNING, REVERSING OR SLOWLY GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS IT MAKES A CRANKING NOISE ITS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NORMAL HAS BEEN LIKE THAT SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, IT WAS TAKEN IN DUE TO A RECENT RECALL COUPLE MONTHS AGO FOR THE REAR SAME ISSUES WITH A CRANKING NOISE, NOW IT'S THE FRONT.

NHTSA ODI #11115498

26,000 miles · Jul 23, 2018
Visibility/wiper

SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING APPROX 40 MPH. WERE IN A VALLEY ON VACATION IN COLORADO, NO TREES OR ANYTHING OVERHEAD WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WE HAD JUST CLOSED THE WINDOWS AND TURNED ON THE AIR CONDITIONER AS IT WAS GETTING HOT. ABOUT 2 MINUTES LATER WE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. ONLY WHEN WE PULLED OVER DID WE DISCOVER IT WAS THE…

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SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING APPROX 40 MPH. WERE IN A VALLEY ON VACATION IN COLORADO, NO TREES OR ANYTHING OVERHEAD WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WE HAD JUST CLOSED THE WINDOWS AND TURNED ON THE AIR CONDITIONER AS IT WAS GETTING HOT. ABOUT 2 MINUTES LATER WE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. ONLY WHEN WE PULLED OVER DID WE DISCOVER IT WAS THE SUNROOF.

NHTSA ODI #11113072

16,000 miles · Jun 1, 2018
Electrical System

THE INFOTAINMENT SCREEN CONTAINING THE BACKUP CAMERA GOES BLANK . THE CAR HAS 16000 MILES ON IT AND HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE NEW. THE DEALER HAS THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALS THAT THERE IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH MANY MAZDA VEHICLES. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS ON STARTUP AND WILL C…

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THE INFOTAINMENT SCREEN CONTAINING THE BACKUP CAMERA GOES BLANK . THE CAR HAS 16000 MILES ON IT AND HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE NEW. THE DEALER HAS THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALS THAT THERE IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH MANY MAZDA VEHICLES. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS ON STARTUP AND WILL CONTINUE TILL SHUTOFF . IT MAY OR MAY NOT COME ON UPON RESTART

NHTSA ODI #11099187

16,000 miles · May 2, 2018
Service BrakesUnknown Or Other

WHEN DRIVING AT 35-50 MPH, MY 2016 MAZDA CX-9 PERIODICALLY BRAKES SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING TO A SCRUBBING FORCEFUL STOP TOSSING THINGS OFF THE BACK SEAT, PLACING ME IN DANGER OF A REAR-END COLLISION. SOMETIMES A VERY QUICK BEEPING SOUND IS MADE, "B-R-A-K-E" APPEARS ON THE PANEL IN LARGE LETTERS --- THEN THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY COMES…

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WHEN DRIVING AT 35-50 MPH, MY 2016 MAZDA CX-9 PERIODICALLY BRAKES SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING TO A SCRUBBING FORCEFUL STOP TOSSING THINGS OFF THE BACK SEAT, PLACING ME IN DANGER OF A REAR-END COLLISION. SOMETIMES A VERY QUICK BEEPING SOUND IS MADE, "B-R-A-K-E" APPEARS ON THE PANEL IN LARGE LETTERS --- THEN THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY COMES TO A SUDDEN STOP OR IT OCCURS WITH NO NOTICE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 3 OR 4 TIMES ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. NO OBJECTS OF VEHICLES WERE IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF ME AND THE SENSOR WAS CLEAN WHEN THIS HAS OCCURRED.THIS SUDDEN STOPPING HAS OCCURRED ON THE FREEWAY, IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND ON CITY STREETS. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 6 TIMES SINCE PURCHASED 03/17/17. I AM FEARFUL THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH TO ME AND OTHERS.

NHTSA ODI #11091416

24,000 miles · Dec 29, 2017
Electrical SystemEngineCrash

IMMEDIATELY UPON MAKING A SHARP RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A VERY FAST PACE WITHOUT ME PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL. MY IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE, BUT IT DID NOT STOP. THE CAR SLAMMED INTO A PLANTER IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR MOVED SO QUICKLY THAT IT WAS LODGED INTO THE BUSHES AND …

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IMMEDIATELY UPON MAKING A SHARP RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A VERY FAST PACE WITHOUT ME PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL. MY IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE, BUT IT DID NOT STOP. THE CAR SLAMMED INTO A PLANTER IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR MOVED SO QUICKLY THAT IT WAS LODGED INTO THE BUSHES AND HAD TO BE PULLED OUT BY A TOW TRUCK. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THE SERVICE MANAGER'S IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS TO SCOFF AT THE IDEA THAT THE CAR ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN. MY HUSBAND MET ME AT THE DEALER AND HAD SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND INFORMATION ABOUT A RECALL OF CX-9 MODELS FROM 2012 FOR A SIMILAR MALFUNCTION. HE SHOWED IT TO THE SAME MANAGER WHO IMMEDIATELY KNEW THE ISSUE OF THE RECALL BUT WAS QUICK TO MENTION IT WAS THE 2012 MODEL, NOT THE 2016. THE DEALER KEPT THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS AND TOLD ME IT WAS DRIVEN TWICE AND ALSO SOME INFO FROM THE COMPUTER WAS REVIEWED WITH MAZDA TECH SUPPORT PERSON. NO DATA INDICATING ANY KIND OF MALFUNCTION IN THE CAR AND THE SERVICE GUY DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT IN TWO SHORT TEST DRIVES, SO THEY SAID COME PICK IT UP IT'S SAFE TO DRIVE. HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER DRIVE THIS CAR AGAIN. THIS IS THE FULLY-LOADED SIGNATURE CX-9 THAT THEY FEATURE IN ALL THEIR ADS. I LOVED THIS CAR AT FIRST SIGHT AND DROVE IT OVER 24000 MILES IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS. THIS EXPERIENCE SCARED ME TO THE POINT THAT I WILL NEVER DRIVE THIS OR ANOTHER MAZDA AGAIN. I HAVE HAD OVER A WEEK TO PROCESS THIS EXPERIENCE AND AM JUST HAPPY MY KIDS WEREN'T IN THE CAR OR THAT I DIDN'T HIT SOMEONE. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL OTHER INSTANCES OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ONLINE AND CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS HAPPENS IN 2017. I HOPE THAT THIS DOCUMENTATION HELPS SOMEONE ELSE IN MY SHOES FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT CRAZY AND THIS DOES HAPPEN. SHAME ON MAZDA FOR NOT FULLY ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11057465

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.