Mazda · NHTSA safety record

2014 Mazda CX-9

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Owners of the 2014 Mazda CX-9 have filed 54 safety complaints with NHTSA between October 2014 and November 2024. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 19 of them (35%). The typical failure was reported at 56,295 miles, the median across the 28 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

18V717000 · October 12, 2018

Do not drive until repaired

The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Mazda 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 2011-2013 Mazda6, 2011-2012 CX-7, and 2011-2015 CX-9 sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Mazda6, 2010-2012 CX-7, and 2010-2015 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.
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The 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 November 9, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.

Mazda North American Operations · up to 155,436 vehicles across all model years covered

STEERING

16V203000 · April 11, 2016

The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 2, 2015, 2013-2014 Mazda2 vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to August 8, 2014, 2014-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2, 2015, and 2013-2015 CX-9 vehicles manufactured December 6, 2012, to July 31, 2015. The lower mounting nuts and bolts that attach the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle may loosen, allowing the steering knuckle to separate.
The risk: If the steering knuckle separates from the strut assembly, it can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower mounting nuts and bolts that secure the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle. If the bolts are loose, they will be replaced and then correctly tightened, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9316D.

Mazda North American Operations · up to 578 vehicles across all model years covered

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

15V451000 · July 20, 2015

The defect: 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.
The risk: Over time, the ball joint corrosion may result in the front lower control arm separating from the ball joint, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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. The recall will begin with model year 2007-2009 vehicles 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, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The second phase will be for model year 2010-2014 vehicles in the same states. Finally, all remaining vehicles will be remedied. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 8515G.

Mazda North American Operations · up to 193,484 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Lower ball joint separation

PE15022

Closed preliminary evaluation · opened June 9, 2015 · closed August 20, 2015 · led to recall 15V451000

the suspension

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 progressively looser joint.In January 2014, Mazda implemented redesigned lower control arms in production vehicles to improve the durability of the lower ball joints.The redesign involved changing the shape of the top surface of the ball joint boot cover and adding a suspension plate to the undersurface of the knuckle.Mazda's recall will replace the defect lower control arms with the redesigned parts.ODI's analysis of information collected during PE15-022 identified a total of 62 ball joint separation incidents, including 34 identified in ODI complaints and 31 identified in Mazda complaints and field reports (3 of the Mazda records involve vehicles/incidents that were also reported to ODI).When Mazda's design change was implemented, most of the field experience related to lower ball joints involved complaints of noise and premature wear-out.Only 1 of the ODI and 6 of the additional Mazda separation complaints identified in ODI's analysis were reported prior to January 2014.Significant increases in the number and trend in separation complaints were observed in 2015, when 30 of the ODI complaints and 16 of the additional Mazda complaints were reported.The report trend appears to be accelerating, with 29 of the reports received after ODI opened PE15-022 on June 9, 2015.There has been one crash reported to ODI related to the alleged defect (VOQ 10746510). This investigation is closed based on Mazda's recall.The 34 VOQs associated with this investigation are: 10747358, 10746510, 10744897, 10743509, 10736229, 10735938, 10734763, 10734302, 10734290, 10733813, 10732578, 10732217, 10732154, 10731850, 10730736, 10730280, 10730143, 10730114, 10726622, 10726480 10726448, 10726168, 10725839, 10725567, 10725488, 10725427, 10725390, 10717510, 10714469, 10695142, 10668978, 10648429, 10640541, 10546535

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 54.

ENGINE 19 35%

SERVICE BRAKES 9 17%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 9 17%

POWER TRAIN 7 13%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5 9%

SUSPENSION 5 9%

AIR BAGS 3 6%

SEATS 3 6%

STEERING 3 6%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 4%

STRUCTURE 2 4%

VISIBILITY 2 4%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2016 at 8.

2014 to 2024

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

POWER TRAIN Filed July 24, 2018

fire · 29,500 miles

WE WERE ON A CITY ROAD UPHILL AND DRIVING TO A FRIENDS HOME. OUR MAZDA CX-9 GRAND TOURING MADE A RATTLING NOISE, RELEASED A LOT OF WHITE SMOKE, AND LOST ACCELERATION. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE CAR ON THE SHOULDER AND A BY PASSER STOPPED HIS CAR ON OPPOSITE SHOULDER AND ANALYZED THE SITUATION AND SHOUTED MOVE YOUR FAMILY OUT AND MOVE FROM THE CAR SINCE ITS ON FIRE UNDERNEATH. WE IMMEDIATELY MOVED OUT AND BY PASSER CALLED 911. ALL THE TIME WHILE WE WAITED AND FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE CAR WAS DRIPPING FIRE.

NHTSA complaint 11113446. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES Filed January 26, 2016

crash · 11,000 miles

THIS IS A MAZDA CX9 2014 AWD. I NEEDED TO STOP QUICKLY ON A CITY STREET IN MODERATE TRAFFIC AT 3:00PM. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25 MPR NORTH IN THE INSIDE LANE ON A DRY ROAD. I PUSHED DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD AND THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN BUT, CONTINUED ON UNTIL IT IMPACTED WITH THE CAR IN FRONT. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND THERE WERE NO PHYSICAL INJURIES TO DRIVERS OF EITHER INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR IS ESTIMATED TO BE OVER $2000.00 DOLLARS. I HAD PREVIOUSLY TAKEN THIS CAR IN TO THE MAZDA DEALER HERE IN TEMECULA, CA LAST MONTH BECAUSE THE BRAKES HAD BEEN NON-RESPONSIVE BUT, SERVICE DEPT. SAID BRAKES TESTED NORMAL. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 11,000 MILES ON IT. I AM NOW SCARED TO

NHTSA complaint 10822425, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed October 24, 2019

towed · 118,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MAZDA CX-9. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ODOR OF COOLANT FLUID AND SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THEN TOWED TO NAPLETON'S COUNTRYSIDE MAZDA (6060 SOUTH LA GRANGE ROAD, COUNTRYSIDE, IL 60525, (708) 354-2700) TO BE DIAGNOSED, WHICH WAS STILL PENDING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

NHTSA complaint 11270700. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed April 6, 2020

towed · 70,000 miles

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,

NHTSA complaint 11320311, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION Filed November 20, 2024

95,000 miles

The contact owns a 2014 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was drifting to either side. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had to forcefully grip the steering wheel to avoid losing control of vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was discovered that there was severe corrosion around the front suspension ball joints. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V451000 (Suspension); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided an estimate for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the

NHTSA complaint 11626356, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed June 27, 2024

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

NHTSA complaint 11597219, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed March 12, 2024

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

NHTSA complaint 11576989, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed August 12, 2023

Water pump failed and ruined the engine. There was little to no warning.

NHTSA complaint 11538157. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES Filed August 12, 2023

Brakes stopped working while we were on vacation. Made the drive down fine, but the next day went to drive the car, pressed the brakes and the car did not come to a complete stop. Also made a funny noise when we tried to press on the brakes. My husband practically had to stand up and push all the way down to get car to stop. Luckily we were not in a congested or confined place. Ended up replacing the brake booster. Three weeks later my acceleration stopped working intermittently. I go to press the gas and the car doesn’t go. The dealership is saying it’s the brake signal.

NHTSA complaint 11538158. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES Filed July 20, 2023

Breaks became very hard to press and I was having trouble stopping the car. I could not drive it to the Mazda dealer who was too far. I took a chance and drove a few miles to local break shop. They replaced the master cylinder and the break booster. Parts and labor were $1083.87

NHTSA complaint 11533482. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Mazda CX-9

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2021	37	1	—
2020	19	1	—
2019	52	2	—
2018	126	2	—
2017	61	0	—
2016	103	0	—
2015	35	2	—
2013	68	4	—
2012	221	4	—
2011	170	4	—
2010	195	6	—

Other 2014 Mazda models

CX-5 377 MAZDA3 138 MAZDA6 137 MAZDA5 12 MAZDA2 9

Every Mazda on this site — 81 vehicles, 161 recall campaigns and 2 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file , published August 20, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API , most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file , published 2026-08-19.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst