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2008 Mazda CX-9Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 172 owner complaints about the 2008 Mazda CX-9, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-429 the manufacturer reports only 44% of affected cars repaired.

2008 Mazda CX-9
32
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.1× the CX-9 median · #3 of 17 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Lowest repair rate 44%Owner complaints17215 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage107kSuspension, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 12, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Mazda CX-9 has problems

172 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Suspension555
Air bags282
Power train270
Service brakes231
Steering192
Wheels162
Electrical system130
Seats71
Service brakes, hydraulic72
15 other systems251

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

5 recalls

2008 Mazda CX-9 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

68%repaired · 2021 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 19V-782 · Oct 31, 2019 · 69,879 vehicles · 47,442 repaired

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

62%repaired · 2019 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 17V-457 · Jul 18, 2017 · 79,402 vehicles · 49,337 repaired

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

44%repaired · 2018 Q4

Passenger side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 17V-429 · Jun 29, 2017 · 205,377 vehicles · 91,008 repaired

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

70%repaired · 2017 Q4

Control arm: lower arm

Recall 15V-451 · Jul 20, 2015 · 193,484 vehicles · 136,383 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall
–no report yet

Wiring: interior/under dash

Recall 09V-066 · Feb 23, 2009 · 30,600 vehicles

Risk. DRIVERS WILL EXPERIENCE CERTAIN FUNCTIONS THAT ARE UNCONTROLLABLE WHICH WILL CAUSE SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES IN DRIVING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mazda.

Mileage at failure

When do suspension problems start?

107kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 40 suspension complaints. 40% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
5under 30k miles16under 100k miles24100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other CX-9 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the CX-9 median. How we score

'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2008 Mazda CX-9 safety ratings

2008 Mazda CX-9 4-DR.w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2008 Mazda CX-9 frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2008 Mazda CX-9 side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 4 stars (14.3% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2008 Mazda CX-9, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Brake master cylinder leakPE11026 · closed Apr 9, 2012
    No recall
  2. Lower ball joint separationPE15022 · closed Aug 20, 2015
    Led to recall 15V-451
In owners' words

What CX-9 owners report

Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

In 2017 had my front control arms replaced after the driver side CV arm came off of the axle due to a recall. 5 years later (about 30k miles) the same exact situation happened now with the passenger side making a left turn. Thankfully both times I didn’t cause an accident but came close due to the…
Complaint 11488595 · Oct 10, 2022
KNOCK OR HARD SHIFT IN PARK AS WELL AS IN REVERSE KEEPS BURNING OIL HAD EVERYTHING FLUSHED REPLACED ALL FLUIDS VALVE COVER GASKETS SPARK PLUGS ETC
Complaint 11406364 · Apr 4, 2021 · 235 miles
MY CONTROL ARMS BEARINGS AND JOINTS ARE RUSTED AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY AREN'T COVERED THEY WERE FIXED 5 YEARS AGO AND THEY ARE DEFINITELY SEPARATED AND HAZARDOUS
Complaint 11400299 · Mar 11, 2021

Own a 2008 CX-9?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.