repaired · 2021 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2010 Mazda CX-9Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 195 owner complaints about the 2010 Mazda CX-9, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-429 the manufacturer reports only 44% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 24, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2010 Mazda CX-9 has problems
195 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
88Service brakes5 crash/fire/injury
23Engine
23Power train4 crash/fire/injury
18Air bags2 crash/fire/injury
16Suspension
9Vehicle speed control
6Structure
6Electrical system
5Engine and engine cooling
3014 other systems2 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 88 | 5 |
| Engine | 23 | 0 |
| Power train | 23 | 4 |
| Air bags | 18 | 2 |
| Suspension | 16 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 0 |
| Structure | 6 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 5 | 0 |
| 14 other systems | 30 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2010 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.
repaired · 2020 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2019 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2018 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Show 2 more recalls
repaired · 2017 Q4
Control arm: lower arm
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…
no report yet
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. THIS MAY CAUSE BURN DAMAGE OF THE SEAT CUSHION SURFACE, OR A RISK OF SMOKE/FIRE.
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 service brakes problems start?
84kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 75 service brakes complaints. 69% were reported before 100,000 miles.
4under 30k miles52under 100k miles23100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Service brakes
11 owners mentioned a cost$839median
Middle half: $736 – $1,400
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2010 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
2010 Mazda CX-9 safety ratings
2010 Mazda CX-9 4-DR.w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 4 stars (14.3% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2010 Mazda CX-9, and the recalls they led to.
- Brake Booster FailureNo recall
- Lower ball joint separationLed to recall 15V-451
- Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag DeploymentNo recall
In owners' words
What CX-9 owners report
Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The break booster went out without any warning or indicators while driving almost resulting in a collision. There are no warning lights on the dashboard.
My wife was taking my daughters for marching band and all of a sudden she tried to press the brakes but the brakes felt too hard and she was unable to stop the car safely. She had to take immediate action by moving the car to the shoulder to stop the car. There were no warning signs on the screen.…
Braking inconsistently - sometimes easy to stop, sometimes hard. I had brakes looked at, and the man said it was the brake booster. He googled it, and found a recall online and told me to take it to my dealer. It doesn't look like there's an active recall - but a lot of complaints. What's going on?…
Own a 2010 CX-9?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.