Menu

2011 Mazda CX-9Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 171 owner complaints about the 2011 Mazda CX-9, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-429 the manufacturer reports only 44% of affected cars repaired.

2011 Mazda CX-9
33
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.0× the CX-9 median · #4 of 17 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 44%Owner complaints17111 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage73kService brakes, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 21, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 Mazda CX-9 has problems

171 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
Service brakes974
Power train251
Air bags224
Engine152
Suspension80
Electrical system62
Steering40
Electronic stability control (ESC)40
Vehicle speed control41
11 other systems181

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

4 recalls

2011 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 →

77%repaired · 2020 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 18V-717 · Oct 12, 2018 · 155,436 vehicles · 119,522 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 →

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 →

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?

73kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 90 service brakes complaints. 76% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
7under 30k miles68under 100k miles22100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2011 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

2011 Mazda CX-9 safety ratings

2011 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • 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 2011 Mazda CX-9, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Brake Booster FailurePE14005 · closed Jun 26, 2014
    No recall
  2. Lower ball joint separationPE15022 · closed Aug 20, 2015
    Led to recall 15V-451
  3. Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag DeploymentPE19006 · closed Jan 15, 2021
    No recall
In owners' words

What CX-9 owners report

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

Brake booster failure. The power assisted braking has stopped working. There are no leaking vacuum hoses and the check valve is working. The brake pedal travels to the floorboard.
Complaint 11620856 · Oct 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the brakes. The contact stated that the brake pedal was firm and difficult to depress while attempting to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The…
Complaint 11506010 · Feb 7, 2023 · 67,000 miles
Braking trouble recent in weeks in 2011 Mazda CX-9 vehicle. Had mechanic (Euro Motorsports in Chagrin Falls OH) check it out. Turned out to be a faulty Brake Booster. Mechanic test drove car; braking failed and he almost rear-ended another vehicle. He found on line a Mazda service notice dating…
Complaint 11487622 · Oct 3, 2022

Own a 2011 CX-9?

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