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.
2012 Mazda CX-9Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 221 owner complaints about the 2012 Mazda CX-9, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-457 the manufacturer reports only 62% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 9, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Ethan Llamas, CC0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Mazda CX-9 has problems
221 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
139Service brakes5 crash/fire/injury
25Engine1 crash/fire/injury
23Air bags4 crash/fire/injury
18Power train1 crash/fire/injury
11Vehicle speed control
9Suspension
7Steering
5Electrical system
4Service brakes, hydraulic
1610 other systems2 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 139 | 5 |
| Engine | 25 | 1 |
| Air bags | 23 | 4 |
| Power train | 18 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 11 | 4 |
| Suspension | 9 | 1 |
| Steering | 7 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 4 | 0 |
| 10 other systems | 16 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
4 recalls
2012 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 Q1
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.
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…
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?
57kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 119 service brakes complaints. 87% were reported before 100,000 miles.
17under 30k miles104under 100k miles15100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2012 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
2012 Mazda CX-9 safety ratings
2012 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
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2012 Mazda CX-9, and the recalls they led to.
- 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.
I was driving normally when I started sowing down and noticed the brakes were harder to push. I finally stopped just before almost rear-ending a vehicle in front of me. It turns out the brake booster, a known problem that was not communicated to me a few years ago, failed and makes braking the…
On August 14, 2020, the brake booster along with the master cylinder failed, resulting in very dangerous and frightening driving conditions, and the parts were replaced with Mazda original parts. This was an ongoing issue with the Mazda CX-9’s. I reported it to the NHTSA, complaint number 11480067.…
The brakes suddenly became very difficult to press as if I did not have power brakes. No warning lights came on and it became very difficult to stop the car. Then if I had to break suddenly and hard it would stall. I brought it to the repair shop and the brake booster was defective. The brake…
Own a 2012 CX-9?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.