YearToAvoid

2012 Mazda CX-7 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2012 Mazda CX-7 has 39 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 17, and 4 recalls, 3 of them Do Not Drive. It ranks 6th of 7 model years and carries a Caution verdict, capped due to the Do Not Drive airbag recall.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
17/100
#6 of 7 CX-7 years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
39
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
4
3 Do Not Drive
Crashes
4
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
2
Top issue
Suspension, Wheels & Tires
Best nearby year
2011
lowest-risk (no Good/Best year)
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20
18 city / 24 hwy
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0

Top 2012 Mazda CX-7 problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Suspension, Wheels & Tires15 (38%)
  2. Airbags12 (31%)
  3. Electrical System10 (26%)
  4. Engine4 (10%)
  5. Other3 (8%)
  6. Steering3 (8%)
  7. Structure & Body3 (8%)
  8. Fuel System2 (5%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers2 (5%)
  10. Brakes1 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Front passenger airbag inflators are subject to a Do Not Drive recall, with owners reporting long waits for replacement parts and warnings not to carry passengers.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in a low-speed crash, leading to serious injury.
  • Owners report the vehicle veering or surging unexpectedly at low speeds, in one case crashing into a wall or pole.
  • Front suspension lower control arms can corrode from water intrusion, prompting a recall that some owners say took months to get parts for.
  • Door latch screws were reported to work loose or fall out, causing the door to not close tightly and wind noise while driving.
  • Dashboard instrument lighting is described as hard to read in daylight and poorly lit at night.
2012 Mazda CX-7 complaints: complaints filed per month5Apr 2012Oct 2016Apr 2017Oct 2017Apr 2018Dec 2019Mar 2021
39 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2012 to Oct 2023; peak Aug 2017 (5).

2012 Mazda CX-7 recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V782000Oct 31, 2019Airbags69,879 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2007-2012 CX-7, CX-9, and 2009-2012 Maza6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

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

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V356 and 17V012.

  2. NHTSA 18V717000Oct 12, 2018Airbags155,436 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    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.

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

    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.

  3. NHTSA 17V457000Jul 18, 2017Airbags79,402 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2012 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 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 included in "Zone A" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2009 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2007-2008 CX-7 and CX-9 sold, or 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. 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 rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

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

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began October 4, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recall 17V-012.

See all 4 recalls for the 2012 Mazda CX-7 →

2012 Mazda CX-7 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
20 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,000
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2012 compared with other CX-7 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002007200820092010201120122013
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Caution671555 !21
2011Caution501534 !20
2012Caution17394 !20
2013No verdict010—

All Mazda CX-7 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Mazda CX-7 reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2012 CX-7 has a complaint index of 17 and ranks 6th of 7 model years, earning a Caution verdict.
Why is the 2012 Mazda CX-7 rated Caution instead of Good?
Its complaint index is relatively low, but the verdict is capped to Caution because the vehicle is under a Do Not Drive airbag recall.
Does the 2012 Mazda CX-7 have a recall?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for this year, including 3 Do Not Drive airbag recalls and one suspension recall for corroded front control arms.
What is the top problem area for the 2012 Mazda CX-7?
Suspension, Wheels & Tires is the top problem area, accounting for 15 of 39 complaints, or 38 percent, with a median failure mileage of 88,000.
How does the 2012 CX-7 compare to other CX-7 years?
The 2012 model has a complaint index of 17, much lower than 2007's 100 and 2008's 83, but its Do Not Drive recall keeps it from a better verdict.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.