YearToAvoid

2009 Mazda CX-9 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2009 Mazda CX-9 has a complaint index of 69, ranked 6th worst out of 17 model years, and carries a Caution verdict. Brakes account for 29% of complaints, with airbag recalls being the most serious issue.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
69/100
#6 of 17 CX-9 years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
59
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
6
4 Do Not Drive
Crashes
2
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Brakes
Best nearby year
2017
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
17.5
15.5 city / 21.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2009 Mazda CX-9 problems

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

  1. Brakes17 (29%)
  2. Airbags16 (27%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires10 (17%)
  4. Engine6 (10%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain6 (10%)
  6. Electrical System2 (3%)
  7. Other2 (3%)
  8. Seat Belts2 (3%)
  9. Steering2 (3%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers1 (2%)

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

What owners report

  • Brake pedal reportedly goes hard or fails to stop the vehicle, sometimes accompanied by a hissing noise from the brake system.
  • Owners describe brake master cylinder fluid leaking into the brake booster, causing loss of braking boost.
  • Tachometer reportedly sticks at high RPM with the engine idling and foot off the gas, suggesting an ECU glitch.
  • Tire valve stem caps have reportedly cracked, causing sudden loss of tire pressure at highway speed.
  • Vehicle reportedly shook and veered left abnormally at 40 mph before returning to normal operation.
  • Headlamp connectors on both driver and passenger sides have reportedly melted, causing headlights to fail.
2009 Mazda CX-9 complaints: complaints filed per month4Mar 2010Jul 2013Jan 2016Dec 2016Jul 2017Mar 2019Aug 2020
59 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2010 to Jun 2026; peak Sep 2015 (4).

2009 Mazda CX-9 recalls

6 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 18V018000Jan 9, 2018Airbags70,227 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2013 Mazda6 and 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 2010 Mazda6, CX-7 and CX-9 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 covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2009 Mazda6, CX-7, and 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 March 2, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. 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 6 recalls for the 2009 Mazda CX-9 →

2009 Mazda CX-9 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15.5 MPG
Highway
21.5 MPG
Combined
17.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,700
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
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.

2009 compared with other CX-9 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Caution50865 !17.5
2008Avoid811725 !17.5
2009Caution69596 !17.5
2010Avoid1001956 !17.5
2011Avoid881704 !19

All Mazda CX-9 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Mazda CX-9 reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2009 CX-9 a complaint index of 69, the 6th worst of 17 model years, resulting in a Caution verdict relative to other CX-9 years.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mazda CX-9?
Brakes make up 29% of complaints, followed by airbags at 27% and suspension, wheels and tires at 17%. Median mileage at failure across all complaints is 85,000.
Does the 2009 Mazda CX-9 have an airbag recall?
Yes. NHTSA lists four separate airbag recalls tied to the 2009 CX-9, all marked do-not-drive due to defective passenger frontal air bag inflators.
How does the 2009 CX-9 compare to other years?
The 2009 model's complaint index of 69 is better than 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2012, which are rated Avoid, but worse than years like 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Mazda CX-9?
EPA rates the 2009 CX-9 at 17.5 mpg combined (15.5 city / 21.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,700.

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.