Research · Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD

2010 Mazda CX-7Recalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 155 owner complaints for the 2010 Mazda CX-7. Most complaints involve suspension (52) and air bags (46). The EPA rates it 19–23 mpg combined.

Combined MPG
19–23mpg
EPA · 3 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
5campaigns
Latest Oct 2019
Owner complaints
155
Top: suspension
Fuel cost / yr
$2,700est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

5 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveFree remedy

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.

Air bagsReported Oct 31, 2019NHTSA 19V782000

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveFree remedy

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.

Air bagsReported Oct 12, 2018NHTSA 18V717000

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveFree remedy

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.

Air bagsReported Jan 9, 2018NHTSA 18V018000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 11, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

155 complaints filed with NHTSA · May 2010 – Jun 2024
  1. Suspension52
  2. Air bags46
  3. Exterior lighting22
  4. Engine20
  5. Electrical system12
  6. Steering10
  7. Vehicle speed control7
  8. Wheels6
  9. Power train6

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each CX-7 model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2007528
2008192
200965
2010155
2011154
201239
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
1
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Suspension

52 reports
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA CX-7. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V018000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER MORE THAN TWICE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT PROVIDED THE PART FOR THE REPAIR. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V593000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED FOR A REFERRAL FOR AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE THE TWO RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2018Suspension, Air bagsODI 11131552

Air bags

46 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2010 Mazda CX-7. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 35 MPH, the driver's side and passenger’s side air bags independently deployed. There was no accident to cause the air bags to deploy. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was driven back to the residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 12, 2024Air bagsODI 11593824

Exterior lighting

22 reports
“Low beam headlamps are extremely dim. Have bought new replacement headlamps and are still very dim. Bought both replacement headlamp housings thinking wiring could be compromised but that didn't help either. Replacing headlamps is difficult due to having to remove either the front tires OR the front entire bumper assembly to switch out lamps. No fog lights are present on this model so makes driving at night very difficult. and unsafe.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 1, 2024Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11586279
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

3 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl · 2.3L 4-cyl turbo
Transmissions
Automatic (S5) · Automatic (S6)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · 4-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline · Premium Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 11, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
CX-7 2WD
Auto (S5), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202823$2,700386
CX-7 2WD
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.3 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
182521$3,700423
CX-7 4WD
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.3 L, Turbo · 4-Wheel Drive
172319$4,050468
  • CX-7 2WD
    Auto (S5), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    20 city · 28 hwy · $2,700/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • CX-7 2WD
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.3 L, Turbo
    18 city · 25 hwy · $3,700/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • CX-7 4WD
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.3 L, Turbo
    17 city · 23 hwy · $4,050/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 11, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2010 Mazda CX-7 as of Nov 11, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 11, 2026Vehicle 5474
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2010 CX-7 questions

How many recalls does the 2010 Mazda CX-7 have?

5 safety recalls as of Nov 11, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2010 Mazda CX-7 problems?

Owners filed 155 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are suspension (52), air bags (46), exterior lighting (22). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2010 Mazda CX-7 get?

The EPA rates the 2010 Mazda CX-7 at 19–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (3 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 11, 2026