Problems · NHTSA complaints

2011 Mazda CX-9 problems

Owners filed 171 complaints about the 2011 Mazda CX-9 with NHTSA between May 2011 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is service brakes (97).

Complaints
171
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes97
  2. Power train25
  3. Air bags22
  4. Engine15
  5. Suspension8
  6. Electrical system6
  7. Vehicle speed control4
  8. Steering4
  9. Electronic stability control (esc)4
  10. Exterior lighting3
  11. Wheels3
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  13. Seat belts2
  14. Structure1

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20111
20123
20139
201420
201528
201630
201720
201816
201917
202010
20216
20222
20232
20242
20253
20262

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes

97 reports4 crashes
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2024Service brakesODI 11620856

Power train

25 reports1 fire
“The front driver-side lower ball joint suffered a catastrophic structural failure and sheared completely apart while moving. This vehicle was previously serviced under Safety Recall Campaign 15V451000 / Mazda Recall 8515G for this exact defect. The recall remedy part failed a second time, collapsing the front wheel assembly, ripping the CV axle completely out of the transmission casing, causing a hazardous transmission fluid spill, and leaving the vehicle stranded and immobilized in the middle of a live roadway in the dark”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 30, 2026Suspension, Power trainODI 11747329

Air bags

22 reports4 crashes3 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2011 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle at a slow speed in the driveway, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration, lurched forward, and crashed into a tree before coming to a stop. The contact was unable to stop the vehicle during the sudden unintended acceleration. During the failure the vehicle sustained front end damages, but no air bags had deployed. No injuries were reported. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated that twice in the day before the unintended acceleration, the vehicle jerked forward in traffic however, the contact attributed the issue to the brake pedal not being firmly depressed or the clutch not properly engaged while shifting gear. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 173,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 1, 2025Air bags, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11677734

Engine

15 reports2 fires
“Driving kids to school a few months ago. Car started to smell like burning rubber. I thought it was the garbage truck ahead of us. As we turned the corner 2 blocks later, the car dead stopped and we all went flying forward. It jerked so hard, we are lucky our necks didn't snap. I put the car in park and turned it off. I waited a few minutes as I was too worked up, and started the car again. We got about 50ft before a very loud noise began, almost as if something was dragging underneath. I stopped, and had it towed home. I then had it towed to mechanic. They said bad TRANSFER CASE & DRIVE SHAFT. - TRANS PAN GASKET. I am a single mom with no money to afford to have it fixed in fear of it going bad again. They quoted me 3,500 here in PA.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 26, 2023EngineODI 11546714

Suspension

8 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2011 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the contact lost control of the vehicle, and the front driver's side suspension lowered to the ground. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the subframe was severely rusted, causing the control arm to detach. The contact was informed that the subframe needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2025Suspension, StructureODI 11658375

Electrical system

6 reports2 fires
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Mazda CX-9. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 109,000. A mileage discrepancy was discovered when a Been Verified report indicated that the mileage was 294,000 in 2024. The contact stated that the seller informed him that she and her fiancé had replaced the cluster gauge.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2026Electrical systemODI 11772658
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

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