Problems · NHTSA complaints
2015 Mazda CX-9 problems
Owners filed 35 complaints about the 2015 Mazda CX-9 with NHTSA between Mar 2015 and Apr 2025. The most-cited component is engine (17).
Complaints
35
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine17
- Power train3
- Service brakes3
- Exterior lighting2
- Air bags2
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Electrical system1
- Seats1
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
- Visibility/wiper1
- Steering1
- Seat belts1
- Visibility1
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
3
3
2
3
4
5
3
4
4
3
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine
17 reports
“My Mazda has been serviced regularly, in fact my next oil change isn't for 2,000 more miles. I was driving when I heard this weird noise. I looked at the dash and the oil light was flashing and the temperature was over heating. I could also feel the vehicle getting sluggish. I pulled over on the interstate. All the lights were on by this time. I popped the hood and there wasn't any coolant in the resivour anymore. I let the car cool down and I added some water as I was 1 mile from the exit where there was a gas station. I had to baby the car to the exit and shut it off whenever it got hot. The oil was full and seemed overfull even..... Mechanic is guessing the coolant leaked if the engine.... I was stranded for hours with 4 children...”
Power train
3 reports
“We have a 2015 Mazda CX-9 Touring with All-Wheel Drive (AWD). The issue that has been happening is a flashing check engine light (CEL) indicator showing up in the gauge cluster. This issue originally started in October of 2023. I was on the highway doing at least 55 miles per hour (mph). Before the light actually came on, I had already felt the vehicle shaking, and also noticed the acceleration was sluggish. In the blink of an eye, the CEL came on and started flashing. After that point, the CEL stayed on. I was able to get to my destination safely. We took the vehicle to a shop, and told the mechanics the issue, but they could not re-create what happened. We stopped driving the vehicle as much after this first encounter. A couple of months later, the issue still persisted, and we took it to another shop. They changed the spark plugs, and the vehicle had been driving CEL-free for several months. Recently, we were going to take the vehicle out for a drive, and noticed the vehicle shaking (before the CEL officially came on) again. The CEL flashed and came on. As of this moment, the CEL pops up and stays on when starting the vehicle. I put in a code reader, and the…”
Service brakes
3 reports
“MY BRAKE PEDDLE BEGAN HISSING AND MY VEHICLE DOES NOT WANT TO STOP WHEN IN MOTION, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED IT WAS THE BRAKE BOOSTER WHICH IS A PROBLEM MAZDA HAS BEEN HAVING, BUT MY VEHICLE IS NOT IN THE YEARS SPECIFIED IN THE WARRANTY EXTENTION. THE DEALERSHIP STATED MAZDA IS NOT WILLING TO HELP OR FIX THE ISSUE, AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM THE EARLIER MODELS HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING AND ARE BEING FIXED AND MINE IS NOT. MAXDA IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT AND WILL NOT HELP ME. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 58K MILES AND SHOULD HAVE THESES ISSUES. THE HARD BRAKE PEDDLE AND HARD BRAKING OCCURS ON ROADWAYS, IN DRIVEWAYS ANYTIME THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. IT IS UNSAFE AND I HAVE AVOIDED SEVERAL COLLISIONS.”
Exterior lighting
2 reports
“The wiring harness on the headlight for my Mazda CX-9 has and continues to melt, causing the bulb to be useless. The only issue that will seem to correct this issue is installing new headlights. According to my research this is a problem that is common to Mazda CX-9 vehicles.”
Air bags
2 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MAZDA CX-9. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG WAS NOT ACTIVATED DESPITE AN OPERATING IN THE SEAT. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS VERIFIED THAT THE AIR BAGS WEIGHT REQUIREMENTS WERE IN FACT BEING MET HOWEVER, THE AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED TO DETECT THE OCCUPANT IN THE SEAT. THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 6,500. UPDATED 01/11/2017*CT UPDATED 01/26/17.*JB ..UPDATED 03/06/17 *BF UPDATED 08/09/2017*JS”
Fuel/propulsion system
1 report
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.