This page covers 8 recalls, 161 owner complaints and EPA fuel economy for the 2010 Mazda CX-9.
17 mpg combined
13.8 L/100km
Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted.
Brakes dominate the complaint picture for the 2010 Mazda CX-9, accounting for the largest share of reports by a wide margin. Owners most commonly describe a sudden and dramatic increase in brake pedal stiffness, the pedal becomes very hard to press and the vehicle takes noticeably longer to stop or won't stop normally at all. This condition is frequently reported as appearing without warning, with no dashboard lights preceding it. Several owners describe having to steer off the road or onto a shoulder because normal braking wasn't possible. Powertrain complaints come in second, and suspension-related reports appear in smaller numbers, with a few owners describing control arm or ball joint failures that resulted in sudden handling changes.
161
Total Complaints
6
Crash-Related
5
Fire-Related
3
With Injuries
By System
The 2010 Mazda CX-9 has 8 recalls, the most serious involving the passenger-side frontal airbag inflator, which can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
This airbag issue spans multiple filings, including cases where earlier replacement inflators of the same design were used, meaning prior repair attempts did not fully resolve the problem. On the structural side, the front lower ball joints can corrode when water gets into the fitting, and over time the lower control arm can separate entirely, causing sudden loss of steering. There are also two recalls covering the electrically heated front seats on equipped vehicles: in extreme cold, the seat heater control circuit can overheat due to a grounding problem, burning through the seat cushion surface or, in the worst case, producing smoke or fire inside the cabin.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown after prolonged exposure to humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator with a different design at no cost.
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode during a crash. This happens because the inflator's propellant degrades after years of exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace your passenger front air bag inflator with a new one at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to heat and humidity.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with a new one at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator can rupture during a crash due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash because the propellant degrades over time when exposed to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator with a new one at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Water can leak into the front suspension ball joint fittings, causing them to corrode and potentially fail.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace both the left and right lower control arms at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The seat heater control circuit can overheat and fail in extreme cold due to poor electrical grounding, potentially causing seat cushion burn damage, smoke, fire, or injury.
What the fix does
Dealers will install an additional ground harness to the seat heater control system.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
In extremely cold conditions, the electrically heated front seat control circuit may overheat and fail due to insufficient electrical grounding.
What the fix does
Dealers will install an additional ground harness on the seat heater control system and replace the circuit or repair the seat as needed, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
