This page covers 6 recalls, 169 owner complaints and EPA fuel economy for the 2011 Mazda CX-9.
19 mpg combined
12.4 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.
Brake complaints dominate what owners of the 2011 Mazda CX-9 report, and the pattern is consistent: brake pedal feel degrades significantly, with many owners describing the pedal sinking toward the floor or requiring dramatically increased foot pressure to slow the vehicle. Brake booster failure comes up repeatedly as the specific culprit, often appearing without warning signs like leaking hoses. The powertrain is the second most reported system, with owners describing AWD engagement problems, the system failing to deliver traction on snow and ice while a warning light illuminates, along with some reports of unintended acceleration at low speeds. Airbag complaints round out the top three, with owners reporting spontaneous airbag deployment during normal driving, including side airbags firing without any collision.
169
Total Complaints
7
Crash-Related
3
Fire-Related
1
With Injuries
By System
The 2011 Mazda CX-9 has 6 recalls, the most serious being a defective passenger frontal airbag inflator that can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
Multiple recalls cover this same airbag inflator issue, including filings that address vehicles where earlier replacement inflators used the same flawed design and did not fully resolve the problem. The front suspension also has a separate recall: the lower ball joints can corrode when water gets into the fitting, and over time that corrosion can cause the front lower control arm to pull away from the ball joint entirely, resulting in sudden loss of steering control.
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.
