Mazda CX-9 Engine Problems by Year

By CarWhere Research · Updated

Yes. Owners have filed 358 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2023 Mazda CX-9. For the Mazda CX-9, that's 1.16 engine complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, 2.6× the median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2018, 2016 and 2017.

Engine complaints

358

Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2023 models

Per 1,000 sold

1.16

2015–2022 cohorts

Share of all complaints

25.9%

of 1,383 complaints for this model

Engine recalls

0

NHTSA campaigns, all years

Mazda CX-9 engine complaints by model year

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling, and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.

Mazda CX-9 engine complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year
Model yearEngine complaintsPer 1,000 soldShare of all complaintsCrash / fire / injuryEngine recallsEngine TSBs*
20087—4.1%0—29
20095—8.5%0—27
201027—13.8%0—31
201115—8.8%2—52
201226—11.8%1—53
201317—25%0—52
201420—37%0—31
201518151.4%0—31
2016WORST634.0463.6%1—64
2017WORST431.6670.5%0—62
2018WORST742.6259.7%0—70
2019210.7841.2%0—60
202050.1826.3%0—49
2021170.5350%0—95
2022000%0—25
20230—0%0—39
  • Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
  • Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
  • Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
  • *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.

Common Mazda CX-9 engine problems owners describe

We searched the narratives of all 358 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.

Overheating or coolant loss248 · 69.3%
Engine failure, seizure or replacement107 · 29.9%
Misfire or check-engine light60 · 16.8%
Stalling or shutting off while driving59 · 16.5%
Smoke, burning smell or fire27 · 7.5%
Loss of power or limp mode19 · 5.3%
Oil consumption or oil leaks17 · 4.7%
Timing chain or belt14 · 3.9%
Knocking, ticking or rattling13 · 3.6%

Mazda CX-9 years to avoid for the engine

2018 Mazda CX-9

74 engine complaints (59.7% of the year's 124), 2.62 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: overheating or coolant loss.

2016 Mazda CX-9

63 engine complaints (63.6% of the year's 99), 4.04 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: overheating or coolant loss.

2017 Mazda CX-9

43 engine complaints (70.5% of the year's 61), 1.66 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: overheating or coolant loss.

Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Mazda CX-9 years to avoid.

Related research

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Mazda CX-9 have engine problems?

Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 74 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Mazda CX-9, 59.7% of all 124 complaints for that year, or 2.62 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "overheating or coolant loss" (66 complaints).

Does the 2016 Mazda CX-9 have engine problems?

Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 63 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2016 Mazda CX-9, 63.6% of all 99 complaints for that year, or 4.04 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "overheating or coolant loss" (47 complaints). 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.

Does the 2017 Mazda CX-9 have engine problems?

Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 43 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2017 Mazda CX-9, 70.5% of all 61 complaints for that year, or 1.66 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "overheating or coolant loss" (38 complaints).

Which Mazda CX-9 years have the most engine complaints?

2018 (74), 2016 (63) and 2017 (43), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.

What are the most common Mazda CX-9 engine problems?

In the 358 engine complaints, owners most often describe overheating or coolant loss (69.3%), engine failure, seizure or replacement (29.9%) and misfire or check-engine light (16.8%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.

Is this a engine failure rate?

No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.

How we count

Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Mazda CX-9 model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.

Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.

These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

Sources

  1. NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  2. NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  3. Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration