Mazda Cx-9 Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 1,383 NHTSA complaints, the Mazda Cx-9 years to avoid are 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2018 — the worst logged up to 3.2× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by brakes failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 172 | 85 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2009 | 59 | 30 | 7 | SOLID |
| 2010 | 195 | 141 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2011 | 170 | 138 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2012 | 221 | 179 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2013 | 68 | 40 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2014 | 54 | 36 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2015 | 35 | 24 | 2 | BEST |
| 2016 | 99 | 84 | 0 | CAUTION |
| 2017 | 61 | 50 | 0 | SOLID |
| 2018 | 124 | 95 | 2 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 51 | 27 | 2 | CAUTION |
| 2020 | 19 | 11 | 1 | BEST |
| 2021 | 34 | 26 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2022 | 9 | 3 | 0 | N/A |
| 2023 | 12 | 6 | 0 | N/A |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Mazda Cx-9. Full methodology.
Common Mazda Cx-9 problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Mazda Cx-9 are brakes, engine, suspension. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Brake booster failure
· Mazda Cx-9 2008–2014Corroborated by 34 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 405 brakes complaints across 2008–2014, typically 29,805–175,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $680–$1,500.
Water pump internal failure with coolant-oil mixing
· Mazda Cx-9 2009–2017Corroborated by 39 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 234 engine complaints across 2009–2017, typically 59,000–214,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $2,000–$8,000.
Front lower control arm/ball joint failure
· Mazda Cx-9 2008–2019Corroborated by 9 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 106 suspension complaints across 2008–2019, typically 30,000–188,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $1,774.
Why these years stand out
2008 Mazda Cx-9: 172 owner complaints on federal record, 85 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mazda Cx-9.
2010 Mazda Cx-9: 195 owner complaints on federal record, 141 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mazda Cx-9.
2011 Mazda Cx-9: 170 owner complaints on federal record, 138 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mazda Cx-9.
2012 Mazda Cx-9: 221 owner complaints on federal record, 179 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mazda Cx-9.
2018 Mazda Cx-9: 124 owner complaints on federal record, 95 of them severe, plus 2 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mazda Cx-9.
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FAQ
What years of the Mazda Cx-9 should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Mazda Cx-9 years to avoid are 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2018 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by brakes issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Mazda Cx-9?
The 2015 and 2020 Mazda Cx-9 show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Mazda Cx-9 verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Mazda Cx-9's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Mazda Cx-9 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Mazda Cx-9 reliable?
The Mazda Cx-9's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 1,383 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2018 rate "avoid", while 2015 and 2020 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Mazda Cx-9?
The most-reported problem area for the Mazda Cx-9 is brakes, followed by engine and suspension. Confirmed failures include brake booster failure, water pump internal failure with coolant-oil mixing, front lower control arm/ball joint failure. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Mazda Cx-9 across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Mazda Cx-9, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.