NHTSA vehicle safety data
2012 Mazda CX-9 Recalls, Ratings & Complaints
The 2012 Mazda CX-9 has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns and 221 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mazda dealer.
NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2012 Mazda CX-9, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
2012 Mazda CX-9 owner complaints
Owners have filed 221 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Mazda CX-9, describing incidents dated December 21, 2011 to June 8, 2025.
Most-cited components
- Service Brakes 143 complaints
- Engine 26 complaints
- Air Bags 23 complaints
- Power Train 18 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 11 complaints
- Suspension 9 complaints
Of the 221 complaints on file, 9 report a crash; across all 221 complaints, owners report 8 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Newest complaints
ODI #11665737 · Filed
While drive i feel like there is sticking something below the car when i am accelerating. And the acceleration became hard. Also i heard a weird noise at that time. Then a saw a leakage below my car.
ODI #11640738 · Filed
My driver and passenger side curtain airbags randomly deployed without a collision. Thankfully I was at a stop sign when this happened. If it happened while I was driving, I’m sure I would have wrecked and could possibly be dead. It was loud! I thought I’d been shot or that I’d driven over a bomb…
ODI #11614843 · Filed
Ball joints replaced due to tear in both rubber covers and driver side ball joint very loose. Was previously repaired in July 2015 under recall Number: 15V451000.
Owner-reported
2012 Mazda CX-9 mileage at failure
167 of the 221 complaints on file for the 2012 Mazda CX-9 give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.
| Component | Median | Middle half | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | Median 55,000 miles | Middle half 40,000–75,000 miles | Based on 119 complaints |
A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.
Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.
These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.
Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out
NHTSA defect investigations
NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2012 Mazda CX-9 in 2 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
- Preliminary Evaluation PE19-006: Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment
Closed January 15, 2021
- Preliminary Evaluation PE15-022: Lower ball joint separation
Closed August 20, 2015
Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode
NHTSA #19V782000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice
Reported October 31, 2019 · Mazda North American Operations
Potentially affected: 69,879 vehicles
Repair completion: 67.9% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)
Mazda campaign 1317F · Owners notified December 3, 2019 · Vehicles built October 25, 2006 – September 27, 2012 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
Recall group: Takata airbag inflators
Defect description
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2007-2012 CX-7, CX-9, and 2009-2012 Maza6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Safety consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Manufacturer remedy
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V356 and 17V012.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode
NHTSA #18V717000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice
Reported October 12, 2018 · Mazda North American Operations
Potentially affected: 155,436 vehicles
Repair completion: 76.94% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)
Mazda campaign 1317F · Owners notified November 9, 2018 · Vehicles built July 28, 2009 – August 26, 2015 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
Recall group: Takata airbag inflators
Defect description
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Mazda CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, unless covered in "Zone A," Mazda is recalling certain 2011-2013 Mazda6, 2011-2012 CX-7, and 2011-2015 CX-9 sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Mazda6, 2010-2012 CX-7, and 2010-2015 CX-9 vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Safety consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Manufacturer remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture
NHTSA #17V457000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice
Reported July 18, 2017 · Mazda North American Operations
Potentially affected: 79,402 vehicles
Repair completion: 62.3% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)
Mazda campaign 1317F · Owners notified October 4, 2017 · Vehicles built July 27, 2011 – September 27, 2012 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
Recall group: Takata airbag inflators
Defect description
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2012 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2009 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2007-2008 CX-7 and CX-9 sold, or ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Safety consequence
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Manufacturer remedy
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began October 4, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recall 17V-012.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Corrosion of Front Suspension Ball Joint
NHTSA #15V451000 · Suspension — Front — Control Arm — Lower Ball Joint · NHTSA notice
Reported July 20, 2015 · Mazda North American Operations
Potentially affected: 193,484 vehicles
Repair completion: 70.55% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)
Mazda campaign 8515G · Owners notified September 14, 2015 · Vehicles built October 24, 2006 – December 28, 2013 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
Defect description
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2014 CX-9 vehicles manufactured October 24, 2006, to December 28, 2013. The affected vehicles have front suspension ball joints that may corrode from water leaking into the fitting.
Safety consequence
Over time, the ball joint corrosion may result in the front lower control arm separating from the ball joint, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace both the left and right lower control arms, free of charge. The recall began on September 14, 2015. The recall will begin with model year 2007-2009 vehicles registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The second phase will be for model year 2010-2014 vehicles in the same states. Finally, all remaining vehicles will be remedied. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 8515G.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Other Mazda CX-9 model years
Check your 2012 Mazda CX-9 VIN
Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mazda CX-9 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Check a Mazda VIN