2015 Mazda CX-9 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
35 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
60,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2015 model year. Data snapshot: . 20 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 17 of 35 complaints (48.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 5 | 14.3% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 11.4% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 11.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 8.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 8.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 2.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 17 |
| Unknown Or Other | 9 |
| Power Train | 3 |
| Service Brakes | 3 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
Engine: 17; Unknown Or Other: 9; Power Train: 3; Service Brakes: 3; Air Bags: 2; Exterior Lighting: 2; Electrical System: 1; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 8 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 8; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (8). 15 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2015: 3; 2016: 3; 2017: 2; 2018: 3; 2019: 4; 2020: 5; 2021: 3; 2022: 4; 2023: 4; 2024: 3; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 5 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11289680 · 2019-12-17 (December 17, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MAZDA CX-9. WHILE DRIVING 68-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. IN ADDITION, SMOKE WAS DETECTED FROM THE ENGINE AND THE CHECK ENGINE, BATTERY, AND OIL WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP BLEW UP AND COOLANT ENTERED THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT CALLED HERITAGE MAZDA BEL AIR (1800 BELAIR RD, SUITE C, FALLSTON, MD 21047, [phone removed]) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REPAIRS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. T…
Owner-reported narrative. 83,183 miles reported. Look up ODI 11289680 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11292498 · 2020-01-01 (January 1, 2020)
WHILE DRIVING MY 2015 MAZDA CX-9 ON A VERY BUSY INTERSTATE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DRIVER PANEL. I WAS TRAVELING WITH MY VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, AGES 4 AND 20 MONTHS. APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES LATER, I STARTED HEARING A RATTLING SOUND UNDER THE HOOD. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, MY CAR STALLED OUT AS I ENTERED MY SUBDIVISION. MY HUSBAND HAD TO PUSH THE CAR TO OUR DRIVEWAY. I CALLED AAA THAT SAME DAY AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT SERVICES THE VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WAS QUOTED A PRI…
Owner-reported narrative. 116,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11292498 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10851060 · 2016-03-22 (March 22, 2016)
WE HAVE 2015 MAZDA CX-9 WITH 8400 MILES THAT HAS A LEAK ON THE BREAK MASTER CYLINDER. WHICH THE DEALERSHIP WAS DENYING TO BE A LEAK BECAUSE THEY SAW AN OLD DRY DEBRIS ON TOP OF THE FLUID DEPOT. BUT HAVE IT CHECKED TO AN OUTSIDE MECHANIC BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN HAVING A SHIMMY PROBLEM WHEN BRAKING FOR MOTHS AND THEY STILL CAN'T FIGURE AS TO WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR VEHICLE. ALL THEY ARE SAYING IS THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THAT I AM SAYING. TO CUT THE LONG STORY SHORT WE BROUGHT OUR VEHICLE TO THEIR SERVICE AGAIN TO FIX THE BREAK FLUID LEAK…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10851060 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11004679 · 2017-07-11 (July 11, 2017)
THE FRONT BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN REPEATEDLY APPLYING THE BRAKES WHEN GOING DOWNHILL OR SLOWING REPEATEDLY FROM SPEEDS OF 65 OR SO. I BELIEVE THE BRAKE PARTS BECOME HOT AND CREATE SOMETHING GOOGLE SEARCHES CALL "JUDDER". I HAVE HAD THE STEERING WILL START SHAKING AS WELL. AFTER REPEATED REQUESTS TO MAZDA CORPORATE AND VISITS TO TWO DEALERS, MAZDA CLAIMS THE BRAKES WORK AS DESIGNED. ONE SERVICE MANAGER AT BROWNING MAZDA STATED THE FRONT ROTORS ARE TOO SMALL TO STOP A CAR OF THIS WEIGHT, BUT THIS STATEMENT IS NOT WRITTEN. REGARDI…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11004679 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10845656 · 2016-03-08 (March 8, 2016)
WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2015 AND ABOUT 2 OR 3 MOTHS AFTER I NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE ROTOR HAD A DEEP SCRATCH ON IT. THEY FIXED IT BY SANDING THE ROTOR INSTED OF REPLACING THE ROTOR. NEXT TIME I BROUGHT WAS AN OIL LEAK ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE MOTOR ABOUT 4000MILES. THEY SAID THAT THE OIL FILTER IS LOOSED. SO ME AND MY WIFE WENT HOME HAVING SOME PIECEOF MIND THAT I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY WILL DO THE RIGHT THING. BUT AT 7000 MILES I BROUGHT OUR VEHICLE FOR FIRST OIL CHANGE AND TOLD THEM THERES A SCREECHING SO…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10845656 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11156928 · 2018-12-07 (December 7, 2018)
THE TRANSMISSION OCCASIONALLY WOULD MAKE A CLUNK SOUND WHEN SHIFTING FROM N TO D. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11156928 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11366824 · 2020-10-28 (October 28, 2020)
WE PURCHASED A 2015 MAZDA CX9 WITH 30,000 MILES THREE YEARS AGO. AT THE START OF THE MONTH, THE CAR SUDDENLY OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE FAILED! THE MECHANIC SAID THE WATER PUMP FAILED, THE COOLANT MIXED WITH THE ENGINE OIL AND THE ENGINE WAS DONE. $$7944.41 ADDITIONALLY, THE OVERHEATED ENGINE CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TO BURN TO A POINT THE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. $$4864. THIS HAPPENED AT 65,000 MILES, 5,000 MILES PAST WARRANTY. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, WE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON MAZDAS THAT USE…
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11366824 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11243102 · 2019-08-11 (August 11, 2019)
I'VE ONLY HAD MY MAZDA FOR 10 MONTHS AND HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM TWICE. THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT SOCKET HAS MELTED AND RENDERING THE BULB USELESS. I NOTICED THE SOCKET HAD BEEN SPLICED INTO THE OLD HARNESS SO I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALER SERVICE. THEY GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE TO INSTALL A COMPLETE NEW HARNESS. TO REMOVE THE LIGHT FIXTURE, THE BUMPER WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED. THE ESTIMATE FOR THIS WAS $643.25! I PURCHASED THE WIRING HARNESS AND WITH HELP INSTALLED IT THROUGH THE PORTS IN THE REAR OF THE FIXTURE IN JANUARY 2019. RECENTLY, THE LIG…
Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11243102 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11608589 · 2024-08-14 (August 14, 2024)
We have a 2015 Mazda CX-9 Touring with All-Wheel Drive (AWD). The issue that has been happening is a flashing check engine light (CEL) indicator showing up in the gauge cluster. This issue originally started in October of 2023. I was on the highway doing at least 55 miles per hour (mph). Before the light actually came on, I had already felt the vehicle shaking, and also noticed the acceleration was sluggish. In the blink of an eye, the CEL came on and started flashing. After that point, the CEL stayed on. I was able to get to my destination saf…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11608589 at NHTSA ↗