2013 Mazda CX-9 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Apr 14, 2026 · 68 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other CX-9 years
About as many complaints as other years 8th of 17 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
4 out of 5 stars

Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Mazda CX-9. That ranks 8th out of 17 CX-9 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (17 complaints, 25%), typically at around 88,950 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.

Mazda CX-9
Mazda_CX-9_(TC) in Böblingen. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2013 Mazda CX-9 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Engine17 · ~88,950 mi
Service Brakes16 · ~58,500 mi
Air Bags9 · ~25,000 mi
Suspension9 · ~48,000 mi
Unknown or Other9 · ~53,000 mi
Power Train5 · ~56,500 mi
Structure4 · ~30,000 mi
Seat Belts2 · ~52,793 mi
Back Over Prevention1
Electrical System1 · ~338 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Engine1725%88,950——
Service Brakes1624%58,500——
Air Bags913%25,000——
Suspension913%48,000——
Unknown or Other913%53,000——
Power Train57%56,500——
Structure46%30,000——
Seat Belts23%52,793——
Back Over Prevention11%———
Electrical System11%338——
Equipment Adaptive/mobility11%338——
Exterior Lighting11%150——
Forward Collision Avoidance11%———
Seats11%12,800——
Visibility11%———
Visibility/wiper11%———
Wheels11%53,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2016, with 11 complaints
2013: 6201362014: 4201442015: 5201552016: 112016112017: 5201752018: 7201872019: 6201962020: 8202082021: 7202172022: 3202232023: 2202322024: 1202412025: 1202512026: 220262

n = 68 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2013 Mazda CX-9 recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not driveOct 12, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V717000 · 155,436 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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.

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not driveJan 9, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V018000 · 70,227 vehicles

Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2013 Mazda6 and 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 2010 Mazda6, CX-7 and CX-9 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 covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2009 Mazda6, CX-7, and 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.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.

SteeringApr 11, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V203000 · 578 vehicles

Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 2, 2015, 2013-2014 Mazda2 vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to August 8, 2014, 2014-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2, 2015, and 2013-2015 CX-9 vehicles manufactured December 6, 2012, to July 31, 2015. The lower mounting nuts and bolts that attach the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle may loosen, allowing the steering knuckle to separate.

Risk: If the steering knuckle separates from the strut assembly, it can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower mounting nuts and bolts that secure the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle. If the bolts are loose, they will be replaced and then correctly tightened, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9316D.

Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint; suspension:front:control arm:lower armJul 20, 2015 · NHTSA campaign 15V451000 · 193,484 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment (PE19006) — opened May 2, 2019, closed Jan 15, 2021.
  • Lower ball joint separation (PE15022) — opened Jun 9, 2015, closed Aug 20, 2015, led to recall 15V451000.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Engine throwing a code after dying at intersection. Found that it isa known issue for this vehicle and repair costs are astronomical. Diagnostic Summary: 2013 Mazda CX-9 (3.7L V6)Issue: Faulty Crankshaft/Camshaft Correlation (Code P0016)Current Mileage: ~160,000 miles Reported Symptoms: Extended…

Engine · received Apr 14, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11731017

The contact owns a 2013 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the lower control arm needed to be…

Suspension · received Mar 5, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11722285

I was pulling into a parking spot in Brooksville, Florida. It was the last parking spot on the block. As I pulled in, I went to hit my brake so that I could back up and the car did not stop. My foot was pressed all the way down to the floor and it kept going, and I hit the car parked in front of…

Structure · received Sep 25, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11689655

Niece was driving home from college on July 24, 2024 around 7:30 PM. She heard a pop when she was 1 mile away from the house. Side airbags exploded on passenger and driver side for no reason. She called me. We drove the car home since it was less than 1 mile away. No injuries. A couple of days…

Air Bags · received Aug 27, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11611055

The engine in my Mazda blew with no warning. I got in my car after warming it up and noticed my check engine light on, which wasn’t unusual because it has came on before with a loose gas gap warning, so I put it in gear and drove less than 50 ft before it started making noises. I immediately…

Engine · received Mar 9, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11511035

Other Mazda CX-9 years

← 2012 CX-9 · 2014 CX-9 →

See all Mazda CX-9 problems by year, every Mazda model, or the Mazda VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Mazda CX-9?

Owners most often report engine, service brakes, air bags problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 17 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2013 Mazda CX-9?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2013 Mazda CX-9 a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other CX-9 model years, the 2013 has about as many complaints as a typical year, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.