2018 Mazda CX-9 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other CX-9 years
- Far more complaints than other years 5th of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 128 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Mazda CX-9. That ranks 5th out of 17 CX-9 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (76 complaints, 59%), typically at around 39,500 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 128owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Mazda CX-9 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 76 | 59% | 39,500 | “cylinder head” (58%) | $8,500 |
| Unknown or Other | 19 | 15% | 13,058 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 15 | 12% | 10,352 | — | — |
| Power Train | 13 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 11 | 9% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 4% | 13,408 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 4 | 3% | 946 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 2% | 3,600 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 2% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 2% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 2% | 82,040 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Mazda CX-9 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 CX-9 vehicles. The wiring harness may disrupt electrical communications and disable the passenger frontal air bag, turn signals, and/or engine starting system.
Risk: The passenger frontal air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury. Inoperable turn signals prevent the driver from signaling to other drivers, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3419E.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
While driving at highway speed in heavy rain the oil light suddenly came on followed within 30 seconds by an urgent need to immediately stop the car due to overheating. There was no radiator fluid left due to the sudden and catastrophic structural failure caused by a known manufacturing defect…
My 2018 Mazda Cx-9 equipped with the skyactiv-g 2.5T developed a serious cylinder-head/cooling-system failure. The vehicle began to lose coolant with no apparent external leak and subsequently displayed and engine -overheating warning. It continued to lose coolant after a flush. The Mazda…
I was driving home from work and may car started overheating out of nowhere. I was stuck in traffic and white smoke was exiting my exhaust. I pulled over and all of my coolant leaked out of my car. Took it the shop and they said I had a cracked head and need a whole new engine. I seen that there…
The cylinder head on this 2018 Mazda CX-9 (Skyactiv-G 2.5T engine) cracked, allowing engine coolant to leak and intermix with engine oil, causing loss of coolant and catastrophic engine failure. The vehicle became undriveable in the first week of November 2025 at approximately 125,019 miles and has…
My passenger heated seats malfunction while I was driving. As I was driving on the highway I smelled something burning. I didn't know where the smell was coming from it was strong . Then while I'm driving on the highway my seat started to smoke a lot I got scared and pulled on side of the road. I…
Other Mazda CX-9 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 CX-9 | 13 | 0 |
| 2022 CX-9 | 11 | 0 |
| 2021 CX-9 | 40 | 1 |
| 2020 CX-9 | 19 | 1 |
| 2019 CX-9 | 53 | 2 |
| 2018 | 128 | 2 |
| 2017 CX-9 | 61 | 0 |
| 2016 CX-9 | 107 | 0 |
| 2015 CX-9 | 35 | 2 |
| 2014 CX-9 | 54 | 3 |
| 2013 CX-9 | 68 | 4 |
| 2012 CX-9 | 221 | 4 |
| 2011 CX-9 | 170 | 4 |
| 2010 CX-9 | 195 | 6 |
| 2009 CX-9 | 59 | 6 |
| 2008 CX-9 | 172 | 5 |
| 2007 CX-9 | 86 | 5 |
See all Mazda CX-9 problems by year, every Mazda model, or the Mazda VIN decoder.
Similar Mazda models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Mazda CX-9?
Owners most often report engine, unknown or other, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 76 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Mazda CX-9?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 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 2018 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.