2016 Mazda CX-9: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 106 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (57% of complaints); the 2014 and 2015 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 3 new complaints in the last 90 days
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 106 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“My car have a manufacturer engine defect that the company or corporation is not willing to fix. Only because I exceeded the warranty I call them (MAZDA) an told them that it wasn't under my control the these issues happened after the warranty expire. But they still refuse to help me.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 2026
“Cracked head cyclinder leaking. Unsafe to drive, coolant can leak into engine if not already. They are aware of it and extended a warranty for the issue in 2024. However people like me, my coolant didn't leak until this year 2026. There have been lawsuits on this issue, but they are still failing to address this issue. They created another part to replace the defected part which costs around $6000-$7000. Yes, took it to a Mazda dealer and confirmed the issue and they can fix but cost would be out of pocket. No warning at all. The only way this was discovered was the smell of the coolant leaking.”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2026
“I own a 2016 Mazda CX9 Touring FWD (180k miles). Today my car was diagnosed with cracked cylinder head, resulting in coolant and oil leak from the head gasket. While there is a class action settlement about it where Mazda accepted the manufacturing defect, they do not cover the engine repair/cylinder head replacement because my car's mile is over 120k. If it is a manufacturing defect, why year/mile make a difference on the responsibility of the manufacturer? Mazda obviously sold defect vehicles to their customers, and driving these vehicles under this condition is very dangerous! Now, they are expecting me to pay more than $10,000 for a vehicle priced around $6,000!”Owner report · Engine · Dec 2025
Show 7 more owner reports
“Cylinder head crack. Combustion gasses leaking into coolant causing overheat. Combustion gasses bleeding into oil causing excessive crankcase pressure.”Owner report · Engine · Oct 2025
“Vehicle failed to turn off the engine while in park and I was unable to lock vehicle while engine was still running. The ignition button failed to work.”Owner report · Electrical System · Oct 2024
“Sudden and dramatic loss of engine coolant. Received a warning that engine was overheating, and to shut off engine. Quickly obeyed the prompt and found that most of the engine coolant had been lost due to a catastrophic failure of either the head gasket or head itself.”Owner report · Engine · Oct 2024
“Head gasket leaking and caused major engine issue at 89,000 miles. Mazda has known of this issue, but refuses to recall it.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 2024
“The contact owns a 2016 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started shuddering and overheating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the failure was related to a cracked head gasket. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure with the Technical Service Bulletin: 01-03/21; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Jun 2024
“Smart City Break Malfunction warning light appears while driving. Simultaneously the tire pressure warning appears. Also, at the same time, the temperature reads -20 to -40 degrees. Yes, vehicle is available for inspection. Fearful that car could randomly break while driving putting myself and family in danger since there is a malfunction. Mazda service center says the problem can't be reproduced so there's nothing they can do. The problem seems to appear when the outside temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.”Owner report · Electrical System · Jun 2024
“Vehicle had a horrible coolant leak at the rear of the engine to find out the engine has a weak cylinder head and is known to break and leak coolant. The vehicle will need a new cylinder head or engine replacement.”Owner report · Engine · May 2024
When filing, owners marked a crash in 3 of these complaints and injuries in 3 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2016 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Counts are not adjusted for time on the road here - see all CX-9 years ranked fairly for the age-adjusted comparison.
Check your exact CX-9 by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Mazda CX-9 reliable?
NHTSA has 106 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2016 Mazda CX-9. The most complained-about area is engine (57% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2016 Mazda CX-9 problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 40,500 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.