2018 Mazda CX-9: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 126 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (62% of complaints); the 2017 and 2019 and 2020 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 1 new complaint in the last 90 days · latest recall Nov 2021
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 126 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“My wife was driving the vehicle when the emergency lights started going off. She had to pull over because the car wouldn't run and said it was overheated. All the maintenance has been done to the car. We took it to the dealership and they said it is a cracked head and it is a known issue. They even issued a extended warranty for it. It is TSB 01-002/23. There should be a recall on this not just a partial credit.”Owner report · Engine · May 2026
“The liftgate (trunk) opens sporadically. The system keeps trying to open the truck and it's causing a parasitic drain on my battery. I was stranded 2 hours from my home due to this. My trunk would sporadically beep three times, that is the only warning I received. There are safety recalls for other year of Mazda cx-9 but not my specific even though I am having the same issue.”Owner report · Electrical System · Mar 2026
“My 2018 Mazda CX-9 experienced catastrophic engine damage after a radiator failure allowed coolant to enter the engine. The vehicle provided no dashboard warning, overheating alert, or coolant warning before the failure occurred. Modern vehicles are designed to alert drivers to overheating or cooling system failures. The lack of warning prevented me from addressing the issue and resulted in catastrophic engine damage. I believe this represents a potential safety defect in the vehicle's cooling system monitoring and warning system.”Owner report · Engine · Feb 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“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 realized my seat was the issue turned off the heated seats on the control. Step out the vehicle on side the highway I was nervous and scared standing outside my vehicle. The smoke eventually died down and cleared out. I never turned it back on and put a small piece of tape over the hole it burned through my seat.”Owner report · Seats · Feb 2026
“The adjustable rails holding the rear left seat in place no longer latch. It is available for inspection. This is the most common place for a car seat in this car. In the event of a crash the seat would slide forward. The seat belt attaches to the seat so there would be little restraint on the rear passenger. The mechanic who attempted a repair stated Mazda does not sell this part, only sells a replacement for the entire seat, about $5000. There were no symptoms, when adjusting the seat the rail just stopped holding the seat firmly in place when the adjusting bar was released.”Owner report · Seats · Feb 2026
“Passenger seat heater either had a grounding issue or shorted out, causing to seat to start smoldering and catching fire, destroying the seat. There has been recalls and lawsuits for this specific issue on this model in other years, but not for this model year.”Owner report · Electrical System · Jan 2026
“my 2018 MAZDA CX-9 safety issue SCBS / SBS, LAS / LDWS, MASTER AND/OR HBC WARNING LIGHTS Forward sensing camera (FSC) stops functioning cause my car run rough even depress accelration and those light came on dashbaord -Forworad smart city brake support malfunction -smart brake system -front camera sensor malfunction”Owner report · Power Train · Sep 2025
“Passenger side sun visor will not stay in place. Cannot lock it in up position, which means it droops. Causing sight of vision impairment.”Owner report · Visibility/Wiper · Aug 2025
“1. The navigation has a frosted crackle appearance framing the screen. It is difficult to read the navigation when needed. I know this has happened to other models of this vehicle and those were recalled and covered. 2. The brake senor keeps going off stating "SMART BRAKE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION". This goes off repeatedly while driving. 3. Then a second message pops up and reads "FRONT RADAR SENSOR SYSTEM MALFUNTION".”Owner report · Forward Collision Avoidance · Apr 2025
“coolant leaks at the cylinder head around the exhaust manifold. Caused crack in the head. The Mazda 2.5t engine has this common issue that Mazda knows about. Mazda has a bulletin out but has not issued a recall. Car over heated and I was left stranded. Took car to mechanic who says I need to replace my entire engine.”Owner report · Engine · Nov 2024
When filing, owners marked a crash in 4 of these complaints and injuries in 2 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
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.
Remedy: 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.
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.
Remedy: 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.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2018 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
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 2018 Mazda CX-9 reliable?
NHTSA has 126 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2018 Mazda CX-9. The most complained-about area is engine (62% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2018 Mazda CX-9 problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 27,000 miles or less.
Does the 2018 Mazda CX-9 have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.