Car · Mazda problems

2012 Mazda CX-9 problems

221 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Mazda CX-9. The most reported area is service brakes (65% of them). NHTSA also lists 134 service bulletins and 4 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 8. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 221 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Service brakes143 · 65%
• Engine and engine cooling26 · 12%
• Air bags23 · 10%
• Power train (transmission and drive)18 · 8%
• Speed control and throttle11 · 5%
• Suspension9 · 4%
• Steering7 · 3%
• Other or unknown6 · 3%

8 smaller areas not shown (20 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 134 repair bulletins from Mazda for the 2012 Mazda CX-9. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. SA-041-26aReceived October 3, 2026

   Electrical system

   DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if...

2. SA-055-26Received September 4, 2026

   Product Quality Information (PQI) DESCRIPTION Service Information MT-041/12 is no longer valid.

3. SA-029-26Received May 5, 2026

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems.

4. SA-061-25Received January 4, 2026

   Electrical system

   If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any...

5. 07-004-25aReceived January 3, 2026

   A musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system is operating.

6. SA-036-25Received September 5, 2025

   When replacing the SiriusXM satellite radio unit, a call must be made to inform SiriusXM of the existing Radio ID and the new/replacement SAT Radio ID as soon as possible to ensure the customer...

7. SA-039/25Received September 5, 2025

   Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.) when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows.

8. SA-032-25Received July 2, 2025

   Some customers may complain about a noisy HVAC blower motor or odor after a cabin air filter replacement.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Mazda CX-9. Recall repairs are free at a Mazda dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 19V782000October 31, 2019Do not drive notice

   Air bags

   These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design.

2. 18V717000October 12, 2018Do not drive notice

   Air bags

   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.

3. 15V451000July 20, 2015

   Suspension

   The affected vehicles have front suspension ball joints that may corrode from water leaking into the fitting.

See all 4 recalls for the 2012 Mazda CX-9, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your CX-9 will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Service brakes 143 complaints · 65%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Engine and engine cooling 26 complaints · 12%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Air bags 23 complaints · 10%

• Airbag clockspring replacement$230 to $670
• Airbag / occupant sensor replacement$220 to $750

Power train (transmission and drive) 18 complaints · 8%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Mazda CX-9: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Mazda CX-9?

Of the 221 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Mazda CX-9, 143 (65%) name service brakes, and 26 (12%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Mazda CX-9 reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 9 of the 221 complaints as involving a crash and 0 as involving a fire. They also reported 8 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Mazda CX-9 have?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Mazda CX-9. Recall repairs are free at a Mazda dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 134 repair bulletins for the 2012 Mazda CX-9.

More

• 2012 recalls
• All Mazda recalls
• Mazda problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.