What are the most common problems with the 2018 Mazda CX-9?

Engine complaints lead the list with 78 reports. Electrical system has 15 and brakes have 11.

Has the 2018 Mazda CX-9 been recalled?

Yes. The by-year fact shows 2 recalls for this model year. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.

How many complaints does the 2018 Mazda CX-9 have?

NHTSA has 128 owner complaints on file. They are unverified reports and are not adjusted for sales.

How is the fuel economy of the 2018 Mazda CX-9?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Is 2018 a good year for the Mazda CX-9?

See the by-year comparison on this page to weigh complaints and recalls across years.

2018 Mazda CX-9 Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 128 owner complaints on file for this model year^[1]. The engine group stands out, with 78 of them^[2].

128owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[3]

23–24MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the NHTSA record, biggest first. These are unverified owner reports.

Engine. 78 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe coolant loss, overheating warnings and cracked cylinder heads that led to costly repairs. Some also describe the car surging forward while stopped, even with a foot on the brake.
Unknown or other. 19 complaints^[6]. These reports do not fit a clear component group, so there is no single theme to retell.
Electrical system. 15 complaints^[7]. Owners describe dashboard warnings, a drained battery, keyless entry trouble and a screen that acts up, including the camera view.
Power train. 13 complaints^[8]. Owners describe jerky shifting and noises, and several tie them to coolant leaks near the cylinder head.
Brakes. 11 complaints^[9]. Owners describe a stiff pedal, a parking brake that misbehaves, and squeaking and vibration. Two of these name a crash^[9].
Fuel and propulsion system. 5 complaints^[10].
Forward collision avoidance. 4 complaints^[11]. Steering has 3 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2018 CX-9 is necessarily included.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump (21V875), November 2021. About 121,038 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, stalling. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Electrical System › Wiring (19V403), May 2019. About 7,854 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
CX-9 2WD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	22 / 28 / 24	$2,800
CX-9 4WD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, 4-Wheel Drive^[15]	20 / 26 / 23	$2,900

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[5]	5	4	5	4	15.1%
SUV FWD^[16]	5	4	5	4	15.9%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2018 Mazda CX-9 with 2.5L 4-cylinder^[17]	227 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
CX-9 4DR SUV AWD^[18]	200 in	78 in	68 in	115 in	4,341 lb
CX-9 4DR SUV FWD^[19]	200 in	78 in	68 in	115 in	4,050 lb

How 2018 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each CX-9 model year. The 2018 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2007	86	5
2008	172	5
2009	59	6
2010	195	6
2011	170	4
2012	221	4
2013	68	4
2014	54	3
2015	35	2
2016	107	0
2017	61	0
2018	128	2
2019	53	2
2020	19	1
2021	40	1
2022	11	0
2023	13	0

NHTSA's counts for the CX-9 show 128 complaints and 2 recalls for 2018^[3]. Among the 17 model years listed, 12 have fewer complaints than 2018 and 4 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2022 (11) and the most are for 2012 (221)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2018 CX-9?

The record for this model year is led by engine reports^[2]. Four complaints in total mention a crash and 1 mentions a fire, and no deaths are reported^[1]. These counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so treat them as a guide and not a score. If you are shopping for one, ask for service records that show any coolant or cylinder head work. Check that the recalls listed on this page were completed^[3].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Mazda CX-9?: Engine complaints lead the list with 78 reports^[2]. Electrical system has 15^[7] and brakes have 11^[9].
Has the 2018 Mazda CX-9 been recalled?: Yes. The by-year fact shows 2 recalls for this model year^[3]. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.
How many complaints does the 2018 Mazda CX-9 have?: NHTSA has 128 owner complaints on file^[1]. They are unverified reports and are not adjusted for sales.
How is the fuel economy of the 2018 Mazda CX-9?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
Is 2018 a good year for the Mazda CX-9?: See the by-year comparison on this page to weigh complaints and recalls across years.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Mazda CX-9

2010 195 complaints, 6 recalls
2011 170 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 221 complaints, 4 recalls
2013 68 complaints, 4 recalls
2014 54 complaints, 3 recalls
2015 35 complaints, 2 recalls
2016 107 complaints, 0 recalls
2018 this page
2019 53 complaints, 2 recalls
2020 19 complaints, 1 recall
2021 40 complaints, 1 recall
2022 11 complaints, 0 recalls
2023 13 complaints, 0 recalls

Compare all model years of the Mazda CX-9

Other Mazda models from 2018

2018 Mazda 6 58 complaints, 2 recalls

All Mazda models

Similar cars from 2018: small suvs

2018 Lincoln MKX 31 complaints, 5 recalls
2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class 87 complaints, 12 recalls
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander 93 complaints, 6 recalls
2018 Nissan Pathfinder 78 complaints, 3 recalls
2018 Nissan Rogue 669 complaints, 4 recalls
2018 Subaru Forester 498 complaints, 3 recalls

All small suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 128 owner complaints on file for the 2018 Mazda CX-9 (4 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
78 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 72,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Mazda CX-9 model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for CX-9 2WD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 28 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.1%. NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the unknown or other component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
15 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
13 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
11 complaints name the brakes component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 28,000). NHTSA vehicle records
5 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
4 complaints name the forward collision avoidance component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
3 complaints name the steering component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 21V875, filed November 12, 2021: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V403, filed May 30, 2019: Electrical System › Wiring. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for CX-9 4WD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, 4-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 26 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2018 Mazda CX-9 with 2.5L 4-cylinder: rated 227 hp. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, CX-9 4DR SUV AWD: length 200 in, width 78 in, height 68 in, wheelbase 115 in, curb weight 4,341 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, CX-9 4DR SUV FWD: length 200 in, width 78 in, height 68 in, wheelbase 115 in, curb weight 4,050 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2018 Mazda CX-9: problems, recalls and fuel economy