After owning this used vehicle for about 11 months, the engine temperature gauge indicated the car was running hot - about 240 degrees. After inspecting the vehicle at home, we added coolant to the system. This helped maintain engine temperature temporarily, but we noted over…

12/27/2022 · NHTSA ODI #11499063.0

2018 CX-9 · engine

Engine coolant leaking due to cracked cylinder head, found by Mazda dealership service inspection and diagnostics. Powertrain warranty only covers this until 80,000 miles, our vehicle is 116,000.

12/21/2023 · NHTSA ODI #11561290.0

2018 CX-9 · other Crash

I was resting my foot on my brake in the middle of sealed traffic and when I eased up to move forward when traffic my brakes did stop causing me to bump the car ahead of me. After that what came next was that my car then accelerated forward with my foot still on the brake. By…

12/14/2022 · NHTSA ODI #11497382.0

2018 CX-9 · steering

Steering makes knocking noises when turning. It happened suddenly with no damage to car to cause it. It was fine prior to parking, when the car was restarted and the wheel was turned knocking noise started. Mechanic found there is a tsb for this problem but no recall.

12/11/2024 · NHTSA ODI #11630249.0

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Active recalls showing 1 of 1

severe NHTSA 19V403000 30/05/2019

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 CX-9 vehicles

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.

Common questions

Is the 2018 Mazda CX-9 reliable?

Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 122 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Mazda CX-9 is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.

What's the most common problem on the 2018 Mazda CX-9?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 60 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Mazda CX-9 has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2018 Mazda CX-9?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 122 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 15 hours ago. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with mazda. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.