2010 Mazda CX-9 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

194 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2010 Mazda CX-9, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 75/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 75,000 miles.

Avoid this year if you can. The 2010 Mazda CX-9 sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2015.

194Complaints
75/100Trouble index
6Recalls
75,000Typical trouble mileage

Avoid

Where 2010 sits among all CX-9 years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Brakes & stability 77 complaints (40%) · typically ~75,000 miles
“Started getting a hissing sound from the brake booster and a hard to depress brake pedal.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 CX-9
Engine 22 complaints (11%) · typically ~80,000 miles
Transmission & drivetrain 22 complaints (11%) · typically ~76,000 miles
Suspension 14 complaints (7%)
Airbags 12 complaints (6%)
Other 9 complaints (5%)

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 142 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 75,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 41,000 and 105,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (6)

AIR BAGS 19V782000 2019 Do not drive

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2007-2012 CX-7, CX-9, and 2009-2012 Maza6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The…

Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one,…

AIR BAGS 18V717000 2018 Do not drive

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Mazda CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa,…

Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda…

AIR BAGS 18V018000 2018 Do not drive

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2013 Mazda6 and CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa,…

Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer…

AIR BAGS 17V429000 2017 Do not drive

Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 Mazda6, and 2007-2011 CX-7 and CX-9 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original…

Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator,…

SUSPENSION 15V451000 2015

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2014 CX-9 vehicles manufactured October 24, 2006, to December 28, 2013. The affected vehicles have front suspension ball joints that may corrode from water leaking into the fitting.

Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace both the left and right lower control arms, free of charge. The recall began on September 14, 2015. The recall will begin with model year…

SEATS 10V051000 2010

MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 CX-9 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRICALLY HEATED FRONT SEATS. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY UNDER EXTREMELY COLD CONDITIONS FOR THE SEAT HEATER CONTROL CIRCUIT TO OVERHEAT AND FAIL DUE TO INSUFFICIENT ELECTRICAL GROUNDING.

Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL GROUND HARNESS ON THE SEAT HEATER CONTROL SYSTEM. THE SEAT HEATER CONTROL CIRCUIT WILL BE REPLACED IF NECESSARY AND/OR THE SEAT WILL BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE.…

Federal defect investigations

Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment PE19006 opened 2019, closed 2021
Lower ball joint separation PE15022 opened 2015, closed 2015

Led to recall campaign 15V451000.

Brake Booster Failure PE14005 opened 2014, closed 2014

Technical service bulletins

277 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2010 Mazda CX-9. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2010 CX-9 TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2010peak 28 in 20142026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2010 Mazda CX-9 reliable?

The 2010 Mazda CX-9 drew 194 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 75/100, scored against the model's worst year (2012).

What are the most common 2010 Mazda CX-9 problems?

The top reported problems for the 2010 Mazda CX-9 are brakes & stability (77 complaints), engine (22), and transmission & drivetrain (22).

At what mileage do 2010 Mazda CX-9 problems show up?

Owners most often report 2010 Mazda CX-9 problems around 75,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 41,000 and 105,000 miles.

Does the 2010 Mazda CX-9 have recalls?

6 recall campaigns apply to the 2010 Mazda CX-9. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.

← 2009 CX-9 All CX-9 years 2011 CX-9 →
Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.