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KLUNK
KLUNK

2021 Mazda Cx-9

The Verdict

91 Smooth Ride

The 2021 Mazda Cx-9 has 38 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (20 complaints) and body (9 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 91/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Mazda Cx-9, consider the 2022 model year which has 76% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2022 has 76% fewer complaints

View the 2022 Mazda Cx-9 dashboard →

91

Klunk Score: Smooth Ride

This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
20074362098
2008732936925
200914161856
20103487242921
20111395241622
201223130282713
2013191610175
20141794222
2015934181
20169810675
20171200472
201821813804
20192017232
202052471
2021943202
202241301
202382200

By Category

Engine
20
Body
9
Brakes
4
Electrical
3
Transmission
2

By Severity

1
14
2
17
4
7

Worst Problems

Complaints

Body 2

On a high-speed highway (Route 14), the vehicle suffered a sudden flat tire/air loss event, forcing an emergency pull-off onto a narrow shoulder with 65 mph traffic. Subsequent inspection revealed the failed tire and the rest of the set were manufactured in late 2007 (DOT code 4907). These 19-year-old tires were installed by a professional tire shop despite being far beyond their safe service life. Component/System Failed: Tires (Set of 4). Tire Size: 255/50 R20 (Vredestein Wintrac 4 Xtreme, DOT 4907). Available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: Sudden tire failure at highway speeds created immediate loss-of-control risks and exposed occupants to high-speed semi-truck traffic on a narrow shoulder. Confirmation/Inspection: DOT date code 4907 confirmed by visual inspection. The installing tire shop was notified and acknowledged the sale/installation. Not yet inspected by manufacturer or law enforcement. Warning Signs: No warning lights, pressure drops, or symptoms occurred prior to failure. UNKNOWN if internal tread separation preceded deflation.

15d ago
Engine 4

The vehicle was parked stationary in the driveway with the engine running for 3-5 minutes with the A/C on. The vehicle then accelerated forward into my garage causing damage. Once I entered the vehicle, both the dash and shifter displayed park. Current TCU system internal failures have been reported from the pulling of data from Mazda.

1mo ago
Engine 2

1) What component or system failed or malfunctioned: On 6/12/2026 While drive on the highway with our daughter in the car and we experienced a high speed stall. The engine failed and we lost power. We barely got the car of the highway and coasted into a parking lot. 2) Life threating for Father, Mother and daughter and other drivers on the highway. 3) The Mazda dealer stated they were unable to reproduced problem. The diagnostic report showed few random misfired on two cylinders 2 & 3. Autozone detected codes P0300 with Secondary DTCs U0442-00 4) There car was only inspected by the dealer. The vehicle has not been inspected by Mazda the manufacturer. We requested Mazda to escalate this to the District Service Manger and to open hotline call with Mazda corporate but both of these were denied. All our service has been performed at Mazda dealer, including oil changes. We have always received a video of them working on our car with a detailed summary of what done. We did not receive the video or diagnostic report for this issue. 5) There were no warning lamps, no messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure.

1mo ago
Engine 2

This complaint refers to Mazda and it's dealer refusal to properly execute the warranty work under the SSPD5 Valve Stem Seal Class Action Campaign and does not follow the Court's approval of the final Settlement Agreement. I assert that Mazda and it's dealer are not following the SSPD5 repair procedures. 1. I have documentation and complaints going back to Dec-2023 with this particular dealer that I have experienced low level oil consumption within the 7,500 mile oil change interval. The dealer did not detect oil leaks in any of the engine systems. 2. I presented the vehicle to the dealer with the Engine Oil Level Warning Light illuminated. The Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P250FF:00 should be stored in the vehicle memory. 3. The vehicle had 50,501 miles and was within the original 60 month limited powertrain warranty. 4. The dealer refused to conduct the valve stem seal repairs until an oil consumption test was run. The dealer claims that because I had another service center (note that I use full synthettic oil that meets Mazda oil specifications) conduct the most recent oil change at 43,738 miles (note within the 7,500 oil change interval and the 1 year time window) that the dealer would require an oil consumption test. I assert that this is not required per the class settlement agreement and the SSPD5 repair procedures that Mazda sends to all of its dealers. 5. I researched the available documentation that it's available through the NHTSA.gov. The language in these documents is very clear. 6. SSPD5 Valve Stem Class Action Campaign, Repair Procedure 6-12-2024: a. "The DTC250 is not required to be present for valve stem replacement." b. "Customer complaint of oil consumption...OR Low Oil Light OR DTC250 follow the flow chart." c. Flow chart says "Replace the exhaust valve stem seals by following TSB 01-003/24" if no previous warranty work done. 7. SSPD5 updates on 8-6-25 and 4-28-26: a. Refer to page 4, DTC250 is NOT required to be presented (it is noted in RED).

2mo ago
Engine 1

Check engine light comes on and error P0303 comes on. Had an independent mechanic do the following and after each one, error P0303 still came on 1. Swap the ignition coils from 2 to 3 2. Swap spark plugs from 2 to 3 3. Swapped injectors 4. Compression test 5. Leak down test 6. Changed the spark plug, coil and injectors 7. Looked for vacuum leaks. Mechanic believes that it is related to the cracked cylinder head in the recall, MC-10232269-0001.pdf. My vehicle is just outside of the recall range and has 87k miles on it. Other research online shows other people with the same vehicle and similar milealge are also having this problem.

2mo ago
Body 4

Backup camera shows three to four feet before red collision line is not accurate causing severe damage to my garage door.

9mo ago
Transmission 2

My vehicle is part of Mazda's 2021-2022 Mazda Valve Stem Seal Settlement. The dealership had yet to call me in for the repair of said valve seal repair as I was on a list. The settlement is suppose to extend out the powertrain warranty on the vehicle 2 years/24,000 to 7 years/84,000. My vehicle has 60,083 miles on it. One of the cylinders on my vehicle lost compression. The dealership and Mazda both say they will not cover the cost for repair as they only are covering things in the powertrain relate to oil consumption. The cylinders are part of the powertrain and carbon buildup from excessive oil burning because of the defective seal causes valve damage or sticking which will cause compression loss. Mazda is actively denying what they agreed to in the settlement and costing people money for repairs that should be covered.

15mo ago
Body 2

My MazdaCx9 engine consumes (burns) an excessive amount of oil, necessitating frequent top-offs between oil changes.This issue started after the first oil change and continued since then.

20mo ago
Body 1

On [XXX], [XXX], [XXX] I was driving on an interstate highway with a 65 mph speed limit with no warning and received the following codes which slowed the vehicle to the limp mode. 1) Smart Brake Support and Forward Obstruction Warning 2) Activsense system malfunction 3) Front Radar Sensor Malfunction 4) Engine Malfunction 5) Dynamic Stability Control Malfunction I reported all three incidents to the dealer and no codes were left and the dealership had no solution for the problem. They suggested dirt, sunlight, or blowing debris caused it, but that was not the case. Luckily the first two incidents happened with little or no traffic around but the third was during rush hour and almost caused a major accident trying to get off the highway. I shut the car off, restarted and the problem resolved no lights left on or warnings appearing all three times. Contacted Mazda several times and all representatives at the dealership and California Headquarters claim no knowledge of this happening. I found a few others reporting the same issue and wanted to report this. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

21mo ago
Brakes 1

Hello, I have been to a Mazda dealer complaining of clicking and squeaky brakes for 2 years now. Dealer replaced both front and back breaks and rotors around 22k year ago and to my surprise the issues persist, currently vehicle is at 49k. There is a TSB( 04-001/22) out for my vin and year, so they know its a manufacturing defect and all they do is throw white break grease and a month later the noise is there again when breaking , backing up. I am not the only one, people of reddit confirm this and so does a general google search. Besides that i love the car and the dealer was super cool about it all but I'm sorry, this is unacceptable, Every time i go get an oil change i ask about a fix and nothing.

23mo ago
Body 1

Please add the 2021 CX9 model to the following bulletin. [XXX] This is exactly what is happening with my car and is extremely frustrating that a recall has not been issued to fix the problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

23mo ago
Body 2

The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and turning, there was a popping sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. The front-end popping sound also occurred while driving over bumps in the roadway. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 68,811.

23mo ago
Engine 1

Car loses oil and coolant rapidly

24mo ago
Engine 2

The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated that while accelerating quickly and entering the highway, there was no motive power to the vehicle. While crossing the highway in the right lane, driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle in front moved over; there was a parked vehicle. The contact was able to stop the vehicle before causing a crash. The driver was starting to accelerate, but there was no motive power when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The smart brake system malfunction message was displayed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, who scheduled an appointment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact to have the vehicle diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 53,186.

25mo ago
Engine 2

Consumes over 2 quarts of oil between recommended oil changes. The dealer made excuses about needing to use a different oil but it has not improved the problem. The warning light for low oil went off after less than 3000 miles. It was 2 quarts down.

27mo ago
Body 1

I was leaving for work when I put my personal items in the front passenger side first and then continued to walk around the car to get to the drivers side. Once I closed the passenger side door the car auto locked with all of my items in it including the key. Thankfully I had my cell phone in my pocket which has access to open the car via the Mazda app but it would not work. The spare key was not at the current location the car was at. We had to call someone out to unlock the car. This poses a safety problem because if I put my child in the back seat and close the door to get to the drivers side and it auto locks with them inside as well as my key I would have to resort to breaking the window to get them out. I reported this to Mazda and they deny that it’s a problem, and I have had the vehicle inspected by Mazda and they claim nothing is wrong with it and reset the computer. No warning prior to this happening and my key has never been locked inside before. The battery in the key is not old or dead.

31mo ago
Engine 1

I just purchased this vehicle 2 months ago. Yesterday my oil light came on, I pulled over and checked the oil it was completely low. I had to put a quart of oil in it. After that I did some research and learned this seems to be an issue with some 2021 models the cx9 included. There needs to be a recall on this and Mazda needs to fix this issue. These cars cost way to much to have to put a quart of oil every month.

32mo ago
Transmission 4

I was in a parking lot and came to a stop and placed the car in reverse to back into a parking space. The back-up camera was on and I began to back into the parking space when the car suddenly lurched/jerked forward and accelerated on its own. The car jumped the parking lot median strip and I hit a tree head on. I had my seatbelt on and the airbag deployed. The car then reversed back off the median into the parking lot. I turned off the car. Insurance company will have it inspected. The vehicle is a total loss. I was injured with a large lower abdomen hematoma and airbag burns on arms, wrists, and chest as well as various bruising. I was fortunate to have not hit pedestrians who were walking in the lot or other vehicles that were parked in the lot. There were no warning lights, messages, sounds. The brake assist did not engage. It was frightening.

35mo ago
Brakes 2

6/29/2023--Vehicle stopped suddenly with i-ACTIVESENSE system malfunction, Dynamic Stability Control malfunction, Engine malfunction, engine output reduced, Front radar sensor malfunction. Dealer said these faults due to bad battery--replaced battery per Service Manager [XXX] at Lakeland Mazda. 9/10/2023--Incident #2 with same faults as above with vehicle stopping suddenly at risk of creating a rear end collision. Lakeland Service Manager [XXX] now said that the faults are due to a faulty ERG valve. Lakeland Mazda and [XXX] are absolutely clueless as to the root cause of this problem and are releasing the vehicle back to the customer with the potential of causing a significant collision that can result in serious injury and/or death. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

35mo ago
Body 1

I was driving approximately 75-80 mph (speed limit for I-90 is 80 mph) on I-90 Eastbound in South Dakota (approximately 5-8 miles from Sioux Falls, SD) in the left-hand lane (passing lane with a minimal shoulder) when I heard a terrible noise that sounded like I had a flat tire and the car began to pull to the left. I immediately slowed down and steered the vehicle onto the small shoulder on the left-hand side of the interstate. It was at this point I looked out my window (driver's window) and saw the entire left front wheel (not just the rubber tire) rolling by (west in the grassy median of I-90). The vehicle did not roll over, hit another vehicle, or get hit by another vehicle. After coming to a safe stop, I got out of the vehicle and saw that the left front (driver's side) wheel (not just the rubber tire) was gone. There were two (2) other passengers in the vehicle at the time that the wheel fell off who exited the vehicle out of danger of passing cars/trucks/semi tractor trailers on I-90. The vehicle was towed and to my knowledge has not been inspected by the manufacturer. The Hertz rental vehicle was only "inspected" by PurCo claims specialist via pictures as they did not have the vehicle in their possession. There were no warning messages, lamps, lights, or other symptoms prior to the wheel falling off. The wheel fell off on 7/8/2023 on Interstate 90 in South Dakota. After the wheel fell off, it rolled down the median of I-90 bounced up onto the westbound lane of I-90 and struck another vehicle causing that vehicle's airbags to deploy. There were four (4) occupants in that vehicle.

36mo ago

38 total

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