2015 Mazda CX-9 reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2015 Mazda CX-9 holds 35 complaints after 12 years, a rate of 3 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most CX-9 years here — under the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Inflator and Steering.

2012 Mazda CX-9
Photo by Ethan Llamas, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC0
Complaints

35

Per year

3

Recalls

2

Years on the road

12

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (17 of 35), then Powertrain (3) and Service brakes (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2014 and 2016

The 2014 CX-9 has 54 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2016 has 99 complaints, 4 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2016.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2015 Mazda CX-9. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall air bags, frontal, passenger side, inflator 2018-10-12 · NHTSA campaign 18V717000
Summary 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, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, unless covered in "Zone A," Mazda is recalling certain 2011-2013 Mazda6, 2011-2012 CX-7, and 2011-2015 CX-9 sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Mazda6, 2010-2012 CX-7, and 2010-2015 CX-9 vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." 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. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy 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 customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.
Recall Steering 2016-04-11 · NHTSA campaign 16V203000
Summary Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 2, 2015, 2013-2014 Mazda2 vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to August 8, 2014, 2014-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2, 2015, and 2013-2015 CX-9 vehicles manufactured December 6, 2012, to July 31, 2015. The lower mounting nuts and bolts that attach the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle may loosen, allowing the steering knuckle to separate.
Remedy Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower mounting nuts and bolts that secure the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle. If the bolts are loose, they will be replaced and then correctly tightened, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9316D.

Complaints by component (35 total)

Engine
17
Powertrain
3
Service brakes
3
Air bags
2
Exterior lighting
2
Electrical system
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
Fuel and propulsion system
1
Seat belts
1
Seats
1
Steering
1
Visibility
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 6 more Show less
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

2

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

3201532016220173201842019520203202142022420233202412025
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "My Mazda has been serviced regularly, in fact my next oil change isn't for 2,000 more miles. I was driving when I heard this weird noise. I looked at the dash and the oil light was flashing and the temperature was over…"
    Engine · filed 2025-04-03
  • "We have a 2015 Mazda CX-9 Touring with All-Wheel Drive (AWD). The issue that has been happening is a flashing check engine light (CEL) indicator showing up in the gauge cluster. This issue originally started in October…"
    Powertrain, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2024-08-14
  • "2015 transmission problem Mazda dealership unable to affect because transmissions are no longer made for my model"
    Unknown or other · filed 2024-05-30
  • "The contact owns a 2015 Mazda CX9. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the engine was overheating. The contact restarted the vehicle, and the…"
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2024-02-01
  • "The issue is with the design of the Water Pump on this vehicle. From my understanding, this is a common issue with the 2015 Mazda CX-9. What happens is once the water pump starts to fail due to the design, the vehicle…"
    Engine · filed 2023-09-14

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2015 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD 4 stars 3 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2015 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD 4 stars 3 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
CX-9 two-wheel drive 3.7L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 17 24 19 MPG $3400
CX-9 four-wheel drive 3.7L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Four-wheel drive 16 22 19 MPG $3400

Specs and fitment

1st generation (TB), 2012–2015
Body styles SUV
Oil SAE 5W-30 (3.7L V6) , 5.3 qt capacity
Tire size 245/60R18, 245/50R20 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 3,500 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA recall 19V-403 covers certain 2018 Mazda CX-9 vehicles whose wiring harness may disrupt electric power steering assist. Recall 21V-875 covers certain 2018-2019 CX-9 (and other Mazda) vehicles for a low-pressure fuel pump impeller that may crack and cause an engine stall. Confirm open campaigns by VIN.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Mazda CX-9 reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2015 Mazda CX-9 holds 35 complaints after 12 years, a rate of 3 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most CX-9 years here — under the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Inflator and Steering.

What are common problems with a 2015 Mazda CX-9?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (17 of 35), then Powertrain (3) and Service brakes (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2015 Mazda CX-9 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2014 CX-9 has 54 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2016 has 99 complaints, 4 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2016.

Has the 2015 Mazda CX-9 been recalled?

The 2015 Mazda CX-9 has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2015 Mazda CX-9?

Owners have filed 35 complaints about the 2015 Mazda CX-9 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2015 Mazda CX-9 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2015 Mazda CX-9 is 19 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Mazda CX-9 use?

US CX-9 manuals specify SAE 5W-30 for the SKYACTIV-G 2.5T turbo engine.

What generation is the 2018 Mazda CX-9?

2nd generation / TC (2016-2023).

What tire sizes does a Mazda CX-9 use?

Second-gen US sizes include 255/60R18 and 255/50R20; first-gen pages list 245/60R18 and 245/50R20.