Home · 2011 Mazda CX-9 · Complaints

What 170 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Mazda CX-9

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (170)Crash / fire / injury (10)Brakes (99)Transmission & drivetrain (25)Airbags (22)Engine (15)Suspension (8)Electrical system (5)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (4)Speed control (4)Steering (4)Lights (3)

4 of 170 complaints match · Speed control · clear filters

Aug 1, 2025AirbagsSpeed controlCrash

The contact owns a 2011 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle at a slow speed in the driveway, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration, lurched forward, and crashed into a tree before coming to a stop. The contact was unable to stop the vehicle during the sudden unintended acceleration. During the failure the vehicle sustained front end damages, but no air bags had deployed. No injuries were reported. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated that twice in the day before the unintended acceleration, the vehicle jerked forward in traffic however, the contact attributed the issue to the brake pedal not being firmly depressed or the clutch not properly engaged while shifting gear. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 173,000.

NHTSA ODI 11677734

May 13, 2018Speed controlEngine

CAR SURGES UNEXPECTEDLY EVEN WHEN GAS PEDAL NOT ENGAGED - CAN CAUSE A RUSHED FORWARD OR REVERSE MOTION, PUTTING PEDESTRIANS OR OTHER CARS AT RISK. THIS HAPPENS DAILY. PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED BY DEALERSHIP SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. THERE IS A RELATED OIL LEAK.

NHTSA ODI 11093569

Jul 11, 2016SteeringSpeed controlWheels

I TOOK MY CAR TO HALL IN BROOKFIELD WI TO FIX A RECALL ISSUE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY FIXED THE RECALL ISSUE BUT NOTICED ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DIFFERENTIAL BUSHINGS BECAUSE THEY WERE TORN. THEY CHARGED ME OVER $500 FOR THIS ISSUE AND I BELIEVE THE ISSUE WAS EXASPERATED BY THE RECALL ISSUE AND I AM NOT SURE WHY I HAD TO PAY. I HONESTLY BELIEVE IT WAS A WAY FOR THE DEALER TO CHARGE ME FOR THE RECALL WORK BECAUSE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FREE. I AM ATTACHING RECEIPTS FOR THE WORK HALL DID TO THIS COMPLAINT. NOW MY CAR IS HAVING ISSUES WITH PROPERLY ACCELERATING AND IS VERY LOUD.

NHTSA ODI 10884039

Dec 16, 2015BrakesElectrical systemSpeed control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MAZDA CX-9. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AS THE WARNING INDICATORS FLASHED AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,727. UPDATED 06/15/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED SHE ACCELERATED FROM A STOP LIGHT, AS SHE TURNED THE CORNER. SHE THEN REALIZED, SHE COULD NOT BRAKE, OR STEER THE VEHICLE. SHE HIT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE DEALER BELIEVED IT WAS A VACUUM PROBLEM AS SHE BRAKED SLIGHTLY WHEN SHE TURNED THE CORNED. UPDATED 06/16/16.*JB

NHTSA ODI 10810700

Working with the data? Download all 170 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 14, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Mazda CX-9 verdict →