What 170 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Mazda Cx-90 Phev

THERE IS AN ISSUE WHEN USING THE BRAKES WHERE THERE'S A LOSS OF POWER ASSIST MAKING THE BRAKES REALLY HARD TO PUSH AT TIMES, A SUDDEN LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY WITH SUPER SPONGY PEDALS, AND A STRANGE, HISSING NOISE COMING FROM THE PEDAL AREA. THESE ISSUES HAPPEN CONCURRENTLY WHEN DRIVING IN THE CITY OR HIGHWAY AND WHENEVER THE CAR IS IN REVERSE OR DRIVE.

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BRAKES ARE MAKING A HISSING SOUND WHEN YOU PRESS DOWN. THE BRAKES ARE HARD TO PUSH AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT STOPPING PROPERLY.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MAZDA CX-9. WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT 10 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SQUISHY. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD ALMOST TRAVEL TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE FEELING WAS ALSO PRESENT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT. THREE MONTHS LATER, THE CONTACT HEARD AN AIR NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

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SAME ISSUE AS EVERYONE ELSE HISSING WHEN BRAKES ARE COMPRESSED -OR CAR IS STOPPED AND BAD OR LAGGING IN BRAKING. MY BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR KEPT SLOWLY TRYING TO ROLL. I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES. OR PUT THE CAR IN PARK. WHEN I LET THE BRAKES GO NO HISSING

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BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY OR CONSISTENTLY. SOMETIMES HAVE TO PRESS TOO HARD ON BRAKES AND OTHER TIMES IT WORKS FINE. ALSO, BRAKES ARE MAKING A HISSING SOUND LIKE AIR COMING OUT OF TIRE.

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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

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SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, AND THE DRIVER ATTEMPTS TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL SEEMS UNRESPONSIVE. DURING THESE INCIDENTS, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS VERY HARD TO APPLY, NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. THANKFULLY WHEN THIS TRANSPIRED (5-10 TIMES OVER THE LAST 2-3 WEEKS), WE WERE TRAVELING RELATIVELY SLOWLY. AFTER EXERTING MUCH MORE THAN NORMAL FORCE, THE BRAKE PEDAL SEEMS TO DEPRESS AND HELP BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, ALTHOUGH NOT AT THE NORMAL RATE OF BRAKING. ADDITIONALLY, DURING ONE OF THESE INCIDENTS, WHICH HAPPENED TODAY, THE BRAKES REMAINED ENGAGED, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE, EVEN AFTER SHIFTING TO PARK, AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. EVENTUALLY, AFTER SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE A SECOND TIME AND WAITING AWHILE, THE BRAKES RELEASED. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS, AND TRYING TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT. MOST OF THE OTHER INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED DURING CITY DRIVING, BUT THEY HAVE ALSO OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AS WELL.

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HISSING NOISE WHEN PRESSING BRAKE PEDAL. IF FEELS LIKE MORE FORCE IS NEEDED TO STOP VEHICLE. LOUD NOISE FROM TRANSMISSION WHEN SHIFTING FROM PART TO DRIVE/REVERSE

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WHEN BREAKING I HEAR A HISSING NOISE AND FOUND OUT MY BREAK BOASTER WAS GOING BAD.

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HISSING SOUND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, BRAKE FEELS STIFF. HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TOMORROW (THEY SAID IT SHOULD BE OK TO DRIVE UNTIL THEN), SAID IT WAS PROBABLY THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILING.

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I HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED TROUBLE WITH MY BRAKES. IT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP NO MATTER WHAT MY SPEED IS. IT FEELS LIKE I HAVE TO PUSH VERY HARD TO GET THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE. ALSO, I HEAR A HISSING NOISE, LIKE AIR COMING OUT OF THE TIRES WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. NO WARNING LIGHTS HAVE COME ON. I TOOK THE CAR INTO JUST BRAKES LAST NIGHT AND AM WAITING FOR AN ASSESSMENT. THE MECHANIC SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER BOOSTERS.

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WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES AT ANY SPEED THERE WAS A HISSING SOUND AND THE BRAKES WERE HARD TO PRESS. REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE I APPLIED TO THE BRAKES THEY DID NOT REACT AND IT TOOK THE VEHICLE LONGER TO SLOW DOWN EVEN AT VERY LOW SPEEDS (5-10 MPH) OR FASTER. THIS CAME ON SUDDENLY AND CAUSED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT. THE MAZDA TECHNICIAN INSPECTED THE VEHICLES AND COMPLETED A DIAGNOSTICS OF THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER HAVE FAILED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED.

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ON 24 JULY 2015, WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF ME EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY BRAKING TO AVOID A COLLISION WHICH CAUSED ME TO DO THE SAME. FROM THE MOMENT I TRIED TO ACTUATE THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT FELT AS IF THE PEDAL WAS IN THE FLOOR AND IMMOVABLE. LITTLE, IF ANY, BRAKE FORCE WAS APPLIED AND REQUIRED BOTH FEET WITH ALL THE POWER OF MY LEGS TO GET EVEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKING. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY DIVE INTO THE MEDIAN AT SPEEDS OF 60-65 MPH TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THIS CAUSED TWO TIRES TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED. WHEN I LEFT MY PARKING GARAGE AND ALL THE WAY TO THE FREEWAY, BRAKING WAS NORMAL. NO DASH LIGHTS WERE ACTIVE NOR ARE THEY NOW. THE ISSUE PERSISTS NOW AND DRIVING THE VEHICLE IS NOT AN OPTION.

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BRAKE PEDAL IS VERY HARD TO PUSH IN. TRIED TO STOP AT A LIGHT AND THE BRAKES WOULDN'T STOP THE CAR, LUCKILY THERE WAS'T SOMEONE IN FRONT OF ME. BRAKES FEEL LIKE I AM PUSHING AGAINST A WALL, ALSO CAN HEAR A HISSING OR LEAKING SOUND WHEN I TRY TO PUSH THE BRAKES.

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THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND TO TYPICAL PRESSURE REQUIRED TO STOP... WHEN I PUSHED HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT FELT LIKE THE BRAKES WERE STARTING TO ENGAGE, HOWEVER I COULD NOT GET THEM TO FULLY ENGAGE AND STOP IN TIME TO AVOID REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AND JUMPED THE CURB AND DIRECTED THE VEHICLE AT BANK OF NEWSPAPER STANDS IN ORDER TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP.

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I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES MOSTLY WHEN RAINING OR SNOW. AT TIMES WHEN I GO TO HIT THE BRAKES THEY GET STUCK OR MAKE A GRINDING NOISE AND DON'T WANT TO STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HIT ANOTHER CAR ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. I WILL TAKE IT IN SOON TO HAVE IT CHECKED NOW THAT I SEE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS ISSUE. STARTING IN JAN 2015 I NOTICE A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR. I HAD AN OIL CHANGE AND CHECKED FOR AN OIL LEAK TO FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. AFTER RUNNING THE CAR FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES THE SMELL CONTINUES.

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VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW OR STOP, HAD TO PUSH PEDAL HARD ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR TO GET IT SLOWED. REALLY THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. TOOK VEHICLE INTO SHOP ON 6/5/2015 AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE POWER BRAKE ASSIST MODULE WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. OWNER OF SHOP SAID WE WERE LUCKY TO NOT HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. COME ON MAZDA YOU ARE AWARE OF THIS SITUATION.

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I HAD 3 CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS, MYSELF AND MY OLDEST SON IN OUR CX9. I CRESTED A HILL AND STARTED DOWN THE OTHER SIDE AND I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN AND THEY WERE HARD AND WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO STOP. I ALMOST HIT THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. HE WAS THANKFULLY WATCHING HIS MIRROR AND RAN A RED LIGHT TO GET OUT OF THE WAY SO I DIDN'T HIT HIM. AFTER STANDING ON THE BRAKES FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE A LIFE TIME THEY FINALLY ENGAGED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION AND HISSED WITH A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE. I REMOVED MYSELF FROM THE INTERSECTION AND AT 5 MILES PER HOUR WENT TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD TO CALL MAZDA BECAUSE THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING SYSTEM HAD FAILED. I CALLED MAZDA AND THEY TOLD ME NOT DRIVE IT AS IT WAS UNSAFE. THEY WOULD HAVE IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP AND WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP IS DOLAN MAZDA KIA IN RENO NEVADA. I WAS INFORMED BY STEVE TO LOOK AT IT IN THE SHOP I WAS LOOKING AT $125. AND THAT IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE MY CX9 HAS OVER A 100K MLS. AND THE WARRANTY RAN OUT AT 90K. THE BRAKES FAILED UNEXPECTEDLY WITH NO WARNING. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE FROM MAZDA NOR THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM. I SEE THAT THE NHTSA HAS CLOSED IT'S INVESTIGATION WITH NO RECALL OR THAT MAZDA CUSTOMERS WERE INFORMED. MY FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED.

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BRAKE BOOSTER GOES OUT CAUSING BRAKES TO UNEXPECTEDLY MALFUNCTION AND NOT STOP THE CAR IN A TIMELY MANNER. BRAKES BECOME HARD TO PRESS, SOUND OF HISSING AIR FROM UNDER DASHBOARD, BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR AND STILL DID NOT STOP THE CAR IN A SAFE MANNER. NO WARNING LIGHTS ALERTED TO THIS PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. *TR

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I NOTICED A HISSING NOISE WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT GOES AWAY WHEN I LET OFF THE BRAKE. I HAVEN'T NOTICED A DIFFERENCE IN THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT I WILL BE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO IT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED ASAP. I HAVE 2 KIDS THAT RIDE IN THIS CAR. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TOMORROW. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY HEARD ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT HAVEN'T HAD A REPAIR LIKE THIS YET. I WILL UPDATE WHAT I FIND OUT. *TR

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THIS IS THE SECOND HAPPENED TO MY MAZDA CX9, 2011. THE BRAKE STARTED TO HAVE HISSING SOUNDS WHILE STEPPING ON BRAKE. THE BRAKE PEDAL IS HARDER THAN USUAL TO DEPRESS. THE BRAKE FUNCTIONS HAS BEEN REDUCED AROUND 30~50% LESS THAN NORMAL. THIS HAS PUT DERIVING SAFETY IN JEOPARDIZED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME MY CX9'S BRAKE BOOSTER FAILURE. THE FIRST TIME IS IN YEAR 2012. I WORKED WITH MAZDA TO HAVE BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACED. HOWEVER, DEALER SEEMED NOT REALIZED THERE IS A WARRANTY EXTENDED PROGRAM FROM MAZDA --- MAZDA SPECIAL SERVICE PROGRAM -93 (SSP93). THIS IS OFFICIAL RECORDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE14005. DEALER TRIED CONTACTING MAZDA FOR THIS PROGRAM. BUT MAZDA KEPT NOT RESPONDING, IT HAS BEEN TWO WEEKS BUT STILL NOT MESSAGE BACK FROM THEM. I PAID THE REPAIRMEN OF THE DEFECTIVE BRAKE BOOSTER (PARTS & LABOR) FROM MY OWN PACKET AT THIS POINT. DESPITE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS FOR JEOPARDIZING DRIVING SAFETY, MY COMPLAINTS TO MAZDA IS ALSO FOR THEIR NON-RESPONSIVE TO CUSTOMER'S WARRANTY PROGRAM WHICH THEY HAVE MADE.

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I ACTUALLY NOTICED WHEN I STARTED MY VEHICLE UP AND PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT SEEMED TO SLOWLY SINK ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND MADE A HISSING NOISE. THE NOISE ONLY STOPPED WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. AS I WAS DRIVING, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAD DRAMATICALLY REDUCED STOPPING PERFORMANCE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE. I'VE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL STOP SIGNS AND HAVE ALMOST REAR ENDED OTHER VEHICLES. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE SUDDENLY HAPPENED, I FIRST NOTICED IT ON 3/1/15. THIS WASN'T HAPPENING ON OR BEFORE 2/26/15. I SUSPECT THE POWER BOOSTER OR MASTER CYLINDER HAVE FAILED, THOUGH I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS HAPPENED WITH ONLY 61,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MAZDA CX9. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD A HISSING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT BRAKES. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE PEDAL SANK TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

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I WENT TO HAVE NEW TIRES PUT ON THE CAR AND ON THE WAY TO THE TIRE SHOP WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE PEDDLE BECAME HARD AND WAS DIFFICULT TRYING TO STOP THE CAR.AFTER THE NEW TIRES WERE PUT ON THE SAME THING ON THE WAY HOME, STILL HAS A HARD BRAKE PEDDLE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE BEING APPLIED. *TR

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THE BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKE FELT HARD AND THE CAR WOULDN'T BRAKE - HAD TO PRESS VERY HARD TO BARELY AVOID HITTING ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER, IT WAS SCARY AND COULD HAVE EASILY GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT. I AM LUCKY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON A HIGHWAY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER - IT WAS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT NOT RECALLED. THOUGH THE DEALER WAS QUICK TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I BELIEVE THIS IS A REALLY DANGEROUS AND LIVES CAN BE LOST! I EXPECTED A DEFECTIVE BRAKING SYSTEM SHOULD HAVE INITIATED A RECALL!!! *TR

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