Home · 2011 Mazda Cx-90 Phev · Complaints

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

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 · Brakes · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jan 2, 2020AirbagsBrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MAZDA CX9. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 13 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARDER THAN USUAL TO DEPRESS. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT CAUSING A FIVE VEHICLE COLLISION AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE WERE PRESENT AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT WHERE THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS SCHEDULED TO HAVE AN INSPECTOR INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE14005 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

NHTSA ODI 11296688

Jun 8, 2015BrakesCrash

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.

NHTSA ODI 10724159

Mar 31, 2014BrakesCrash

BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE 3 TIMES THIS MORNING, THE FIRST TIME FAILED TO STOP THE SUV SO HAD TO SWERVE TO THE CENTER MEDIAN AND SLIGHTLY HIT THE METAL BARRIER. THEN GOING BACK HOME MAKING A TURN, BRAKES FAILED AGAIN TO ENGAGE. SEEMS THIS HAPPENED WHEN MAKING TURNS. BROUGHT TO THE MAZDA DEALER, TOLD THEM ABOUT ONGOING INVESTIGATION BY NHTSA ABOUT MAZDA CX9 2010-2011 BRAKE PROBLEMS. THEY DID A THOROUGH CHECK BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO NOTHING WAS FIXED. IT MIGHT BE THE BRAKE BOOSTER. I'M AFRAID THIS MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN, THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL REGARDING BRAKES FOR 2011 MAZDA CX9. HOPE THAT NHTSA FORCES MAZDA TO MAKE A RECALL. MAZDA HAS TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10576014

May 15, 2013BrakesCrash

APPROACHING A RED LIGHT ON A DRY SUNNY DAY, MY BRAKES FAILED HALFWAY THROUGH COMING TO A STOP. AT FIRST MY VEHICLE (2011 MAZDA CX-9 SPORT WITH 56,000 MILES) WAS SLOWING DOWN NORMALLY AND THEN SUDDENLY THERE WAS GRINDING/CRUNCHING NOISES AND DESPITE PRESSING THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER STOPPING. I SLAMMED THE BRAKES, PUMPED A FEW TIMES, AND THE VEHICLE SIMPLY FAILED TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP CAUSING ME TO SLAM INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I TOOK THE CAR INTO A MECHANIC WHO NOTIFIED ME THAT BOTH OF MY "FRONT CALIPERS WERE POSSIBLY DEFECTIVE," AND MY FRONT ROTORS WERE "UNEVEN AND WEARING ON THE OUTSIDE." HOWEVER, MY BRAKE PADS WERE GOOD AND DID NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED. GOOD THING I WAS ALREADY STOPPING FOR THE RED LIGHT; THEREFORE I ESTIMATE GOING ABOUT 10-15 MPH (SPEED LIMIT ON STREET WAS 35 AND I WAS ALREADY MIDWAY THROUGH COMING TO A STOP AT THE LIGHT). IMAGINE IF I NEED TO BRAKE WHILE GOING 60-70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE! OR WORSE, DRIVING IN THE RAIN! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10512192

Working with the data? Download all 170 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 18, 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-90 Phev verdict →