Home · 2012 Mazda Cx-90 Phev · Complaints

What 221 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 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 (221)Crash / fire / injury (13)Brakes (143)Engine (25)Airbags (23)Transmission & drivetrain (18)Speed control (11)Suspension (9)Steering (7)Electrical system (5)Fuel system (4)Lights (3)

143 of 221 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters · page 4 of 6

Jul 19, 2016Brakes

BRAKES BECAME STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO PRESS. WHEN BRAKE PEDAL PRESSED TO THE FLOOR, LOUD SQUEALING NOISE HEARD FROM INSIDE THE CAB. STOPPING DISTANCE AND BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSION CONTINUE TO WORSEN AS TIME PASSES. THIS HAS NOW BECOME SO BAD THAT WE CAN NO LONGER DRIVE THE CAR SAFELY.

NHTSA ODI 10886029

Jul 15, 2016Brakes

BRAKES FEEL HARD AND VEHICLE BRAKES SLOWER THAN IT SHOULD. IT TOOK A MUCH LONGER DISTANCE TO STOP. HISSING SOUND FROM PEDAL. FOUND NUMEROUS DESCRIPTIONS ON SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE BOOSTER TEAR. DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WAS NOT RECALLED.

NHTSA ODI 10884996

Jul 12, 2016Brakes

POWER BRAKES ARE GOING OUT. WHILE DRIVING THE POWER ASSIST ON THE BRAKES GOES OUT. YOU HAVE TO PUSH AS HARD AS YOU CAN TO GET ANY STOPPING ABILITY AND THEN THEY WILL WORK FINE AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY BUT FREQUENTLY. THE CAR HAS 75,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 10884388

Jun 24, 2016Brakes

THE BRAKES HAVE BECOME VERY HARD TO PUSH, IT TAKES ALL MY MIGHT TO GET CAR TO STOP, AND THERE IS A SQUEALING SOUND WHEN PEDAL IS PUSHED ALL THE WAY DOWN. FEELS AS IF CAR ISN'T GOING TO STOP.

NHTSA ODI 10876455

May 19, 2016Brakes

BRAKE FAILURE AT 60K MILES (POSSIBLY EARLIER). I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM A DEALER 2 MONTHS AGO AND WAS TOLD FRONT AND REAR PADS AND ROTORS HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. THEY FELT INCONSISTENT BUT I THOUGHT THEY NEEDED TO SETTLE IN. THEN THE POWER BOOST BEGAN TO FAIL AND A HIGH PITCHED WHINING NOISE COMES FROM THE BOOSTER IF THE PEDAL IS HELD DOWN. IT HAS LURCHED FORWARD WITH MY FOOTRR ON THE PEDAL WHILE AT A FULL STOP. I NOW PUT IT IN NEUTRAL WHEN AT A STOP. GETTING IT TO STOP IS THE PROBLEM. VERY ,VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI 10865788

May 14, 2016Brakes

WE HAVE NOTICED THE DIFFICULTY IN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PAD ALONG WITH THE HISSING NOISE OVER THE PAST 1 MONTH AND IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY BECAME STRONGER. INITIALLY YOU BRUSH IT OFF THINKING YOU ARE IMAGINING IT. TODAY ON A HILL THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT SO TRAFFIC WAS BARELY MOVING, I STARTED TO LEAVE MORE AND MORE DISTANCE WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AS IT WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES. FINALLY I HEAR A STRANGE NOISE AND THEN COMPLETE QUIET AND MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER NOTICES TOO AND AS I RELEASE THE BRAKE TO MOVE I REALIZE THE CAR ENGINE HAD DIED (THE ENGINE HAS NEVER GIVEN ANY INDICATION OF ISSUES BEFORE) BUT THE ENGINE DASH LIGHTS WEREN'T ON INDICATING THERE WAS NOT POWER WHICH OF COURSE MEANS NO POWER STEERING EITHER, A QUICK SHIFT TO N AND RESTART AND ALL IS FINE THE REST OF THE WAY HOME. THE HISSING NOISE AND DIFFICULT DEPRESSION CONTINUED HOWEVER WHILE ON THE HILL WHEN I DID PRESS HARD ENOUGH FOR THE BRAKES TO RESPOND THEY DID SO AS THOUGH BYPASSING THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM AS THEY WOULD JOLT INTO THE STOP. VERY CONCERNING AS THE DISTANCE TO STOP HAS INCREASED, WHAT IF A PERSON WALKED IN FRONT OF ME MUCH LESS IF I'M ON THE FREEWAY AND COME UPON A SUDDEN NEED TO STOP. BUT HERE IT IS A SATURDAY EVENING AND HOW AND WHEN CAN I DEAL WITH AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT CLEARLY IS REPEATED. I WONDER HOW MANY OUT THERE HAVE NOT TAKEN THE TIME TO REPORT, HAVE SPENT MUCH ON REPAIRS OR SIMPLY TRADED IN THEIR VEHICLE TO COME IN TO THE HANDS OF SOME OTHER UNSUSPECTING CONSUMER. ACTION TRULY IS NEEDED BEFORE SOMEONE'S LIVES ARE CHANGED FOREVER.

NHTSA ODI 10864955

May 9, 2016Brakes

BRAKES FEEL HARD AND VEHICLE BRAKES SLOWER THAN IT SHOULD. IT TOOK A MUCH LONGER DISTANCE TO STOP. HISSING SOUND FROM PEDAL. FOUND NUMEROUS DESCRIPTIONS ON SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE BOOSTER TEAR. DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WAS NOT RECALLED.

NHTSA ODI 10863960

May 8, 2016Brakes

WITH NO WARNING AT ALL THE POWER BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. TO STOP THE CAR YOU HAVE TO ALMOST STAND ON THE BRAKES. WHEN YOU PUSH ON THE BRAKE PEDAL YOU ALSO HEAR A VERY FAINT HISSING NOISE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS THERE IS NO WARNING OF THE BRAKE FAILURE. UNLESS YOU ARE A VERY STRONG PERSON THERE IS NO WAY TO STOP THE CAR IN AN EMERGENCY.

NHTSA ODI 10863800

May 6, 2016Brakes

THE BRAKES HAVE BECOME VERY HARD TO PUSH, IT TAKES ALL MY MIGHT TO GET CAR TO STOP, AND THERE IS A SQUEALING SOUND WHEN PEDAL IS PUSHED ALL THE WAY DOWN. FEELS AS IF CAR ISNT GOING TO STOP. THIS OCCURED ON THE HIGHWAY AND I WAS LUCKY I WAS ABLE TO DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW CAR AND GET OFF HIGHWAY

NHTSA ODI 10863681

Apr 19, 2016Brakes

I NOTICED THAT AT VERY SLOW SPEED (BACKING OUT, EASING FORWARD) THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY HARD, DID NOT DEPRESS, AND CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP. I DID NOT HAVE MUCH OF A PROBLEM AT REGULAR (60 MPH) SPEED. ONLY ONCE WAS THERE A LOUD HISSING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE DEALER TOLD ME BRAKES WERE FINE BUT THE CAR DID NOT DRIVE FINE. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME I NEEDED FRONT BRAKE PADS. UPON CHANGING BRAKE PADS, I WAS TOLD THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS BAD AND CAUSING THE PADS TO WEAR ABNORMALLY FAST AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS ACTUALLY WORSE WITH THE NEW PADS. DEFINITELY A PROBLEM AS I WAS ONLY AT 31,000MI. I DIDN'T NOT RETURN TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE MECHANIC DO THE REPAIR RIGHT THEN. WHAT I THOUGHT WAS MINOR MAINTENANCE TURNED INTO A $500 REPAIR. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THERE IS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY OF 7YR/90,000MI ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER IF DIAGNOSED AND FIXED BY A DEALER.

NHTSA ODI 10860251

Apr 19, 2016Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MAZDA CX-9. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE EMITTED. AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL NUMEROUS TIMES, THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,300. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10860310

Apr 8, 2016Brakes

THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK. WHEN I INITIALLY DEPRESS THE BRAKE FROM PARK TO DRIVE, THE CAR BEGINS TO ROLL AS IF I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE PEDAL. I HEAR A HISSING SOUND NOW WHEN I DEPRESS THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE SYSTEM HAS RAPIDLY DETERIORATED IN JUST 1 WEEK. SOMETIMES, I AM NOT ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AT ALL. I WILL BE TAKING MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TOMORROW. 4.9.16

NHTSA ODI 10854490

Mar 26, 2016Brakes

MY WIFE COMPLAINED TO ME ABOUT HER BRAKES BECOMING HARD TO THE POINT SHE COULDN'T STOP THE CAR. I THEN TOOK HER CAR FOR A DRIVE AND WHILE IN MOTION I HIT THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES BECAME SO HARD I HAD TO USE AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT OF FORCE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS REALLY DIMINISHED STOPPING POWER WHEN THIS OCCURS. THIS SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE PUSHED MORE THAN ONCE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME SUCH AS STOP AND GO TRAFFIC.THE VEHICLE ALSO MAKES A HISSING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. I BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD BE A BAD BRAKE BOOSTER. I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 10851800

Mar 15, 2016Brakes

THE BRAKES HAVE BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO PUSH. THEY SLOW DOWN THE CAR, BUT REQUIRE INTENSE PRESSURE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE IS ALSO A SLIGHT HISSING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. IT TAKES ABOUT TWICE THE DISTANCE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP THAN PREVIOUSLY. THERE IS NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM ON THE DASHBOARD; NO WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN DISPLAYING, BUT SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY WRONG. I DO NOT FEEL VERY SAFE WHEN DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 10849873

Mar 1, 2016Brakes

THE VEHICLE PRESENTS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE BRAKE PEDAL GETS EXTREMELY HARD TO DEPRESS AND THE EFFECT IS MINIMAL. THE VEHICLES STOPPING DISTANCE IS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED; IF PRESSED HARDER THE PEDAL WILL SUDDENLY GET SOFTER AND THE BRAKE POWER INCREASES UNEXPECTEDLY JERKING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A LOUD HISSING NOISE NOTED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THE HISSING NOISE COMES FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CABIN IN THE VICINITY OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL. MAZDA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE IDENTIFIED CONCERNS IN THIS AREA. OF COURSE WE OPERATE UTILIZING TOMBSTONE MANAGEMENT THEORIES; ONLY RECOGNIZING A PROBLEM ONCE SOMEONE IS KILLED.

NHTSA ODI 10839280

Jan 28, 2016Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MAZDA CX-9. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONCE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, AN ABNORMAL SOUND COULD BE HEARD. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL DESCENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC WHERE IT COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID. UPDATED 03/18/16*LJ *JS

NHTSA ODI 10822893

Dec 30, 2015Brakes

BRAKE PEDAL MAKES HISSING SOUND WHEN DEPRESSED LIKE AIR LEAKAGE; INTERMITTENTLY VERY DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL WITH A LOT OF FORCE APPLIED (TYPICALLY IF PUMPING BRAKE), LEADING TO INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE/DIFFICULT STOPPING. OCCURS WHEN BRAKES DEPRESSED (SOFT PEDAL, AIR HISSING); IF DEPRESSED AGAIN IN QUICK SUCCESSION, VERY HARD TO PRESS WITH SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED STOPPING POWER. OCCURS WHETHER VEHICLE STANDING OR IN MOTION. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10816995

Dec 2, 2015Brakes

ON JANUARY 7,2015 I WAS DRIVING ON THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESS WAY MERGING OFF THE RAMP BACK ONTO THE HIGH WAY WHEN I COULDN'T BREAK. MY BREAKS DIDN'T WORK. I KEPT ON PRESSING THEM DOWN AND NOTHING WAS WORKING. TRUCKS WERE ALL HONKING AT ME BECAUSE I WAS MERGING WITHOUT STOPPING. FINALLY I WENT OFF THE RAMP ONTO THE GRASS. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. NEVER GOT ANYTHING IN THE MAIL FROM THEM STATING OF SUCH THING.I TOOK THE CAR IN AND I DON'T OWN THE CAR ANYMORE BECAUSE I WAS BEYOND AFRAID AFTER THIS SITUATION.

NHTSA ODI 10807977

Oct 16, 2015Brakes

MY BRAKES ARE FAILING. I FIRST NOTICED THE BRAKES WERE SPONGY AND THERE WAS A HISSING SOUND IN THE CABIN. THEN THE BRAKES BECAME VERY HARD. I WAS VERY AFRAID I WAS GOING TO HIT VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. ALSO, EVENTUALLY THE CAR WOULD DIE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT IS THE BRAKE POWER BOOSTER. THIS IS VERY COMMON. PLEASE, PLEASE RECALL THESE VEHICLES. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 10782957

Oct 16, 2015Brakes

THE VEHICLE PRESENTS A FAILURE IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHICH GETS HARDER TO PRESS AND THE BRAKE POWER IS DIMINISHED, IF PRESSED HARDER THE PEDAL WILL GET SOFTER AND THE BRAKE POWER INCREASES BUT THE SENSATION OF RELIABILITY AND SAFETY WHEN BRAKING IS AFFECTED. ALSO, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED HARD A HISSING SOUND IS HEARD.

NHTSA ODI 10783049

Oct 12, 2015Brakes

CAR WOULD NOT STOP WHEN BACKING OUT OF GARAGE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STIFF CAUSING THE CAR TO ROLL OFF THE DRIVEWAY AND INTO THE SIDE YARD. WE TRIED TO DRIVE THE CAR BACK INTO THE GARAGE BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL RESISTANCE WAS INCONSISTENT - FROM FIRMER THEN USUAL TO LESS FIRM - MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE CAR. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED, A "HISSING" SOUND IS AUDIBLE. THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS LOSING VACUUM. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THIS IS A KNOWN MAZDA ISSUE, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO MANUFACTURE THIS CAR WITHOUT A CORRECTION. THERE SHOULD BE A MANDATORY RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO TELL ME DEFINITIVELY IF THE NEW BRAKE BOOSTER HAS THIS FLAW CORRECTED. THIS ISSUE COULD CAUSE A FATALITY.

NHTSA ODI 10781466

Oct 8, 2015Brakes

AS I WAS DRIVING I NOTICED MY BRAKES MAKING A HISSING NOISE OF ABOUT DAY. THEN, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD AND THEY FAILED TO WORK.

NHTSA ODI 10780792

Sep 11, 2015Electrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Brakes

BRAKES PREMATURELY FAILED AFTER FEELING NUMB AND SQUISHY. UPON DIAGNOSTIC BY A LOCAL MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER HAD A LEAK. IN ADDITION, THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON WHEN THE SYMPTOMS WERE PRESENT. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR $1250.

NHTSA ODI 10763179

Sep 8, 2015Brakes

CAR OF 3YR 8MTH < 40K MI. BRAKE NOT EFFECTIVE, FADE VERY QUICKLY, ATTEMPT TO LIFT AND REAPPLY BRAKE MAKES THING WORSE. HARDER TO BRAKE. HEAR HISSING NOISE, SIMILAR TO COMPLAINED BY OTHERS HERE. MAZDA NEEDS TO RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.

NHTSA ODI 10762228

Aug 28, 2015Brakes

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, BRAKES DO NOT STOP COMPLETELY. THERE IS A HISSING SOUND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. BRAKES FEEL HARDER TO PRESS THAN USUAL.

NHTSA ODI 10760085

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Working with the data? Download all 221 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 2012 Mazda Cx-90 Phev verdict →