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2014 Mazda Cx-90 Mhev

Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

54 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Cautionwillitcar.com

Buy-rated alternatives from this era

Other 20122016 cars in the same rough price bracket with a clean, matured Buy verdict — worth cross-shopping before you commit to the 2014 Mazda Cx-90 Mhev.

2015
Kia Optima Hybrid
Buy99/100
2016
Audi A4
Buy99/100
2015
Lexus ES 350
Buy99/100

Why caution?

Has a "park it / park outside" recall, the most serious kind. Verify the fix was done before buying.

Engine problems dominate (35% of complaints, typically reported near 70k miles).

Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.

Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.

Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.

Score breakdown, by factor

Full methodology →

#198 of 348Among the 2014 models with a matured record, the 2014 Mazda Cx-90 Mhev ranks #198, scoring higher than 16% of them. See the 2014 ranking →

Complaint volume100
Severity96
Recall load71
Trend100

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20142024

How it crashes

NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.

4/5 overall

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2014 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD

Front crash
Side crash
Rollover

Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 15%

Stability control: StandardForward collision warning: NoLane departure warning: No

1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file, separate from the recalls above.

NHTSA crash-test photo, 2014 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD

Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2014 Mazda Cx-90 Mhev, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miEngine~70k mi · 19 reportsBrakes~64k mi · 9 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Transmission & drivetrain (7) · Suspension (5) · Fuel system (5)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Engine

35%

19 complaints · typically near 70k mi

Water pump failed and ruined the engine. There was little to no warning.

Read the engine complaints →

Brakes

17%

9 complaints · typically near 64k mi

Breaks became very hard to press and I was having trouble stopping the car. I could not drive it to the Mazda dealer who was too far. I took a chance and drove a few m…

Read the brakes complaints →

Transmission & drivetrain

13%

7 complaints

- Water pump failed causing coolant to mix with oil. This repair cost was around $3,900. - Luckily this failure happened on our community road and was able to pull int…

Read the transmission & drivetrain complaints →

Suspension

9%

5 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years

HEARD LOUD GRINDING SOUND FROM RIGHT REAR SIDE OF VEHICLE WHEN TURNING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. BROUGHT TO MECHANIC AND NEEDED R REAR WHEEL BEARING AND HUB ASSEMBLY COSTING…

Read the suspension complaints →

Check it against this car’s mileage

Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.

miles

We can place 2 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.

Read all 54 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 2 crash/fire/injury reports →

Recalls (3)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Park itAir Bags · 18V717000

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.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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.

Steering · 16V203000

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.

Risk: If the steering knuckle separates from the strut assembly, it can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Suspension · 15V451000

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2014 CX-9 vehicles manufactured October 24, 2006, to December 28, 2013. The affected vehicles have front suspension ball joints that may corrode from water leaking into the fitting.

Risk: Over time, the ball joint corrosion may result in the front lower control arm separating from the ball joint, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace both the left and right lower control arms, free of charge. The recall began on September 14, 2015. The recall will begin with model year 2007-2009 vehicles registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The second phase will be for model year 2010-2014 vehicles in the same states. Finally, all remaining vehicles will be remedied. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 8515G.

Questions to ask the seller

Questions worth asking the seller of this Mazda before you buy, drawn from its public record:

  1. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2014 Mazda Cx-90 Mhev. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"? One is a "park it" / "park outside" order, the most serious kind, so I'd want that repair documented before I drive it.
  2. Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 70k miles). Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
  3. Owners of this model report brakes problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 64k miles). Has this car shown any brakes symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
  4. Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
  5. How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
  6. Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?

Before you hand over money

Verify the recall work was done

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2014 Mazda CX-90 MHEV beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2014? See how every Cx-90 Mhev model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2014 Mazda Cx-90 Mhev against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

See what owners are saying about other cars →

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2014 Mazda Cx-90 Mhev as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.