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What 99 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 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 (99)Crash / fire / injury (5)Engine (61)Electrical system (14)Brakes (11)Transmission & drivetrain (9)Fuel system (8)Body & structure (4)Seats (3)Speed control (3)Wheels (3)Airbags (2)

3 of 99 complaints match · Seats · clear filters

Apr 12, 2024Electrical systemSeatsFire

My seat warmer caught fire and burnt a hole through the seat.

NHTSA ODI 11582514

Feb 16, 2021Electrical systemSeats

- THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM A MAZDA DEALER IN MAY 2017 - THE DRIVER SIDE CUSHION HEATER FAILED IN MARCH 2020. - THE PASSENGER SIDE CUSHION HEATER FAILED IN NOVEMBER 2020 - BOTH SIDES EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEM DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE USAGE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ABOUT 25% OF THE DRIVER - FROM THE TIME THE CUSHION HEATERS FAILED, WE OBSERVED RANDOM OVERHEATING OF THE BACK HEATERS AND RECORDED "HOT SPOTS" OF UP TO 149 DEG F (PICTURE ATTACHED) - WHILE THE CUSHION HEATERS DON'T OPERATE, THE BACKS GET TOO HOT FOR OCCUPANTS (ATTACHED PICTURE OF SKIN REACTION) AND AT ONE POINT THE PASSENGER SIDE PARTIALLY MELTED A PLASTIC SHOPPING BAG - MAZDA RESPONDED TO THE COMPLAINT THAT THE CAR WAS OUTSIDE OF THE 3-YEAR WARRANTY (EXPIRED IN MAY 2020) AND THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS SO THE COMPANY WAS NOT INTERESTED IN ANY TESTING OR INVESTIGATION OF THE PROBLEM ATTACHED: - PICTURE #1: TEMPERATURE IR READINGS - PICTURE #2: EFFECT OF THE OVERHEATING ON ONE OF THE OCCUPANTS

NHTSA ODI 11396524

Nov 18, 2016SeatsCrash

AFTER A MINOR REAR END ACCIDENT, THE DRIVER FRONT SEAT NOW ROCKS SIDE TO SIDE AND IS DISTRACTING AND UNSAFE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP THAT PROVIDED AN INSPECTION AND SAID THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT. THEY STATE THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR THEIR SEATS TO ROCK SIDE TO SIDE. HOW UNSAFE AND FRIGHTENING. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED DOCUMENTATION FROM THE DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ODI 10926822

Working with the data? Download all 99 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 2016 Mazda Cx-90 Phev verdict →