There are 15 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2009 Mazda CX-9in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
MY BRAKES STARTED FEELING SPONGY BUT HARD TO PUSH WHEN I WOULD TRY TO COME TO A STOP. IT FELT AT TIMES LIKE MY CAR WASN'T GOING TO STOP. I STOPPED DRIVING IT AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS REPLACED. AT THAT TIME, I LOST BRAKES COMPLETELY. THE BRAKE PEDDLE GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WHEN PRESSED. HOPEFULLY THE BOOSTER IS A BAD ONE.
I WAS TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO HIGH SCHOOL IN THE MORNING WITH MY SON IN THE CAR AS WELL. IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, I APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. MY FOOT WAS ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WHEN THEY FINALLY CAUGHT BUT I WAS OUT IN THE LINE OF TRAFFIC AND LUCKILY NO ONE HIT ME AND INJURED MY SON OR MYSELF. AFTER REPLACING THE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS THAT DID NOT FIX THE SITUATION, I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH MAZDA CX-9 THAT WAS EVEN INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA WITHOUT HAVING A RECALL. HOW DOES SOMETHING SO CRITICAL IN THE SAFETY OF LIVES DOES NOT GENERATE A RECALL THAT THE NHTSA HAS SEEN REPEATED COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE WITHOUT ADVISING OR CARING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMERS AND OTHER DRIVERS. IT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT MAZDA HAS NOT ADDRESSED OR CORRECTED.
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. IT WORKS FOR AWHILE AND THEN STOPS WORKING. WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL THE BRAKE LIGHT MAY OR MY NOT COME ON AND THAT IS WHILE SITTING STILL OR WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING. I HAVE REPLACED THE SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES.
HISSING SOUND WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED. PEDAL GETS REALLY HARD TO PUSH THEN IT GOES TO THE FLOOR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IN A PANIC STOP IT FEELS THAT THE CAR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP. I AM TOLD THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER HAS FAILED. THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE IS APPROXIMATELY 138,000 MILES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA CX-9. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE FAULTY. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SLIDE AS THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH FORCE. THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR WAS ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED KERRY MAZDA (1020 BURLINGTON PIKE, FLORENCE, KY 41042, (844) 327-8391) AND WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. AN UNKNOWN RECALL WAS ISSUED SOON AFTER THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
MAZDA CX9 BREAK BOOSTER DIAPHRAGM LEAKAGE. I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2009 MAZDA CX9 THAT ALMOST GOT ME KILLED. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD TO SLOW DOWN BECAUSE THE CAR AHEAD OF ME ABRUPTLY SLOWED DOWN. I PRESSED MY BREAKS TO SLOW DOWN AND IT FELT AS HARD AS A ROCK PROMPTING ME TO MAKE SHARP MANEUVER INTO THE OTHER LANE, THANKFULLY NO OTHER CARS WERE COMING ON THAT LANE. UPON MAKING HOME I WENT ON THE COMPUTER AND RESEARCH THE ISSUE. I FOUND OUT THAT THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECTS WITH THE BREAK BOOSTERS IN THE CX9 AND MAZDA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A MAZDA DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD TO PAY $680 TO HAVE THE ISSUE FIXED BECAUSE I MISSED THE 2015 DEADLINE SET BY MAZDA TO HAVE THE BREAK BOOSTER FIXED. I WAS SO UPSET, I CALLED MAZDA USA WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT THE ISSUE. TO ROB SALT IN THE WOUND THE LADY I SPOKE TO ON THE PHONE ADVISED MY TO MAKE SURE THAT I SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP FOR THE OPEN RECALL ON THE AIRBAGS ISSUE. (WHICH I INTERPRETED AS "IF YOUR BREAKS FAIL AND YOU DIE, THE AIRBAG WILL PROTECT FACE SHOULD IN CASE YOUR FAMILY WANTS TO DO AN OPEN CASKET AT YOUR FUNERAL"). I BELIEVE IT IS UNFAIR FOR MAZDA TO AVOID FIXING A KNOWN DEFECTS IN THE MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY SYSTEM IN A CAR ( THE BREAKS) BY PASSING IT OFF AS A WARRANTY PROGRAM. I AM GLAD TO BE ALIVE TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. PLEASE THINK ABOUT PEOPLES SAFETY AND NOT THE INTEREST OF THE MANUFACTURERS AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA CX-9. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKE FUNCTION AND THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE BOTH FEET TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE COASTING TOWARDS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE SAFELY. PREVIOUSLY, THE CONTACT HAD THE POWER BOOSTER SYSTEM REPAIRED. THREE MONTHS AFTER THE INITIAL REPAIR, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER CITING THE EXACT FAILURE THAT OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA CX-9. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT IN ORDER TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT HAD TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT UNTIL THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND HAD IT TOWED TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDS REPLACED. BUT I MISSED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THEY NEVER NOTIFIED ME THAT THESE WERE FAULTY
WHEN BREAKING I HEAR PULSATING SOUND AND VERY DIFFICULT TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. THE CAR SLOWS DOWN EVENTUALLY, BUT REQUIRE INTENSE PRESSURE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE IS ALSO A PULSATING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. IT TAKES ABOUT TWICE THE DISTANCE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP THAN PREVIOUSLY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM ON THE DASHBOARD, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY FEEL SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH BREAKING. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WHEN DRIVING.
WAS DRIVING MY MAZDA CX-9 IN AFTERNOON TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME APPLIED THEIR BRAKES TO STOP. I WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WAS HARD AND NOTHING HAPPENED...THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I THEN PLACED MY OTHER FOOT ON THE PEDAL IN ORDER TO APPLY MORE PRESSURE AND STILL NOTHING. HEARD A HISSING NOISE AND THEN REALIZED THIS CAR WAS NOT GOING TO STOP. "SCARED THE HELL" OUT OF ME AS I WATCHED MY CAR HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THANK GOD I WAS NOT GOING FAST OR THIS COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC. PULLED OVER SLOWLY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE CAR OFF TO GATHER MY THOUGHTS. APOLOGIZED TO THE LADY I JUST HIT AND COULD NOT EXPLAIN TO HER WHAT HAPPENED, WE WERE BOTH PUZZLED. I THEN SLOWLY MILKED THE CAR HOME TO PARK IT AND CALL THE DEALER. THIS IS WHAT I FOUND OUT....MAZDA KNOW'S THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE BRAKE POWER ASSIST UNIT AND IT ACTUALLY WAS INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA. NOT HAPPY WITH THE FACT THAT MAZDA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND NEVER NOTIFIED ME OFF IT. SUBSEQUENT CALLS TO MAZDA AND THEY SAID "ONE" MEMO WAS SENT OUT AND BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE ON MY CAR IT'S NOT COVERED. REALLY....HOW CAN A COMPANY WILLINGLY KNOW THERE'S A BRAKE PROBLEM AND SEND "ONE" SO CALLED MEMO TO IT'S OWNERS. IF I HAD EVER SEEN THAT MEMO MY CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE DEALERS IMMEDIATELY. NOT TO PLEASED WITH MAZDA AT THE MOMENT......IF THIS IS WHAT THEY MEAN BY "WE BUILD EXCITEMENT"! I'M NOT INTERESTED!
WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC/PARKING LOTS, ETC., I HAD THREE SEPARATE INCIDENCES IN WHICH WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL I FELT NO RESISTANCE AND THERE WAS NO DECELERATION. THE BRAKE EITHER FINALLY APPLIED ITSELF AFTER I GOT THE PEDAL ALMOST TO THE FLOOR OR I LET OFF THE BRAKE AND REAPPLIED THE PEDAL AND IT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY THE SECOND TIME. IT DID NOT RESULT IN ANY ACCIDENTS BUT LEFT ME UNSURE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKED FLUID INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER CAUSING LOSS OF BOOST RESULTING IN EXTREMELY REDUCED BRAKING FUNCTION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA CX-9. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, EXCESSIVE FORCE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS FLUID LEAKING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE POWER BOOSTER. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE POWER BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,000. *TR
2009 MAZDA CX-9 - ON 5/19/2013 THE BRAKES WERE FINE. THE MORNING OF THE 20TH MY WIFE RETURNED HOME FROM WORK, AND SAID SHE HEARD A HISSING NOISE FROM THE BRAKES. I DROVE THE CAR TO WORK LATER THAT DAY AND NOTICED THE HISSING SOUND. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT NORMAL AT FIRST THEN BEGAN TO GET HARD AND THE CAR COULD BARLEY STOP. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026